Has anyone found what is the best thing to put on the bottoms of these boats to help with to not hook the bottom when running stumps?

Polymer? heard good and bad things bout it...heard real good for sliding over vegetation and mud but is not puncture proof. As alot of folks know we got stumps out the wazoo here in ETX

Any other suggestions? Guess i must have the absolute worst luck with boats and motors

is your phowler hooked?

yea...

my gd is hooked to hell!!!

dont tell me any suggestions....that may talk me out of buyin a new boat!

my PD boat was trashed...but this one brother is buildin has 3/16ths bottom and 6 2x2 longitudes and 4 2x2 cross braces...maybe it will hold up..i plus im just gonna take it easier in the stump fields cuz these boats are fukin expensive.

Bout the only thing you can do is go with a thicker bottom. There aint too much you can just "apply" to the bottom of a thin aluminum boat thats gonna keep thin aluminum from bending.

3/16 bottom with cross braces for you texas boys

We have a lot of stumps here also. I haven't had any problems but I am probably a lot more cautious than most. Those of you that have hooked up these mud hulls---Are you guys running wide open in these stump fields?

phathead i'm thinking it's going slow with alot of luggage!!!

I think mr brinklydog might have built the stump feild boat with his last one. That thang is a tank!

This boat has 6 2x2 longitudinals and 4 2x2 cross braces but is all 1/8 thick

Was lookin at the bottom alot closer and it's only right in the middle between runners and the next section over but they run from the transom to the second cross brace (got one by the transom so next one forward)

it's supposed to be 5086 grade but so was that gatortrax boat that was screwed up awhile back


But yea slow and heavy is what hurts the most but don't matter how fast or slow you go with stumps right under water can't do anything about

3/16" bottom, only way to go. Or maybe 1/4" and kick one buddy to the curb.

Hey Rickey, what would the weight difference be on an 18x48 with 3/16" vs 1/4" bottom?

If I remember right he told me it was around 60 lbs

phathead where you hunt at?

I suggest a Kann or AAD 1/4 commercial hull next time around Willet, or just go steel.

thats kinda why im lookin for suggestions without spendin a huge chunk b/c dont really need or want another boat anytime soon

Do you think it would be possible to put a second sheet of 1/8 inch over the bottom? What I'm thinkin is drill the rivets, remove floor pans, press or pound the hooks out, flip boat, cut slots for welding in new sheet and weld? I did it to an old commercial plate boat and it functioned. Second sheet of 1/8 would add about +-100lbs??????

Has any one have experience with Linktech OceaPoly Performance.
www.linktech-inc.com

just go 1/4". i almost did on the hull that brothers buildin right now but went 3/16. we shall see if it holds up.

Just fill them in and steel flex it.

1/4 all the way with 1/4 teflon.....with 24" sides. I have 21 and it is DRAFTN some watter now. Will not be able to float over 900 to 1000 lbs now. i havent weighted it yet but she is a beast...guessin 700 to 800 dry. But i can still drag it off dry dock if the ground is wet. can almost drag it off the trailer and i have 2x12 for runners. If it had carpet on the bunls i could drag it off myself.

Willet if your are going to use the hull for hunting just take it to hoyt or plate that SOB.

I will show you what the teflon will to friday. i have drug it across asfalt ( se pics in forsale section) and it didnt fase it a bit.

the bolts might not be for everyone buy if it wasnt proven would all the 1000 of air boat be running the same crap for years. Just like 1/8 aluminum works in a high percentage of cases. thats why the benchmark is set at 1/8 for these rigs.

Im out...later.... my amegos....ill edit this in the morning if it looks jacked up. guess i should have stayed on the wine....lol if anyone want to ride friday 1 pm Lack o the pins......

Hey Brinkley, I use to go to your neck of the woods about once or twice a year, to Hallsville Raceway. Is the dragstrip still there? Sorry don't mean to jack the thread.