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full deck vs open hull

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deepsea diver

Well-known member
Why are open hull more popular in central Fl and deck boats more popular in south Fl. I went to both airboat shows in south Fl. The first one in Palm beach was not as big as the one one at the bass pro shop. However, the one in PB had a lot of full decks that were a complete different style than the thurman style at Brevard. Who makes the PB style boats with the deck shaped for the prop and the rounded gunnels at the stern. Will this style boat do well in the rivers of central fl. Say Hwy 46 to 192 on the st johns. Hal :?:
 
I don't know why open hulls are more poular up there Hal, but when you go to the Palm Beach show, you sure did see a bunch of the Palm Beach Style hulls there this year.

Those Palm Beach Style hulls are the best all around performing boats IMO. They will run deep water, but really like the shallow stuff. Just like any other airboat. When they are fully decked, they are fairly tough to swamp in deep water. As long as you don't flip it.

I think they are a little better at running dry than a Taylor / Thurman Glades style boat, and you can put more gear in them because they are taller throught the middle of the hull when fully decked.

I sometimes think that many glass hulls have similar bottm profiles, and run very well, but they are not a rivetted boat. Thats what I like.

Don't get me wrong, there ain't nothin wrong with a Taylor style glades boat. They run sweet.

Ain't nothing wrong with a good glass hull either.

Many areas of Florida a deep sided river hull will be the way to go.

It just sepends on what style of airboating you will be doing, and the type of terrain you expect to run.

I was born in Palm Beach County, so I can't help but like those style hulls.

Guess We've got a Palm Beach problem."three of them out in the yard right now"

Search this forum for a thread called Rivetted hulls. It had allot of good info in there.

If you really wnat one, I can put you in touch with several different builders.

See ya.
 
Thanks cowboy, I went back checked out the info on the palmBeach hull. That was some good reading. The PB hull is just like a pretty girl. Don't know why you like them, you just like them. Wide in the stearn with nice curves. I will be needing the current numbers for the PB builders. Buy the way, at the PB show I meet a young man that just finished his new PB boat just days before the show. He did a great job. He said he and his dad built the entire boat. I will be heading back south again in 2 to 3 weeks for 3 days. I would like to stop by some of the shops. Thanks Hal
 
I don't have either numbers but I know Billy Kline of Kline Airboats makes a nice boat. If you are interested I can get it just don't have it on me.
 
The PB hulls just flat out-perform the open hulls. Waterthunders boat with that LS-1 looks like it gets on plane in about 20'. Honest! It's spooky ... :shock: .

The open hull boat are more of a family oriented boat .... room for a few more people, their bags, coolers, camping gear, etc. I love 'em both. You've just got to decide how much "stuff" you need to carry with you when you go to the water.

feather
 
Billy Kline
Kline's Custom Airboats: Loxahatchee
561-793-3672

B&J Custom Airboats

Bobby Simpson / Jim Hardy Fort Basinger
941-763-9262

Try those numbers Hal.

12' Simpson / Stossell copy by Sean Capps.
I believe this hull sold for around 8k so get ready$$$$$$

95Web_palm_beach1.jpg


95Web_palm_beach.jpg
 
I was originally going to buy a Palm Beach hull but I couldn't afford one. Plus the main reason was all of the riveted hull builders that I spoke with only wanted to build the boat they wanted to build and not the one I wanted. I have owned a few deckovers that didn't run well with high horsepower motors so I wanted to make several changes on my next hull and I only found one person who would build a riveted boat wider, longer, higher and with the gas tank where I wanted. All of the deck over hulls I have seen are spin off's from A/C hulls from the 60's and 70's which I feel is an awesome boat one of the very best. The best running airboats I have ever rode on where all light A/C deck overs. However they don't work well with 3 times the horsepower on them so I had to make several changes. My goal was to build a car motor boat that ran as light and nimble or better then a light rivited A/C deckover. The only down side to a deck over which I hear everybody complain about is storage space. However when I go camping or out with my family I only bring what I need. Some people I see pack enough for a year long expedition so they need an open boat to haul generators and gas grills. I love my deck over more than any hull I have ever drove. I will run her till the rivets pop out which by judging by some of the 30 year old deck overs I have seen will be a very long time from now.
 
I hunt a 14,000 acre private lease in the maurepas swamp in reserve louisiana and all we run is 12ft all 1/8" full decked boats, i got a 0360 200hp on mine with a 2-blade powershift prop on mine with a winch on the bow and a sprayer system and front operator and foot steering/hand steering and heavy duty alum cages. Where we hunt v-8 boats are a dog when you get in that heavy timber. I use to have a 12ft Ronnies open hull with a 125hp 0290 with a 5-blade warp drive but sank it too many times crossin ditches that were too steep on the other side. I prefer a deck boat over an open boat any day. Check out my profile I have a picture of my boat in it. I also want to note is was homemade built by my dad AL JUSTRABO. Old-school too, using a come-along to break the the sides up to get those smooth round chimes.
 
Alright Cane and Cowboy .... there it is! Another man that understands Old-school deck boats !

Duckhunter, if you're anything like a couple of guys we've got on here, Ill bet there ain't enough money in Baton Rouge to buy that old boat either.
Great story, and good to hear from ya'.

feather
 
Thanks Cowboy, now I have a few places to start.

WaterThunder, who made your custom full deck? I see you are in Melbourne. Were is your shop? I have been swinging by LK Washington just to check out some boats. Do you make it to midway and lone cabbage often? Would like to checkout your motors. Hal
 
I think popularity is mainly due to what is made in the area and what your buddies have.

I just posted a thread on Scorpion deckover boats and now that my buddy has one, I bet more folks around here are going to be running them. In one day on the lake I heard several serious airboaters say "I should've got one of those a long time ago!"
 
10-4 There Gatorchaser,

I was gonna post this sooner, I was was trying to get these confounded ratches straps untangled!

Hey Gatorchaser! Wait-up!

Oh well, guess there aint nothing perfect in this world.

I guess you can't put anything in your front hatch, cause that's where your Redneck crib is positioned!

I never heard anyone say " I was Born on an airboat ", but that may be getting close!

Keep up the good work man. You've got some killer pictures in your gallery.
 
Not a problem for me I always seam to catch up! Besides to me when airboating getting to where I'm going is all the fun and their ain't no more fun then the sprint car slide. It's just my opinion but out of the 40 things I want an airboat to do the deck over does all of them perfectly accept for one detail and that is storage and to me the performance of a deck over way supersedes the convenience of storage. But as always that's my opinion. Allot of people would rather have storage then performance and safety. It's an opinion and all I ever haul is a rifle, shotgun, cooler and a tent I never haul generators or gas grills or plasma TV's.
 
Don't forget you gotta save room on your boat for Phil's dog Tex the next time you're out together ....... :lol: .

feather
 
If I had not seen the results of your adventures in your Member Gallery I'd think that was all talk. I don't know if your THE man but you must be at least one of 'em.
 
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