Which design of hull shape will you be using when building a wood boat?
If you've decided that you're going to take on the challenge of building a wood boat
, you may want to do some research into different hull designs, so that you know the boat you are making properly serves the purpose that you want it for. You don't want to start building a speed boat with a flat bottom for example, but why? This article aims to uncover the reasons behind different hull designs.Chined and hard-chined hulls can be divided into three sub types, those being flat-bottomed, V-bottomed and multi-chined. If you're building a wooden boat from ply, you will more than likely be using one of these designs. They are some of the easiest create and are formed from flat sheets of wood (usually ply) which are set at angles to each other.
Flat bottoms are fairly easy to build and provide a good basis for stability, but as you increase the speed on the water, this shape will cause more resistance due to it's less streamlined design and therefore you'll be in for a more bumpy ride. This is why you'll see this design used a lot in rowing boats, but not for speed boats!
V bottoms are another simple design to build and being more streamlined in shape, cut through the water much better at speed. By flattening the V out towards the back of the boat, this will also help to add stability and allow it to plane at speed, creating a smoother ride.
As I just mentioned planning, it seems natural to move onto Planing hulls next. These hulls are designed so that as the boat speeds up, the hull rises in the water and runs along the surface. This is caused by something that is known as dynamic lift'. This design is commonly used in speed boats as it reduces drag from contact with the water and allow for greater speed. Plus it takes more power to get to planing speed and these boats usually tend to have larger engines. This shape does mean less maneuverability at slower speeds though.
Displacement hulls are another option you may choose. As the name suggests, this design is based around displacing the water by the shape of the hull, basically pushing the water out of the way, rather than passing over the top of it.
Round hulls are the most versatile designs, but also the most difficult to build and therefore the most expensive. They are good at providing a smoother ride and speed, but also more easy to handle at lower speeds too, so are good if you are looking for something with a good all round performance (excuse the pun!).
Now, obviously and as previously mentioned with regard to V shaped hull flattening out at the back, you can also sometimes combine different hulls shapes to try and maximize the benefits of each and minimize the disadvantages. Combination hulls e.g. semi-planning, semi-displacement are examples of this. This allows for a combination of speed and maneuverability with greater strength.
So there you have it, a brief description about the various different hulls designs. Now you'll have some more idea of why boats are built the shape they are and this might shed new light on your own boat design.
For more information on boat building techniques or designs, or for similar boat building topics, please feel free to visit my website. You're always welcome aboard! Just click on the links below. Also, If you enjoyed this article or found it useful, please take a moment to leave a comment and let me know. I would love to know your thoughts, so just drop me a line if you have time.
Which design of hull shape will you be using when building a wood boat?
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