Tunnel V swapping ends

[Txhorns7]

I guess my question is why buy one? Where do you fish mostly?

If shallow is what you need then I would look at a cat. If you are fishing bigger water then buy a vee hull.

I sold my Explorer because of your concern and what it did to me. I ran a Tran Cat for a bit but too wet in Galveston when I started fishing it more than Matagorda. My Haynie 24 HO I had was probably within an inch of what the Explorer floated in.

[PEC]

Honestly any boat with a jack plate can do it. I swapped ends in my 21’ flats cat motor all the way up making a hard turn in 4-5” of water and the back spun out.

I’ve been in a 21’ explorer plenty of time with a very dangerous captain and it never happened.

Just use some sense and you will be fine there are thousands of that style boat on Texas waters and you don’t hear about it that much.


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This^^^^... It will happen with any boat if you run your jackplate up to high while running to fast.

[bloodtrailer28]

This^^^^... It will happen with any boat if you run your jackplate up to high while running to fast.

I've been in number boats with jackplate all the way up and have never had it happen. Cat hulls and v hulls. Not saying it can't happen with all of them but it's not near as common as the tunnel v design. There's a reason why nearly everyone who has one or who's ridden in one has had it happen to them. Same can't be said for other hull designs.

[TA_Fab]

It will do it. We had a 19 foot shoalwater stealth. I made it do it on purpose so I would know what it would feel like. It happens quick.


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If your your new to this kind of boat I’d recommend doing what he said ^^^, especially with the length your looking at. Better to be prepared.


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[Bullseyebob]

Especially be careful pulling a skier or a tube. When they fall you cant just swing around like a V bottom but sometimes you forget if you had a lot of V’s. Wear your kill switch and life jacket and be ready for a mouth full of saltwater and a lot of laughing spectators. .

[Walker]

Haven't swapped ends but did a 90 in my flat bottom majek skiff.

[BURTONboy]

After I was behind one that did it in POC boat lanes and saw what it did to the passengers leg, I would pass. That being said, lots of folks run them and love them. But I dont think I ever will.


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[Fishndude]

I can tell you that at 65 mph, you don’t wanna know what swapping ends feels like.

[Quackerbox]

Just know the limits of the hull, if you push the boat you will learn where that magic spot is. I run a 21 Explorer all the time and tried to get it to spin and it wouldn't. It is all on the length and design. I believe the issue was always with the shorter hulls.

You aint trying hard enough. That boat will do it or get real close. Or maybe you need more fresca and vodka. It skipped on us leaving east bay going back to chris' place one afternoon when I was driving.

[Notaguide]

Agree it's much worse the shorter the hull is. Owned a 17' Explorer/Baysport in the mid 90's with a 90hp and it was sporty to drive at all times. People will say it's driver error but a boat shouldn't be that difficult to control while turning or quartering chop. Mine actually was built with a little hook in the hull making it even more sensitive until it was repaired.

The Shoalwater steath, Explorer, Baysport, Bell, Destiny, etc, all originated from a 19' Mako by lengthening or shortening the hull and adding the tunnel. Several of the shorter models can be found with a straight transom trying to alleviate some of the characteristics without luck. Most have the key slot though. El Pescador and Mowdy have their own modified design but still have similar handling characteristics.

I'd recommend looking for a different hull design having experience with one unless 21' or longer. They do handle chop extremely well while running shallow but are limited to 35mph wot regardless of power.

[Capt Glenn]

I've had several tunnel vs and it is a concern.

It has less to do with the height the motor is raised on the jackplate as it does how high you have the bow trimmed going into a hard turn. You will slide through the turn until the bow falls enough for the V to catch and around she goes. Having the jackplate raised up compounds the situation. The key to avoiding it is to slow down a little, trim down to get the hull down into contact with the water before you start your turn and try not to turn really sharp.


I fished off tunnel Vs for many years, caught gobs and gobs of fish out of them. Enjoyed them. They allowed me a semi decent ride and I could still fish back lake stuff. BUT, they really suck overall compared to what we have today. They are slow and inefficient. Most of them run funky and you have to put trim tabs, transom wedges, etc on them to get them to run right. In their day they were great but honestly anything my Shoalwater Tunnel Vs would do the current cat boats will do just as well. The cats ride as well and draft the same or less and give you a ton more fishing space. For me, a tunnel V wouldn't even be an option anymore. I'd really tell you to look at the design as a whole and think through what you want. If you want to have to run a motor hard all the time to get very moderate speeds and then have to be careful making turns to keep from having an issue AND you'd like a hull that porpoises easily and is very trim sensitive AND you want a boat that fishes small for it's size... the tunnel V may be the boat for you.

[Capt Glenn]

The Shoalwater steath, Explorer, Baysport, Bell, Destiny, etc, all originated from a 19' Mako by lengthening or shortening the hull and adding the tunnel. Several of the shorter models can be found with a straight transom trying to alleviate some of the characteristics without luck. Most have the key slot though. El Pescador and Mowdy have their own modified design but still have similar handling characteristics.

There were a couple different boats that were cut down to make tunnel Vs. The Explorers and 19' and 17' Shoalwater were based on a cut down Mako. The 22' Shoalwater was a different hull. I always felt like it was probably based off an Aquasport flatback.

[Capt Glenn]

I believe the issue was always with the shorter hulls.

No sir, that is not correct. A 22' Shoalwater would do it in a heartbeat. I can tell you that 1st hand. So will a 24' El Pescador.

It has to do with having a boat with a flat stern and V hull. The flat stern will slide and when the V catches it's going to spin out.

[Capt Glenn]

I can tell you that at 65 mph, you don’t wanna know what swapping ends feels like.

The good thing about them is most of those tunnel Vs will only ever hit 65 when on a trailer. You'll do real good to get one to break 40 mph. Many top out mid 30's.

[flatlander]

I've had several tunnel vs and it is a concern.

It has less to do with the height the motor is raised on the jackplate as it does how high you have the bow trimmed going into a hard turn. You will slide through the turn until the bow falls enough for the V to catch and around she goes. Having the jackplate raised up compounds the situation. The key to avoiding it is to slow down a little, trim down to get the hull down into contact with the water before you start your turn and try not to turn really sharp.


I fished off tunnel Vs for many years, caught gobs and gobs of fish out of them. Enjoyed them. They allowed me a semi decent ride and I could still fish back lake stuff. BUT, they really suck overall compared to what we have today. They are slow and inefficient. Most of them run funky and you have to put trim tabs, transom wedges, etc on them to get them to run right. In their day they were great but honestly anything my Shoalwater Tunnel Vs would do the current cat boats will do just as well. The cats ride as well and draft the same or less and give you a ton more fishing space. For me, a tunnel V wouldn't even be an option anymore. I'd really tell you to look at the design as a whole and think through what you want. If you want to have to run a motor hard all the time to get very moderate speeds and then have to be careful making turns to keep from having an issue AND you'd like a hull that porpoises easily and is very trim sensitive AND you want a boat that fishes small for it's size... the tunnel V may be the boat for you.

This is 100% correct.

I've got a 23' Majek Texas Slam that I absolutely love. It runs shallow, it's got lots of room, I can stand on the bow during a drift and have a little height without an add on platform.

BUT, it's slow (about half the speed of the other boats leaving Marker 37 in the mornings) and the opportunity to 'swap ends' is always there.

I've never had it happen, but I know it could.

Next boat will be a Majek or Haynie cat.