Tunnel Hull/Float Pods

[TexasBob]

I'm looking to pick up an aluminum fishing boat sooner rather than later. I know tunnel hulls and float pods allow you to get into shallower water, but what is the downside if there is one?

[Walker]

Rough ride

[justletmein]

The tunnel will be a little slower for same HP engine and your reverse will be a little weaker, especially with a heavily cupped flats prop. Sure is nice having the pods on the back, can't think of a downside to them.

[SaltwaterSlick]

I have one (not for sale) and the only "downside" for me has been loss of control when backing up. Reverse is almost useless, and backing up while turning is almost just a guess... Those "float pods", sponsons catch the water when the boat is in reverse and act like rudders that overtake the steering by the outboard... I bought the boat and built it up into a bowfishing rig and it will run in 10" of water and I can get it on top in about 18" or less. The one thing that would help is if the jack plate were hydraulic. Mine is fixed/manual adjustment so I could get a bit better control if I had a hydraulic jack plate. I'd get that if I had to do it over again. Mine is a 18' X 60" tunnel hull. Outboard prop shaft centerline is even with the bottom of the boat, so very little of the outboard is stickin' in the water... Makes a great skinny water bay/back lake fishin' rig too! I just need to put 'er in the water!!

[GARY]

Posts 2-4 pretty summarize the negatives. You gotta decide what you will trade for and what's most important based on your home waters and what you are doing fishing.

I own a Kenner - partial tunnel with V and Majek Extreme (no tunnel).

1) Kenner get's up in shallower water
2) They run in same depths
3) Majek (more length than tunnel) handle's rougher water better

I fish bay's and river system from East Matty to Upper Laguna Madre. I can fish anywhere in that system with either boat without missing any of the water I really want to fish in.

[Flex]

Aluminum is a little different than glass boats.

Tunnel- Going to draft a "touch" more sitting still, lose a few mph top speed, but you will be able to run almost "surface drive" skinny on step.

Pods- draft less sitting still, can help with ride quality a bit when on step, not going to rob your top speed. Going to lose a little bit of shallow running depth on step.

If I was running the Lower Laguna Madre- I would want a tunnel hull.

Most other places my style of fishing I would rather have pods.

My 17.5' cajun special non tunnel will run in less than a foot, and get up in a ft to foot and a half depending on what type of bottom it is.