22-2 Flatback vs newer 22-2: Is one much better with a folding tower?

[chriselk]

Am looking to resto a bay type boat with a folding tower for use in NC estuaries and on the beach for sightfishing Cobia.  The flatback and the newer model with the 12 degree deadrise that replaced it are the two hulls underconsideration   I have seen custom towers on both of these boats.

The inside fishing can be quite shallow.  We sightfish for red drum and others, sometimes in 1-2 feet of water.  I heard the flatback draws about 8 inches and the later 12 degree boat 9 or so.  So if this is true, the draft difference is not that important. 

So the tower issue. stability: are they significantly different in being able to support a tower? 

I am presently looking at hulls of both types.  Are there other considerations?  Probably going to put a porta bracket on a full transom.

Chris Elkins
tarheelboatworks@gmail.com

[love2fish]

I can speak for the 12' versions as I have one with a tower... they do not float anywhere near 9"... probably more like 12" depending on your transom setup and livewells.

add a tower, livewell, coolers, enclosed transom, people,,, and you are probably closer to 18". still incredibly shallow for a boat you can take 30 miles offshore and easily navigate through a sloppy inlet to get out on the beach.


The flatbacks can float a little shallower by definition, but I don't think its a deal breaker when you factor in the difference in ride while underway. Flatty's tend to bow steer in a following sea and you lose some underdeck storage (if you need it).

both are great platforms for towers, I recommend narrowing the original console to around 30" maximum so your tower footprint has a minimal impact on maneuvering around your boat. 

as for as "stability for your tower"... another thing to keep in mind is: strength and rigidity of your substrate (where you are mounting the tower)... it's pretty much a given that if you find a flatback- you will need to gut it and re-do the stringers as they are the weak point in design on these. generally, the 12' hulls have a "stronger" stringer grid that will probably require some beefing up and repairs, but they have stronger attachment points on these boats (generally speaking)...

the halftower versions (where you stand about 4-5' off the deck) seem to be the sweet spot for these boats to allow improved vision while not placing you so high it affects the center of gravity and causes extra sway.

Either version can get you where you want to go, boils down to what you can find, and how much you want to put into it.

[wingtime]

I think the 12 degree is the way to go.

[Outfishing222]

I currently have a 67 flatback that when purchased had a full folding tower.  Within 6 months of ownership I converted it to a half tower.  Within another 4 months I took the tower off all together and couldn't be happier.  I love the look of the tower on these boats but the flatback for me was to unstable to drive from the full tower and was not much better with the half.  I had several times of being up on the full tower where I was waiting to either roll over or be flung off.  Just my opinion though. 

[Aswaff400]

my flatback floats in less than a foot, closer to 8 or 9 inches when light, and 10-12 inches when heavy, i like the folding tower for the visibility, but folding up and down is a pain when using the boat multiple days in a row, or when tide is up and low bridges in my neighborhood. a 12 deg hull will ride better. on plane the flatback will have the ability to run skinnier than a 12 degree. as chris said, narrow console, 30 inches or less wide. mine is 28 inches, plenty of room to walk around.

stability, i have never felt like it was tipy or unstable. i have been in some rough stuff on my boat. for a while i primarily drove from up top just to stay dry. 

[chriselk]

Thanks so much for the prompt replies.  The boat will be mostly an inside boat to replace my lake and bay (1995).  The LB has a 20 F200 I4 on it.  Will the ASs handle a 20 inch motor or should I plan on getting a 25 inch motor.  I will use a flats jack (with some kind of small bracket) or porta bracket.

Second question.  What is the height of a halftower version (where you stand about 4-5' off the deck).  That is what is the height on a trailer and what is the height from the gunnels.  Need to know if I have clearance on way to ramp and whether it clears the roof of my boathouse.

Finally, I just finished a 23 Potter hull complete resto (i posted some of the pics somewhere on here) so I have an offshore boat sort of, but no tower.  I did not put a tower on that boat thinking that the deeper vee of that hull would be too unstable.  So thus, I thought I could replace my "inshore" LB with the 22-2 model that would be kept on the lift, without having to navigate a tower boat to the ramp around the dang trees and wires here in DE NC.

 

[Aswaff400]

You can convert you 20 inch motor to a 25.

My boat on the trailer, with the tower up is 14 ft, down is 11 ft. My trailer sits low though. My tower still hits some tree branches in my neighborhood with the tower folded.