Flatback ride quality

[Miguel]

I know I´m out of my league here, but I was wondering on the quality of the ride of the flatback AS.  I saw one the other day and it has almost 0 deadrise!!  We used to have a 23 Mako with a very steep deadrise and when things got choppy it bounced a bit.  
The flatback has to have a very bumpy rough water ride, right??

[Poon-Time]

Miguel, I have yet to ride in a Flatback AS but have read many discussions on this topic.  From what I have come up with is the Flatback has some what of a rough ride in heavy chop and near shore swells.  A set of tabs will work wonders for the ride as well.  Most do not get the Flatback's for their ride.  They want the shallow draft.  I opted for a 73' with a 12 deg. deadrise.  It is still shallow, not as shallow as the Flatback but will handle the rough stuff a little bit better.  I have plans of taking her a little offshore when she is done.  Hope this helps.

Mike

[Rayos]

Mine is going to launch in a couple of weeks and I will let you know. I have a '71 flat-back.  I posted a similar question awhile back and got no responses.  Contrary to what one might expect, the flat back might ride half-way decent because of its sharp entry and the fact that that entry sits a bit lower than the rest of the hull. It has no lifting strakes to raise the bow so I guess it was designed to slice.   As long as its slicing, you should be fine.  I figure you wouldn't want to go too fast in a short stacked chop either way.

[james c]

well rayos I see your pics and the boat sure does look nice!!!! Well how does it ride? what's your speeds with that nice 150hp? I can't wait to get mine done!!

[Rayos]

Thanks.  Let me tell you I am really impressed with the ride. The boat is really well balanced and gets on plane easy, then glides to a nice smooth ride.  Doesn't porpoise, stays level and is really stable.

Didn't go in the rough stuff but there was a small bay chop and the boat really really slices through it with no problem.  I put the tabs down just to try them out but not because of a need.  It got to where I was looking to go out just to cruise the thing.  Next time I will leave the bay and go out
to see how it handles the reef chop.

Motor is new - still breaking in.  At 3300 an easy 27 to 28 mph cruise with a 7.5 or so gallon consumption ( carb 150 yammy).  I touched 35 or so then backed off - no where near top.  The manual says that I can gun it after hour 2 and that will be on the next ride.  Will let you know.  Got lots of compliments from all sorts of people.  People really fall for those lines..Good luckon yours..

[Tailgunner]

It's not the best ride in rough seas but it's not a Whaler either. I have yet to buy tabs but did get a hydrofoil which helps it get onto a plane much faster. Trimming it out helps a lot too.

I don't go out in seas over 4' but I got caught a few times and I did get wet.

I have noticed thought that the boat rides MUCH better with a full tank than it does empty. If I have 2 people on board I have them sit on the forward console seat and this boat rides very well.

[captflatback]

i have a 68 flatback i've be using for about 2 months now and i have owned both and my flatback rides better the first trip it took was from gandy ramp in tampa to south Sarasoda and it was 2 to 3's all the way to the icu there was a 12d on the same trip and he was very wet and we were dry till i throw the castnet for bait. If there is any one in the area that needs a ride to see if they want a flatback or a 12d email or call me and i'll be glad to give you a ride.

Captflatback
Capt. Jim Lemke
813.917.4989

[skinnywater]

I have 1978 Aquasport 19'6" flatback, and I would not trade it for the world. It does ride rough in high chop; however, it only drafts 9" of water. I live in South West Florida where shallow water flats are in abundance, so the boat works great for me.

[sandbarbilly]

Never taken a wave over the bow in mine. Following seas kind of suck...then again following seas SUCK!