Shallow Water - 320 v-drive

[jaxon5000]

does anyone have a recommendation on how shallow to go with my boat? No throttle, just in gear.....2006 320 DA w v-drives.....

 

[tawcat]

The draft is listed at 36". I personally have hit, as stated by my depth gauge, 2.6 feet and have not scraped bottom, but that was no throttle not in gear.

Scares the hell out of me when my depth alarm goes off!

 

[skolbe]

Usually when the depth gauge says 1.6 feet - it is too deep for my wife to stand and touch bottom. 1.3 feet is perfect. That is with everything just about the bottom.

 

[Henry Boyd]

The depth gauges all have adjustments (waterline, keel, etc.). So absolute readings may not necessarily be the same between boats.

Henry

 

[Vince_nj1]

Just keep in mind, it will cost you about $400 to fix your props if hit something and bend them slightly. I will troll in 2.5 to 3, but not get on plane unless I have at least 4ft. I am boating in an area where the ground is mud/sand. If I was in an area that has rocks, I wouldnt go lower than 4 ft.

 

[HUMPH]

If I read 3' on my depth gauge I start to watch it. I have slid through reading less than 2' from the transducer in neutral. I figure when it reads 2' I am in at least 3' of water but try to go by the reading and no less.

 

[HUMPH]

I don't plane in less than 10' either. We have ship channels everywhere so we always have a place to open it up. When I am not sure what I am coming into (I always have my chart out) I idle slowly...

 

[JimG]

Good information here... I'm going to try this method next season:

Usually when the depth gauge says 1.6 feet - it is too deep for my wife to stand and touch bottom.

I'm sure I can get my wife to hang on behind the boat as I idle into shallow waters... I'll stop every half a foot so she can test. :thumbsup:

 

[skolbe]

Good information here... I'm going to try this method next season:

I'm sure I can get my wife to hang on behind the boat as I idle into shallow waters... I'll stop every half a foot so she can test. :thumbsup:

I have not off set my keel adjustment. So - I just anchored the boat and left he depth gauge on and took readings. I am always in shallow water. Our channel sometimes is only 9' deep

 

[JimG]

I have not off set my keel adjustment. So - I just anchored the boat and left he depth gauge on and took readings. I am always in shallow water. Our channel sometimes is only 9' deep

sshhhhhh! (I still need to convince my wife that this is the only way!) :smt001

 

[Alex F]

Same here as others stated, 1.6 under the boat I'm clear but at 1.3 I touch the bottom. I only go to these depths in th areas I know 100% that have soft bottom. If it was rocky 6' is my minimum. I'm in the same area as Vince and 6'-7' for us is a luxury. I also don't plane in less than 4'. Also don't forget to come off plane in the same depth otherwise the boat settles down even more before it levels in displasement speed.

 

[HUMPH]

Same here as others stated, 1.6 under the boat I'm clear but at 1.3 I touch the bottom. I only go to these depths in th areas I know 100% that have soft bottom. If it was rocky 6' is my minimum. I'm in the same area as Vince and 6'-7' for us is a luxury. I also don't plane in less than 4'. Also don't forget to come off plane in the same depth otherwise the boat settles down even more before it levels in displasement speed.

It will be a big difference when you get a bigger boat!

 

[Henry Boyd]

Between our house and the ocean the river gets awfully skinny between half and low low tide. I've set the depth sounder zero point to 3" below the drive skeg (3'6" from waterline). As long as I see a positive number I know it is ok to proceed. I don't even think about getting on plane with the gauge reading less than 3'!

Henry

 

[Alex F]

It will be a big difference when you get a bigger boat!

Not really. I'll just add another foot to my rule. But realistically the draft is only 7" more on the larger boat. When we anchor out I never stay closer than 3.6' under the boat. The 1.3' mark is the depth at the dead low tide entering to my marina (just to the section where my slip is). Obviously the new boat will not be kept there.

 

[HUMPH]

Not really. I'll just add another foot to my rule. When we anchor out I never stay closer than 3.6' under the boat. The 1.3' mark is the depth at the dead low tide entering to my marina (just to the section where my slip is). Obviously the new boat will not be kept there.

I see, I will have to change sections in my marina as well. I am in the old section but like it because there is very little current, the new section has current ripping through it but has nice concrete docks, pump outs on all docks, fewer spiders and lots of big beautiful boats. If I get a 40 something Sundancer it will be dwarfed by some of them but I am Ok with that.

I have acceptaed an offer on mine already so I should be making an offer very soon. The holiday will screw up getting surveys on my boat though it seems.

 

[carterchapman]

I don't plane in less than 10' either. We have ship channels everywhere so we always have a place to open it up. When I am not sure what I am coming into (I always have my chart out) I idle slowly...

Since we are discussing shallow water/running aground...

2K - I see you are in SF Bay - reminds me of the time in the early 80's when I was in the Navy. I landed at Alameda NAS right after the USS Enterprise ran aground in the bay about 1000 yds from her pier at Alameda NS...Not a pretty sight. the tide was pushing on her and she had about a 10° list! took the better part of a day to re-float her.

I recall the big deck carriers draw about 38'...

 

[Henry Boyd]

Since we are discussing shallow water/running aground...

2K - I see you are in SF Bay - reminds me of the time in the early 80's when I was in the Navy. I landed at Alameda NAS right after the USS Enterprise ran aground in the bay about 1000 yds from her pier at Alameda NS...Not a pretty sight. the tide was pushing on her and she had about a 10° list! took the better part of a day to re-float her.

I recall the big deck carriers draw about 38'...

I don't know about carriers, but an equivalent hull sized containership typically has a 14 meter draft. I seem to believe it needs half that amount again in depth for the prop to be effective.

Henry

 

[floriduramax1]

Between our house and the ocean the river gets awfully skinny between half and low low tide. I've set the depth sounder zero point to 3" below the drive skeg (3'6" from waterline). As long as I see a positive number I know it is ok to proceed. I don't even think about getting on plane with the gauge reading less than 3'!

Henry

Do you know if the depth gauge on the "Smart Craft" set up is actual depth or is it depth under the boat:huh:

 

[JohnEGraham]

Wow, one poster said: "I'm never on plane below 10 feet" Don't come boating by us in the "Great South Bay" on long island.NY. with 10 Foot only happens about 20% of the time. We do have complete sandy bottom.
The one good thing here is you don't need much sand paper to get the Bottom paint off each year

 

[Henry Boyd]

Do you know if the depth gauge on the "Smart Craft" set up is actual depth or is it depth under the boat:huh:

There is an 'offset' setting. I have the SC5000 display, on this display it is located in the the 'Settings' directory under 'Units/Language/Offsets' menu. IN the 'Depth Offset' window you enter zero the display will read 'Depth Set to Sensor'. If you use a positive number the display will read 'Depth Set to Waterline', if you enter a negative number the display will read 'Depth Set to Keel'. You need to know the vertical distance from the face of the depth transducer to either the lowest point on the bottom of the boat, drive skeg, rudder, prop arc etc.,or the vertical distance from the transducer to the waterline. I would imagine the same functionality exists on the SC1000 tach/speedo gauge and SystemView systems.

Henry