Stepped Hulls?

[Massbasser]

What are the negatives to a stepped hull design? I've heard people say they don't like em, but never really got a good answer as to the draw backs or what it is people don't like about them. Clue me in please.

[Fever Mike]

I have owned both traditional V and stepped bottom. I have had 2 step bottom boats. The onky negitive to owned a step bottom is when you have to get a fork lift to lift your boat out of the water. The lift forks must be rubber coated and not wrapped in rope like I see so many like this. The rope wrapped forks will eat right into the edge of the step. Also the lift driver has to know not to move the forks in and out while the boat in of the fork lift because this movement will cause the forks to eat into the step. Also the storage bunks have to be built to properly support the step hull

Other than that my step hull boats have been much more full efficiant than traditional V hull boats.

[ken2]

Couple things. It is hard to get your transducer to read bottom, Many people go with a through-hull mount in front of the first step, and solve the problem, but the smaller boats can still have problems holding bottom even with a through hull.
Also, getting out of the whole, the stepped hull is a little less efficient, but its not a big deal.
Once on plane, they are much more efficiant.
I think its a great design.

[jpoggi]

If you take two hulls of the same length overall, let's say 23' and one has a stepped hull of about 2', does that make the one with the step more of a 21' hull? I'm just thinking of the spine or overall keel length. Does that make a difference in chop or anything? Probably not but just curious...I'm sure the overall dynamics of the boat work the same. I think the 225 Edgewater and the 22 Everglades are similar hulls (based on the same designer) but the Everglades has the step, I think.