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I believe our boats only draw about 10” ( or less) while on plane at speed.. not sure about that, but that was the number that popped into my head when I read your post.
I have ran mine WOT at about 10"-12" for about 1/8" mile. Alarms going off the whole time. Had to get out of LSC with storm coming fast and I was off one of the island and the channel we came in on was blocked by a large boat that had engine troubles. I checked my hull when I pulled it and I didn't have any scratches or scrapes. Checked the pumps and they were fine as well. I wouldn't prefer to do that, but I had no choice. Sand bottom with various reeds. Churned up the water pretty well. There were a couple boats that were grounded on there as well. It was about 1/8 to 1/4" mile long and about 1/4" mile wide way back in a bay. Really happy I didn't encounter a sunken log, cinder block, anchor or other.
I asked this question because during our Keys trip I accidentally got onto a shallow flat. I was following the Auto Route on my Garmin. The depth finder got as shallow as 0.7'. I saw lots of indications of other boats running aground. I figured if I slowed I would ground, so I pressed on. Grateful for the absence of submerged obstructions. I have since changed the preferred depth on the Garmin to 3'.
The real problem is at plainnig speed your going at least 20mph if you do hit a spot that's below that 7"" and maybe goes to like 2" to 3" two things will happen. First the boat will most likely come to a violent stop throwing people forward and there could be possible injuries. 2nd the boat needs deeper water to start off so your stuck until the tide comes in or the water on the lake rises. Years ago someone posted about his issue were he was in shallow muddy water and didn't realize until the boat was about 1/4 mile up the lake and it was stuck when turning back. He tried all types of ways but the boat was stuck for over a month, until the water in the lake rose. It was a crazy ordeal that he documented really well and posted updates and the gory details of being stuck.
The real problem is at plainnig speed your going at least 20mph if you do hit a spot that's below that 7"" and maybe goes to like 2" to 3" two things will happen. First the boat will most likely come to a violent stop throwing people forward and there could be possible injuries. 2nd the boat needs deeper water to start off so your stuck until the tide comes in or the water on the lake rises. Years ago someone posted about his issue were he was in shallow muddy water and didn't realize until the boat was about 1 mile up the lake and it was stuck when turning back. He tried all types of ways but the boat was stuck for over a month, until the water in the lake rose. It was a crazy ordeal that he documented really well and posted updates and the gory details of being stuck.
We routinely cross sandbars that are submerged to get in and out of creeks ect.. I know for a fact the boat will run in 12" while on plane. I won't run a long distance over that depth, and I certainly don't make a habit of running that skinny on purpose. It Just happens sometimes for very short distances.
will run for miles over 12’’ don’t turn hard or stop. On flats look for a deep spot 2’ by 15 or 20’ long and use tabs to get on plane quick. Don’t stand still ever at 2’ or less always be moving forward at least a little so you are not sucking up stuff from the bottom. The hole in front right in the picture I take off from there.
I have run in 12" on plane with our 07, leaving the lower unit boaters walking their boats thru. As said above, run straight and have plenty of depth to launch and come off plane. A slip neighbor asked me, "How did you do that?" 10 minutes after I arrived at the marina, when he came in. I showed him my jetpumps. He was in a Searay, had to walk it thru. As we approached the shallows, he stopped and got out. I sped up.
This is the area I am talking about. Had more water over it then. This area catches bass fishermen every year, during tournaments.
Pretty impressive you guys blowing through 12” deep water!
There was an experience I had in my first year of boating wherein I was buzzing right along (40 mph) at a lake south of me that has a very long sloping shoreline on the west side. I was keeping my distance from a pontoon and could see all of the people looking my way, about then in front of the boat I could see sticks poking up out of the water…. I braced but I never felt a thing and upon retrieval I checked the bottom and not one mark. I think the water was around 12” …. Not my finest moment! This was before I had gotten the lake master card and set water off sets.
Are boats don’t stop so fast when you do hit. We have nothing below to catch it slows down but not catastrophically. Just shut off motor as soon as it happens. once fast and once slow??
I have run in 12" on plane with our 07, leaving the lower unit boaters walking their boats thru. As said above, run straight and have plenty of depth to launch and come off plane. A slip neighbor asked me, "How did you do that?" 10 minutes after I arrived at the marina, when he came in. I showed him my jetpumps. He was in a Searay, had to walk it thru. As we approached the shallows, he stopped and got out. I sped up.
This is the area I am talking about. Had more water over it then. This area catches bass fishermen every year, during tournaments.
This is that bridge and yesterday's warning of depth after no rain for two weeks. No problems for us. Sailboat can't go there anyway and other boats are trailered around this.
What I would like to hear is what happened when the water was to shallow not like the story from 14 years ago, but just running onto sand is it a violent stop. I did skip over a short sand bar that was exposed maybe 6 feet of exposed sand then back into water. This was on a 2003 AR 230 at the time I was standing the boat did a small jump, my feet came off the deck and when I came back down my ankle rolled, not bad but enough to make me realize the boat went up and down quickly. There was no damage maybe some minor scuffing to the hull.
What I would like to hear is what happened when the water was to shallow not like the story from 14 years ago, but just running onto sand is it a violent stop. I did skip over a short sand bar that was exposed maybe 6 feet of exposed sand then back into water. This was on a 2003 AR 230 at the time I was standing the boat did a small jump, my feet came off the deck and when I came back down my ankle rolled, not bad but enough to make me realize the boat went up and down quickly. There was no damage maybe some minor scuffing to the hull.
There is a video out there somewhere of a Yamaha in the ocean and it is launching off of waves in the surf. Your avatar reminds me of it @Cambo. Towards the end the boat is running through shallow water where a guy is standing and the water is half way (?) up his lower legs. I think the video ends with the boat running up onto the beach. And somewhere in the video one of the legs of the tower is broken.
My understanding was 16" to float. Occasionally I fish in a tributary of the CT river thats quite shallow and we go through less than a foot on plain. My ass is puckered the entire time but Ive been doing it for 10 years now with no sudden impacts. Its not for the faint of heart thats for sure.
Yes my Avatar was a screen capture form the original video there were two. The AR230 was up for one day on you tube and had the song lunatic fringe playing as the boat launched in the air
at 3:25 it shows what looks like an AR210 running up on the beach