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| Hull Types and Design | Construction Materials | Boat Design: 5 simulations |
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FLAT BOTTOM Flat bottom boats are great for fishing. They are generally designed for slow speeds and calm water.
ROUND BOTTOM Round bottom boats, such as canoes, move smoothly through the water with little effort. Boaters must be cautious when loading, entering and exiting a round bottom boat. Due to the hull design, these boats roll very easily.
DEEP-V HULL The Deep-V hull is the most common hull type for powerboats. These boats move through rough water at higher speeds and give a smoother ride than flat bottom or round bottom boats. They also require larger engines than flat bottom or round bottom boats.
MULTI-HULL Multi-hull boats are the most stable of the hull types. These boats require plenty of room to steer and turn. Catamarans and pontoon boats use the multi-hull design.
Boat bottoms or "hulls" come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Each hull type is designed to either displace or plane through the water. Sailboats and large cruise ships use displacement hulls because the combination of their size (weight) and power will not allow them to plane. On the other hand, smaller powerboats are typically built with planing hulls that are designed to rise up and ride on top of the water at higher speeds than displacement hull boats.
Specific terms are used to describe the various parts of a boat. Each end and side of the boat, its length and width, and its accessories have specific terms. Every boater should be familiar with the following terms before operating a boat.
Here are some additional terms that boaters should be familiar with before operating a boat:
AFT - near or at the stern of the boat.
BEAM - the width of a boat, also the direction at right angles to the centerline of a vessel.
BILGE - the lowest point of a boat's interior hull.
DRAFT - the vertical distance from the waterline to the lowest point of the keel; the minimum depth of water in which a vessel will float.
FORWARD - aboard a boat, the direction to the front, to the bow.
FREEBOARD - the vertical distance from the waterline to the gunwale.
KEEL - the main structural member of a boat; its backbone; the lateral area beneath the hull that helps to provide stability and reduce the sideways drift of a boat.
WATERLINE - the intersection of a boat's hull and the water's surface.
