# Aluminum performance hulls



## CWCW (May 1, 2008)

I have read on many forums about some aluminum bass boats having "performance" style hulls like a fiberglass bass boat would have. I have been told that Triton's Magnum series bass boats and Xpress' H series bass boats (H51,H17,H18,etc.) have these performance type hulls on them. I was also told by a G3 dealer that their HP series aluminum bass boats were performance hulls also. What about Lowe, Alumacraft, and Tracker? Are their hulls that much different? I hear the performance hulls help keep the boat up out of the water when running to pevent drag and that they help out with the hole shot. What do yall know about this and how much of a difference is there?


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## Waterwings (May 1, 2008)

I'm not sure about the "performance" hulls of other brands, but the '05 PT175 Tracker I owned had the "Revolution Hull" which did provide a smooth and fairly dry ride, even in some chop.


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## CWCW (May 1, 2008)

Maybe the "Revolution Hull" is Trackers version of the performance hull design. Thanks for the quick reply Waterwings


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## Quackrstackr (May 1, 2008)

Like this one? :mrgreen:

There's no comparison in the ride or handling between one of these pad hull boats and a regular tin boat. These boats handle just like a glass bass boat.


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## CWCW (May 1, 2008)

So the "performance hull" i am refering to, is called a pad hull?


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## Waterwings (May 1, 2008)

Here's a quote from Tracker's website:



> These top-selling TRACKER® Mod V Boats feature our exclusive _Revolution™ Hull_. The unique design features a deeper V shape at the bow to slice through waves and chop and smooth the ride. This sharp V tapers to a shallower V at the stern to deliver excellent stability both while running and while fishing.
> 
> This remarkable ride is backed by our _Smooth Ride Guarantee_™. Simply stated, your boat with the _Revolution Hull _will deliver the smoothest ride you’ve ever experienced in an aluminum Mod V boat, or you can return it to the dealer within 30 days for full credit toward any TRACKER boat of equal or greater value. See your dealer for full details of this guarantee.


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## Quackrstackr (May 1, 2008)

CWCW said:


> So the "performance hull" i am refering to, is called a pad hull?




Most of them are.

I'm not sure what the Revolution hull was (is).

I'll put it this way on the ride. Last weekend, I ran my boat with a full load (including livewell) with two people into a 20+mph headwind at 40+mph for over 2 miles. I couldn't trim all the way up because the boat tried to kite a couple of times in the gusts. :shock: Never felt the first wave or had the first drop of spray hit us.

When you get my boat "on the pad", there's not a whole lot of it left in the water to make spray.

Edit: it looks like the Revolution hull is some sort of hybrid V hull and not a pad boat. Pad boats (as all new fiberglass bass boats are) have a flat center section toward the stern.. aka "the pad". They are usually 10 to 12 inches or so wide. The last few inches of this flat pad is what the boat rides on at full tilt.

Here is what the stern of my boat looks like. You can see the pad area.


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## Waterwings (May 1, 2008)

CWCW said:


> So the "performance hull" i am refering to, is called a pad hull?



yep  . All of the manufacturers have their own term for their performance hulls. Here's a quote from the Lowe site concerning their Stinger model, and they refer to their mod-v hull as the ProTrac series:



> The exclusive ProTrac™ running surface features a variable-deadrise, modified-V design which tapers from an 8° shallow V at the transom to a progressively deeper V at the bow for a smoother, drier ride. The shallower V aft ensures a stable fishing platform while providing quicker hole shots and faster top-end speeds. Extruded running strakes spaced across the hull bottom increase stability for high speed running and reduce sliding for precisely controlled turns. It all adds up to one of the hottest performing aluminum fishing boats on the water.


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## Quackrstackr (May 1, 2008)

Sorry, but that ProTrac isn't a pad hull.

Pad hulls are flat. They have no degree of V at the transom.


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## Waterwings (May 1, 2008)

> Edit: it looks like the Revolution hull is some sort of hybrid V hull and not a pad boat.



yep


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## Quackrstackr (May 1, 2008)

Triton Performance Pad and Xpress Hyperlift models are the only production tin boats that I know of that have true pad hulls.

There may be some custom boat makers out there making them.


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## CWCW (May 6, 2008)

Thanks for the replies and the explanations guys.


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