Boating in a shallow waterway through some country wheat field as the sun turning everything around orange is certainly a heavenly feeling. But there's a saying, "danger hides in beauty and beauty in danger."
When it comes to boating in shallow water, sometimes, it could become hard to measure the water's depth in some areas if you don't have an echo sounder. On your immense beautiful waterway, you never know where the danger is lurking for you.
Some common worst-case scenarios that may happen to you are your boat getting stuck in the mud, the vessel getting damaged by collision with the hard surface even you could injure. Oh, come on! We are not trying to scare you out, just making you conscious about the possible outcomes.
But don't worry. Our tips for boating in shallow water will help you to avoid all those possible unpleasant scenarios.
What Is Shallow Water Boating
To understand what is shallow water boating; first of all, we have to acknowledge "what is shallow water." When the water level in any waterway is equal to or less than five feet in depth, that's called shallow water. So, now, you have a clear answer, riding your boat in such waterways is called shallow-water boating.
Best Boats for Shallow Water
When it comes to buying the best boat for your shallow water exploration, you need to consider those which are specially built for this purpose. Also, you have to understand whether it suits your purpose or not. Otherwise, you end up buying the wrong one and put your hard-earned money into the drain.
In this section, we will be talking about the different type of boat that you can buy for your next shallow water journey.
Aluminum Fishing Boats
An aluminum fishing boat can be a perfect choice for shallow water boating as they come with good portability. You can just put one in the bed of a pick-up truck and take it anywhere you want. The larger models are designed to run in big-water and come with a broad list of angling features.
They are widely-used and popular in rivers and small lakes because they can get on lane pretty quickly. This kind of boat is very light-weight and small in size so they won't displace much water.
- Aluminum Fishing Boats
- Bass Boats
- Bay Boats
- Flat Boat
- Jet Boat
Bass Boats
When you want a finely-honed fishing boat that would work as an effective fishing machine for you, the bass boat is something you need. The modern bass boats come with swivel chairs that will allow you to cast any position you want.
It has storage bins for holding fishes and other components like lures and rods. You will get a live pool with a recirculating water feature where you can keep the fishes alive for a long time.
This boat is powered by an outboard motor which helps the boat to move ahead. And a trolling motor that enables the boat at a slow pace. This boat is-made of aluminum or fiberglass.
Bay Boats
Bay boats and flatboats are-designed for the same purpose that is taking you to the most daring fishing spots in the shallow waterways. Their maneuverability is top-notch as they were-designed to navigate tighter spaces. Four anglers can easily fit in on the room situated on the deck.
In length, most of them are around 20-25 feet making them a perfect choice for fishing in shallow waters. It also has a center console allowing convenient casting also providing it a better balance. Overall, this boat beats everyone when it's about versatility.
Flat Boat
Flatboats are generally-designed for fishing in shallow water. Don't get confused by the name; the boat hull is not flat. They are designed small. However, some of them can be 23 ft in length. They feature an outboard motor and come with a shallow draft decreasing any risk of damaging the full or engine.
Some of them have a feature called "jack plate." It allows you to pull-up the outboard vertically. They can also have a trim tab offering you a better advantage in shallow water.
It would be great if you could, get one with a "poling platform" so another can push it to the shallow water if needed.
Jet Boat
When you need a faster boat that you can use to reach your destination on short notice jet boat is something you need. Their jet drives are-placed into the hull so the jet boat can comfortably surf in any shallow water.
You will have a better advantage with jet boats over any sterndrive boats. Trust me; you won't regret purchasing one. There are no extended parts in the running surface. So, no worries about getting hit by ricks or any underwater obstacles. Just trigger the ignition button and enjoy the rocketing speed.
Tips for Boating in Shallow Water
When boating in shallow water, these tips can help you to avoid any possible accidents or unexpected situations:
- When you are running your boat through any unfamiliar shallow water, you should slow down the speed.
- Get a depth finder if possible and keep an eye on it while going through shallow water.
- You could use a spotter at the front who can give you real-time info about the path so you can avoid any unwanted obstacles hitting your boat.
- When you see the dark or deep blue water, it means depth and, lighter color means shallow water. So, observe the water as you go.
- You could make use of a person to push the boat. He can use the long pole to pull it while in shallow water.
- Don't load much on a small boat when going into shallow water as they are quite susceptible to the weight.
- When your boat has a significant planning-hull, you should not slowdown in shallow water. Because if the hulls drop back down, you get stuck.
You should have a clear idea about the place you are going to explore. So, you can prepare well and avoid any unnecessary troubles.
Final Words
Boating in shallow water is not a cakewalk. It takes skills and experience in riding a boat. So, if you are a beginner planning to go on shallow-water, you should take an expert who knows the way. So, he can come in handy when you are in trouble.
We would highly advise you not to go by yourself. You could get into real trouble. We hope our tips for boating in shallow water helped you out.