A question for the local Supreme owners...

[TimM]

now that you've had your boats running around on the CF and upper Cumberland for the biggest part of a year, how does the bottom of the hull look? Getting beaten up much? Are you taking any specific extra measures to protect them? 

I've been having delusions about a shallow water boat again and frankly it's just  hard to find a 18-20 foot boat with a weight in the 500 lb range and a price in the same range as a Supreme. I'm just still very skeptical about using a glass hull in a shallow water craft and I think I'd tear it up in a hurry even being careful.  The fact that I ran across a center console version of the 2060 last week isn't helping me at all though!!! 

[MikeA]

Tim mine has been beat all to hell and it looks ok still. It runs so shallow that you aren't going to hit much in the first place but when you fish as much as I do and as late as I do stuff is going to happen. Last night I ran it into a 2" gravel bar because I couldn't see in the dark.

The worst case is a trip to a glass shop for a new coat on the bottom and your good for several more years. I think I might get mine done in Rhino. Also the damage is mostly gelcoat and nobody sees the bottom anyway. So far this is the best thing I've found for running rivers period. I see alot of the alum boats getting the bottom beat up pretty bad because they aren’t designed for jet operation. Getting an alum bottom repaired would be a nightmare. Give me glass any day.

[TimM]

The worst case is a trip to a glass shop for a new coat on the bottom and your good for several more years.

I don't think so Mike. Suppose you skewered the hull on a log or knocked a hole in the bottom on a rock ...then you've got a real problem that a run of the mill glass shop isn't going to be able to help you with.

Also the damage is mostly gelcoat and nobody sees the bottom anyway.

It's  the "not mostly"  part that nags at the worrier in my brain....don't care about how it looks...just have a look at the bottom of the Champion...which btw I love that beaching bumper..

I see alot of the alum boats getting the bottom beat up pretty bad because they aren’t designed for jet operation. Getting an alum bottom repaired would be a nightmare. Give me glass any day.

While most AL hulls aren't made for jet operation  some  are.  Why would repairing an AL hull be a nightmare?  If it's a dent just knock it out. If it's a small puncture or tear, there are all sorts of goop available for short term repair of minor punctures on the water and if it's a large gash just take it to welding shop. No, it won't be pretty and it won't be like original but it's not a big deal either...unless I'm just totally missing something...which is ALWAYS a possibility.  Fwiw, though I don't really know anything about them first hand, and I haven't taken the time to read through the fine print of the warranty, but  SeaArk's tunnel hull series for jets carry a lifetime puncture warranty.

Thanks for the feedback Mike.

[Steve H]

I haven't been running mine that long (a few months) and I haven't seen any damage. Of course, like Mike, it runs so shallow that you just don't hit bottom unless the water is completely gone or you run at night and miss seeing something.

[MikeA]

Suppose you skewered the hull on a log or knocked a hole in the bottom on a rock ...

First thing I would do is call my insurance agent and arrange for a new boat or repair. FWIW I talked to the owner of Supreme before buying my boat. He’s a good ole country dude and not a sales pitch kind of guy. He told me he has had 2 boats come back with a hole in the bottom since the first one was sold. He said both times were negligence. They’ve sold a crap load of boats.


then you've got a real problem that a run of the mill glass shop isn't going to be able to help you with.

Sure they can Tim who do you think fixes all the boats that Priest chews up and spits out? I know folks that had whole transoms replaced on $30,000 bass boats here in the boro.

While most AL hulls aren't made for jet operation  some  are

I have yet to see an alum jet boat with a rockered rear end with a jet tunnel. There could be some out there but I couldn’t find em when I was looking. This is what makes Supreme a much shallower boat.

Another problem I saw with Alum hulls is the ribs or chines on the bottom. It would seem that design would focus ALL the damage in one small area. I’m not saying that alum isn’t tough, I’ve owned an alum boat for years and I love em. I just think the current design is lacking for extreme shallow jet operation. A custom flat bottom alum boat with good thick rockered bottom would be the bomb.

Weight is another big factor. The heavier it is the lower it sits. Its one thing to run on plane over shallow water but the real test is can you float over it or better yet idle over it. The Supreme can idle upstream over 3” and maybe less I’ve never measured it. Imagine having to run full out over a gravel bar on the upper Caney during a typical summer weekend day. You’d get shot.

And before somebody comes on here saying River Pro and Wooldridge etc can do it..... A Supreme cost about $3000 + motor and that’s a 20’ boat with a 60” beam. That’s a far cry from the $20,000 it takes to get into one of the others.  And like I said earlier I can also float as shallow as I run. Something they can’t do.

[TimM]

You know...I've wondered about the chines/whatever on the bottom of the AL johns too...on the one hand it almost seems like it would increase draft though I have to say if my hull was going to take a nasty whack I'd rather it take it on a runner/chine than the bottom of the hull itself. 

Could you define "rockered" in this context for me?

I know what you told me you paid for yours Mike...either you got an unbelievably good deal or this guy is just totally out of his mind....any idea which is closer to the norm?

http://www.iboats.com/sites/cujon/site_page_8308/item_279872.html?listing_page=listing_sum_index_1.html

[MikeA]

Tim the back of the boat (bottom of the transom) is higher then the bottom of the boat in the middle. Its angled up in the back and the front. Picture a drift boat design. In addition to that is got a true jet tunnel built into that.

Supreme used to have prices on the site. I hear they went up but not that much. I think I paid $5000 for mine with the trailer and extra stuff like SS rails rod racks big front deck. Call Bearskin in AR and talk to him. 

[Steve H]

I don't remember them going up that much. That seems a little high to me. Bearskin is who I dealt with as well, he will treat you right.