Boating's Most Famous Bottom

Not all hulls are created equal

In the 1960s, the introduction of the first Deep V hull by marine architect C. Raymond Hunt ushered in a golden age of hull design. Although it was a dramatic departure from prior designs, it still had its disadvantages. It required more power to get on plane and stay there, drastically reducing its weight-carrying capacity, and it rolled like a carnival ride at best.

Boat builders everywhere were raving, but Carl Moesly was experimenting with a design of his own. Moesly began building boats as a boy living in south Florida, later founding SEACRAFT® to bring forth his now-legendary hull design. After months at the drawing board and of building prototypes, he introduced a radical new hull that offered even better high-speed and rough-water capabilities. Yet he balanced it with stability at rest, and the ability to carry heavier loads with graceful performance at a fraction of the horsepower. This new SEACRAFT boat was designed to fish, yet it won dozens of ocean races and in the process set four world records!

The secret behind the remarkable performance of Moesly’s new design was its variable deadrise, longitudinal stepped V hull—a design with such phenomenal hydrodynamic features that it is still revered by naval architects today. The length of the hull was divided into three distinct planing surfaces, each with a different angle of attack and slightly recessed as they moved away from the centerline. All three planing surfaces remain in contact with the water, whether the hull’s at rest or moving slowly, providing stability. As the boat gains speed, the hull rises, freeing each successive surface until only the center running surface is wetted. With less wetted surface, the boat travels faster and with substantially less power, creating a substantial gain in fuel economy. And the other benefit is its superior rough-water performance. As the hull comes off a wave, air is trapped in the recessed longitudinal strakes, cushioning re-entry and dramatically reducing the pounding associated with other hull designs. An exceptional hull design, it remains one of the best ever invented.

To this day, Carl Moesly’s variable deadrise hull is at the core of every SEACRAFT sportfishing boat we build, and serious anglers are still in awe of its speed, stability and velvet-smooth ride. If you want to experience the most famous bottom in boating, call your local SEACRAFT dealer for a test ride. And be prepared for the most amazing ride available from a limited-production bluewater fishing boat.