If you need a boat to course through calm and shallow waters, it is high time that you go over some good flat bottom boat plans. This type of boat design works perfectly in ponds and lakes or wherever there is not much fast currents that can possibly tip the boat as it doesn't have the flexibility to ride out strong waves.
However, there are many types of flat bottom boats. You will have to choose depending on your preference as well as the exact nature in which you will be using the boat.
Flats
Some of these are:
DORY
Dories are those small, simple boats with sides that are relatively high making it ideal for fishing. This type of boat are one of the easiest to build as it is generally small in structure. Its average length is around 16 to 20 feet long. Those who engage in hobby fishing will find this boat to their liking.
JON BOAT
Jon boats are those that are slightly bigger than dories and features bench style seating. Its design allows it not to make much noise thus, making this type of boat ideal for hunting. Jon boats are also known for being extremely stable and works well even in shallow waters.
RUNABOUT BOAT
If speed is high in your priority list, high speed runabouts will be the best option for you. It has a hull that is slightly elevated to make it ride out on the surface of the water rather than riding through the water. This design may cause the ride to be a bit choppy but it definitely makes up for its speed.
AIRBOATS
Air boats are also called fan boats or flat bottom punts.This is the type of boat that works well in marshes, lakes or shallow ravines. It has a propeller or engine installed which makes this boat easy to maneuver in an otherwise hard to navigate areas. This is commonly used by tourist guides.
These are some of more common choices you have if you wish to build a flat bottom boat.
Now, whichever type of boat you may choose depending on suitability, it is quite imperative that you procure the corresponding boat plans. Flat bottom boat plans of different types are easily available online. You only need to choose according to the boat type you want as enumerated above.
Additionally, you also need to consider the quality of the boat plan otherwise, you may find great difficulty during the construction process if the blueprints happen to be vague and not easy to implement. For example, I personally prefer my plans to have a very elaborate illustration to make each aspects of boat building clear. Being a visual person, instructions are clearer to me that way.
Flat Bottom Boat Plans - Which Boat Design Are You Building?
I have used a very nifty collection of plans in building my boat. It also happen to feature very good flat bottom boat plans. You may want to take a peek here: