JimH wrote:
"Steve P" wrote in message
...
Harry, we went across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge / Tunnel on Monday and
darned if we didn't pass a Parker just like yours going the opposite way.
I saw the transom in my rear view mirror and thought could it be you?

Steve P.


We went out yesterday to take advantage of the fleeting summer weather
boating days. On the way to the Lake I started taking notice of these "low
transom" boats. I never paid attention to them before. I must have seen
a dozen, including a Grady White and Contender, amongst others, some with
the cutout transom area within just a few inches of the waterline. Among
these boats aproximately 1/2 half had a splashwell.




I've been boating for more than 50 years in salt water, and I have owned
and been on dozens and dozens of boats with "full," notched or perfectly
straight across transoms. Not once in any of those waters have I
encountered a situation made dangerous by the height of the transom.

When we lived in NE Florida, I used to run several very dangerous inlets
that, when you were coming towards land, had substantial breaking waves
rolling constantly towards the transom of my boats. These, by the way,
were boats with 20" transoms. Once in a while, a bit of water came
aboard, not enough to float anything on the deck, and because the boats
were properly designed, the water ran right out.

It seems to be an issue for inexperienced boaters, inland boaters, and
our newsgroup's several non-boating troublemakers. Their opinions matter
not at all.

Oh...about five years ago, when I first met a member of the Parker
family, I actually asked why the company hadn't followed the "trend"
towards making all its boats with what was then called "eurotransoms,"
or if not that, brackets. Three reasons, I was told: eurotransoms cut
down on interior space in the boat and make it more difficult in small
boats to reach fish off the transom, and brackets on smaller boats
entirely change the balance of those boats in a negative way.

One of my favorite boats when I was growing up was an Amesbury dory.
It had a 15" transom. I drove that little boat as far as two six gallon
tanks of gas would take me, and though it had a flat bottom and low
sides, I never got in serious trouble in rough water.

Mako, btw, used to make a 23 or 25 footer whose transom cutout was so
low, it seemed to be only an inch or two about the waterline. Great
fishing boat. Whatever water it took on board rushed right out the transom.

Now, if I were a weekend floating condo owner on the mighty Lake Lanier,
and boated on big waters only vicariously, I suppose I'd be so concerned
I'd have to relocate to Derby, Kansas.