On Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:21:04 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

Don't think so. Although I'm not an expert on hull shapes, I think
the most common is called round bilge.

The bilge is the transition from the almost universally flat bottoms
and the flat sides of ships. [Bilge is also the lowest part of the
inside of a ship. Inside, not outside]. Round bilge small boats can
have flat, or distinctly non flat bottoms. V bottoms are quite useful
when a boat is planing, as V hull boats will cut waves, rather than
pound. A V bottom in a sailboat allows placing the ballast further
below the center of bouyancy, giving a larger righting moment.
In a freighter a V bottom will tend to reduce the volumn available for
cargo, and increase the draft, as well as increasing the tendency to
roll in waves.

Casady