How shallow can GW 235 freedom go

[quantase]

Hi all, I have a 2022 GW 235 with the F300 Yamaha. I was wondering how shallow can the boat go. I know it is often dependent on the amount of weight that is on the vessel, but what is the general shallow depth for the vessel? I am thinking of doing some future fishing in shallow water and may end up placing a trolling motor (possibly Garmin Force 57") on the bow. Thanks.

 

[DennisG01]

If you look at the specs for your boat, note the "draft". This is how much the water the boat can float in. As you said, though, wieght and weight distribution can affect this by a few inches.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

It's not exactly an apples to apples comparison but my neighbor has a 2005 Grady White 270 Island with twin Yamaha F150's on it and we were in about 3' of water at the boat ramp on a very low tide and didn't have any issues. I noticed the boat we were following in behind didn't seem to be moving forward anymore, so I looked down at the Garmin and it said we were in 3' of water and told my neighbor to quickly stop the boat and go in reverse. Luckily we were in a no wake zone and we weren't going very fast and that I was at least slightly paying some attention to what was going on or else we would've likely gotten stuck there for a few hours, like the boat in front of us did. Again, it's a bit of an apples to oranges comparison and is definitely a ballpark figure as they are two vastly different size/models of boats but if you have a place that's really sandy and you don't mind checking it out yourself... I don't see the harm in that. I wouldn't want to be going very fast, or try it out on an area that's rocky or anything but yeah. I also "beached" my boat twice when picking people up from a low tide to go fishing with me. Our beach cabin is on Whidbey Island here in the Puget Sound/PNW and when it's a low tide, the sand between the beach and the waterline can get very soupy.

Of which we have a 12' Lund aluminum dinghy that has the wheels on the back of it to help you roll a bit more easily but over the last couple of years it's gotten pretty bad to where the wheels just sink. I instead bought a kayak to drag out as I don't want to twist an ankle or do damage to a knee or whatnot, just to get out to my boat/buoy at low tide. That, and the Lund is definitely one of the heavier 12' aluminum boats out there, and I'm a pretty strong guy. If you're pulling it out there on your own, you are pretty winded afterward as it's quite exhausting pulling something of that weight on flat, solid ground, not to mention trying to pull it a hundred yard or more knee deep in sand, water, seaweed and so forth. Long story short, I've picked up a few people and "beached" the boat on the low tides to go fishing with me and have done so in about 3' without any issue, though I typically have them "spot" me. As I'm driving in very, very slowly, I'll have them stand about knee deep in the bow area and then help them in over the side of the boat. Both times I've tried doing this in about 3' or so of water at the stern of the boat, they've been quite successful and without any issues. Not sure I'd want to go any less than a couple feet of water as I have a transom mounted transducer and don't want to have any issues with that.

 

[quantase]

Thanks for the information. This is helpful.

 

[glacierbaze]

Grady specs lists the "Hull draft" at 20 inches. I don't think that accounts for how far the prop and skeg hang down below the hull. How shallow it will go depends on how hard you are willing to run aground.

 

[nuclear]

How shallow are you hoping to go?

 

[Fishtales]

The specs I believe are for the hill only. Engine set up will increase draft. Add 3 inches I’d say to be safe.

 

[DennisG01]

Grady specs lists the "Hull draft" at 20 inches. I don't think that accounts for how far the prop and skeg hang down below the hull. How shallow it will go depends on how hard you are willing to run aground.

Yes, you are correct. But as I understood his question, he was wondering how close he could get when using a trolling motor?

 

[wspitler]

I think everyone is trying to portray a degree of accuracy that doesn’t exist. Too many variables. If we’re talking trolling motor then we can put the trolling motor slightly below the hull so that it will be the thing that hits first. Trying to determine draft within even a foot maybe difficult. Note that soundings are rounded to a foot. The bottom is never perfectly flat and can be very soft or very hard. Tides vary considerably depending on location. Loading can be an issue. Even small waves can make a 6 inch difference. Most transducers are located on the transom or at least amidships so when they show shallow water it may be too late. When I get below 3 feet indicated on my sonar with my 330 I use great care and often tilt the motors up. What I’m trying to say is the “gun don’t shoot that straight!”

 

[blynch]

Also keep in mind that your depthfinder will read depth from the level of the transducer, not the waterline, to the bottom (assuming there's no offset programmed).

Honestly if you really wanna know accurately your best bet might be to slowly beach yourself on nice soft bottom and try to figure out how deep it is there.

 

[DennisG01]

Most transducers are located on the transom or at least amidships so when they show shallow water it may be too late.

I often say... a depthfinder tells you where you've been, not where you are going.

And, yes, there are forward looking sonars - but that's not what we're talking 'bout.

FYI, most depthfinders have a setting for "keel offset".

That said, yes, any of this is just "general" info in regards to the depth.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

The specs I believe are for the hill only. Engine set up will increase draft. Add 3 inches I’d say to be safe.

Are the specs also of the boat with regards to just it's dry weight? The OP has a GW 235 Freedom with a 115 gallon fuel tank, which at 6 lbs/gal of fuel, that alone is an extra 690 lbs right there just in fuel.

 

[quantase]

Lots of variables to consider for sure. I've been in 3.5 ft before by accident. I like to play it safe, so I'm thinking 2.5- 3ft tops for me.

 

[seasick]

Let's face it. If you boat in waters that are close to the draft plus extended equipment, at some point or more likely multiple times you will touch bottom. The two most important factors are how hard or soft your bottoms are and also how fast you run aground.
You may think you are OK but may nor realize you are drifting and scrape bottom.
One option that can help is a bow mounted trolling motor ( with GPS location locking) and the addition of an inexpensive sonar transducer and head unit to the trolling motor. That way you will be able to see your bow depth as well as stern depth.

 

[Rustygaff]

On many occasions I bring our 255 Freedom in tight to a beach using the main anchor and a stern anchor. My boat still floats when the water is thigh high at the stern. If the tide drops and I feel a bottom "bump", I will simply pull it out into deeper water by hand or retract some rode with the windlass and reset the stern hook.

 

[glacierbaze]

2.5 to 3 feet is not "playing it safe", because you will eventually find a rock, or a stump, or similar. If my boat was on a trailer, and I was going fishing in shallow water, I would be in the habit of swapping my expensive ss prop for a cheap aluminum one.

 

[B-Shell]

I never set the keel offset. That extra 6”-1’ is an extra safety margin. That’s really the number you want anyway. How far from the bottom of the boat to the bottom of the water. Top of water to bottom of water isn’t relative.

 

[seasick]

I never set the keel offset. That extra 6”-1’ is an extra safety margin. That’s really the number you want anyway. How far from the bottom of the boat to the bottom of the water. Top of water to bottom of water isn’t relative.

Your logic sounds backwards to me depending on what keel offset you are referring to, positive or negative. In theory, the level you want to know is the distance from the sea floor to the bottom edge of the lowest skeg.
That distance as mentioned will be less than the actual water depth.

 

[B-Shell]

I’m not splitting hairs on the skeg vs bottom. Agree if you want more offset to the true bottom that gives you more. I think I draft about 22-24 inches of just hull. So if I leave the offset at 0, when the depth reads 3 it is really about 5. Given waves and rocking etc if I’m depending on that last few inches to the skeg I’m already in trouble. I’m in a 30’ offshore boat…not a flats boat.

 

[Sauza45]

I also set the offset from the bottom of the skeg of the motors to the sea floor so I know if the motors are going to hit. I just know that the actual depth is 1.5 foot deeper.