# TUNNEL VS. NON-TUNNEL



## commtrd (Aug 1, 2015)

Well most of the Florida guys are going to say "hell no" to tunnels and most ( but not all) Texas guys are going to prefer tunnels. 

SO it really boils down to where you fish the most whether having a tunnel hull boat is a good thing or not. Tunnels will "generally" not draft as well, pole quite as nice, may not turn as well, and use more fuel. BUT a tunnel will allow running in substantially skinnier water and that may be important to someone fishing an area with many square miles of water 6" to 12-14" deep. So if running in water mostly a couple feet deep at least then don't need a tunnel. If the majority of the boats in an area do or don't have tunnels, that is a pretty good clue right there.


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## CoolRunnings (Oct 18, 2012)

Tunnels will draft more at rest. Tunnels will run in skinnier water when equipped with low water pick up and jack plate. Also I've heard tunnels will not handle rough water as well as a comparable standard hull. These are not absolutes but should be taken into account when trying to decide between the two.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

If the tunnel is fully wetted when at rest, I doubt if you are losing any appreciable draft. They _can_ suck in turns though or running big chop.


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## commtrd (Aug 1, 2015)

The tunnel on my HB Pro is fully wetted at rest and is not large or deep at all. Sure they designed it that way more for poling manners and draft than actually being able to run skinny like a TX scooter. At any rate it does go shallow enough to be usable in the lower Laguna Madre south TX. With the bonus of handling chop much nicer than a flat bottom scooter. It poles pretty good too.


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## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Everything everyone mentioned above plus tunnels can slide in turns when slick calm and are not as responsive when kicking the engine in reverse.


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## commtrd (Aug 1, 2015)

My boat turns like it's on rails. I have to be trying real hard to blow it out with motor at full lift to get anywhere near a slide. Handles like a darn sports car. Total blast to drive it! =)


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## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Not mine, brother. Lol.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Again? This has been hashed out in several pages already not that long ago. 
Do the math and a bigger tunnel like mine (Maverick HPX Tunnel) will only cost you about 1/4" of draft and other than that HUGE loss of draft it handles just fine.


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## DeepSouthFly (Sep 7, 2016)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Again? This has been hashed out in several pages already not that long ago.
> Do the math and a bigger tunnel like mine (Maverick HPX Tunnel) will only cost you about 1/4" of draft and other than that HUGE loss of draft it handles just fine.


Sweet. That's what I wanted to hear!


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

DeepSouthFly said:


> Sweet. That's what I wanted to hear!


I wish I could take you on a run to show you firsthand but I'm out of pocket until August 22nd. I can show you the real world draft calculation too if you really want it. 
As far as sliding and not handling chop as well...if you have a jackplate and the motor is lowered you won't slide any more than a non tunnel and chop means deep water so lower the motor right? You won't be running fast with the motor fully jacked anyway, that is the only time sliding is an issue. I can run mine through back lakes and creeks and maneuver like an all wheel drive sports car because I can keep it on plane at about 10mph and if you know how to run a boat it will bite in the corners with a good pump of the throttle.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

my tunnel skiff doesn't slide in turns, it may help that I'm running a heavily cupped prop though. I don't think the tunnel I have causes much loss of draft at all. I hear that some of the large tunnels do though.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

devrep said:


> View attachment 14328
> my tunnel skiff doesn't slide in turns, it may help that I'm running a heavily cupped prop though. I don't think the tunnel I have causes much loss of draft at all. I hear that some of the large tunnels do though.


Jack your motor up as high as mine, take a turn fast and it will slide like a magic carpet because there's no skeg or prop below the hull, any hull will. When I jack it down a little it bites just fine at higher speeds. 
What hull is that devrep?


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Tunnels suck stern.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Jack your motor up as high as mine, take a turn fast and it will slide like a magic carpet because there's no skeg or prop below the hull, any hull will. When I jack it down a little it bites just fine at higher speeds.
> What hull is that devrep?


old beater waterman.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

devrep said:


> old beater waterman.


That's right, I remember a post about it a while back.


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## Flat Mad (Feb 12, 2017)

I run a 17 mitzi with micro Jacker this is not a tunnel .17 degrees at transom with motor jacked up tads down a little she will get it over some skinny stuff. I love the way it slides in turns.But then I love to have fun.


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## sugarloafer (Jul 18, 2017)

A 2" deep x 24" long airbox gets you 2" and a jackplate gets you 3-4". if you don't like sliding in turns put 2 reverse lifting strakes on the bottom in the back about 3' long.

A turned down chine also traps water under the boat at speed allowing skinnier water and stops the sliding and keeps boat drier....about 1 1/4" 6' long with a 1 1/2" radius curve puttied in on the inside.


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

This question has been beaten to death here. OP...do a little research.

Bottom line: A tunnel will let you run on plane a few inches shallower. That's it. It won't do anything else and it may or may not negatively affect other performance parameters.


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## CPurvis (Apr 6, 2016)

Vertigo said:


> This question has been beaten to death here. OP...do a little research.
> 
> Bottom line: A tunnel will let you run on plane a few inches shallower. That's it. It won't do anything else and it may or may not negatively affect other performance parameters.


I thought this forum was to ask questions and get information. If you are tired of answering this question just simply don't answer it. Sometimes someone wants to see if there is a new perspective without bringing back an old thread. If you think about it almost all questions on here have been answered at some point or another. If everyone quit asking questions because it may have been answered before than this forum would probably die.


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

CPurvis said:


> I thought this forum was to ask questions and get information. If you are tired of answering this question just simply don't answer it. Sometimes someone wants to see if there is a new perspective without bringing back an old thread. If you think about it almost all questions on here have been answered at some point or another. If everyone quit asking questions because it may have been answered before than this forum would probably die.


You're pissing me off. Not only did I answer the question, I suggested to the OP that he check previous threads. A lecture by someone who contributes NO answers is something that none of us need.


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## CPurvis (Apr 6, 2016)

Wasn't intending on pissing anyone off. Sorry if I offended you.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

Vertigo said:


> You're pissing me off. Not only did I answer the question, I suggested to the OP that he check previous threads. A lecture by someone who contributes NO answers is something that none of us need.


boo hoo you're pissed off. The OP who you lectured might be pissed off too.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

devrep said:


> boo hoo you're pissed off. The OP who you lectured might be pissed off too.


We might all be pissed off but better than pissed on!


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## CPurvis (Apr 6, 2016)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> We might all be pissed off but better than pissed on!


Ha!


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## Matts (Sep 2, 2015)

Group hug. There, all is well Maybe we need a FAQ section?


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2017)

Vertigo said:


> You're pissing me off. Not only did I answer the question, I suggested to the OP that he check previous threads. A lecture by someone who contributes NO answers is something that none of us need.


REALLY??????


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

I shouldn't mix drinking and typing. Lesson learned. OTOH, intellectual laziness in a society can only be tolerated for so long before we end up like this:


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

Tunnels do the following:
1. Proclaim your status as an alpha male to the world
2. Catch overslot reds on any tide/weather condition
3. Make you the envy of everyone at the ramp
4. Get you laid
5. Cause explosive chest hair growth


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## DeepSouthFly (Sep 7, 2016)

Vertigo said:


> This question has been beaten to death here. OP...do a little research.
> 
> Bottom line: A tunnel will let you run on plane a few inches shallower. That's it. It won't do anything else and it may or may not negatively affect other performance parameters.


Gotcha. This thread is also from August 8. I think my question got answered by now but thanks for your input. Any input I appreciate.



SomaliPirate said:


> Tunnels do the following:
> 1. Proclaim your status as an alpha male to the world
> 2. Catch overslot reds on any tide/weather condition
> 3. Make you the envy of everyone at the ramp
> ...


Dude I already have noticed mine chesty hair growing more! I can now unbutton the top 2 buttons on my shirts and show it off! Anyways update on the boat. I bought a tunnel pro. Runs and handles great. Hardly any sliding. I started a thread about cav plates and props. Nobody really had anything to say on it. Any of you tunnel dudes running cav plates? When do you know if you need one?


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

DeepSouthFly said:


> Gotcha. This thread is also from August 8. I think my question got answered by now but thanks for your input. Any input I appreciate.
> 
> 
> 
> Dude I already have noticed mine chesty hair growing more! I can now unbutton the top 2 buttons on my shirts and show it off! Anyways update on the boat. I bought a tunnel pro. Runs and handles great. Hardly any sliding. I started a thread about cav plates and props. Nobody really had anything to say on it. Any of you tunnel dudes running cav plates? When do you know if you need one?


I don't run a cav plate on mine, just a Powertech 4 blade prop. It seems to bite pretty well in turns and my hole shot is nice. Top end really isn't much of a concern for me. Besides, the cav plate might hide the tunnel from view, then how are the ladies going to notice it? (Reference #4 in previous post)


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## DeepSouthFly (Sep 7, 2016)

SomaliPirate said:


> I don't run a cav plate on mine, just a Powertech 4 blade prop. It seems to bite pretty well in turns and my hole shot is nice. Top end really isn't much of a concern for me. Besides, the cav plate might hide the tunnel from view, then how are the ladies going to notice it? (Reference #4 in previous post)


Same. Running a 4 blade Power tech also. The boat came with a 3 blade and I tried it out this weekend hoping to get maybe a little more top speed but I didn't. Still around 32 but with less holeshot so I put the 4 blade back on there.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

DeepSouthFly said:


> Same. Running a 4 blade Power tech also. The boat came with a 3 blade and I tried it out this weekend hoping to get maybe a little more top speed but I didn't. Still around 32 but with less holeshot so I put the 4 blade back on there.


Yeah basically same here. I noticed zero loss of top end when I switched to the 4 blade. I think the hull is the limiting factor on top end with tunnels.


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## Matts (Sep 2, 2015)

I ran a large aluminum compression (cav) plate on my old tunnel jon boat on the advice of Boatright Marine. It made a HUGE difference in being able to run with the motor jacked all the way up in the tunnel and not loosing water pressure. My 0.02. Pics available on request.


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## Battfisher (Jan 18, 2016)

Vertigo said:


> I shouldn't mix drinking and typing. Lesson learned. OTOH, intellectual laziness in a society can only be tolerated for so long before we end up like this:


What a great movie. My 18 year old loves the show "Ow, My Balls".


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