Howdy.

Think I am finally getting the Mrs to agree to getting a boat. I've had boats before, but they would hardly get used because work kept getting in the way, so I sold them and am currently boatless. Now I am retired so I have the time to actually USE it. Looking at aluminum boats, preferably with tunnel and sponsons/float pods, but those are hard to find. I might get a "regular" aluminum boat and then get some Beaver Tail pods and have them welded on. For you folks with experience, what are the big advantages to sponsons and it is worth the hassle/wait to find one with pods?

Plus:
Boat floats higher in the transom, takes off with less bow rise.
Minus:
You'll go from turning to sliding. Backing up? Forgetaboutit.

That said, if shallow water performance is your priority, then yes, they make a difference.

Thanks a lot for the info Pat. I plan to fish mostly fresh water. Target lake will usually be Choke Canyon and maybe the upper parts of Canyon Lake and the occasional power plant lakes south of San Antonio. I usually go for catfish...a lot less work and good eating, but occasional bass or crappie will go in the live well if that's the hot ticket at the time. So most of the time I'll be in 4 to 25 ft of water, but I've had good luck in the Choke shallows, so I'd like the ability to go into the 2-3 foot areas if that's where the whisker fish are. If I find a great deal on a "regular" aluminum ride, I can always add the sponsons later. I'll do more research, but it seems Beaver Tail is a highly-thought-of brand.

I determined how much lift I needed via water displacement. Then designed and built my own according to my hull and transom specs. They slowed the boat down a little to 25mph (lost 5mph). But I no longer have to worry so much about someone's wake washing over my transom. They provided 220 lbs of lift. And completely displace the weight of my motor at 189-lbs factory spec dry weight. I've got both batteries and gas tank back there too. I can float in 5-6" of water with motor off towing or push polling. Great for getting back in the shallows for duck hunting. Or up a creek or river to places unfished by others. Course, it helps being a metal fab and welder most of my adult life. And doing structural warranty repair for Tracker and a few other big names in the metal boat world, for a few years.

I used to have a G3 1652. I had them installed on it. Made a good boat a great boat! I river fished that boat most of the time so those few extra inches of water it made a difference. The flat start offs helped too! I never regretted it. I quit fishing the river and moved to the lake or I would still be running it.

Tx-Grown -- cool stuff. Too bad you live so far away...would love to have you make some custom pods if I get a pod-less boat. Thanks for the added input Cool. I am more convinced that sponsons are the way to go.