Whats the most stable 10-12' boat

[JohnVH]

Thinking about getting a little boat for lakes, but considering trying to do a little crabbing with one too..  Livingstons have that center section in the way, jonboats seem a little tippy,  what about columbians? I saw a Sterling that looked great, but it sold too fast.. Id like it stable for a couple people, and for when my toddler gets older to take fishing.  It would have to be loadable into a pickup bed by one person..  Thoughts?

[Stein]

I had a 14' Smokercraft, it was plenty stable as was my buddy's 12' Bluefin.  They are all about the same.


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[Buckmark]

Second the Smoker craft, look for a 12ft Smoker craft alaskan. it is around 180lbs so doable for one guy in a truck.
I have both a 10ft and 12ft alum (not smoker craft) that are around 150-160 and i can load and unload pretty easy

[JimmyHoffa]

zodiacs are pretty stable in that size range

[CP]

Olympian - their small boats are very stable, as are Livingstons.  Tri or bi-hulls will give you better stability than any V-hull.

[Mfowl]

Check out Marlon jon boats. They are wider and deeper than any other jons in their range and boast a heavier weight capacity.

[jay.sharkbait]

The Hi-Lakers are pretty hard to beat

[Branden]

I grew up fishing out of a Livingston. We could walk around without a problem when we were young. Not sure why the center section would be a problem unless for crabbing? I've never went crabbing in a boat before though. For fishing they work extremely well.

We used an aluminum v hull once when I was little and we almost tipped it.

Regards, Branden

[fish vacuum]

Columbians/Olympians have a good reputation. I would probably look for a smokercraft Alaskan or the sylvan equivalent.

[JDHasty]

I would go w/Smoker Alaskan.  I have seen three ~12' Livingstons that were upside down and towed in, two of them myself.  IDK how it happens, but all three claimed they were underway at fairly low/medium speed when they went over.  I have been in them a lot and have found them to be very stable while sitting or trolling and have never seen any indication of one I was in being on the ragged edge, but like I said I have seen three upside down in the water and personally towed two of them in.

I just wouldn't take kids out in any 10 footer I have been in.       

[Alchase]

I loved my 13 ft Smokercraft Alaskan,
But the OP asked what the most stable boat in 10 - 12 ft range. for lake fishing.

I would pick Boston Whaler, Livingston, Sorenson

I had a 10 ft Livingston with a 15 HP yamaha on it that I took up to Point No Point all the time. I fished four adults out of it (on a lake) never once felt even the slightest tippy.
FYI, my 10 ft Livingston was the skiff off a 110 foot crab boat out of Newport, Or - Dutch Harbor, AK.

The Smokercraft Alaskan is a fantastic lake boat, or the sound on a very calm day. But for stability, the Smokercraft was not even close to the Livingston.

[lokidog]

For stability, 12-14' Zodiac/Achilles/Bombardier inflatable cannot be beat.  I used to salmon fish out of Westport with my 13 footer.  Second choice would be the same size Livingston or similar boat, we have two twelve footers.  The center "seat" is only a hassle when trying to get used to running a tiller engine. The negative to the Livingston is that they are pretty much designed for the weight of a two-stroke hanging off the back and the four-strokes of the same horsepower cause them to sit substantially lower in the stern. The negative for the inflatables is that they can get leaks, and rockfish spines can cause pinholes.

From my experience, there is no way a 'v' bottom boat can come close to the stability of either of the two styles listed.  They have other positives though.

Hope this helps.

[Happy Gilmore]

For stability, 12-14' Zodiac/Achilles/Bombardier inflatable cannot be beat.  I used to salmon fish out of Westport with my 13 footer.  Second choice would be the same size Livingston or similar boat, we have two twelve footers.  The center "seat" is only a hassle when trying to get used to running a tiller engine. The negative to the Livingston is that they are pretty much designed for the weight of a two-stroke hanging off the back and the four-strokes of the same horsepower cause them to sit substantially lower in the stern. The negative for the inflatables is that they can get leaks, and rockfish spines can cause pinholes.

From my experience, there is no way a 'v' bottom boat can come close to the stability of either of the two styles listed.  They have other positives though.

Hope this helps.

Whaler smokes anything mentioned in stability, load  capacity and highest rated powerhead. Also to mention, deck space. Can't haul much in an inflatable or a Livingston. Inflatables lose space on floor from the pontoons. Livingston has the hump in the floor. Whaler has a flat deck and can be filled to the brim with water and still floats V bottom boats in the 13' range are going to have very little difference in ride because the V isn't carried through to the transom. They aren't long or heavy enough to even make a V hull work. Ride won't be noticeably different until you get up to at least a 17' boat. Then flat bottom, v hull or a cat hull starts showing some efficiencies.

[lokidog]

I forgot about Whalers, though it seems like the cost is substantially higher. I'd still rather be seven miles off the coast in my 13' inflatable than a 13' Whaler though.   

[Happy Gilmore]

I forgot about Whalers, though it seems like the cost is substantially higher. I'd still rather be seven miles off the coast in my 13' inflatable than a 13' Whaler though.   

Not me. 50HP strapped to the back of my 13' whaler unswamped it many times and have made many long trips. My Uncle used it as his tow behind for 20 years before I got it when I was 7 years old.