In this tutorial, I will explain what are chines on a boat.
Boats come in different shapes and sizes. So not all boats have chines.
A boat hull consists of 5 sections. These are:
- Left and right sides of the boat.
- Stern which is at the rear of a boat.
- Bow which is at the front of the boat.
- The underside of the hull which is the bottom of a boat.
Chines on a boat are the points where the boat side of the hull meets the bottom of the hull.
In the photo below you can see the chine where it’s marked. This boat in the photo had our marine boat graphics installed and above the chimes you can see our installed boat registration stickers.
Are there different types of chines?
Yes, there are 2 types of chines. Soft and hard chine.
A soft chine has a slight curve where the side of the boat meets the bottom of the hull.
A hard chine has no slight curve where the side of the boat meets the bottom of the hull.
The Rise of Reverse Chines
Some Boatbuilders are now adding reverse chines to there boat hulls.
With a reverse chine as you can see it illustrated below the idea behind it is to keep the boat more stable in the water.
The reverse chine creates pressure against the water helping it to stabilise the boat.
In reference to boat stability, I believe this helps greatly in this regard.
Cruising at high speeds and for long distances though may cause more fuel usage.
The disadvantages with reverse chines can include:
- A harder ride due to the water hitting the reverse chine.
- Long-distance fishing trips may cost a little more in fuel.
The biggest advantage of a reverse chine though is the added stability it provides.
The Haines Hunter V19R is a classic example that has reverse chines.
What are chines on a boat? Which Vessels Don’t Have Chines?
Canoes don’t have chines since the underbelly of the canoe is a curved style hull.
Yachts don’t have chines either since these watercraft have a curved hull and are designed this way.
Curved hulls can also be found on old fishing trawlers and Viking boats.
Some boats are designed to glide through the water with speed and agility such as Sailing Yachts.
A yachts hull needs to be a curved hull so the yacht can glide through the water on any angle required.
Canoes have curved or semi-curved undersides which can make the craft unstable in different situations.
What Part Does Chines Play with a Boats Safety?
Chines on a boat helps keep a vessel upright and stable in the water.
There are however a few different factors which includes the vessel size and the dead rise angle.
If you are buying a boat there are some many factors one needs to consider. One of these is the chines a vessel has and the type of chines.
