Bow Width

[Papee]

The narrow bow really has little affect other than a little less weight and I think they look better. There are a few advantages though. Putting the curve in helps strengthen the gunnels a bit. When getting on plane the front of the boat raises slightly and you are pushing on the wide part of the boat any way. The narrower bow also helps when you are idling, there is not as much width there to push water. When on plane there again is not as much width to trap air, not much of a difference but there is some.

[krwsr]

The narrow bow really has little affect other than a little less weight and I think they look better. There are a few advantages though. Putting the curve in helps strengthen the gunnels a bit. When getting on plane the front of the boat raises slightly and you are pushing on the wide part of the boat any way. The narrower bow also helps when you are idling, there is not as much width there to push water. When on plane there again is not as much width to trap air, not much of a difference but there is some.

Thanks Papee, I can buy that.

[txriverrat]

On my hull bottom will be 5 ft front to back
top at back will be 6 ft
where the front starts rolling up the top will be 5 ft 8 in
at the very front top will be 5 ft.
My thinking on these measurements
The 6 inch flair should work like a modified chine if your sliding.
More inches of displacement at rest and decreasing displacement as you plane out as the bottom gets narrower.
Front will be curved up a small amount ,this will make me put the front deck in at an angle which should leave the pipe across the front as a kick rail, plus the high bow will work like a mini grass rake and also bust waves in rough water better.
Ron
Airboats just arent aerodynamic so the shape above the water doesn't have much effect on performance

[Papee]

I think I get what you're saying. By "flair" do you mean the angle of the gunnel? When on plane, if a boat is set up right, you are only running on the back 1/3 or less of the bottom. If your boat is running free there is no part of the side in the water on a hard chined boat. A chined boat will always have part of the chine in the water.