Minimum Operating Depth

[DDL]

We're renting a property on the Flathead Lake in Montana for a couple of weeks. This isn't the property we originally had booked, but it's all we could get on very short notice due to the owner of the original place selling at the last minute a few days ago.

This new property is on a canal at the north end of the lake (Bigfork) with access to and from the big lake via a no-wake zone. I found out today that the canal is quite shallow, with a depth of about 45 inches at the center of the canal (at its deepest point) which tapers off as you move away from the centre of the canal.

We've got a 2004 XLV. It looks, by a quick measurement, that we're about 2 1/2 feet from the bottom of the swim platform to the bottom of the prop.

Are we going to be OK? I'm not sure how much further she settles into the water with a load of fuel or people and of course, I don't want to be tagging the prop, even if, I'm told, it's soft soot?

Any advice, thoughts or suggestions greatly appreciated.

[zegm]

The specs say your draft is 26", stay in the center and go slow!

[Razzman]

Go real slow! You start stirring up mud and such it gets sucked into the impellor and shortens it's life!

[mmandley]

I believe the proper boating term is Dead Slow

LOL.

[RobertJ]

I agree with the other guys go super dead slow as a door knob

Or have a little adventure and go balls out fast to get the boat as high on plane as possible.

I would go with the first one

[mmandley]

I agree with the other guys go super dead slow as a door knob

Or have a little adventure and go balls out fast to get the boat as high on plane as possible.

I would go with the first one

HAHAH this made my chuckle out loud.

How long is this so called channel?

Maybe get some PVC tubes and pole your way out and not risk running the prop at all?

[RobertJ]

Poleing is a great idea Mandley. If the guy can sing he could make a few bucks giving gondala rides up the canal.

[sandm]

little bit of jealousy here. I lived in kila about 5 miles east of kalispell for a while. beautiful country up there..

good luck

[james yarosz]

I live on a lake at the end of a shallow cove.Later in the summer the water level goes down.When we leave the lift with 5 or 6 people on board everyone crowds into the bow area and we idle out to the main lake.

[kaneboats]

Excellent suggestion. Keep the peeps up front and idle out. You should be fine.