Reduced drag stable Vee bottom planing boat

In a Vee bottom planing boat having a hull extending from a bow rearwardly to an aft end and having a trimmable drive and running chines dry at maximum speed, said hull having a wetted planing surface at said maximum speed defined by spray root lines and the trailing edge of the planing surface, a method for reducing drag by increasing running trim angle by removing wetted planing surface at areas of least dynamic pressure and locating a portion of the trailing edge of the wetted planing surface forwardly from said aft end by forming a step in said planing surface of said hull forwardly of said aft end and defining a notch with a raised undersurface extending rearwardly from said a step to said aft end such that running trim angle is less than porpoising trim angle, and yet the boat can be made to porpoise by trimming the drive up and out, and:

• water breaking off said step does not contact said raised undersurface at said maximum speed;
• at planing speeds less than said maximum speed, water breaking off said step contacts said raised undersurface to help control trim angle to less than porpoising trim angle;
• and
• while the boat is getting up on plane, water breaking off said step contacts said raised undersurface and provides lift to aid planing.