All my life we have used a 14' flat bottom for fishing, but last year my dad bought a 17' bass tracker. That was the best purchase ever. Much more room for storage and for more people fishing. I don't like the riveted boats, but pretty much every boat I have been in leaked some. We fish mostly lakes and the river three or times a year. The semi v can take waves much better than a flat bottom. There was a bass tracker for sale in the classifieds that seemed like a nice deal.