Saltwater boats

[Leemo]

Lots of junk on the market these days, people that buy these boats have know idea what they are looking at, they purchase the boat then give a review of greatness , simply because that's all they know
I personal won't tell you which boat to buy, but I'll tell you which one not too

[AtTheWall]

I'm running a Technical Poling skiff - Composite Research\Spyder Boats- FX-17 Flicker. It's a flats hunting boat....a true flats skiff.

I can run with 4 fully rigged, 9ft fly rods, tucked up under the gunnels in 4 rod holders, that run against the inside hull port and starboard. This is an extremely cool rod storage design. Fly rods for saltwater flats fishing - length of these sticks are hard to manage. This boat covers it easily - rigged ready to rock and roll.

I have two fully circulated live wells. One forward under the forward seat and one aft, under the cockpit seat. A lined iced box on the port transom and storage,hydraulic reservoir and fuel separator access, on the starboard transom.


Dry weight: 860 lbs

Yamaha 70: 260 lbs

Atlas Heavy Duty jackplate with 4" set back

PowerPro Pro II 6ft anchoring system

Push pole: TFO 20ft graphite

Coastal aluminum trailer

Draft: 6.5 inches - boat floats in Kayak depth water freely and silently.

Hull: 10 degree deadrise through entire hull length. Designed to be highly pivotable from the poling platform and or bumping the trolling motor. A true technical poling skiff hull design. The hull is designed to deaden wave slap against the hull\water mark. It's stealthy silent on the flats with wind waves angling in at all angles - making no sound against the hull.

20 gallon fuel cell in the bow. Boat can range 180 miles on one tank of fuel running at a 24 mph average. Bow mounted fuel cell equalizes draft weight between engine and fuel tank -fore and aft - keeping the hull draft super small.

The boat hull is tuned and certified to run on it's Yamaha F70LA 4-stroke. Yamaha engineering worked with Composite Research matching hull to power for maximized fuel and performance. Clutched in, it idles at 1.3 mph. Wide open throttle - 40 mph with a light load. Economical cruising speed with best gas mileage - 24 mph.

Poling Characteristics: It's a dream to pole from the poling platform. Since the hull has a smooth 10 degree deadrise, fore and aft, it pivots on a dime and floats freely over water literally ankle deep. Well below the knee water depth. Stuff only kayaks can freely float over. Using the wind, this hull will drift silently tucked up tightly against spoil islands and over super skinny shallow sections silently. I've drifted around waders, who bailed out of their Texas flats boats to wade, waving as I drift out and around them clearing them silently as their respective boats are sitting anchored out deeper away from the shoreline.

Riding the wind downwind, I can jack up the engine via jackplate, trim up the lower unit only allowing the engine's skeg to lightly touch the water. This setup allows my stern to ride with a rudder, bow pointed dead down wind, stern up into the wind and I can make steering \ course changes with my steering wheel, as the wind silently pushes me along...following contour outlines of the shoreline. Basically silently drifting with steerage and control which allows me to tuck in to 7 or 8 inches of water - tight against the sand or weedline - like a wade fisherman...without getting wet. I've covered literally 10 - 12 miles doing this in the Laguna Madre, following the King Ranch shoreline and the backside of Padre Island National Seashore - when I can catch the wind fetch to match my desired drift heading.

I can drift it with the classic, port or starboard side abeam to the wind as well. Cranking the engine completely up out of the water, the boat will swing broadside to the wind, allowing two guys to cast downwind, riding the wind, like many of the traditional flats boats do.

Drop that skeg into the water, she turns into a different drifting machine quickly, riding downwind riding that skeg bite. Very very handy when you want to cover a transition\structure, riding the wind with full directional drifting control.

Trolling motor: This hull is super low drag. I run a MotorGuide Great White saltwater series - 12 volt - 50 lb thrust trolling motor. My trolling motor battery is located forward of the bow fitted fuel cell. It can handle a full 2 days of use without battery drain to points of uselessness. I typically only run the trolling motor if I need to run some sections into the wind, fishing tight against structure and or currents.

Handling characteristics. The hull is pretty much shaped like a well worn river stone. It doesn't cut water, it rides up and skims over the top. Not an open swell design by any means. It will run chop up to 2 ft without issue, planing out and trimming with the hull skipping over wave tops. The ride feels smooth and the hull has a feeling of bigger size once the boat is trimmed up over chop. At low speed, as it is with any low freeboard boat hull design, waves can pop over and spill into the cockpit.

The cockpit has two self draining scuppers if you do encounter a water fill event into the cockpit. Boat has an automatic bilge pump which covers as well. I've filled the cockpit in 35 mph winds and 3ft seas running into Port Mansfield harbor on a day that had gusts that turned the Laguna full of whitecaps. Running winds like this over 10 plus foot of water, with opposing currents, it's not fun in any boat. This boat isn't designed to run deep water, with running seas. You can cover it by trimming bow up, jack plate down deep and and working throttle, eyeballing wave after wave to cross.....if you get caught up in nasty crap.

I pick my days and run super skinny water for the majority of my fishing. The Laguna Madre can handle a ton of wind without any nasty swell condition..unless you run deeper sections like outside Port Mansfield harbor. Or deeper sections of Aransas Bay or Corpus Christi Bay. I typically run Upper Laguna down to Baffin, where winds are easily managed by running a lee shoreline in a foot of water or less - no matter how hard they blow. Skinny water keeps building seas in check.


Standard Features
• 10-Year-Limited Hull Warranty
• No-Wood All Composite Construction
• Advanced Fiberglass String System
• Non-Skid Deck
• Anchor Locker
• Stainless Rub Rail
• Under-Gunwale Rod Storage
• Finished Lids Both Sides
• Flush-Mount Stainless Cleats
• FX-G2 Console
• Console Windshield
• Console Hand Rail
• Console Rod Holders
• Removable Console Door
• Console Front Seat w/ Cushions
• Console Front Access
• Insulated Cooler Under Console Front Seat
• Hydraulic Steering
• Stainless Steering Wheel w/ Knob
• Switch Panel
• Push-Button Circuit Breakers
• Battery Switch
• Battery Switch Power Board
• Interior LED Courtesy Lights
• LED Bait Well Lights
• Trumpet Horn
• Trolling Motor Harness & Plugs
• Auto Bilge Pump
• Stainless Thru-Hulls
• Aerated Bait Well
• Insulated Fish Box
• High-Speed Live Well
• Bait Well Pump
• Rear Deck Helm Seat Cushion
• Removable Folding Backrest
• Poling Platform
• Digital Gauges
• Fuel Water Separator



Boat stern is sitting in about 7 inches of water - floating freely here. I nosed the bow up onto the sand - Nighthawk Bay - just above Bird Island basin Laguna Madre. Port side gunnel is wide, over a foot wide allowing you to run fore or aft easily following a hookup. This keeps you out of the cockpit and up on deck, allowing clutter free fish fighting and or cast adjustment movement.


Uncle Saggy - Port Mansfield. Not much below the hull edges below the waterline. 10 degrees - the hull bottom looks like a spaceship or saucer shape with smooth edges - no hull chine of any sort - absolutely smooth. Made to pole skinny with directional control with literally no effort to transition movement - a true poling skiff.




Forward casting deck - has a tremendous amount of hang over the forward boat hull. You can get two guys up forward, side to side, and cast covering water. The hull is very close to the Mitzi Skiff flats boat hull design. This boat has more features than a Mitzi and or Hells Bay.


I added a T-BAG nylon storage system under my poling platform. This allows me to store 3 lifejackets and pockets for keys, phones, wallet and anything else that needs to be out of the way. Tackle bags sit under the poling platform, just behind the console seat.

The gunnels allow you to walk, fore and aft, up out of the cockpit. They are wide so you basically have stand and cast room the entire length of the hull above the cockpit. With the push pole mounted on the starboard side, you move fore and aft along the port side gunnel easily.

Forward elevated casting platform, toss the Brute\Bison cooler up on that front deck, and you can cast and see very well easily. Stand on the stern push pole platform - excellent long range visibility for sight casting skinny water. I have rod holders and a wearable rod holder clip, which lets me stand up high and change sticks easily, all within reach on top of the platform.

Electronics. Chart plotter, GPS, sonar and bottom depth composition reading (sand, rock or mud). I have a few chips I use, depending if I'm running fresh or salt. This boat will bass fish easily as well...covers flipping shallow and structure easily running the trolling motor.

I used a hole less Transducer mounting system. Sternmate - it's been perfect and the tuning of this mounting system, is very adjustable with a tremendous amount of movement with lift and angle.

Uniden waterproof Marine VHF-FM handheld radio, Marine comms are covered.

[walker1983]

we have a 23' Mowdy.

A 17' J Craft before that, which I still wish we had....

[AtTheWall]

Here's where it shines - Laguna Madre

https://youtu.be/3hEQjNPP8PI

[AtTheWall]

we have a 23' Mowdy.

A 17' J Craft before that, which I still wish we had....

The beauty of the smaller flats boat - weight savings, fuel savings and most importantly - lightness to float super skinny.

Running skinny - tons do it. To float freely skinny - you're not going there with 22 ft plus and 200 plus hanging off the stern. Weight = deeper draft and that extra weight, run it aground = not a one person refloat either.

[LuBowhunter]

I'm running a Technical Poling skiff - Composite Research\Spyder Boats- FX-17 Flicker. It's a flats hunting boat....a true flats skiff.

I can run with 4 fully rigged, 9ft fly rods, tucked up under the gunnels in 4 rod holders, that run against the inside hull port and starboard. This is an extremely cool rod storage design. Fly rods for saltwater flats fishing - length of these sticks are hard to manage. This boat covers it easily - rigged ready to rock and roll.

I have two fully circulated live wells. One forward under the forward seat and one aft, under the cockpit seat. A lined iced box on the port transom and storage,hydraulic reservoir and fuel separator access, on the starboard transom.


Dry weight: 860 lbs

Yamaha 70: 260 lbs

Atlas Heavy Duty jackplate with 4" set back

PowerPro Pro II 6ft anchoring system

Push pole: TFO 20ft graphite

Coastal aluminum trailer

Draft: 6.5 inches - boat floats in Kayak depth water freely and silently.

Hull: 10 degree deadrise through entire hull length. Designed to be highly pivotable from the poling platform and or bumping the trolling motor. A true technical poling skiff hull design. The hull is designed to deaden wave slap against the hull\water mark. It's stealthy silent on the flats with wind waves angling in at all angles - making no sound against the hull.

20 gallon fuel cell in the bow. Boat can range 180 miles on one tank of fuel running at a 24 mph average. Bow mounted fuel cell equalizes draft weight between engine and fuel tank -fore and aft - keeping the hull draft super small.

The boat hull is tuned and certified to run on it's Yamaha F70LA 4-stroke. Yamaha engineering worked with Composite Research matching hull to power for maximized fuel and performance. Clutched in, it idles at 1.3 mph. Wide open throttle - 40 mph with a light load. Economical cruising speed with best gas mileage - 24 mph.

Poling Characteristics: It's a dream to pole from the poling platform. Since the hull has a smooth 10 degree deadrise, fore and aft, it pivots on a dime and floats freely over water literally ankle deep. Well below the knee water depth. Stuff only kayaks can freely float over. Using the wind, this hull will drift silently tucked up tightly against spoil islands and over super skinny shallow sections silently. I've drifted around waders, who bailed out of their Texas flats boats to wade, waving as I drift out and around them clearing them silently as their respective boats are sitting anchored out deeper away from the shoreline.

Riding the wind downwind, I can jack up the engine via jackplate, trim up the lower unit only allowing the engine's skeg to lightly touch the water. This setup allows my stern to ride with a rudder, bow pointed dead down wind, stern up into the wind and I can make steering \ course changes with my steering wheel, as the wind silently pushes me along...following contour outlines of the shoreline. Basically silently drifting with steerage and control which allows me to tuck in to 7 or 8 inches of water - tight against the sand or weedline - like a wade fisherman...without getting wet. I've covered literally 10 - 12 miles doing this in the Laguna Madre, following the King Ranch shoreline and the backside of Padre Island National Seashore - when I can catch the wind fetch to match my desired drift heading.

I can drift it with the classic, port or starboard side abeam to the wind as well. Cranking the engine completely up out of the water, the boat will swing broadside to the wind, allowing two guys to cast downwind, riding the wind, like many of the traditional flats boats do.

Drop that skeg into the water, she turns into a different drifting machine quickly, riding downwind riding that skeg bite. Very very handy when you want to cover a transition\structure, riding the wind with full directional drifting control.

Trolling motor: This hull is super low drag. I run a MotorGuide Great White saltwater series - 12 volt - 50 lb thrust trolling motor. My trolling motor battery is located forward of the bow fitted fuel cell. It can handle a full 2 days of use without battery drain to points of uselessness. I typically only run the trolling motor if I need to run some sections into the wind, fishing tight against structure and or currents.

Handling characteristics. The hull is pretty much shaped like a well worn river stone. It doesn't cut water, it rides up and skims over the top. Not an open swell design by any means. It will run chop up to 2 ft without issue, planing out and trimming with the hull skipping over wave tops. The ride feels smooth and the hull has a feeling of bigger size once the boat is trimmed up over chop. At low speed, as it is with any low freeboard boat hull design, waves can pop over and spill into the cockpit.

The cockpit has two self draining scuppers if you do encounter a water fill event into the cockpit. Boat has an automatic bilge pump which covers as well. I've filled the cockpit in 35 mph winds and 3ft seas running into Port Mansfield harbor on a day that had gusts that turned the Laguna full of whitecaps. Running winds like this over 10 plus foot of water, with opposing currents, it's not fun in any boat. This boat isn't designed to run deep water, with running seas. You can cover it by trimming bow up, jack plate down deep and and working throttle, eyeballing wave after wave to cross.....if you get caught up in nasty crap.

I pick my days and run super skinny water for the majority of my fishing. The Laguna Madre can handle a ton of wind without any nasty swell condition..unless you run deeper sections like outside Port Mansfield harbor. Or deeper sections of Aransas Bay or Corpus Christi Bay. I typically run Upper Laguna down to Baffin, where winds are easily managed by running a lee shoreline in a foot of water or less - no matter how hard they blow. Skinny water keeps building seas in check.


Standard Features
• 10-Year-Limited Hull Warranty
• No-Wood All Composite Construction
• Advanced Fiberglass String System
• Non-Skid Deck
• Anchor Locker
• Stainless Rub Rail
• Under-Gunwale Rod Storage
• Finished Lids Both Sides
• Flush-Mount Stainless Cleats
• FX-G2 Console
• Console Windshield
• Console Hand Rail
• Console Rod Holders
• Removable Console Door
• Console Front Seat w/ Cushions
• Console Front Access
• Insulated Cooler Under Console Front Seat
• Hydraulic Steering
• Stainless Steering Wheel w/ Knob
• Switch Panel
• Push-Button Circuit Breakers
• Battery Switch
• Battery Switch Power Board
• Interior LED Courtesy Lights
• LED Bait Well Lights
• Trumpet Horn
• Trolling Motor Harness & Plugs
• Auto Bilge Pump
• Stainless Thru-Hulls
• Aerated Bait Well
• Insulated Fish Box
• High-Speed Live Well
• Bait Well Pump
• Rear Deck Helm Seat Cushion
• Removable Folding Backrest
• Poling Platform
• Digital Gauges
• Fuel Water Separator



Boat stern is sitting in about 7 inches of water - floating freely here. I nosed the bow up onto the sand - Nighthawk Bay - just above Bird Island basin Laguna Madre. Port side gunnel is wide, over a foot wide allowing you to run fore or aft easily following a hookup. This keeps you out of the cockpit and up on deck, allowing clutter free fish fighting and or cast adjustment movement.


Uncle Saggy - Port Mansfield. Not much below the hull edges below the waterline. 10 degrees - the hull bottom looks like a spaceship or saucer shape with smooth edges - no hull chine of any sort - absolutely smooth. Made to pole skinny with directional control with literally no effort to transition movement - a true poling skiff.




Forward casting deck - has a tremendous amount of hang over the forward boat hull. You can get two guys up forward, side to side, and cast covering water. The hull is very close to the Mitzi Skiff flats boat hull design. This boat has more features than a Mitzi and or Hells Bay.


I added a T-BAG nylon storage system under my poling platform. This allows me to store 3 lifejackets and pockets for keys, phones, wallet and anything else that needs to be out of the way. Tackle bags sit under the poling platform, just behind the console seat.

The gunnels allow you to walk, fore and aft, up out of the cockpit. They are wide so you basically have stand and cast room the entire length of the hull above the cockpit. With the push pole mounted on the starboard side, you move fore and aft along the port side gunnel easily.

Forward elevated casting platform, toss the Brute\Bison cooler up on that front deck, and you can cast and see very well easily. Stand on the stern push pole platform - excellent long range visibility for sight casting skinny water. I have rod holders and a wearable rod holder clip, which lets me stand up high and change sticks easily, all within reach on top of the platform.

Electronics. Chart plotter, GPS, sonar and bottom depth composition reading (sand, rock or mud). I have a few chips I use, depending if I'm running fresh or salt. This boat will bass fish easily as well...covers flipping shallow and structure easily running the trolling motor.

I used a hole less Transducer mounting system. Sternmate - it's been perfect and the tuning of this mounting system, is very adjustable with a tremendous amount of movement with lift and angle.

Uniden waterproof Marine VHF-FM handheld radio, Marine comms are covered.

I almost bought the 19 spyder rigged to the max. Dual power poles, 115 sho, tabs, I pilot, hds 10 it was loaded to the max brand new at the dealer for 32k. Kind of kicking my self for not doing. Talked myself out of it because of where I fish is a lot more deep water than flats. Ended up with this old school peach.

[justletmein]

Shoalwater Cat is gonna be tough to beat no matter the price range right now. I run a Boatright and love it, will never own another fiberglass boat again.

[AtTheWall]

[Stolle]

I see alot of people are hung upon Shoalwater boats bc of their popularity and their shallow running ability. But if you ever encounter a heavy chop, you will be in a rough ride and be soaked. I am not bashing Shoalwater bc they do make a great boat, but everyone seems to get hung up with them bc of their popularity (me included at one time).

If I had my pick, I would go with the Transport SVT. Has a wider and deeper hull design, which gives you more stability and also will run shallower and be able to float with more ease.

This is just my opinion when I tested the 2 hulls. 21 Shoalcat and 200 SVT.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Come on now[emoji51] I've been in a lot flats style boats and the 23 cat is dryer than most.

We have a 2010 23' Shoalwater cat with a raised console and it's the perfect boat for us. I've ran it from Palacios back to POC in some nasty waves. I thought the engine was going to break off. If you keep on top of the waves and hold on it's pretty smooth ride. If you can ride the troughs it's even a better ride. Key is to know how to run the boat you have.

[CLR]

Come on now[emoji51] I've been in a lot flats style boats and the 23 cat is dryer than most.

We have a 2010 23' Shoalwater cat with a raised console and it's the perfect boat for us. I've ran it from Palacios back to POC in some nasty waves. I thought the engine was going to break off. If you keep on top of the waves and hold on it's pretty smooth ride. If you can ride the troughs it's even a better ride. Key is to know how to run the boat you have.

I agree with this. I have the same boat but with a Yamaha. I have owned Explorer, Majek, Tran and have fished out of many others. That 20svt will beat you up and and keep you wet. The 23 SW has been one of the driest boats I have owned. Someone can make any of them soak you if you run them incorrectly but I could not find a way that the 20svt could keep you dry in rougher conditions. A 22svt may just be long enough to keep you dry though.

[b.latiolais]

I fished the Louisiana marsh Tuesday in this one. If you want shallow or no water, this is the meal ticket. I would suggest the Shoalwater Cat if you want to cross the bay and fish shallow. I love fishing skinny water and sight casting. I'll try to post some vids.



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Hey I know that launch.... You passed right by my house.

[muzzlebrake]

Miracle Marine Shoal Runner will run in 3" of water. Doesn't look very fishable though. I guess since these are custom a factory deck could be added. Need a big fat checkbook for one of these.

https://youtu.be/MpvwmTzEEJM

[az2tx]

I see alot of people are hung upon Shoalwater boats bc of their popularity and their shallow running ability. But if you ever encounter a heavy chop, you will be in a rough ride and be soaked. I am not bashing Shoalwater bc they do make a great boat, but everyone seems to get hung up with them bc of their popularity (me included at one time).

If I had my pick, I would go with the Transport SVT. Has a wider and deeper hull design, which gives you more stability and also will run shallower and be able to float with more ease.

This is just my opinion when I tested the 2 hulls. 21 Shoalcat and 200 SVT.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

I've ran a Shoalwater 23 Cat with a Yamaha 250 SHO on it now for a cpl of years. I have ran that boat in all kinds of conditions and the only time I have gotten wet is when it is raining.
Running the cat is a little different and in heavy chop or 2-3 ft rollers it really helps to hit them at an angle and adjust your speed to you are just hitting the tops
You stated that the SVT had a wider hull at 97" vs the Shoalwater at 104"
You also said the SVT has a deeper hull which will let you run shallower

[JES]

I've ran a Shoalwater 23 Cat with a Yamaha 250 SHO on it now for a cpl of years. I have ran that boat in all kinds of conditions and the only time I have gotten wet is when it is raining.
Running the cat is a little different and in heavy chop or 2-3 ft rollers it really helps to hit them at an angle and adjust your speed to you are just hitting the tops
You stated that the SVT had a wider hull at 97" vs the Shoalwater at 104"
You also said the SVT has a deeper hull which will let you run shallower

The 21' is probably a wetter ride than your 23', I would suspect that's the difference in how dry the ride is. The captain's ability to understand the boat also plays a huge factor!

[DoubleGProstaff]

Nothing gets as shallow and my 19' alumacraft cc.


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