# Thoughts on Carolina Skiffs



## Rammer Jammer (Oct 1, 2007)

Since I sold my Cape Horn, I've been looking at getting an inshore boat or skiff type. I've been looking a the Carolina Skiffs, but hear a lot of "they'll beat your brains out", etc. Anyone that has one or that has been on one mind chiming in. I've also looked at Polar skiffs and flats boats, but have heard from a few people of their tendency to crack and even a few cases where the entire hull had split. Looking for something in the 17' range, so I realize anything that size in a pretty good chop is going to beat you some. I am just curious what the majority has to say about true flat bottom skiffs and the pros and cons. Thanks.


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## jimmyjams4110 (Oct 20, 2007)

I have a smitty skiff. Love it!! It has just enough v to not slap and beat your brains in. Here's a link for them: http://www.smittysmarine.net/boat%20line.htm.


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## seminolewind (Oct 1, 2007)

Dude just man up and buy a flats boat and get it over with I want to go fishing. We will take the 21 DLV out and let you ride in the bay in some shitty chop and that may help make your decision.


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## Rammer Jammer (Oct 1, 2007)

> *seminolewind (5/28/2008)*Dude just man up and buy a flats boat and get it over with I want to go fishing. We will take the 21 DLV out and let you ride in the bay in some shitty chop and that may help make your decision.


Sorry, I meant to include an asterisk that said your opinion(s)will be excluded from this thread.


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## RiverGulfFshr (Oct 2, 2007)

I vote for Key West.


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## kingfish501 (Oct 7, 2007)

I had a 16 foot Carolina Skiff....rough ride?Sure....wet ride .....Sure.Would I buy another....SURE>they are tuff SOBs.

I am a stubborn old coot who could never figure out but two speeds on mine...full bore and stopped and fishing.Several runs out the pass wound up with the skiff about 2 feet out of the water.Slowed down, placed the tackle box back in its holder and off again.Four years of operating where I sometimes had to surf it back in the pass and never put the first minute crack anywhere in the hull.

Shallow water, you just can't beat them.I could raise my engine and with two people on board flounder in 12 inches of water(because my lights stuck down)You might want to try the huled series (DX?)


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## De Anza Jig (Jan 16, 2008)

We have a 17.5 Sea Chaser (made by carolina skiff) and it is an awesome little boat, takes bay chop extremely well, its a v-hull, but draft is still pretty shallow. I have all good things to say so far about the boat. I have heard that the flat-bottomed carolina skiffs beat pretty bad, but I've also heard they are excellent as far as draft and fuel economy goes. Plus, they have a nice casting deck up front.


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## Rammer Jammer (Oct 1, 2007)

Kingfish - do you remember what series you had? The V-series, DLX, J-series, JLV, etc. Thanks.


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## konz (Oct 1, 2007)

I've been on Murphy's Law's Carolina Skiff and it was a sweet ass boat!


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## welldoya (Oct 5, 2007)

Do a search on this forum . There was a thread several months ago about a member who had terrible cracking problems with his new Carolina Skiff and neither the dealer nor the manufacturer would do anything about it.

Problems like that would figure big time into my purchase.


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## LITECATCH (Oct 2, 2007)

i bought a J16 new in 98. they are tough little boats. i have had no trouble with mine. i bought it because it is light. i can tow it at 18 knots behind my big boat no problem. we use it as a flounder, mullet net, crabing, and for a gang way off of the big boat at raft ups. i would not recommend a mariner motor. as far as beating you in chop,,,,,,,,,,it is a FLAT bottom boat. the semi V series cuts the waves MUCH better.


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## Flounderpounder (Oct 3, 2007)

I had a 19 DLX. It was problem free and built like a tank. Ride was rough (better when slowed down) but DRY! It all depends how you plan to use the boat. It's a primo gigging boat. Two guys up front with tons of room. very stable side to side, and floats in spit. If those features are less important than the ride in rough chop, I'd go for more of a vee hull. Have you looked at the Twin Vee 17 (cat hull)?


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## kingfish501 (Oct 7, 2007)

Mine was before the Vhulled skiffs.The "J" series had lower sides and transom.Mine was the plain old skiff design, the original.My nephews followed me out to the mass on a 17 foot Sunmate on a wild and wet ride after I warned them.I can back unscathed, they came back with two cracks in the bottom and their forward deck trashed.


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## downeaster (Nov 6, 2007)

Carolina skiffs are hard to beat for the money and are one tough boat. I live here in eastern NC along the coast where its always blowing 15 to 20 from some direction. I would not venture far out into the ocean but a 17 ft carolina skiff should do quite well in bays and sounds. Plenty of room for a small boat and doesn't take much power to bring to a plane. If you're going to spend a lot of time in 2 to 4 ft seas then forget about the skiff but I would rather be in a 17 ft CS than a 17 whaler for example.


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## wetaline (Oct 16, 2007)

I had a 19' and loved it. It certainly had some negatives, mainly being a VERY wet boat, but I think that the new DLX series has improved on that. I found that in choppy water, you just had to slow down, but any 16'-19' boat is gonna beat you up if you are haul'n ass in 2-3 ft chop.You also can't use flush mount rod holders with out it looking kinda funny. Also being a flat bottom, you gotta be carefull in sharp turns, gotta slow down to keep from sliding. If they do slide, eventually they will grab the water and everything in the boat (including you) gets slung against the gunnel.

As far as the positives go, you can't beat themfor stability or being about as shallow draft as you can get. They get on plane almost instantly, even with heavy loads. While they don't handle chop well, they are fine in swells. I took mine in the gulf regularly, with out problems. Theyusually have smaller motors than simillar length v hulls, which is nice, unless you like buying gas. I would buy another in a second.


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## wills marine (Oct 12, 2007)

Check out the Sundance Bay Skiffs. Wills marine of pensacola have them in stock, all at reduced prices. Come by and let us go over the features and advantages of owing a Sundance Bay Skiff.

Wills Marine of Pensacola

432-2383, ask for mike or email [email protected]

visit us on the web. www.willsmarine.net

visit Sundance Boats on the web. www.sundanceboats.com


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## naclh2oDave (Apr 8, 2008)

198DLV loving it! 

Yea, you gotta choose your days but you are in a 19 foot flats boat. You see the picture here. This is the latest model The DLV is like a Boston Whaler hull. It helps tremendously as it runs in chop. The thoughts about it being a wet boat and rough riding are all due to theoperaters, you can't run wide open in choppy conditions. I take my wife and kids out all the time, if it was rough and wet she wouldn't go. The thing is 86" wide, you can do cart wheels on the front deck. There is so much room its incredible. My boat floatsin less than 8" of water. I launch in the shallow side of the ramp while everyone else waits for the deep side. Also I fill the boat up (27gal,115 merc. 2 stroke) and fish everyday for a week. Very fuel effcient.You can come take a test drive with me just about any time you want.


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## tightlines (Oct 1, 2007)

I just got a 19 v series a couple months ago. It will still beat your ass but it is also a very stable fishing platform and is very easy on the fuel. I have 75 yamaha and it tops out at 38mph. It is not dry and is it not a smooth ride. Good luck.


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## ishmel407 (May 7, 2008)

I recently bought a 2008 1780 DLX with a 90 Suzuki 4 stroke and I absolutely love it. I am 6"4 290 and I can walk all around the boat and it does not listat alland it has plenty of room for four grown men to fish and not be in anybodys way. It has enough room for two people to stand on the bow and flounder at the same time. And it still floats in about 6 inches of water. They have made some improvements on the getting wet part two. The DLX's used to have a smooth bow and when you hit a wave the wave would come over the bow and spray you but now they built two little diverters so when the water starts to come up the bow it hits those diverters and shoots out to the sides. I am not sure how much water the DLV's draw but I am sure it is more than the DLX's. The DLX'sare a rougher ride than a v bottomed boat but you cant get in shallow water with a v bottom either. I wanted a CS for years and I did alot of research on them and I am very happy I bought mine. I love the suzuki to. It is so quiet I have pulled it out of the ramp with the moter still running. It also gets 5 miles to the gallon to. It pushes my boat about 40 mph. I bought my boat from the grasshsack in Georgia. They had the best price I could find and they are super cool guys who will do whatever they can to make it work for ya. This is a website of carolina skiff owners and it is a very helpful website. They can answer any question you have about the carolina skiffs. Really cool website. Hope this helps. http://carolinaskiffowner.com/index.php


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## fisheye48 (Sep 28, 2007)

> *RiverGulfFshr (5/28/2008)*I vote for Key West.


i second them!!! i have a 19' keywest bayreef...if you want to ride in mine let me know...they are fine boats!!!


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## Captain Rog' (Apr 3, 2008)

Dont expect warrenty help from Caralina skiff. They builld them cheep and sell them cheep. Carefull with that foam floor, if it ever gets water in it it can be real trouble, theirs no way to get it out. The 10 year hull warrenty is not transferable.

With all that said, they are safe, stable, light ,fast, shallow draft and very versitle.


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## Helmsy (Oct 2, 2007)

I HAVE A 18 SEACHASER HOW DO THESE BOATS HOLD UP IN ROUGH WATER SAY THE GULF. SO FAR THE BAY HAS NOT BEEN A PROBLEM EVEN WHEN ROUGH. AS FOR THE SKIFFS ALL AROUND GOOD BOAT SEVERAL BUDDIES OWN ONE AND WOULD"NT SELL FOR NOTHING.


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## ReelDuel (Oct 4, 2007)

Put some tabs on it and go for it. "Bennett" is my choice.


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## Seegul51 (Oct 1, 2007)

I just brought home a 218 DLV Elite with a 150 Honda, sweet boat, we really like it, and its a diffierent ride than my Mako. I bought it in Panama City, saved about 3K over here and other spots I dealt with Send me a Email, I will hook you up with them.


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## Murphy's Law (Sep 27, 2007)

Rammer Jammer, I've got the 1765 DLXwith a 75 yamaha on the back. The DLX will not ride wet unless the wind blows it back at you, Much like any 17' boat. I would not get any of them but the DLX are the DLV if you are going to be using it in the bay and pass often. If your just going to stick to the skinny stuff any of them will work for you. If you want to go run mine one day feel free to pm me and we'll set up a time to go..... *DO NOT BUY FROM DOC'S MARINE !!!!! *Pm me and I'll give you the does and don'ts that I've learned the hard way on the carolina skiff before you buy. Over all it's a good boat.


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## dtalley14 (May 26, 2008)

Murphy's Law's boat is pretty sweeet! Take him up on the offer. That is a damn tuff boat, been out on it myself.


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## Rammer Jammer (Oct 1, 2007)

Thanks to everyone who PM'd me as all the offers to ride. I have a friend of a friend that has a DLV, so I'll probably try that one out first. But, I might very well take one of you up on your offer to ride on a DLX just to see the difference - maybewe can even make a fishing trip out of it. oke Thanks again!


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## GRITS (May 31, 2008)

Rammer Jammer, we've got a 19 foot Carolina Skiff and we love it - for fishing the flats. We can float in 6 inches of water while poling along, we can fish anywhere we want to and it's got enough room to have the high school prom in it - provided you're from a small town.



The down side is you don't want to go out on the bay on even a mildly bumpy day. What you heard - "It'll beat your brains out" - is the gospel truth. You cannot sit down and ride if the water is the least bit choppy. You hit the water so hard that it really does make your head hurt. You have to stand up and let your feet absorb the shock and try to keep from drowning, 'cause it shore ain't no dry ride!



And did I mention what the beating does to the boat? We had a trolling motor on front and within a year it had been beat to pieces - after just a few trips across Pensacola Bay. All the screws came out of the boat everywhere. The doors to the hatches fell off. My husband's seat turned over with him one day after all the screws holding it down got loose enough. That was funny. :clap (To me.) The rough ride will literally beat everything in it to pieces. 



My husband refers to it as "the sheet of plywood" because it's so wide and so flat that it's nearly impossible to load it on the trailer if the wind is blowing. The wind blows it across the top of the water. It usually takes at least three attempts to get it loaded up and out of the water if it's windy. He'll get a running start and aim for the trailer, but he has to slow down or jump into the back of the truck - and when he slows down the boat takes off sideways!



Get something with a v-bottom. Carolina Skiff makes a v-bottom and I wish we'd got it instead!


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