MY BOATS

CAROLINA SKIFF DLX 24' CUSTOM BUILT  

The advantage of this skiff is the width and flat bottom.  I can get into some real skinny water with this boat and it is very functional for this very reason.  

Forward on the bow is a custom deck I help design with Coarsey Fiberglass Unlimited.  Basically, it is more user friendly than the factory one.  I have installed two swivel bass seats to lean on while standing thus taking a little weight off the feet for us older guys and ladies.

On the deck are two dry storage compartment.  I use plastic bags for my clothes and Tupperware for important stuff like phones and cameras.

Installed on the port side bow is a 24-Volt 84-pound thrust Motorguide.  It is a wireless model and I can control it from any where in the boat and that is a real cool deal along with the next accessory that makes life easy. 

And that item is the 8' Powerpole I have installed and control from anywhere on the skiff.  There are advantages to using a Powerpole.  First it is quick.  Second it is so much easier than hauling in a 15-pound anchor.  The guys really take care of me at the factory and the local Dealer is awesome as well.  If you have not invested in one of these for yourself, you are missing out on saving time and your back. 

And most important of all is my Mercury Outboard.  I have had really excellent service Linda Skip and Justin at Gulf Coast Marine Service in Homosassa.  I run a year model 2010 with 115 H.P. and quiet 4-stroke operation.  The Outboard gives the 24' Carolina Skiff all the power I need for hole shot and top end.  I can cruise out and back as far as I need on less than 12 gallons a day.  Some days I burn much less.  She pushes the skiff 33 mph at cruise and full throttle is close to 40 mph.

      MY 18' HELLS BAY MARQUESAS SKIFF

In 2003, I bought the "best skiff on the planet" because I needed a boat that would allow me to pursue tarpon on the famed Homosassa flats.  This skiff is super tough and light for much easier poling to allow sneaking up on laid up tarpon or redfish. Because it is much easier for me to pole into the wind, many more upwind shots are possible. The same with downwind shots. Stopping or holding the boat stationary is more easily done than heavier skiffs I have strained with in the past.   When the angler presents the bait, lure or fly to the fish, he or she should be able to watch the fish eat from the casting platform.   Part of sweetness is no wave slap. 

An 8" -10-inch draft both running and while poling.  This enables me to fish skinny waters for redfish or trout in waters not normally acessible by larger boats with deeper drafts.  To ee a redfish eat first hand after making a good shot with a shrimp or jerk bait is something only the sharp eyed angler can enjoy.  My clients have fed fish just a few feet from the boat.  It is like its invisible to them.  The color has a lot to do with this as it blends well with the sky. Of course a great pair of sunglasses are made by Costa Del Mar.

Another amazing quality is that the boat will come about when necessary. All of this is "key" when it comes to getting the most shots or to keep up with a school of swimming tarpon.  I can literally pole the boat with one hand at with little effort.

The hull is made of a composite and is the lightest skiff I have ever owned and weighs in at 625 pounds. The boat is silent going through the water and waves, with zero bow slap while being poled. The draft is about 9-inches--with motor and fuel--allowing us to get into shallow water flats. The Marquesa has an exceedingly dry ride and is incredible even in horrible conditions. This is the "Cadillac" of flats skiffs--the very best to pursue shallow water game fish quietly and effortlessly. 

This skiff is powered with year 2010, a 60 H.P. Mercury Outboard. The 4-stroke sips fuel and I can run almost all week on a tank of gas.  I am giving up about 10 m.p.h. in speed dropping 30 H.P. from a two stroke Mercury.  It was loud and used oil like it was going out of style.  The sweetness is this motor weight 55 pounds less than my old 90 horse.  This really makes the difference to me when poling this skiff.  I average 30 M.P.H. and that is plenty fast enough.  

 During tarpon season [April, May, June and July], I add some much needed  twin 82=pound thrust Motorguide Great White Trolling motors for locating giant tarpon schools on the extensive Homosassa flats.  Mostly, I use mine at a very slow rate of speed to allow for the least prop or motor sound.  I like to wait and let the fish come to me. And pole for the best results.

I use a tough featherweight 22-foot Stiffy Pushpole to sneak up quietly and slowly on the fish when in casting range, so not to spook them.  To reach Locations A to X, A Lowrance HMS 5 Global Positioning System keeps me on track so as to waste little time as possiblen getting to our destinations especially when it is foggy or dark out.

The 34-inch oval live-well holds 30 gallons of sea water and is plumbed with two somewhat quiet Rule pumps. This provides versatility for live bait anglers and keeps redfish alive in order to cull up or down, depending on the situation. I have learned that the live well can also serve as a fish box and holds ice all day long.  Mostly I use it for my anchor and rope because I rarely throw bait from this skiff.  What I really prefer is nothing in it at all.  The lighter the skiff the easier my job is.

This boat accommodates one to three persons.

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