I was just in Florida, could have surveyed it and possibly hauled it back for you. I made a post before I left Saturday. I was back on Wednesday at noon.
The Cromis is a little small for what you are wanting. I thought that boat sold a long time ago!
That’s kind of what I was thinking but was hoping the Cromis would work for me.
It’s on Facebook Marketplace listed at $38k which with how it’s rigged seems to be a decent deal.
Spoke to Seth about it and he has it at his place and has taken a few folks out on test rides.
Think the Mantis would suit you better. As a fellow big dude and former narrow skiff owner, I think having some beam is vital.
Did you see the Curlew for sale at Jeco? Doesn’t have a poling platform and not a true poling skiff but it might do what you want if you add a platform
My offer still stands to take you to try my Xplor 18, I have it back in POC now.
the new water products are great ran them for years but the 2 poling skiffs will squat with him due to narrow beam and the ibis which is excellent is more than the standard chittum tunnel now! The curlew doesnt track as well as the Ibis but is also great flats boat
Thanks. Yeah I saw the Curlew at Jeco’s. For some reason the New Water platforms have never appealed to me. Will definitely take you up on the offer to go out with you on your Xplor
I’m retired and am in POC most weeks. Will send him my contact info.
Much appreciated!
Light skiffs shift with every step. Size isn’t all that important if you have a reasonably good sense of balance, keep your feet in the middle and move smoothly. The bigger you are, the more weight that shifts side to side with each step. At about 240#, I try to walk the midline of my 40”-across-the-bottom skiff like it is a 18” wide sidewalk; if I was 300#, my “sidewalk” might only be 12” wide. If I was 160#, my “sidewalk” would likely be 24” wide.
The thing I really have to watch is stepping up on the deck. Stepping up too far off midline at deck height tips the skiff toward the weight bearing foot rather jerkily, but it is the equally jerky correction after you place your other foot on the deck that tries to throw you in. You have to be especially careful to step up on the deck almost exactly on the midline.
Poling actually makes it easier. That big pole helps stabilize you like a tightrope walker as you move through the poling stroke. You just have to be ready if the mud won’t let go of the pole at the end.
Nate
Thanks Nate. Great info. I’m going to err towards a “beamier” skiff to help with the stability as well.
The Curlew is a nice boat for what it is designed to do, but it isn’t a poling skiff by any means. High-end scooter is more like it. New Water makes some very nice boats - the quality is good, but people I’ve talked to that had the Curlew went to an actual poling skiff as their next boat to meet their goals.
New Water builds actual poling skiffs as well. The Willet and Stilt are definitely tippy so meet the poling skiff check list.
They do - I’ve been on the Stilt a few times and talked to Tim before about a glades style skiff while he was designing the Willet. My comment was more about the Curlew and Ibis which are scooter style. But if the goal is open deck space and skinny water for drift or staked out fishing, those two fit the bill.