So, how much do you really like your current skiff? If less than a 10, if you won the lottery and had to spend the money on a perfect replacement, what would it be?
Perfect 10 and Iāve owned it for >2 years. Wouldnāt trade anything about it
Perfect 10, but Iāve owned it <3 years and am still learning it
7-9: I love it, but there are things I wish it would do better
4-6: It gets the job done, but itās far from my dream skiff
1-3: Itās what it is, but we donāt have a great relationship. Think Iām going to dump her (but donāt tell her that)
Had to give her a 10 - weāve been through hell together. This is my second Master Angler - fell into my first one not knowing what it was capable of - it was an '87, cheap, ridden hard and put up wet, but the ride blew my mind. Liked it so much, when a 2000 showed up that looked like it had just rolled off the showroom floor, I upgraded. That was 2017. Then a year later, I discovered that the trailer configuration had popped a stringer loose and spent 2 years rebuilding the back end of her, all new pumps, wiring, and components. Been running her strong since 2019 and every time I see her she makes me smile.
F70 and a lithium cranking battery. 5 less hp than I have now. Probably be a wash in top end performance, but 100# off the stern will significantly help draft.
I have no āskiffā owner experience to compare it to being the X is my first skinny water boat. That being said, I chose the X over the others I tried primarily on my wifeās recommendation. Itās not that she didnāt like the other skiffs we tried and or visited, she felt very good about the people, Kevin, Adam etcā¦ the other companies, not so much.
The X itself is a pretty impressive little boat. I wouldnāt change anything about it. I am in the process of having an 01 Whip redone by @jonny at which point Iāll have more experience between two different skiffs.
I believe the Whip will give me a true ātwo boatā experience compared to my Moccasin, not so much with the X.
I have a 15 Mitzi. It is great for the applications I use it forā¦ back country low tides and flood tides. Fishes two great, three ok.
Barely drinks any gas and I pulled all the extras off so it is bare bones.
But every once in a while, I would like to run off the beach (nope, not with that hull) or take the whole family of 4.
Not sure what boat I would want. I know what features it would need: A very pole-able 17 footer that can handle slop well but still feels as easy to push as my Mitzi.
Iām in the 7-9 club fo sho! Love my boat but wish it was skinnier. Yet still comfy to fish 3 and handle sloppy water. Not sure Iād trade it for anything but still wonder what if? I guess Iām stuck but not really unhappy. Yeah sheās a keeperš¤£
HB ā04 Pro. Perfect for what I want. As light as the older ones, with the added design update to the step chines to quiet it down when polling. Will do what the V bottom skiffs do in big water, just gotta slow down a little for comfort, if you want. When wind/waves are up, I can run on the āinsideā for protection without dragging bottom. In the winter, I am poling where they cant, and yes, there are fish there. It does everything my bay boat cant, with almost no crossover.
The only possible gripe is the Power Pole it came with.Sometimes I love it, other times I want to take it off.
Problem isā¦ as we all know, there is no perfect skiff.
Iām with @Sublime I built/rebuilt mine and being my 4th I have the layout that suits me and my style pretty dialed in. There are things Iād change, and may tackle a full ground up custom build at some point, so Iāll go in the 7-9 camp.. Just donāt tell her. She thinks sheās a 10 and I donāt want her thinking otherwise..
7-9 for my EC Lostmen. Sometimes I get a little spray on windy days but I can pole skinnier than a 14ft Jon boat. My dream skiff was always the EC Caiman and I would still like to build one out one day but the Lostmen is comparable with more room. I donāt mind sacrificing ride for better fishability in the shallows and I have always lived by that. My goal in life is to build my own skiff though whether that be a conchfish 16 or something I design myself.
