I remember it being brought up on that other site, but refuse to give them any traffic.
So what’s the deal with these skiffs?
Who designed them, who’s building them ect? They are great looking boats and are saturated up here in the panhandle.
Any real world info on em? Draft/Speed/polling performance ect..
I only ask because I’ve got a buddy interested in one and I know zero about them.
I’m going off my frequently faulty memory, but didn’t the guy collaborate with Harry Spear several years ago and came up with a prototype adventure type skiff? Frankie someone?
I like the looks of them. If I need a skiff with higher freeboard, I’d give them a serious look. But higher sides for what I do most of the time would be more of a sail in a crosswind.
They are really nice. They were on my short list (along with Beavertail and Salt Marsh) but Kevin from EC got me off the jump so I didn’t get the opportunity to xplor other options… 
Seen a few in person, and they seem legit.
I believe you’re right about that. They are built in Columbia, SC by Frankie Marion. They’re great boats and only getting better. My buddy was a partner with them for some time and I got to fish some of their very first hulls and check out the shop and meet all the guys. They’re a great group of guys and will try to build whatever you can imagine. I thought because of the size they would be heavy and draft a bit but I was quite shocked by how skinny these boats can float and pole. We’ve put a dozen people (don’t do this) on an X18 and it still planed out and floated shallow one day at the sandbar. I believe Frankie will let anyone come check out the shop and their current hulls in production if it’s a boat on anyone’s list.
I can’t find the original Xplor video of them making the boat but an interview talking about it is here - Interview: Frankie Marion on Fly Fishing Exploration and Filmmaking with the Xplor Project – The Venturing Angler . TLDR he is went to Sopchoppy and built a boat with Harry that became the Xplor 18 as part of this Xplor video series. One of the first to run a production boat was Bear Holeman.
I have a carbon x18, really enjoy it here in Tx. I’ll answer whatever questions I can.
My buddy was pushing Bear around on his newest Xplor model(x18?) a couple of seasons ago. He ran it a good bit guiding out of it for a couple of months and said it was really impressive
I have the Xplor X13. It is great for what I do. The Xplor brand is all built more custom and the delta brand is more commercial. I’ve been fishing it for 2 yrs. with no complaints.
How does it pole? No tunnel? How’s it do getting into the POC back lakes? Let me know when you’re going to be in POC. I’d love to buy ya breakfast and take a look at your skiff
Sorry I just saw this.
It poles good for a wide beam skiff, what skiffs have you poled I’ll try to compare? No tunnel, it’s basically flat at the stern, has jackplate, big tabs, and Tran plate on it w a Bauman cupped power tech. It runs shallow enough for me but I ran poc back lakes for years in a majek extreme that shouldn’t have gone there if you know what I mean lol.
I’m migrant, live between el campo, poc, and Rockport daily. I’ll be in poc Friday/Sat but probably midweek next week be better for me to run it w you, let me know what works.
Frankie is good people and I like the way he does business. When I was skiff shopping before deciding to go panga I had reached out to him on his way back from a Louisiana demo week to test ride the x-13. He drove about an hour out of his way total and we even launched my current hpxv-18 at the same time and we ran the two skiffs together, poled them together etc and got to push them hard as it was a pretty rough day on the bay.
I think I did a review on the other forum about that experience and he impressed me. The x-13 was the driest of the skiffs I tested.
Agree. I bought mine used and Frankie was accessible and helpful before I bought it and has been since, excellent service.
I’m in POC but getting some work done on the house and can’t go fishing. Today would have been a good day to be out there.
I will be in POC next MON afternoon thru WED. Just let me know when you’re available. Much appreciated!
Mark
Will do
It’s looking like you can’t buy Xplor x18 new anymore, it’s in the Dixie lineup. Will call Frankie and see if the specs are the same between then and what’s available now…
Have you looked at the new jirah 18. I saw it a couple weeks ago. The 23 is fine croaker soaking in the bays but that’s what the 25 mowdy is for.
No. I drive by that boat store everyday but never stopped in…. 
Thanks will check it out
Sorry we missed each other. I think I saw your boat parked off the road that fronts the Fishing Center. With the jack plate, trim tabs and Bauman prop are you running shallow enough to get into Pringle, Contee, Fish Pond, etc? Xplor says it drafts 5-7”. I assume that’s when poling or underway. Is that close to what you’re seeing? How much water do you need to get up on plane?
Sorry for all the questions. But am definitely interested in them based on the size and stability of the hull.
I guess they are selling as Delta x18’s now but the specs seem to be the same, just more stripped down
Sorry missed you, have another project robbing some of my poc time….Yes that’s it parked there, I’d guess poles 6in with 2 people, I know no skiff that poles 5 in with 3 people. Mine is carbon layup, don’t think that makes a whole lot difference but Frankie will shoot you straight about the delta build. Mine has more stuff on it than I would have put if I built it.
I have not run it into Pringle on a winter low tide, pretty confident I could, maybe we can give it a try in next couple weeks. It gets up shallow enough for me, couldn’t put a # on it but it’s not as shallow as a tunnel. Maybe you can talk Frankie into being the first tunnel model, he told me he’s toyed with it.
Thsnks
