06-25-2013, 02:57 PM
I purchased a new Carolina Skiff 19 DLX a few weeks ago, and wanted to post up a review for anyone looking for a boat that has a near shore ocean capability, and also can get into very skinny water inshore or on lakes and rivers.
The boat is 19 feet long, and has about a 7 foot beam. My boat came with a 75 HP Honda 4 stroke, and it pushes the boat very nicely at close to 40 MPH with a light load. Fully loaded down with 3 adults, gear, ice, etc.. it cruises nicely at 35.
I'm getting on average in excess of 6 MPG with the boat, and it jumps on plane with no effort. Tabs are not needed on this boat as a result. I took it out in the ocean to a nearshore reef over the weekend, and it handled very nicely in the morning slop. I had to really pay attention behind the helm, and work the throttle, but I pushed out in 2-3 foot seas with close intervals, and kept all my fillings in tact. I was making 12-15 knots in the slop too, which isn't bad for a flat bottom boat.
To my surprise, the boat doesn't have the slide during turns that I thought it would. It sticks nicely to the water, and handles great. It also drafts really skinny, making it a nice boat for river fishing, or hitting the inlets for redfish and flounder.
I fished a local lake recently in the boat, and worked the bream beds in less than a foot of water. I made a push pole out of a dow rod, picked the motor up, and pushed through the shallows with ease. Really nice to have such a versitle boat that can handle rougher water, and then can run skinny with the best of them.
If you are looking for a boat that can do it all, the buck stop here.
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The boat is 19 feet long, and has about a 7 foot beam. My boat came with a 75 HP Honda 4 stroke, and it pushes the boat very nicely at close to 40 MPH with a light load. Fully loaded down with 3 adults, gear, ice, etc.. it cruises nicely at 35.
I'm getting on average in excess of 6 MPG with the boat, and it jumps on plane with no effort. Tabs are not needed on this boat as a result. I took it out in the ocean to a nearshore reef over the weekend, and it handled very nicely in the morning slop. I had to really pay attention behind the helm, and work the throttle, but I pushed out in 2-3 foot seas with close intervals, and kept all my fillings in tact. I was making 12-15 knots in the slop too, which isn't bad for a flat bottom boat.
To my surprise, the boat doesn't have the slide during turns that I thought it would. It sticks nicely to the water, and handles great. It also drafts really skinny, making it a nice boat for river fishing, or hitting the inlets for redfish and flounder.
I fished a local lake recently in the boat, and worked the bream beds in less than a foot of water. I made a push pole out of a dow rod, picked the motor up, and pushed through the shallows with ease. Really nice to have such a versitle boat that can handle rougher water, and then can run skinny with the best of them.
If you are looking for a boat that can do it all, the buck stop here.
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