# Opinions on Cayo 173



## Collin Elrod (Apr 26, 2016)

I am in the market for a new skiff and was looking into the Cayo 173. Are there any other skiffs on the market that would compare to it?

I currently own a 2000 Maverick HPX-T, from what I have read the Cayo might have a smaller feel and be more suited for a tiller. Ive reached out to Cayo Boatworks about wet testing a boat here in Texas, but I'd like to go into any wet tests as informed as possible in order to know what to look for/what questions to ask.

Any advice or opinions are appreciated!


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

BudT is a Texas member and was about to buy one not long ago. You might reach out to him and see if he did get it and if he would mind showing her off.


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## Collin Elrod (Apr 26, 2016)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> BudT is a Texas member and was about to buy one not long ago. You might reach out to him and see if he did get it and if he would mind showing her off.


I appreciate it! I'll have to try and get into touch with him


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## HBFanatic (Dec 2, 2016)

Collin Elrod said:


> I appreciate it! I'll have to try and get into touch with him


Had a tiller 173 for a short time. 
Great boat. Not as wide as your Maverick. It is listed for sale here at a good price. 2017 with Hatsu 50


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## Collin Elrod (Apr 26, 2016)

HBFanatic said:


> Had a tiller 173 for a short time.
> Great boat. Not as wide as your Maverick. It is listed for sale here at a good price. 2017 with Hatsu 50


If I were to do it I was planning on running a hatsu 50 or a Yamaha 40. Other issue is I'm not the most patient person and I've talked with people that have been waiting almost 10 months for their boat.


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## sickz284u (Mar 8, 2012)

East Cape Caimen tiller is a awesome machine.


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## Fishshoot (Oct 26, 2017)

Wait times on new custom skiffs vary between manufacturers. When I was looking at a Cayo 180 jb said 8-10 months. Seems like some guys getting hells bays on here are getting them pretty quick. East cape is still their standard 10-12 months. I’ve seen guys on here saying they are waiting 8-9 months for ankona. Chittum is 4-6 months. I’m not sure where beavertail is but I’m sure some guys on here know, there is a nice beavertail build thread on here now. It is very tough to wait those long times if you don’t already have a skiff to use in the meantime and that may factor into your decision. There are some great used skiffs on here but I totally understand wanting your skiff set up like you want it in your color! My impression in visiting Cayo was a very positive one, I was impressed with the crew down there and the got finish and overall quality of their boats!


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## Collin Elrod (Apr 26, 2016)

Fishshoot said:


> Wait times on new custom skiffs vary between manufacturers. When I was looking at a Cayo 180 jb said 8-10 months. Seems like some guys getting hells bays on here are getting them pretty quick. East cape is still their standard 10-12 months. I’ve seen guys on here saying they are waiting 8-9 months for ankona. Chittum is 4-6 months. I’m not sure where beavertail is but I’m sure some guys on here know, there is a nice beavertail build thread on here now. It is very tough to wait those long times if you don’t already have a skiff to use in the meantime and that may factor into your decision. There are some great used skiffs on here but I totally understand wanting your skiff set up like you want it in your color! My impression in visiting Cayo was a very positive one, I was impressed with the crew down there and the got finish and overall quality of their boats!


Unfortunately my upper limit price range is reached with a brand new Cayo, so skiffs like East Cape, Beavertail, HB, Mavericks, and Chittum are out of the question brand new. I wouldn't mind a used skiff I would just be particular on what I would go after, but I suppose that is the case with anyone making a purchase. Still up in the air on a lot of it and I have a great skiff already, just looking to get into something newer, or else I'd be keeping what I have and not worrying about any of this.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

The 173 is a nice skiff as long as you don't throw a console in there, add a bunch of accessories, and try to turn it into a flats boat. If you want a flats boat, get a flats boat. The 173 is a poling skiff and most of the ones you see on the used market are from guys who "want something bigger".

If you are looking for a tiller skiff...look at Sabine and Spear also. Both make well respected tiller skiffs in the same price range as the Cayo.


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## Collin Elrod (Apr 26, 2016)

crboggs said:


> The 173 is a nice skiff as long as you don't throw a console in there, add a bunch of accessories, and try to turn it into a flats boat. If you want a flats boat, get a flats boat. The 173 is a poling skiff and most of the ones you see on the used market are from guys who "want something bigger".
> 
> If you are looking for a tiller skiff...look at Sabine and Spear also. Both make well respected tiller skiffs in the same price range as the Cayo.


I live down around where Sabine skiffs are made, beginning to see more and more of them on the water around here, they look like very solid boats for sure.

As far as wanting a console or a tiller, I am pretty indifferent, something the size of my maverick feels perfect for a little side console, but any smaller than my boat I'd turn towards a tiller for sure.


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## Collin Elrod (Apr 26, 2016)

sickz284u said:


> East Cape Caimen tiller is a awesome machine.


I think new they are still out of my price range, Id have to get lucky and find a used one that is set up how I'd like it, but If I could find one I'd do my best to make it happen


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## isubarui (Aug 10, 2015)

I've had a Cayo 173 in Texas for about two years now. Tiller 30 Suzuki with a jack plate on the back. I cant imagine having a center console on this boat, there isnt much room left as it is with a cooler in the boat. Im sure it would work if you never planned to fish 3 people or carry much gear. 

I have fished 3 people on the boat but that is only when I'm using the trolling motor on lakes for crappie in the spring. The boat doesnt go anywhere fast but I'm not making long run just usually bouncing around a few coves hitting brush piles or shallows. I wouldn't want to take three guys poling around flats in this boat, especially if you are trying to get really skinny. 

The boat needs some weight up front to sit level in the water. It poles the shallowest with someone standing on the bow with the cooler. Not sure how the extra weight of a larger motor on the back would change it. Last time out with two people weighing around 160 lb each the boat was getting stuck in 5.5" of water over mud and grass.

Probably wont be taking the boat out for a while with hunting season coming up but you can come take a look at the boat if you need to see one.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

I like mine. Fast with the 50. Floats reasonably shallow. Very dry and very capable boat. We cross a lot of big water and it's nice to have a boat that's very easy to drive and responds well to trim and tab adjustments. Mine has a full console with insulated box under the jump seat. A kill bag big enough to store a two man limit of redfish fits nicely in the rear hatch. The front hatch is huge. There is no good reason to have anything on the deck or in the cockpit with all dry storage in this skiff. 

Made about a 60 mile round trip today and burned less than six gallons of fuel. It will happily cruise 30 mph at 4600 rpm on flat water with two people and beer onboard.


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## Collin Elrod (Apr 26, 2016)

isubarui said:


> I've had a Cayo 173 in Texas for about two years now. Tiller 30 Suzuki with a jack plate on the back. I cant imagine having a center console on this boat, there isnt much room left as it is with a cooler in the boat. Im sure it would work if you never planned to fish 3 people or carry much gear.
> 
> I have fished 3 people on the boat but that is only when I'm using the trolling motor on lakes for crappie in the spring. The boat doesnt go anywhere fast but I'm not making long run just usually bouncing around a few coves hitting brush piles or shallows. I wouldn't want to take three guys poling around flats in this boat, especially if you are trying to get really skinny.
> 
> ...


That's fantastic of you to offer, if you do


jmrodandgun said:


> I like mine. Fast with the 50. Floats reasonably shallow. Very dry and very capable boat. We cross a lot of big water and it's nice to have a boat that's very easy to drive and responds well to trim and tab adjustments. Mine has a full console with insulated box under the jump seat. A kill bag big enough to store a two man limit of redfish fits nicely in the rear hatch. The front hatch is huge. There is no good reason to have anything on the deck or in the cockpit with all dry storage in this skiff.
> 
> Made about a 60 mile round trip today and burned less than six gallons of fuel. It will happily cruise 30 mph at 4600 rpm on flat water with two people and beer onboard.


That is good news to hear, like I said im still up in the air on what id like to do as far as console vs no console, liner vs no liner and all of that.


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## fishtrapper (Jun 6, 2009)

I would at least reach out to east cape if you like the caimen it is super killer skiff I loved my caimen and wish I still had it. They make a caimen light version now in a tiller set up that may be in your price range. The worst that can happen is they tell you the price and its to high and you move on....better to ask than to guess the price is to high you never know

Also there wait is not 10-12 months like someone posted they are 7-8 months from order to delivery.


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## HBFanatic (Dec 2, 2016)

fishtrapper said:


> I would at least reach out to east cape if you like the caimen it is super killer skiff I loved my caimen and wish I still had it. They make a caimen light version now in a tiller set up that may be in your price range. The worst that can happen is they tell you the price and its to high and you move on....better to ask than to guess the price is to high you never know
> 
> Also there wait is not 10-12 months like someone posted they are 7-8 months from order to delivery.


Don’t forget the tiller 173 Cayo on here for sale. Caiman also. Both in your price range


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

Collin Elrod said:


> I said im still up in the air on what id like to do as far as console vs no console,


Coming from a tiller skiff I thought I wanted to stay with a tiller but I found that I was using a cooler as a jump seat a vast majority of the time. If I'm going to have something like that in the middle of the boat I may as well put a steering wheel on it. That was my thought process. The only thing that kind of sucks is the cooler under the seat isn't big enough to store fish but now that I've discovered high quality kill bags, I'm not sure I'd even use the cooler as fish storage. Weight wise it's pretty much a wash after you put in the full liner. A full liner tiller skiff and a console skiff are damn close to each other. If I were doing a tiller or side console I'd probably go with no liner.

The ECC Caimen is getting mentioned. It's a damn fine boat, there is no denying that. The 173 and the Caimen are very similarly sized boats. Having spent a bunch of time on both boats, I'd have a real hard time telling them apart if someone blind folded me. One thing I prefer about the Cayo is the trailer.


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

I am obviously very partial to my bare bones tiller 173 but I also spend a significant amount of time fishing from a close friends Caimen. They are two completely different animals due to how they are rigged (no liner, 30hp tiller vs. liner, 70hp center console). The Cayo is extremely nimble on the pole, and the super sharp entry really allows it to knife through chop but I also don't go anywhere in a hurry. The caimen doesn't have the same manners on the pole as it is much heavier, but it is a smoother ride with the added weight and a good bit faster which is a nice tradeoff when you're running an hour plus through the marsh.


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## Collin Elrod (Apr 26, 2016)

That all makes sense. I’d give up a little draft for the added speed to be honest. Make trips to LA and other areas where I’ll run up to an hour before fishing simply because the group I go with likes to explore and see new water. I just now saw the 173 in Jacksonville and I forget where the Caimen is but it too. Also a great looking postmen abailable right now


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

Collin Elrod said:


> That all makes sense. I’d give up a little draft for the added speed to be honest. Make trips to LA and other areas where I’ll run up to an hour before fishing simply because the group I go with likes to explore and see new water. I just now saw the 173 in Jacksonville and I forget where the Caimen is but it too. Also a great looking postmen abailable right now



All good points. The caimen is a much* more versatile design and far superior to the Lostmen in any kind of open water. My friend sold his 08' Lostmen in order to fund his new Caimen and has been extremely happy with that decision as it's allowed him to go places he never would have been able to reach otherwise.


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## Collin Elrod (Apr 26, 2016)

Caleb.Esparza said:


> All good points. The caimen is a much* more versatile design and far superior to the Lostmen in any kind of open water. My friend sold his 08' Lostmen in order to fund his new Caimen and has been extremely happy with that decision as it's allowed him to go places he never would have been able to reach otherwise.


I’ll have to give them a hard look, appreciate the advice


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