# Chittum Skiffs Islamorada 18 Build



## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

Here are a few pics of my skiff during the build process..... It's Hal's latest version of the Legacy model and incorporates some changes which result in an even lighter structure than his previous boats. I want to give Hal credit for being unbelievably patient with me during the build. I'm sure I called him so many times that he cringed when my caller ID showed up yet he always treated me as though I was his most important customer ever.


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

*Re: Chittum Skiff Islamorada 18 build*

Next........


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## PLANKTON7 (Jun 14, 2011)

*Re: Chittum Skiff Islamorada 18 build*

oh snap! highroller! i bet your stoked.


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

*Re: Chittum Skiff Islamorada 18 build*

Deck before and after paint......


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

The Dude abides.


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## JBMitziSkiff (Nov 2, 2012)

^^^^What he said! The Dude Abides Indeed!


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## cturner149 (Jul 3, 2012)

Awesome! Can't wait for more pics.


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## acraft1720 (Jul 31, 2012)

Beautiful! You have to be fired up about a new rig like that!


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

Thanks guys.......I've been through a progression of boats, just as I imagine most of us here have been. I've loved them all including my first 14' tin Starcraft. I feel really fortunate to be able to swing this skiff and hope to enjoy her for a long time.

Hatches......


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

Here is the seat top for the console cooler.........Hal has his infusion process fine tuned to produce just the right epoxy resin to fiber ratio for the best strength with minimal weight. Not to lean, not too rich....mmmmmm just right.


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

Hull being sanded prior to shooting DMF


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

I saw Kipp's skiff at the Lorelei and it was pretty sweet...loved the color.
He said it's the finest boat he's ever owned. 

Best of luck and enjoy the build process.


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

25 cent ques. for the day.....

This new boat is being painted... because it is all epoxy?????


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Not exactly.
More along the reasoning that going from gelcoat to paint can save upwards of 100lbs on some boats.


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## Creek Runner (Sep 1, 2011)

x2

and this
http://www.microskiff.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1355011546/0#0


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

Hopefully the sun will shine tomorrow and I can take pics of the finished rig.


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

Sorry about the poor quality of the photos............it's the best I can do for now.


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

Booty shot.......


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

Livewell (adjustable water height with valves)


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)




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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Looks nice. Is that a Yamaha control box?


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## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Krusty, 

That is one beautiful skiff! What prop are running with that 60 Etec?


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## mirrocraft (Apr 29, 2009)

Impressive. Very nice build.


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

Thanks guys. Yes, that is a Yamaha binnacle. The stock BRP is big and bulky which makes it hard to reach the tab switches. With the Yamaha box, you can rest your hand on the throttle with your fingers on the tab controls.

The prop on there is a BRP Viper 19p. The motor only has a few hours and is still in the double oiling mode but its running 40.7 mph at 6050 RPMs. The mid to top thrust is impressive but the hole shot could be a little better. I think the big 13 7/8 diam. swept blade prop is a little hard to spin up for this small of a motor. I may play around with a BRP Rogue 4 blade after break in and I see how high it's going to rev. It might be able to turn a 21p.........we'll see.


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## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

WOW!! That thing is beautiful. I met Hal a while back when he was still with HB. It's nice to see the attention to detail is still there and he is building a excellent looking skiff!


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## TidewateR (Nov 11, 2009)

badass


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## Taterides (Nov 10, 2008)

I'm droolin.....Congratulations.


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## hookemdano (Feb 9, 2007)

Damn that is sexy. After reading the Chittum interview on Skiff Republic I am dying to fish one of these.


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

Thanks again


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## Grant (May 6, 2009)

very nice!!

fltsfshr


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## SilentHunter (Jun 14, 2010)

sooo do you need a fishin buddie for that nice boat?


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

Always looking for people to fish with......


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## oysterbreath (Jan 13, 2009)

Man I really like those skiffs. Yours is real sweet too. Tell us a bit about the seat? Is it some sort of high density foam?


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## topaz37 (Sep 4, 2009)

holy smokes that thing is amazing good job on that choice of boat


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

> Man I really like those skiffs. Yours is real sweet too. Tell us a bit about the seat? Is it some sort of high density foam?


Thanks, here is the info about the seats copied from Chittum's website.

"The seat and hatch cushions are custom made from 1.5 inch Ensolite closed cell foam with a UV resistant vinyl and are completely seamless with no zippers. A heavy-duty nylon mesh is laminated in to the cushion for protection from being cut or punctured. These cushions do not absorb water and last up to ten years."


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## Guest (Dec 27, 2012)

>


Beautiful Skiff! 

IMO, the one thing that looks odd is that the Motor looks too low on the transom. There are also a few other Skiffs on the market that have that "look" as well. I think a 90hp Etec w/25" shaft would balance the Skiff a little better. Maybe add a Custom Hydraulic Jack Plate with minimal or no set-back? 

The other reason I ask is in a Video the Islamorado 18 looks as easy to Pole with a 115Etec vs. a HB Glades Skiff with a 25hp.




"Lambo of The ICW"

Enjoy!


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## Guest (Dec 27, 2012)

Can you post more detail about your Skiff? IMO, Hal's Site is a little confusing as to the different Models advantages etc....

*Weight savings by re-moving the Gel Coat and Spraying Imron? Carbon fiber Transom, Platforms etc.....vs. Aluminum?

* Is the Push Pole attached to the Trailer under the Skiff?

* Anyother Cool innovations that sets your Skiff apart from the other's in it's Class.



Thanks


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## skinnywater3 (Feb 8, 2009)

TBN- here's a good read on what Chittum is up to

http://skiffrepublic.com/interviews/skiff-republic-interview-hal-chittum/

I found this at the end of the interview especially interesting! (The 61 sportfisher will be epic too lol)


Chittum: We have a number of boats that we’re working on. Do you remember a boat we built at Hell’s Bay called the Glades Skiff?

SR: Sure.

Chittum: 18-feet long, very narrow. We built it really for a lot of the no-motor zones. That’s going to be very strong in the future. We’re pretty close to building this boat right now. It will be really, really shallow. It will be great to turn with a small motor on, 25- to 30-horse, or 40 if they want to. It will be 17.5 feet long. It will draw about two-and-a-half inches of water with two people on it. It will let you access a lot of these no-motor zones or places in Flamingo where there will be more and more places where you’re not going to be allowed to run a motor.

You’ll be able to pull back in there and get to some of the places where you’re not allowed to have a motor on the boat, take the motor off completely, and access the places that don’t get pounded and beat heavily. It’s going to be much more important in the future to get way back in the places that are hard to reach. Some places you may have to pole for one or two miles to get where you want to fish. This boat is going to let you do that.

It’s going to be polable and it’s also going to be rowed. When you think about it, rowing is incredibly more efficient. If you’re trying to pole through some really soft, gnarly bottom where your pole is sinking in two or three feet every time you shove, into a wind, it’s not the most efficient thing in the world. We can row this boat and probably have about a three-and-a-half to one advantage over poling, speed-wise, and as far as making it easy to go.

SR: So we’re talking oar locks and carbon oars?

Chittum: Yes. Say we want to go to the back end of Snake Bite and it is two miles back in there. We can put the oars on there. A guy can stand on the bow with a spinning rod, a plug rod, or a fly rod, while somebody rows the thing back in there at a probably three-and-a-half to one advantage over poling. All of a sudden the guy says, “We’re into fish. I see fish.” You put the oars away, grab the push pole, jump up and start fishing.

It will allow you to access places that you really can’t do otherwise. It is so much faster and easier to row, to get there and get out. Maybe you get back there and fish for a couple hours and all of a sudden the wind turns the wrong direction. You have to pole two miles on a soft bottom to get back to the place where you can start your engine. A set of oars is going to do that for you a lot easier and faster than a push pole will. It’s the best of both worlds.


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## skinnywater3 (Feb 8, 2009)

Sorry for the derail... Sick sled man. You should be proud.


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

> >
> 
> 
> Beautiful Skiff!
> ...



Thanks for the complements, I know what you are saying about the motor looking to low on the transom, it does kinda look that way. I think it is a bit of an optical illusion because the 60 E-Tec powerhead is so tiny compared to some of the other engines out there. For example, the F70 Yamaha on the same boat looks like it is much higher on the transom even though they are both 20" shafts. (check out some pics on Hal's website)
I think that a 90 E-Tec would look and perform great on this skiff as well, but I decided to go with the little 60 just because of weight. The 90hp is 80lbs heavier (320lbs) and my goal was to be as light, skinny and poleable as possible with this rig and so went with the 240lb 60hp.  It still pushes this skiff into the low 40's and it is in the double oil break in period. 
I agonized over a jackplate and once again decided to stay simple. We were able to build the poling platform a little lower than normal with the 60 and I was also afraid of being able to tilt the motor into platform and cause damage when jacked up. (been there done that, more than once) Also, this is still a 12 degree skiff and IMHO a plate would be more at home on the 2 degree Super Shallow version.


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## byrdseye (Sep 22, 2010)

> Can you post more detail about your Skiff? IMO, Hal's Site is a little confusing as to the different Models advantages etc....
> 
> *Weight savings by re-moving the Gel Coat and Spraying Imron? Carbon fiber Transom, Platforms etc.....vs. Aluminum?
> 
> ...


TBN, I'll do my best from what I've learned from building my boat   I think to get an understanding about the underlying design criteria for the 18, this is a pretty cool page to look at. http://www.chittumskiffs.com/evolution.html 
Basically Hal and George offer three versions of this boat, the  Advantage, the Performance and the Legacy, but you can order one any way you want as far as I can tell. They are all three epoxy built and post cured at 175 degrees in a giant oven. 
The least expensive Advantage has one main difference in its build in that it doesn't have the floating console with the big toe kick around it and it's spec'ed with a galvanized Ram-Lin
The Performance does have the floating console with aluminum trailer but I really don't know how or if it's laminates or resins (and weight) are any different than the Advantage.
Their top spec'ed Legacy is different in that it uses more carbon in the build, including hatches and transom and also uses a different  resin recipe which shaves a fair bit of weight off the rig. Also, it has the two tone deck and carbon casting and poling platforms.
I think that there is a bit of confusion about the gel vs paint in that their build processes have evolved over the past few years. I think all three models have DuPont Marine Finish on the decks and a new type of epoxy compatible gel on the hulls. My boat was built with gel on the hull but Hal didn't like the transition from the color to the carbon transom so he sanded everything and then shot Dupont clear on top.
Another thing that has changed over the past six months is that they have developed some new techniques and the new builds are even lighter than before. (just under 400 lbs for the Legacy)

TBN, you asked about other cool innovations, and the one thing on my skiff that I went with Lithium Ion battteries for the house and trolling motor. It was hard to think about putting big chunks of lead in the console of a light poling skiff but there are times when I really have to have a troller.
The Li-Ion group 34 house 12v weighs 12 lbs and the 24v troller weighs 28 lbs. I don't have the equivalent Oddyssey specs handy but I'm sure the weight savings equal at least one skinny meth head.
The Li-Ions use a charger designed for their charging curve requirements which runs off of the engine for both 12 and 24v as well as plugging in to AC.
(My reply is getting pretty darn long so maybe we can discuss the pros and cons of the batteries on another thread)

PS: Yes, that is my push pole under the trailer, I travel long distances and like to keep it out of sight and out of mind. Plus, it doesn't fit on the boat with the cover.  On this rig I'll mount some rubber 1 1/2" QuickFists to hold it in place.

PSS: I don't know the exact weight of the beautiful carbon platforms that Joe Welborn at Carbon Marine built for this boat......but they are very light.....maybe Joe will chime in. with the specs


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## JRH (Mar 18, 2007)

Beautiful boat.


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## Snookdaddy (Jan 5, 2008)

Beautiful skiff... That is at the top of the skiff food chain and is beautiful!


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