# Measuring draft



## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

Today I decided to try and measure my boats draft, Ankona Copperhead Gen 2. While NO ONE was on-board, in calm water this is what the draft was: 8.5". While on the platform it was even worse, I think about 10" but I was by myself so boat was squatting a bit. 
Two questions: 1. If I jumped on the bow would the draft be less or more? 2. If two people jumped on board how much worse would the draft be(200lbs on the platform and 200lbs on the bow)? I went Han Solo today so I couldn't get a true draft number. I definitely don't think it is anywhere close to 6" true draft though!!!
View attachment 4911


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Draft relates directly to load and the location of the load. Most advertised draft measurements are based on minimally loaded or bare hulls. In order to obtain the least draft you have cut down on the amount of useless or uneeded gear and balance the load so the hull floats level. That's why I pole from the bow.


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## CodyW (Jan 26, 2016)

what size motor?


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Heck yeah, get someone on the bow or better yet one on the bow and one on the platform to level it out. A leveled out skiff is a beautiful thing.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

If it's floating like that drafting 8 inches without passengers it's only going to get worse by adding two people, one on the bow and one on the platform. Probably going to gain an inch or two by adding 400 lbs of people.

If you pole solo from the platform you can balance out the squat by adding a cooler full of water on the bow.

If you pole solo from the bow the stern will probably raise up when you are on the bow.

Otherwise you might want to look at getting rid of uneeded items. Where are your batteries located and how many do you have?


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

CodyW said:


> what size motor?


Suke 60


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

el9surf said:


> If it's floating like that drafting 8 inches without passengers it's only going to get worse by adding two people, one on the bow and one on the platform. Probably going to gain an inch or two by adding 400 lbs of people.
> 
> If you pole solo from the platform you can balance out the squat by adding a cooler full of water on the bow.
> 
> ...


I have one 24 group(starting) in the back and one 24 group in the front. I really didn't have that much gear or gas(3 gallons).


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Take a pic of the boat at rest, showing just the transom doesn't tell the whole story. More then likely the boat is very unbalanced leading to stern squat, adding a guy to the bow will help the balance, but if one is on the bow and another is on the platform, assuming similar weight, you will still be stern heavy and draft even more.


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

firecat1981 said:


> Take a pic of the boat at rest, showing just the transom doesn't tell the whole story. More then likely the boat is very unbalanced leading to stern squat, adding a guy to the bow will help the balance, but if one is on the bow and another is on the platform, assuming similar weight, you will still be stern heavy and draft even more.


I was going to snap a pic of that but I forgot. How would I balance it besides moving starting battery from stern to CC? I have nothing else to move forward.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Man with just you on the platform you can't accurately measure draft. While anchored out Tarpon fishing my buddy who weighs more than me sat on the poling platform. The boat squated down so much that water came over the transom and the bildge pump came on


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Where is the fuel tank? You may want to move the second battery, but before any of us really can offer advise we need a better resting pic to see what's going on.


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## CodyW (Jan 26, 2016)

Str8-Six said:


> I was going to snap a pic of that but I forgot. How would I balance it besides moving starting battery from stern to CC? I have nothing else to move forward.


You said you only had 3 gal of gas. Assuming the tank is up front, try topping it off.


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

CodyW said:


> You said you only had 3 gal of gas. Assuming the tank is up front, try topping it off.


True.. true. I can try that but that does add more weight. 



permitchaser said:


> Man with just you on the platform you can't accurately measure draft. While anchored out Tarpon fishing my buddy who weighs more than me sat on the poling platform. The boat squated down so much that water came over the transom and the bildge pump came on


That pic was without anyone on the boat. I don't think it was squatting that much to be honest. Maybe a little.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

CodyW said:


> You said you only had 3 gal of gas. Assuming the tank is up front, try topping it off.


How big is the gas tank? Figure about 7 lbs of weight for every gallon added. Weight added to either end of the boat will have a more dramatic effect than weight added in the center. Weight added only to the transom will cause squat. Basically a motor hanging off the back without any fuel up front to balance things out isn't ideal.

Fill the tank up and then take a picture at rest. That will probably help your draft numbers a little. Once you establish that then you can you can try moving the rear battery forward temporarily to see if it offers any additional help.


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

On some skiffs there is nothing to move and balance it. There is just not enough weight up front so the back squats. Add weight up front. I can lift front of my skiff off trailer with one hand if little fuel in tank.


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## MrNothingMaster (Jan 6, 2017)

Fill your gas tank, put two people in the boat, then take a picture of that 10" draft.


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

oH bOY.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Some of you guys must not pole and scrape your boats across oyster reefs lol. My old and new skiff squatted substantially with nobody in them. I'd venture to say if you put that skiff in the picture with it's butt sitting on a reef and you put one normal guy up front and one normal guy on the platform that you level out and float across the reef.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

MrNothingMaster said:


> Fill your gas tank, put two people in the boat, then take a picture of that 10" draft.


This


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

el9surf said:


> How big is the gas tank? Figure about 7 lbs of weight for every gallon added. Weight added to either end of the boat will have a more dramatic effect than weight added in the center. Weight added only to the transom will cause squat. Basically a motor hanging off the back without any fuel up front to balance things out isn't ideal.
> 
> 12 gallons aluminum tank.
> 
> ...


That's what I'm afraid of


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## zthomas (Jan 14, 2014)

I hesitate to say this, but what no one has mentioned is the possibility that the vast majority of us are just not very realistic about draft. I know it's been said many times before, but do we realize just how shallow 6" is? Take out a tape measure or a ruler and look. Chances are, your skiff doesn't float in that. I know a few do. But I also know mine doesn't.

On my last boat, just out of curiosity, I tried to measure resting draft. It's tough to do accurately, even if the boat is empty, which isn't all that meaningful a number anyway. At any rate, the results were so far out of line with what I believed the draft to be that I gave up and went fishing.

In my view, an 8.5" resting draft with nobody on the bow is pretty damn good. I'd also say that in my limited experience weight on the bow almost universally reduces resting draft.


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

zthomashome said:


> I hesitate to say this, but what no one has mentioned is the possibility that the vast majority of us are just not very realistic about draft. I know it's been said many times before, but do we realize just how shallow 6" is? Take out a tape measure or a ruler and look. Chances are, your skiff doesn't float in that. I know a few do. But I also know mine doesn't.
> 
> On my last boat, just out of curiosity, I tried to measure resting draft. It's tough to do accurately, even if the boat is empty, which isn't all that meaningful a number anyway. At any rate, the results were so far out of line with what I believed the draft to be that I gave up and went fishing.
> 
> In my view, an 8.5" resting draft with nobody on the bow is pretty damn good. I'd also say that in my limited experience weight on the bow almost universally reduces resting draft.


Hit the nail on the head! That is why I want to get an accurate draft with pic.

Also SOME builders seem to exaggerate true draft as well as it is a major selling point for us skiff folk. I personally like the way Hells Bay does it, draft with Motor, Engine and Fuel. I would prefer that builders under sell and then over deliver but unfortunately that's not how it works.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Measuring draft is definitely difficult. Lots of variables. The tape on the stern routine will get you close, but unless you went to a lot of trouble, there is probably a running strake that is lower than the 0 start point of your tape for example. Also, even in the calmest of water rarely is the water going to be so static that it will be easy to see where it is hitting the tape.

As far as a guy up front. Remember, a skiff is like a lever, and I guarantee that on most skiffs the fulcrum is not half way back, it will be closer to the stern than the bow. Therefore a guy on the front more than makes up for the weight of a guy on the platform, given they are comparable size.


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

What is the draft w/ motor down?


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

Sublime said:


> Measuring draft is definitely difficult. Lots of variables. The tape on the stern routine will get you close, but unless you went to a lot of trouble, there is probably a running strake that is lower than the 0 start point of your tape for example. Also, even in the calmest of water rarely is the water going to be so static that it will be easy to see where it is hitting the tape.
> 
> As far as a guy up front. Remember, a skiff is like a lever, and I guarantee that on most skiffs the fulcrum is not half way back, it will be closer to the stern than the bow. Therefore a guy on the front more than makes up for the weight of a guy on the platform, given they are comparable size.


Poling strake is 1" and I started my tape at 1". Good point, so is there a chance that with two people the draft being around the same as resting? Multiple opinions here and good discussion. 



topnative2 said:


> What is the draft w/ motor down?


The motor was slightly tilted in the pic but still in the water. Does this make a difference?


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

You are moving the weight forward if it is trimmed out.Negligible. 

"Real" draft is w/ the motor down and boat fully loaded.Also, the boat will squat when moving forward. It is all a theoretical argument anyway.Bow draft and stern draft.................


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

Real world draft isn't measured with a ruler. Knowing where your draft will allow you to run is what's important. Load and balance your skiff, then go fishing. My skiff can run and float in water with 1/3 of a crab trap showing. Crab traps are much better at measuring draft than rulers.


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

Standard blue crab traps are 18 inches.


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## Limp Shrimp (Aug 23, 2015)

I would guess your boat drafts less than that.. When I run out of water in my boat, I have to push down on the bow to get it unstuck... you could be an inch or so off on the number you measured because of squat from the motor..


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## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Do you have your plug in bro? Lol.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Years ago (when most of us knew little about how to properly set up a poling skiff) the standard practice when putting together something for the skinny was to bring the hull to the ramp with the motor rigged, float it, then add the stuff you wanted battery(s) fuel tank(s), etc. while moving them around to see exactly where the skiff floated level (using that mark one eyeball...). Since many weren't exactly using skiffs purpose built for poling it was an eye opener.... These days as I look at brand new good quality skiffs with heavy four stroke motors sitting at one boat ramp or other it's pretty clear to me that some manufacturers aren't exactly scrupulous about selling skiffs that float properly - perfectly level with no one aboard.... Particularly for hulls in the 17 and longer size range...

As far as draft goes - yes, your skiff floats at its shallowest when perfectly level with a given load... Lastly the only true way to measure draft is to pole your skiff aground then do your measurements with you on board. It will be an eye opener... Just like the first time you pole aground then step overboard and learn that you weren't exactly in as shallow water as you thought you were in....


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

"Just like the first time you pole aground then step overboard and learn that you weren't exactly in as shallow water as you thought you were in...."

too funny and true.... and that is when u learn to take the wallet out of your pocket


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

I crack up when I read some of the draft claims. It's just like the bay boats that run 70mph in 3-4 foot "chop" without getting anyone wet.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

lemaymiami said:


> ...... These days as I look at brand new good quality skiffs with heavy four stroke motors sitting at one boat ramp or other it's pretty clear to me that some manufacturers aren't exactly scrupulous about selling skiffs that float properly - perfectly level with no one aboard.... Particularly for hulls in the 17 and longer size range.......


Like you allude to, it depends on the boat. But I don't want a true TPS to float level when there is nobody in it. If it does and you put a guy on the front and one on the platform, it will probably pole a little nose down.


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

Draft numbers are highly exaggerated. If you even want to get close, from the very beginning, you have to think about every addition to the boat in terms of weight, not comfort or convenience: find the lightest tiller variant of the smallest suggested HP motor, don't get a live well, have no batteries on board, pack light, balance the static load (motor, fuel) as best you can, move your cooler and tackle to balance the load based on whether you fish alone or with someone else, only fish with skinny friends if you don't fish alone, fish/pole from the bow if you do fish alone and lose fifty lbs around your middle. It reminds me of a hiker cutting the handles of their toothbrush to save weight.

Nate


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

The original Carolina skiff.Period.


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

Megalops said:


> Do you have your plug in bro? Lol.


Haha of course. On the inside


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Str8-Six said:


> I was going to snap a pic of that but I forgot. How would I balance it besides moving starting battery from stern to CC? I have nothing else to move forward.


Get a heavy, high quality cooler & put it up on the bow when you're solo, fill the sucker with water and it will help the balance.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

I don't really care what my draft numbers are . If I bottom out I go somewhere else or get out and wade, depending on the bottom conditions. I have bottomed out and been able to get out and push the boat over the high spot and keep on going at times also. I've been way back in the mangroves a few times with the tide dropping when I knew it was time to leave or I would not be getting out.


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Float skinny, minimal hull and engine weight, minimal horsepower, minimal gear, why does this sound like deja vu all over again? I bumped into this problem about nine years ago. I wonder, did I ever come up with a solution?


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

You came up with a temporary solution, still waiting on the perfected one.


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## not2shabby (Sep 14, 2016)

So...I'm always surprised that these draft conversations never get very technical. Draft has to do with buoyancy. Buoyancy has to do with displacement. Displacement has to do with weight & volume. Volume has to due with geometry.

SO...there are a lot of factors. In order to float, a boat displaces the amount of water equal to its own weight. Just using round numbers, if your skiff is 800 pounds, loaded, you need to displace just less than 100 gallons of water. For every 8 pounds you add to the boat, you have to displace an extra gallon of water. Obviously, moving weight to the stern will drop the stern enough to displace 100 gallons of water...the bow will be in the air and you'd get zero displacement credit from the bow geometry...which is less (per foot of length) than the stern because of hull shapes, but it's displacement credit nonetheless. Look at the way your boat sits on your trailer. Look for level gunwales. Afloat, if your gunwale is parallel to the water's surface, typically you are going to be well balanced and MINIMIZE your draft. The key is to find that balance point so that the stern is not squatting.

The variables involved make it very difficult to compare apples to apples on skiffs. Every aspect of the geometry below the deck impacts draft. A light long boat will float shallower than a light short boat. A heavy wide boat will float shallower than a heavy skinny boat.

The weight of your skiff is going to vary...even through a single day on the water. An average operating weight is a good estimate - BUT you need to determine what that "average" looks like for you. If average is a cooler full of ice/beer, full live well, three guys, and a half tank of gas, then try that out and figure out your balance. For most, two guys, a cooler, and half-tank of gas is average.

I like to think I fish as skinny as most. In South Texas, we have untold miles of sub-12" flats. A good skiff in 9" of water is a pretty impressive thing. We get desensitized by all of the marketing about 5-inch and 6-inch boats. A dollar bill is longer than 6-inches. C'mon, man. I've been poling with one man on the bow and if he stepped off of the bow into the skiff, we'd sit down enough to drag bottom. With him on the bow, we'd level out and float free. It's science.


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

What he said^


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

This is similar to your first pic. That boat is def squatting in back. This is also a 60hp that is trimmed out of the water, but, is filled with fuel..


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

I've run a variety of boats over the years from a 12' dink with a 9.5 motor (if you ran aground you could pick it up and go find enough water to pole in...) all the way up to a baby SeaCraft (at 18'10 and a hull weight of 1400lbs) - not exactly a poling skiff - but it did have pushpole clips and a pushpole every time I hauled it down to Flamingo... One was a micro - a 16' Starcraft with a custom interior and floated in six inches of water. We poled that thing everywhere (and got to put it back together at least three times) -but it never did have a poling platform... I've had the same old Maverick now going on 28 years and pole it every day I'm on the water - but it's definitely no micro at 16' 10" and a hull weight of 735lbs (if you could believe the factory numbers.... way back in 1988...).

If you were in the right conditions each one had it's virtues and all but the SeaCraft floated pretty shallow - but I still poled that rig up onto the edges of flats pretty regularly when it was appropriate... No you didn't want to do that very often but it was do-able in less than 14" of water...

Aren't boats fun?


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

One of the reasons poling draft is important to me in Texas is it is time saving(efficient) when hunting the barrier island sand bars esp at low tide. Shallow draft helps to prevent back tracking twenty or thirty yards or more out of a nice stretch of water. That being said we still end up hopping out and wading across inches of water a few times a year. Marsh lake entries here can be tough also. In any case not as extreme as the Glades big tides.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Poling skiff guys can be a strange lot. ..Save weight here, save weight there. Carbon here, carbon there. Oh, and then lets throw a Yeti up in there that weighs two or three times as much as an Igloo.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Yes sir I use the strapped down Yeti as a center seat / ice holder in the tiller skiff. Very stable seating and fairly comfortable with the Yeti cushion.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

I'm just having some fun. Actually I don't think most skiffs are nearly as weight sensitive in terms of final draft. Yes, they can be sensitive as far as balancing them out, but as far as killing your draft, meh.


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## Redfish203 (Jul 9, 2016)

Ok, felt the need to get in on this...lived most of my life on the water in Texas, and while I understand we do not have the radical tides of some places, we get some good ones. Redfish here hole up in the marsh on hard north winds and find holes/bayous far back in the marsh. You have to know exactly what the blown out tide is doing to access these fish. Once it is blown out, 2 or 3 feet, you have little to no margin for error running through back lakes to get to your oxbow. You have to know exactly where to run. You have to run a jackplate all the way up and you will still throw oyster or leave dry mud in your wake. These times can be epic but you absolutely must know your entry and exit plan because the low tides can linger for days. It is all worth it if you can make it in. They can be stacked on top of each other. I am fortunate to live on the water and make these trips by looking at how much shell (oyster) shows on the bulkhead while accounting for tide. I run a Lostmen, so now real secrets spilled.


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

I don't think draft is that important for every area but it's definitely very important in Jacksonville, hence my post to try to make my draft better. So many spots up here turn-on on last two hours of outgoing and you have a small window to get in and out. Better draft only widens that window or better, let's you stay in the spot through low tide.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Redfish203 said:


> Ok, felt the need to get in on this...lived most of my life on the water in Texas, and while I understand we do not have the radical tides of some places, we get some good ones. Redfish here hole up in the marsh on hard north winds and find holes/bayous far back in the marsh. You have to know exactly what the blown out tide is doing to access these fish. Once it is blown out, 2 or 3 feet, you have little to no margin for error running through back lakes to get to your oxbow. You have to know exactly where to run. You have to run a jackplate all the way up and you will still throw oyster or leave dry mud in your wake. These times can be epic but you absolutely must know your entry and exit plan because the low tides can linger for days. It is all worth it if you can make it in. They can be stacked on top of each other. I am fortunate to live on the water and make these trips by looking at how much shell (oyster) shows on the bulkhead while accounting for tide. I run a Lostmen, so now real secrets spilled.


I agree 203. But not in the last few weeks for me.


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## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

Str8-Six said:


> I don't think draft is that important for every area but it's definitely very important in Jacksonville, hence my post to try to make my draft better. So many spots up here turn-on on last two hours of outgoing and you have a small window to get in and out. Better draft only widens that window or better, let's you stay in the spot through low tide.


I have the Slightly lighter gen 1 version of your boat with a 60 on it. 7 gallon tank up front and small starting battery out back with a 60 etec.

In generally the skiff is to stern heavy to attain minimum draft. The hull was built with a 30-40hp in mind. The way I know is that has a 40hp nameplate.

For my skiff to draft the best with on the bow or with one on the bow and one on the platform I need to move as much weight forward as I can.

My current solution is a 75 yeti up front(slightly smaller like 45 or 55 size would be optimal) and a couple spare gallons of fuel/anchor etc all in the front hatch.

I have not used a tape but 8-9 is realistic with full load and maybe 7-8" with very little in the boat.

With just me on bow poling wre are prolly in the 6-7" category.


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

texasag07 said:


> I have the Slightly lighter gen 1 version of your boat with a 60 on it. 7 gallon tank up front and small starting battery out back with a 60 etec.
> 
> In generally the skiff is to stern heavy to attain minimum draft. The hull was built with a 30-40hp in mind. The way I know is that has a 40hp nameplate.
> 
> ...


 That's probably where I'm at as well plus an inch or so. Nice for someone else to be realistic on draft. 

Do you really think a 40hp makes a difference though? Suke 60 hp is 229lbs and lightest 40 hp 4 strokes are around 210 lbs. That's only 20 lbs less. And 30hp is not even an option for CH, IMHO.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

Pole your boat wherever you want to go, when it sticks to the bottom you know what your draft is and that it is time to put your wading shoes on.


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

I forgot I had pics relevant to this conversation until I was in my Photobucket library.

Here is my boat otherwise empty with 6 gallons of fuel in the bow and a ~200# motor and a ~10# starter battery in the stern. The sides are 15" high to the top of the rail. It is hard to be exact given the waterline from launching, but I estimated it is drafting around 6-7" in the stern, but the bow is drafting -3", which is pretty good... ...right?









Here is the same boat on the same day within minutes of the previous pic with an additional 230# of fool on the bow. It is drafting ~5" in the stern. My weight in the bow lifted the stern 1-2".

















Here I am in the stern starting it. You'll have to use you imagin-ater a bit for this; notice that my weight has not sunk it as nearly as much as my weight lifted it when I was forward. Admittedly, I was probably standing on or just behind the CG, so this is not a really great example of the effect of adding the same weight to the stern.









For the record, take whatever steps are necessary to make sure your hull does NOT balance like mine. Mine poles into wind and current like crap from the bow with that much weight in the stern and drafts too much when I pole from the stern. The moment it is not financially irresponsible, I am going to sell the Go Devil and get a small outboard. I've saying that since the day I took these pics and the older members of the forum are rolling their eyes and yawning, but it will happen.

Nate


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## jonterr (Mar 24, 2013)

WhiteDog70810 said:


> I forgot I had pics relevant to this conversation until I was in my Photobucket library.
> 
> Here is my boat otherwise empty with 6 gallons of fuel in the bow and a ~200# motor and a ~10# starter battery in the stern. The sides are 15" high to the top of the rail. It is hard to be exact given the waterline from launching, but I estimated it is drafting around 6-7" in the stern, but the bow is drafting -3", which is pretty good... ...right?
> 
> ...




Hey Str8-six
The pics I saw of your boat sitting in the water last week, with no one on it, looked like it was floating pretty dang level!
Like others have said, sometimes, draft numbers might be exaggerated!?
Dang pretty boat!


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

View attachment 4944


Kind of hard to tell with angle but I would have to agree. Only thing is micro power pole is most likely pushing stern up. Thanks Jon, your new Cayenne looks BA, hope you enjoy.


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## Limp Shrimp (Aug 23, 2015)

I wouldn't think the whole tape on the stern would ever be accurate.. Almost all boats have some degree off rake to them and also some degree of V... It's very difficult to acccurately know the lowest point of your hull...


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## Redfish203 (Jul 9, 2016)

Limp Shrimp said:


> I wouldn't think the whole tape on the stern would ever be accurate.. Almost all boats have some degree off rake to them and also some degree of V... It's very difficult to acccurately know the lowest point of your hull...



Pole until you stop, get out with a yardstick...do this by yourself on the pole platform and with a buddy on the casting platform, very easy.


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## Redfish203 (Jul 9, 2016)

View attachment 4977
First photo try. Daughter in my skiff in Cayo Hueso aka Key West.


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## ADicus (Feb 15, 2013)

With a 70 hung off the back I sit a bit to stern even worse with me solo! I usually combat this with sand bags in heavy duty contractor garbage bags in bow compartment levels out nicely for solo trips! Otherwise I make sure someone is up front when poling!

View media item 842View media item 843


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## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Redfish203 said:


> View attachment 4977
> First photo try. Daughter in my skiff in Cayo Hueso aka Key West.


Man that is one sweet Lostmen. Really digging that elevated console and seating arrangement.


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## Redfish203 (Jul 9, 2016)

Megalops said:


> Man that is one sweet Lostmen. Really digging that elevated console and seating arrangement.


Thanks man! I spent 6 months in the Middle East before ordering it. Needless to say, I had some time to dream that up and turned out perfect for me. That pic was taken after I picked it up, so the cushions are not on the leanpost/seat or the coffin box and backrest for the passenger.


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## Redfish203 (Jul 9, 2016)

View attachment 5003
This is a current photo, sorry about quality...


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

These pics were taken on different days but with same load, and at the same area.

This is how my boat sits empty, and a shot of draft. As you can see at rest empty it is very slightly stern down. With a man on the bow and platform it sits level, but slightly deeper. As @not2shabby and others have said, if you're level at rest empty you'll be nose down with 2 men evenly distributed, because it's not 1:1 displacement with a skiff shaped hull. 
View attachment 5013

View attachment 5014


I'd just fish it, and when you get stuck you'll know about how deep you can go. When poling with 2 people, my boat actually touches in the bow just before the stern. I can tell when I'm in sand and getting close to dragging harder because I can see a little narrow line in the sand/mud forming and coming out the center line behind the boat when looking behind from up on the platform.

LH


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

That Spear is a true shallow fish hunting skiff. Good description of the draft factors.


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