# Spear Evergladez thoughts



## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

I have had an Evergladez since mid summer and it's the best poling skiff I've ever had and I'm 51 been fishing since old enough to hold a rod. His fit and finish has some minor issues but the boat is dry runs shallow enough for me I don't have


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

The tunnel hull but it will float across wet grass I would purchase one again in a heartbeat. Very solid buily boat for sure where are you located if in Swfl I'll take you out for a wet test. Here is a picture of her


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## Guest (Dec 12, 2018)

Harry builds a great fishing boat, they aren’t garage queens! They are well built, light, and built by someone that cares about his product! All that coming from a future builder!


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Backcountry 16 said:


> The tunnel hull but it will float across wet grass I would purchase one again in a heartbeat. Very solid buily boat for sure where are you located if in Swfl I'll take you out for a wet test. Here is a picture of her
> View attachment 52292


She’s a beauty. I ogle at Jack Foreman’s every time I go to his prop shop.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

I have one of the last Glades X before Harry transitioned to the Glades Z. The X is a no brainer, even with a few rough edges. I believe the Z is even more refined and finished, so it should be even more exceptional.

As others have posted...the latest Spear skiffs are built extremely solidly. They're tough boats that are meant to be run and poled in skinny water. They're not garage queens but they are pretty damn sexy if you ask me...


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## CDL (May 14, 2015)

I visited with Harry a little while yesterday, he has a Evergladez ready to rig for buyer in shop. If I get my ducks lined up I may have it myself.


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

CDL said:


> I visited with Harry a little while yesterday, he has a Evergladez ready to rig for buyer in shop. If I get my ducks lined up I may have it myself.


You won't be disappointed.


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## grovesnatcher (Sep 25, 2007)

How much is a z out the door with a new 30-40 hp motor, & aluminum trailer. Side console or tiller?


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

grovesnatcher said:


> How much is a z out the door with a new 30-40 hp motor, & aluminum trailer. Side console or tiller?


Call Harry up he will give you a price.


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## CDL (May 14, 2015)

Backcountry 16 said:


> You won't be disappointed.


Yeah, I've fished with Harry and Luke.... they live around the corner. BTW Harry said Lukes skiff is for sale, not the GC but his older skiff


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

grovesnatcher said:


> How much is a z out the door with a new 30-40 hp motor, & aluminum trailer. Side console or tiller?


I talked to Harry about the Z before I found my used X here local.

His pricing is right in line with competition like the Sabine and ECC / BT boats in the same size class. It may actually be a little better if you keep the boat simple and focused.

But he builds them to spec...so you'd have to talk to him about what you want.


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## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

I have fished out of and seen a good bit of his boats and as said they are great performance fishing machines but the fit and finish is pretty rough compared to the quality of most builders in today’s skiff market.

I feel like a 25-35k boat should have some pretty nice attention to detail. Of the boats I have fished the most HB, Mav, Beavertail, and Ankona I would put the fit and finish of spear at the bottom of that list for sure.

As a side note I have not seen anything he has done in the last year or so.

Im not saying they are not great boats, just saying don’t expect a show winner in fit and finish. Great fishing skiff’s.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

I think one of the goals in the EvergladeZ was to refine the fit/finish complaints and improve on the Glades X. And my Glades X is nothing to sneeze at outside of maybe a couple of spots. And waaaay cheaper than the well known builders.


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## Timucua_Outdoors (Oct 15, 2016)

crboggs said:


> I think one of the goals in the EvergladeZ was to refine the fit/finish complaints and improve on the Glades X. And my Glades X is nothing to sneeze at outside of maybe a couple of spots. And waaaay cheaper than the well known builders.


I hope so! They look very clean in the pictures!


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

All of the ones I've seen have all been little different. Gives me the impression every client has certain little things they like and his accommodation of that gives them a unique feel. The finish was nice and I like fancy shit so I pay attention to that kind of thing.

Reminds me of a Mexico blue 930 I had. No frills, all don't-stop-go-mfer. It just so happened to look great doing it.


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

I wouldn't hesitate to buy one.


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

I think I would focus more on what it can do. Way better skiff than some of the "fit and finish" skiffs in that range than tip over with two people. Very stable and can run much shallower if the owner knows how. Poles is 5-6 too.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

K3anderson said:


> can run much shallower if the owner knows how.


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## Timucua_Outdoors (Oct 15, 2016)

Only reason caring about the fit and finish is for when I start guiding when I turn 18. I feel like most clients wouldn’t care as long as we are catching fish and not getting stuck! It’s seems like the fit and finish is up to the person. Hopefully I may be able to check one out myself soon. I’ll most likely give Harry Spear a call sometime next week.


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

Timucua_Outdoors said:


> Only reason caring about the fit and finish is for when I start guiding when I turn 18. I feel like most clients wouldn’t care as long as we are catching fish and not getting stuck! It’s seems like the fit and finish is up to the person. Hopefully I may be able to check one out myself soon. I’ll most likely give Harry Spear a call sometime next week.


Clients care more about the quality of the guide, quality of the ride, the cleanliness and organization of a boat usually in that order. Most people could care less if the underside of a hatch looks like fine china.


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

Timucua_Outdoors said:


> Only reason caring about the fit and finish is for when I start guiding when I turn 18. I feel like most clients wouldn’t care as long as we are catching fish and not getting stuck! It’s seems like the fit and finish is up to the person. Hopefully I may be able to check one out myself soon. I’ll most likely give Harry Spear a call sometime next week.


Forgot to mention the quality of the gear you provide as well.


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## Guest (Dec 14, 2018)

LowHydrogen said:


> Clients care more about the quality of the guide, quality of the ride, the cleanliness and organization of a boat usually in that order. Most people could care less if the underside of a hatch looks like fine china.


This is so true! Most guides here are bait chunkers and fish out of Carolina skiffs! They still catch fish!


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Fly fish Marco is on here and he has the Evergladez he's a guide out of Marco island.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Timucua_Outdoors said:


> Only reason caring about the fit and finish is for when I start guiding when I turn 18.


Guiding at 18yo you're gonna have bigger challenges than fit and finish on your skiff.

If I saw an 18yo running a fancy high end skiff I'd immediately think, "Kid spending daddy's money to play at being a guide..." Accurate or no, that would be my reaction until it was proven otherwise...


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

crboggs said:


> I think one of the goals in the EvergladeZ was to refine the fit/finish complaints and improve on the Glades X. And my Glades X is nothing to sneeze at outside of maybe a couple of spots. And waaaay cheaper than the well known builders.


Kinda sounds like having your framing contractor doing the finish work in a nice house. 

I'm a bit confused why Harry doesn't take the extra time to fix the obvious flaws? The small parts & gelcoat fixes would probably only take a few hours out of the total build time when the skiff is in pieces. I've seen plenty of small boat builders that build inexpensively but still have nice shiny and smooth parts.

He's doing something right cause he has a bunch of loyal customers & followers.


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## EvanHammer (Aug 14, 2015)

Net 30 said:


> Kinda sounds like having your framing contractor doing the finish work in a nice house.
> 
> I'm a bit confused why Harry doesn't take the extra time to fix the obvious flaws? The small parts & gelcoat fixes would probably only take a few hours out of the total build time when the skiff is in pieces. I've seen plenty of small boat builders that build inexpensively but still have nice shiny and smooth parts.


Because Harry cares about function over form and builds what he wants. He wants to build hardcore fishing skiffs and does things his way.


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## Gatorgrizz27 (Apr 4, 2015)

Net 30 said:


> Kinda sounds like having your framing contractor doing the finish work in a nice house.
> 
> I'm a bit confused why Harry doesn't take the extra time to fix the obvious flaws? The small parts & gelcoat fixes would probably only take a few hours out of the total build time when the skiff is in pieces. I've seen plenty of small boat builders that build inexpensively but still have nice shiny and smooth parts.


The stuff I’ve seen people mention are things like small cosmetic flaws inside the compartments. More like a finish carpenter caulking a small gap here or there or a nail blowing out the side of a piece of trim. 

A lot of top tier items pay little attention to “fit and finish” as performance is the main goal. His prices do seem to reflect not having 100% perfection. I’d be a lot more annoyed about small things on a $60k boat than a $25k one.


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## Gatorgrizz27 (Apr 4, 2015)

Timucua_Outdoors said:


> Only reason caring about the fit and finish is for when I start guiding when I turn 18. I feel like most clients wouldn’t care as long as we are catching fish and not getting stuck! It’s seems like the fit and finish is up to the person. Hopefully I may be able to check one out myself soon. I’ll most likely give Harry Spear a call sometime next week.





LowHydrogen said:


> Clients care more about the quality of the guide, quality of the ride, the cleanliness and organization of a boat usually in that order. Most people could care less if the underside of a hatch looks like fine china.


^ That was about to be my reply. If it’s bloody, stinky, has trash in the cup holders, your trolling motor doesn’t work and you’re messing with your outboard trying to get it to crank is a lot different than some sun fading, a crack in the gel coat, and a dirty waterline because it stays in a slip.

I haven’t ever hired a guide, but I remember being in key west looking at their boats and the ones I’ve always found the coolest are the well-used war horses. A piece of seadek on the console with a dozen flies jammed into it, some wear and tear from years of guiding makes me think “damn, that thing is a hardcore fishing machine.” Not “what an old piece of junk.”


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## Padre (Jul 29, 2016)

Harry has his own personal one for sale on his Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/spear.boatworks


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## Tautog166 (Jul 7, 2018)

crboggs said:


> Guiding at 18yo you're gonna have bigger challenges than fit and finish on your skiff.
> 
> If I saw an 18yo running a fancy high end skiff I'd immediately think, "Kid spending daddy's money to play at being a guide..." Accurate or no, that would be my reaction until it was proven otherwise...


I have to agree with this. I would have a hard time booking an 18 y/o guide mainly because I’m getting older, have teenage kids, and know how irresponsible and flaky they can be. Not saying that this is you, but I don’t know you, and like I said I’m getting older.

Get your nice skiff and play and learn some more. How about school?


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Padre said:


> Harry has his own personal one for sale on his Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/spear.boatworks


i saw it on for sale on here the other day


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Walter Lee said:


> I have to agree with this. I would have a hard time booking an 18 y/o guide mainly because I’m getting older, have teenage kids, and know how irresponsible and flaky they can be. Not saying that this is you, but I don’t know you, and like I said I’m getting older.
> 
> Get your nice skiff and play and learn some more. How about school?


over the years i been with a few guides, old and young. All highly recommend. Didn't catch a fish. I would not mind trying a kid
I've never looked at fit and finsh on a guides skiff. I was more concerned about catching fish


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## Timucua_Outdoors (Oct 15, 2016)

crboggs said:


> Guiding at 18yo you're gonna have bigger challenges than fit and finish on your skiff.
> 
> If I saw an 18yo running a fancy high end skiff I'd immediately think, "Kid spending daddy's money to play at being a guide..." Accurate or no, that would be my reaction until it was proven otherwise...


Certainly don’t want to be thought of as that. This skiff will be earned with hard work.


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## Timucua_Outdoors (Oct 15, 2016)

Don’t want to be thought of like this at all. Also agree that the skiff is just a tool. I’ve caught many reds in no water in my noisy little duck boat. Isn’t pretty but gets in done... well when the fish are spooking off of the water hitting it. This skiff will be paid off by my hard work for sure. Wouldn’t want to have it any other way.


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## Guest (Dec 19, 2018)

Timucua_Outdoors said:


> Don’t want to be thought of like this at all. Also agree that the skiff is just a tool. I’ve caught many reds in no water in my noisy little duck boat. Isn’t pretty but gets in done... well when the fish are spooking off of the water hitting it. This skiff will be paid off by my hard work for sure. Wouldn’t want to have it any other way.


This is a great attitude to have and with it you will go far!


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## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

Other things to think of a guide boat is that things that annoy you like fit and finish issues or poor design’s that bother you will probably end of driving you nuts when you have to deal with them everyday since this is your office.

If you are having to suck out water or constantly move you and clients stuff out of the “dry hatch” after it gets wet this. Like get old quick. 

Not saying stuff like this is a spear only issue just saying if my boat was my office some of these small things would really get me agitated after a while especially if it’s adding another 30 minutes to a 7-10 hour guide day plus another hour or so of prep/cleanup each day.


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## fishicaltherapist (Mar 9, 2013)

Timucua_Outdoors said:


> Certainly don’t want to be thought of as that. This skiff will be earned with hard work.


I would rather go out with an 18 year old that has passion & a solid work ethic than some guides who boast about only "that day when we slayed 'em" & how great it was to guide some "famous person." I know some GREAT guides,present & past and I have met some real " give me the $$$ & I'll give you a B.S. filled boat ride." I wish you well Timucua !!!


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## Redfish727 (Mar 22, 2016)

crboggs said:


>


Bahahahaha


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## Billthechair (Jan 23, 2016)

My son and I fished with are guide ove in Marco who was fishing a. Spears X at the time. The boat ran great, poled great, got skinny and was not wet that we could tell. As stated, the fit and finish is not like a Hells Bay ( I have a 2001 Whip], but the Spear boat really performs and seems solid. Harry seems like a stand up guy and he definitely knows flats fishing and skiffs.


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