# 01' Waterman



## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Quick shout out to my Beautiful/Kick ass girlfriend for putting up with my nightly Micro/CL/Boattrader... searches and helping out with the finances. She's awesome!!! Her dads a commercial spear fisherman and got me certified after only a month of dating. Not only do I get free spear trips but I get to make some jingle and always have a fresh supply of fish and lobster


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## orlgheenoer (Dec 10, 2006)

Id keep the motor and the side console for a while and abuse the heck out of it till you really know what you want. if it aint broke don't fix it the blackout and a black powder coated casting platform would be sweet. aside from the 40 Yamaha 4stroke jets clogging due to ethanol they are great motors.


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## TidewateR (Nov 11, 2009)

congrats on the skiff!

I would definitely consider the tohatsu 40hp/50hp 4strokes. I hear they're badass little motors...& light too


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

I haven't looked into the 4s just the 2. But I will definitely do my homework before buying.


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## Snookdaddy (Jan 5, 2008)

PM sent on the Powerwinch..

You may want to think twice about selling it.. Ram-Lin's are "dry launch" trailers, but you have pull the boat the whole length of the trailer to get it back on.. You can do some core damage to your skiff if you try to power it on and the nose slams into the rear roller. 

Congrats on the new skiff!


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Welcome to the family. Great looking skiff and GF! 

Give the side console a chance…I have a feeling you will love and it gives your girl a place to sit next to you without the tiller hitting her in the back or head every time you make a wide turn!


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Thanks y'all and I'm definitely going to fish it for a while before I make any big changes. If I do decide to keep the side console I will have a support mount with rod holders glassed in. 

This might sound like a dump question to y'all veterans but first time in a skiff with raw floor. Is it natural to feel everything on your feet? Dosn't really feel like it's flexing but you definitely feel everything.


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## Capt. Eli Whidden (Jun 7, 2012)

Yes it is natural.  Part of the joy of having no liner.  And, lighter.  Back in the day these skiffs were as simple as they could be.  The reason I guide out of one.  If you ever want to ride in a 2001 tiller waterman 16 let me know. 

Check out e sea rider bean bags.  They make a great extra seat for the ladies or young ins.


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

> Thanks y'all and I'm definitely going to fish it for a while before I make any big changes. If I do decide to keep the side console I will have a support mount with rod holders glassed in.
> 
> This might sound like a dump question to y'all veterans but first time in a skiff with raw floor. Is it natural to feel everything on your feet? Dosn't really feel like it's flexing but you definitely feel everything.


x2 what Capt. E said.  It surprised me the first time I used mine.  It's actually a pretty cool feeling knowing that your foot is feeling all the little changes in the water…try it barefoot!  Not having a floor gives you more interior volume and a lot less weight plus it makes the older skiffs a bit more "old school unique".


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## Snookdaddy (Jan 5, 2008)

> Thanks y'all and I'm definitely going to fish it for a while before I make any big changes. If I do decide to keep the side console I will have a support mount with rod holders glassed in.
> 
> This might sound like a dump question to y'all veterans but first time in a skiff with raw floor. Is it natural to feel everything on your feet? Dosn't really feel like it's flexing but you definitely feel everything.


X3

I had a 2005 Gordon Waterman 16 without a floor and you could feel everything, but that's cool...

Hells Bay stopped making the "no floor" model because if was much more labor intensive and expensive to make and finish when compared to dropping in a liner.. The liner models are heavier too.

My 2002 HB Wateman 18' is a "no floor" model too, but it has a cooler shelf against the front bulkhead.


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## FlyFisherK (Jan 27, 2012)

Love my whipray with no floor. Did take some time to get use to but now i love it. Also the yamaha 40 is an awesome motor and with the side console its the perfect setup. Mine is the flush mount console so it is hard to get rods under it.


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Thanks for the info guys. Took tomorrow morning off to fish a bit. Super excited to get her out for more than 15 minutes. Hoping to slime her up but I'll be surprised if I even wet a line. I have a feeling once I get her cruising it's going to be hard to stop. If I happen to jump a school I might just wave and keep on going.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Congrats. Just a word of advice on the Yamaha 40. Go out of your way and find regular non ethanol fuel. I owned that motor for 5 years and it doesn't run well on e10. Good news is it barely uses any fuel. Also put an in line fuel water separator in. Lastly start the motor up once every couple weeks and give it a rev or two otherwise the jets will clog. A bit temperamenta,l but if you follow those couple things it will run just fine.


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## TC (Feb 15, 2011)

Congrats! You're gonna love it.


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## Ginclear (Aug 11, 2013)

What a beauty! You're a lucky guy. And the skiff looks good, too.

I was sure someone was going to beat you to the draw on scoring that skiff.
There are others out there who understand what it is and what it is worth.
Congratulations !

We run ours with a 25 Merc 2 stroke (rated at 30hp at the prop) and see 28
top end. The tiller works great for that size motor. I think we would want a
side console if we went to a bigger (heavier) motor. More control and quicker
response when navigating narrow creeks, etc.. Never drove a side console,
but figure it would be similar to the remote steering on a cc, just harder to 
drive while standing. Might want to take E up on his offer to take you out in
his tiller Waterman. I'm not sure what we would repower with if we had to.
Maybe a 30 Etech? A little more weight, but we could keep the tiller.

I apologize if you already know this, but you can smooth out your ride heading
into the chop by tabbing the bow down a bit . Tab up if it's a following sea .

Anyway , sweet skiff. The more you use it, the more you will learn about it and
the more you will love it.


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Capt. E I'm guessing you live local. Hit me up next time your going out. I'm in the lagoon 95% of my days off. I'd really like to take your skiff for a spin. Lit you ride mine and maybe you can give me some pointers on running her. Oh and your a guide? Mind showing me some of your spots/tactics?!?!?!?!


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## shiprock8 (Sep 23, 2013)

Congrats on the girl!  The skiff is a keeper also. 

I just finished having a 2001 HB 16 Whipray restored at Glasser Boat Works by Jonathan Glasser.  It started out as a center console with a 40 hp Merc.  I had Jonathan clean everything off the decks and it's now a classic 16 Whip with a Honda 50 hp tiller.  

I have been running it for over a month now and am so glad that I converted it to the tiller.  The new tillers are far superior to the old ones.  You can set the tension and release on the handle and not have to worry about the boat making a 360 and throwing you out.  The shifter is on the handle and feels like it's industrial strength and couldn't be easier to shift.  Way better than all of the skiffs I have had with steering wheels.  You have complete control of the engine and steering with no play.  Way more responsive.  It still comes down to personal choice, but don't be afraid of getting a tiller.

If you have any questions about my setup just give me a shout or better yet come and try it out.


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## sotilloa1078 (Mar 27, 2014)

Congrats on the new skiff thats one hell of a ride! Post some fish pics up.. 

Tidesright


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

Fished her all weekend and every minute I loved her more. The waters up in the lagoon so I didn't get her to skinny but she jumps up instantly in nothing. Fished the Bossman tournament out of NSB Saturday. Didn't see much but managed to get a few in the boat. Nothing with any size. Brought back a 9lb bag. Took her back out today and got a couple dinker reds but got some really nice trout.








  









24" 5lbs

















28.5" 7.5lbs








28" 6.5lbs


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

One more pic... These are my two babies. Have to finish up with the Blazer before I do a rebuild on the Waterman. She's been it my family since 92' a little dirty but she cleans up nice.


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## Snookdaddy (Jan 5, 2008)

Spruce,

Sorry to derail your thread. I hope you received the pictures I texted..

Here's a picture of the USCG plate on my "no floor" 2002 Waterman 18...


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## Ginclear (Aug 11, 2013)

> > > > Thanks y'all and I'm definitely going to fish it for a while before I make any big changes. If I do decide to keep the side console I will have a support mount with rod holders glassed in.
> > > >
> > > > This might sound like a dump question to y'all veterans but first time in a skiff with raw floor. Is it natural to feel everything on your feet? Dosn't really feel like it's flexing but you definitely feel everything.
> > >
> ...


Our ultra light '00 Waterman 16 also has the foam core sandwiched floor and sealed foam filled flotation
chambers fore and aft. Also sports the USCG plate on the inside transom. The claim that these no floor
builds are not USCG approved must be news to Hells Bay and the USCG. I think the current Gladeskiff and 
and the Whipray Classic are also no floor builds. I've also heard that they are more labor intensive, but
I don't know. I do know that they are much lighter (at least the older ones). And all USCG approved.


















I haven't seen too many skiffs lift the stern out of the water when a guy stands on the bow.

You know, Spruce, you are starting to get annoying. First you got the girl, then you got the skiff,
now first fishing trip out on the skiff you're catching eye popping trout. The rest of us are getting 
tired of pretending that we're not jealous!


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## Creek Runner (Sep 1, 2011)

Spruce very nice job on the trout those are some studs!


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## shiprock8 (Sep 23, 2013)

Blueskimmer, the new HB 16 Whip Classic does have a floor and it is about 150 lbs heavier than the old ones.


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## Ginclear (Aug 11, 2013)

> Blueskimmer, the new HB 16 Whip Classic does have a floor and it is about 150 lbs heavier than the old ones.


Hellsbay, I was referring to the limited edition Whipray Classic. I believe the
original intent was to limit the number of builds to 10. I took some pics of
an owner's new Classic in 2013 at an owner's tourney in Rockport, Texas.


















As you can see, no floor, and USCG plate. Man, this skiff is so sweet it would 
rot your teeth! I wonder if HB stuck to their limit on the production of those?


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## JaredFacemyer (Jul 29, 2009)

Sweet boat! Pick me for a test ride!!


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## Chasintail22 (Jun 22, 2009)

Spruce,

Pretty positive that was you I passed in the east channel as I was heading south after leaving JBs on Saturday. I've got a yellow Waterman with 40 merc tiller. If so, your skiff looked great and you were definitely moving along! Congrats on the new ride and I'm sure I'll see you out there again soon


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

That was me, If I remember right you were fallowing a whipray. Ya I'm out every weekend. Ill be out all day Saturday. Probably stop and get lunch at JB's around 12:00-1:00 and head back out till dark. And then Sunday I'm just going out in the morning. The girlfriend wants to hit up Disappearing Island in the afternoon. Got to keep her happy. ;D ;D ;D You live local? I know there's a yellow Waterman that sits off A1A down by JB's but I thought it had a 25 Merc. Anyways your skiff looks nice. Hull looks a lot brighter then mine.


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## shiprock8 (Sep 23, 2013)

Blueskimmer, my bad, I didn't realize that the new ones had no floor. I wonder what makes them so much heavier?


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

This is just a guess but it looks like the floor is thicker. You can barely see the chime at the floor line. Mine pops up like an inch or so. You can barely see it in the picture above. Also the cockpit drain is recessed in the floor. Idk how it is on the old whips but my friends 03' no liner pro is level with the floor. Just a guess!!!


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## grovesnatcher (Sep 25, 2007)

My 18 waterman is a 03 without a floor and I don't see any flex. Maybe they used more material to stiffen the floor. My 16 whipray was a 99 and the floor would flex. I've never had any cracks or issues with either. Both boats were coast guard certified. The fish don't care ;D


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## TC (Feb 15, 2011)

Check your PM. I've sent you a couple. Thanks.


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