# Ankona Help: Copperhead, Native or Cayenne?



## SilentHunter (Jun 14, 2010)

The Cayenne is the boat you will get the most out of for the areas you will be in. The tunnel is ideal for your areas


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## 1texasaggie (Mar 20, 2012)

Thanks FreeDiver...that's what Mel said as well. I was more curious if anyone in the upper Texas coast / Louisiana had any personal experience that they could pass along with the Cayenne. i.e. rigging, tricks & tips. 

While I have never been fishing in Florida, the environment and conditions I've seen on TV & YouTube more closely resemble south Texas.

I have a few more questions:
Does anyone have a recommendation for a push pole suitable for the marsh...that will work poling in up to 2' thick mud bottom?
Is there a reason why the factory Cayenne package only comes equipped with a 40hp Tohatsu? The boat is rated up to 60hp and the 50hp Tohatsu is listed at the same weight as the 40hp. In addition, there is only a $200 difference in price...just curious why you wouldn't go for more hp, even if you never needed it?
I notice trim tabs are an option for the Cayenne. Are they necessary in a tunnel hull?


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## pete_paschall (May 8, 2009)

> Jon,
> 
> I don't know how to say this, but being a Rep for Ankona and responding in every thread about Ankona seems to be a conflict of interest.
> 
> ...


There is no conflict of interest. Someone posted a question about Ankona boats. Who better to answer than someone who is familiar with all of their products? It is much more informative (and helpful to the OP) than me saying "Well I have a Copperhead and like it", followed by you saying "I have a Native SUV and I like it", followed by Tampa Flats Girl saying "I have a Cayenne and I like it". Shadowcast is familiar with all 3 boats and can give the most qualified response to the OP's question.

Pete


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## Demeter (Nov 16, 2011)

there should be someone in your area or maybe nearby with either an SUV or a Copperhead who can get a wet test with which is the best thing you could do to determine which skiff would best suit your needs.  When it comes to a Cayenne or ShadowCast.....you may have to wait....but not too long I'm sure.[/quote]

Gramps in Houston has an SUV17
Tx Copper has a Copperhead in Schertz (N of San Antonio)
There is a Cayenne coming to Corpus Christi
I put in a deposit for a Shadowcast. ( Austin)


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

Do not derail the OP. If you are not answering the OP then do not post. Take this offline.

Capt. Jan


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## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

> Gramps in Houston has an SUV17
> Tx Copper has a Copperhead in Schertz (N of San Antonio)
> There is a Cayenne coming to Corpus Christi
> I put in a deposit for a Shadowcast. ( Austin)


I knew someone on here would come through! Now you got some people to contact in your area.


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

Off topic posts have been deleted.


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## 1texasaggie (Mar 20, 2012)

What happened???

I briefly viewed the thread this morning, called and spoke to Mel and now this afternoon some of the valuable posts have disappeared. 

TheBrazilNut,

I wanted to say thanks for your input. You posted a link to a thread with pics of your SUV17. I searched and could not find it, so could you repost or send a PM? My wife went crazy over the color of your SUV, along with the crab & redfish logos on your boat...very cool! I am in the process of sending Mel what I want on my Cayenne and wanted a pic to forward.

Demeterof1,

Not sure if I ever said it, but thanks for turning me on to Ankona boats. I almost made a huge mistake by buying another microskiff last year and your PM helped. After talking with Mel this morning, I'm confident the Cayenne will be the way to go. Do you have any idea who this might be?
[media][/media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LseNkRia8Bs&feature=related

To the Ankona rep (perhaps ShadowCast?),

Thanks for the input...any and all help is very much appreciated. Microskiff information is almost non- existent here in Texas. If you and Mel know anyone in Louisiana with input on how to best rig the Cayenne for marsh & bayou conditions, I'm really curious to see what they have to say. Specifically, the conditions in Hackberry, L.A. are almost identical to where I fish here in Texas. As I mentioned previously, Corpus down through Port Mansfield and the Laguna Madre more closely resemble what I've seen on TV in Florida...not where I fish.


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2012)

Here is my build thread:

http://www.microskiff.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1310745335

The hull is Medium Gray and the deck and cap are Whisper Gray.


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## johnmauser (Sep 9, 2009)

> . Do you have any idea who this might be?
> [media][/media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LseNkRia8Bs&feature=related
> 
> .


That's Gramps, he's on this site


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## Delmer (Dec 26, 2009)

Marshman1, 

I was at the shop when you called Mel this morning. He was telling me what you are looking at for your Cayenne. You will be happy, it sounds like you will end up with a SWEET boat.


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## SilentHunter (Jun 14, 2010)

it all depends on how skinny you wanna get my friend And how much you are wanting to spend.

you could go all out and get a jackplate nose cone low water pickup stainless prop boat would run skinnier than it will float.

Is a nose cone and low water pickups needed? no not at all. Its really a waste of money and who wants to ruin a brand new motor.


But Just a jackplate with trim n tilt and a stainless prop with cupping you should be able to go just about anywhere


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## 1texasaggie (Mar 20, 2012)

> The hull is Medium Gray and the deck and cap are Whisper Gray.


Awesome...thanks!



> That's Gramps, he's on this site


Sounds great. Since he referred to it as the "Houston marsh", that means he's close to me...probably somewhere up in Trinity Bay. I fish in the back corner of East Bay and will PM him and ask for advice. If you happen to know anyone that runs an Ankona just across the border, say Sabine or Calcasieu, I would also be really curious to hear their thoughts on rigging.



> You will be happy, it sounds like you will end up with a SWEET boat.


Thanks! I can't wait to see what its capable of doing.



> it all depends on how skinny you wanna get my friend


Interesting you mention it. I just sat down to email Mel & spec out a boat, and my primary concern was skinny running. However, by running skinny I mean getting out, not in.

The area where I fish is full of oysters and only about to get worse as the state of Texas is in the process of launching a conservation initiative to restore the back bay system and hault coastal erosion. In addition, there are still hundreds of homes and businesses strung out along the bottom of the bay after hurricane Ike annihilated my area. So, I do not dare go flying up into, across or over these shallow areas where I fish (the debris is still shifting and recently someone even even pulled up a 22' Boatwright and restored it to fishing condition). 

That being said, in most of these shallower areas, I will be forced to shut down and lift my outboard, then use a trolling motor to ease my way in. From what I understand, tunnel hulls are great at staying on plane and running through shallow water, but have a tough time getting back up on plane trying to get out of shallow water. In addition, I thought the Copperhead will draft slightly shallower...which may make a difference geting unstuck out of the mud (which I've been forced to do in a kayak and have sunk down below my knees). While I like the idea the Cayenne is a larger boat, the tunnel hull has me reexamining the Copperhead. Any thoughts?


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## Recidivists (May 9, 2011)

From what I've read on here and Ankona's site is that the Cayenne drafts in 6-7", Copperhead 6", and SUV skinniest of all at 5-6".


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## 1texasaggie (Mar 20, 2012)

Hello Recidivist,

I saw that as well, but then ran across this post from Mel talking about the Copperhead...realize it was from back in 2008, but was still going to seek his opinion / advice:



> The 'V' tapers pretty quickly to a slight V that turns into a flat pad the last 1/3 of the hull. There is a pic of the stern to show this. At the stern, draft from a chine to chine line to the bottom is 3". When out with Gordon, we had him, myself and his son for a total people weight of 530 lbs and were poling along in 6". Top end with the 25 Yamaha 25 2S was just over 30. Engine not propped, not broken in and sitting too low; so we have some tweaking to do.


http://www.inshore-fishing.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php?t17926.html


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## Guest (Apr 4, 2012)

> From what I've read on here and Ankona's site is that the Cayenne drafts in 6-7", Copperhead 6", and SUV skinniest of all at 5-6".



Those numbers depend on a ton of factors being that these skiffs are so weight sensitive.


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## SilentHunter (Jun 14, 2010)

the draft doesnt change that much from 5-6 to 6-8 thats with 2 guys 12 gallons of fuel full fishing gear batteries trollin motor coffin box live well filled and a 40 on the back.. if you cant fish in 8 inches of water u need to be in another area.


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## Guest (Apr 6, 2012)

> the draft doesnt change that much from 5-6 to 6-8 thats with 2 guys 12 gallons of fuel full fishing gear batteries trollin motor coffin box live well filled and a 40 on the back.. if you cant fish in 8 inches of water u need to be in another area.



I guess you don't fish ML, IRL BRL, Keys, Everglades, Texas etc........ If you are talking about the SUV. If you are talking about the Copperhead which has sponsons then extra weight does not matter as much.


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