# Pulled the Trigger -- Heron 16



## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

Well worth it. Glad the demo day paid off for you!


----------



## elsillo (Aug 6, 2017)

Nice Anzuelo! are you located in Texas? I remember you asking me a question, if you have any more about the skiff or recommended add-on's let me know.


----------



## redfish5 (Jun 28, 2011)

Nice! Hopefully your wait will shorten as a couple people in front of you will drop out.


----------



## anzuelo (Feb 28, 2017)

elsillo -- I live in Rockport.

I will probably have questions later, especially on the best prop for it.


----------



## anzuelo (Feb 28, 2017)

Got a call from Rose this week. They can start the build a lot earlier than planned. However, I am also in the process of having a house built so I may not be able to take advantage of the earlier build. 

The last thing I need is for the closing date for the house and the delivery date for the boat to be at the same time. My wife will have to do the moving while I am fishing.


----------



## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

Congrats Man!


----------



## Fritz (Jan 17, 2017)

anzuelo said:


> Got a call from Rose this week. They can start the build a lot earlier than planned...


This is very interesting, to me anyway... what’s up with that order book just recently? That’s a rhetorical question, of course, but if your really want to know what’s going on in the economy, don’t look in the usual places.


----------



## anzuelo (Feb 28, 2017)

I think it may be that people that initially had ordered the Heron 16 may have opted to go with the Heron 18 or the Ankona Advent.

Interesting thought about using boat builds as a barometer of economic health. I worked at Glastron Boat Company many years ago. When the oil prices spiked in 1979, the company damned near folded. I got laid off which was the best thing to happen to me.


----------



## Fritz (Jan 17, 2017)

anzuelo said:


> I got laid off which was the best thing to happen to me.


This has happened to me three times, at the time it’s like a punch in the face, but always in the end a gift.


----------



## paulrad (May 10, 2016)

anzuelo said:


> ... My wife will have to do the moving while I am fishing.


Good man! My wife called me the other day saying that the dishwasher was broken. So I put on my best "really concerned" act and asked her if she was okay.


----------



## BudT (Jun 29, 2018)

anzuelo said:


> Got a call from Rose this week. They can start the build a lot earlier than planned.
> 
> Hey that's awesome, congrats! I have heard nothing but good things about the way that the Ankona Team handles their business. The Heron 16 is no doubt a sweet skiff!


----------



## redfish5 (Jun 28, 2011)

Fritz said:


> This is very interesting, to me anyway... what’s up with that order book just recently? That’s a rhetorical question, of course, but if your really want to know what’s going on in the economy, don’t look in the usual places.


It’s a $300 refundable deposit (or was). I think a lot of people get on the list, but when time comes either can’t finalize their build or don’t want to pony up the $. Plenty of people in line behind them eager to have their build start early though. 

Rose gives you an estimated build time based on the slots in front of you. It’s obvious a few people may drop out, but they don’t want to over promise and under deliver. Can’t beat working with the salt marsh/ankona crew.


----------



## elsillo (Aug 6, 2017)

Anzuelo, you are going to love the Heron in Texas. What motor are you going to put on it? A jackplate is going to be a must if you still live in Texas. Read this thread it will help you if you plan to run it skinny later, and improve holeshot in shallow water.

https://www.microskiff.com/threads/texas-non-tunnel-skiffs-running-cavitation-plates.54182/


----------



## CKEAT (Aug 26, 2015)

Anzuelo, 
Any news on your heron build?


----------



## anzuelo (Feb 28, 2017)

Skiff is out of the mold and assembly starts this week. Two Heron 16's ahead in assembly so mine should be ready somewhere around Christmas/New Year. I have several friends who will help with the driving going along. Just a guys road trip.

Between the new house build, selling two other houses, dodging a bullet on knee surgery, I can't believe that I am getting close to "the time". The next six weeks will probably crawl by. 

Skiff will be Seafoam hull with Matterhorn White deck. Putting in an Engel 50 for the cooler. Having the plumbed livewell since my wife likes to soak bait. Still have to pick the electronics but am leaning towards the Garmin Echo Map 74 CV. Initially getting the stock aluminum prop but will be getting a Jack Foreman once I get back to Texas.


----------



## georgiadrifter (Jan 14, 2009)

Same color combo as mine. I was at the Owner’s Gathering in Ruskin. You may have even rode in my skiff?? Congrats man.


----------



## anzuelo (Feb 28, 2017)

Still have a couple items to finalize. I am leaning towards a Garmin Echomap 74 CV for the chartplotter/depthfinder. Does anyone have any feedback on these. 

Also, does most everyone run a fuel/water separator filter nowadays?


----------



## Ken T (Dec 10, 2015)

Had my Cayenne set up with a Echomap 55 when it was built. It has served me well for the last 4 years

I just upgraded recently to the Echomap 94SV which is pretty packed with features. It is very intuitive to operate.









While the sonar side of the unit is not very useful in a microskiff fishing skinny water the chartplotter and other features are tops. The unit comes loaded with the garmin G3 maps which are very detailed.

The gps features are very easy to use when needed.

What I use most are the tide and current tables, fishing contour map, perspective 3D maps and the quick contour custom maps. 

From the fishing perspective the quick draw contour mapping is the most useful.
All of us who fish microskiffs do so to get as far back in to the skinny water as possible. These areas are mostly uncharted.

The quick draw contour mapping feature allows you to chart bottom contours in all of the back bays, lakes and creeks that we fish most often. You can also custom shade depth ranges which allow instant recognition of dropoffs, holes and ridges on the bottom.

Below is a small bay that I custom mapped. The light blue is 3-5 feet deep while the lavender color is 1 to 3 feet deep. You can clearly see the dropoffs. The colors also reveal a nice hump in the deeper water. With this info and tide direction you know exactly where to target and the best approach to be undetected. A huge advantage over going blind.








I recently wrote a short review on the unit and this specific feature. The review includes a some photos of a few small bays and one larger bay that I custom mapped. check it out at https://www.baxterhouse.net/blog

Additionally I recently did a few hours bottom fishing the channels and used the sonar features. It is amazing how quick the technology improved over my last unit. With the Traditional Sonar, Clear View and Side View displayed together you get an amazing view of what's down there. Structure shows clear enough to know what you are looking at. Bait and gamefish show up clearly.
Ken


----------



## GaG8tor (Jul 8, 2019)

Wow. Great work with that Garmin. You’re not a surveyor by chance are ya?


----------



## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

anzuelo said:


> Still have a couple items to finalize. I am leaning towards a Garmin Echomap 74 CV for the chartplotter/depthfinder. Does anyone have any feedback on these.
> 
> Also, does most everyone run a fuel/water separator filter nowadays?


Yes on the fuel/water separator cheap security for your motor.


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

The only advice I have... is for that road trip back to Texas, bring a second spare tire and make sure to have a spare hub with everything needed to change one out... Stuck out on the road somewhere with trailer troubles is no fun at all (another of those "ask me how I know" propositions...).

Matter of fact I popped a tire last night coming north on I-95 from 79th St after a night charter and had to change out at roadside with the world howling by just before midnight...Not fun. At 65mph popping a steel belted radial took out the courtesy lights on that fender - and to tell the truth I'm lucky the fender didn't go with it.... I'm on the road more than 20,000 miles each year towing so I do get some practice keeping my gear on the road.


----------



## Ken T (Dec 10, 2015)

GaG8tor said:


> Wow. Great work with that Garmin. You’re not a surveyor by chance are ya?


Not a surveyor. Just a fish hunter


----------



## anzuelo (Feb 28, 2017)

georgiadrifter

Mine will look just like that with the only differences being the sissy bar on the poling platform and a fold down backrest. I also opted for the white motor. 

You have one sharp looking rig.


----------



## sandyharris (Jan 12, 2015)

anzuelo said:


> Still have a couple items to finalize. I am leaning towards a Garmin Echomap 74 CV for the chartplotter/depthfinder. Does anyone have any feedback on these.
> 
> Also, does most everyone run a fuel/water separator filter nowadays?


Pretty sure a cartridge style fuel/water separator comes standard with an Ankona or Salt Marsh build........


----------



## sandyharris (Jan 12, 2015)

lemaymiami said:


> The only advice I have... is for that road trip back to Texas, bring a second spare tire and make sure to have a spare hub with everything needed to change one out... Stuck out on the road somewhere with trailer troubles is no fun at all (another of those "ask me how I know" propositions...).
> 
> Matter of fact I popped a tire last night coming north on I-95 from 79th St after a night charter and had to change out at roadside with the world howling by just before midnight...Not fun. At 65mph popping a steel belted radial took out the courtesy lights on that fender - and to tell the truth I'm lucky the fender didn't go with it.... I'm on the road more than 20,000 miles each year towing so I do get some practice keeping my gear on the road.


Take the Capt's advice and don't leave home without one.......don't care how new the trailer is.......


----------



## anzuelo (Feb 28, 2017)

My Heron 16 is currently being rigged. Had a couple calls today concerning placement of cleats, etc.

Going by West Marine tomorrow to pick out the chartplotter. Still leaning towards the Garmin Echomap 74 CV.

Looks like my road trip to Florida will be early January.


----------



## redchaser (Aug 24, 2015)

lemaymiami said:


> The only advice I have... is for that road trip back to Texas, bring a second spare tire and make sure to have a spare hub with everything needed to change one out... Stuck out on the road somewhere with trailer troubles is no fun at all (another of those "ask me how I know" propositions...).
> 
> Matter of fact I popped a tire last night coming north on I-95 from 79th St after a night charter and had to change out at roadside with the world howling by just before midnight...Not fun. At 65mph popping a steel belted radial took out the courtesy lights on that fender - and to tell the truth I'm lucky the fender didn't go with it.... I'm on the road more than 20,000 miles each year towing so I do get some practice keeping my gear on the road.


Good advice. I've developed the habit of keeping a spare hub with greased/packed bearings with me when I'm pulling my boat. I'm going to be making a long trip to pick up a boat/trailer in January. I called the trailer mfg to find out what size spindle/bearing the trailer uses, fortunately it's the size of the spare I've already got.. I also keep a floor jack, 12v pump, tire plug kit, breaker bar in cordless impact wrench all in my vehicle all time. I'm like a Nascar pit crew on the side of the road. The first time I ever had to replace bearings on a trailer hub was on the side of I10 west bound just over the La/TX state line in Texas. Wasn't fun.


----------



## anzuelo (Feb 28, 2017)

leaving in morning to drive to Florida to pick up my Heron 16. Will pick up the roadside emergency items in Fort Pierce once I get there.

It's been a real pleasure working with Erin, Rose, and Roy. They have steered me in the right direction, saving me some money along the way.

Two days out, two back, one day in Fort Pierce. Then I get to see the boat parked in the driveway while I take care of the wife from her upcoming surgery.


----------



## georgiadrifter (Jan 14, 2009)

Congratulations.....post some pictures when you pick her up. There’s a boat ramp a couple of miles from the shop if you want to take it on a shakedown run before heading west.

Safe travels.


----------



## anzuelo (Feb 28, 2017)

Just got home with the boat. What a trip. Between bad roads in Louisiana, torrential rains, and a four hour road closure in Houston, finally made it back today.


----------



## JMac82 (Aug 18, 2019)




----------

