# Maverick HPXV vs Dolphin Super skiff vs Old Hells Bay Biscayne



## [email protected] (Aug 15, 2010)

Looking for some input on these skiffs. I currently fish out of an East Cape Caimen but I have been fishing Biscayne Bay for bonefish and permit a lot lately and I really want to move into something with some deadrise/v bottom to make crossing the bay more comfortable. 

If I could have any boat I would prob pick the new Hells Bay Biscayne or the Islamorada 18 but both of those are way out of the budget. In my budget I have narrowed it down to these 3 skiffs and possibly a 4th but its a flat bottom and has sponsons so I dont know. (Hells Bay 17.8)

- Anyone have any experience with the old design Hells Bay Biscayne? What changes were made to make it better?

- Of the the 3 skiffs I mentioned im looking for input as to pro's and con's.


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## franklin.howell (Aug 11, 2009)

Dolphin Superskiff: Pros: great ride ,easy too pole,draws around 10" with 
yamaha 90 2 stroke ,deadly quiet. Cons: tippy, more of a 2 person skiff. 
Old HB Biscayne: not that familiar with this one but have a guide friend 
who likes it. 
Maverick HPXV: more versatile,stable,fairly easy to pole. Can eaily handle a third angler.


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## southedisto (Jun 30, 2013)

I do not have any experience with the Dolphin or Biscayne but I have friends with the HB 17.8, and the HPX-V 17 and 18. Also the HPX-T

I really think the HPX-V 17 w/90 is the best compromise of open water performance and shallow water fishability. It can easily handle chop, rides smooth and dry, tracks straight when poled, and can still get in as skinny as 7". The HPX-V 18's ability to handle rough water and still draft sub 10" (w/115) is very impressive, but doesn't spin nearly as well as the 17 when poled.

The HB 17.8 is perhaps the best poling skiff I have fished. Super skinny draft, tracks straight as an arrow and spins with little effort. Also stable. But, I don't care how much owners love it, it does not ride well in a rough chop. It can easily handle a chop and can run fast in a chop, but nowhere near as dry and comfortable as the HPX-V. It comes down to what a couple of more inches of draft is worth to you, which may be a lot.

Worth mentioning is the HPX-T because it also has a skinny poling draft, decent rough chop performance, and can run skinny too. Actually my favorite fishing platform, right now...

Best advice is to wet test each skiff you are considering in less than perfect conditions. The materials, components, and fit and finish of maverick and HB are both top-notch, so either of those brands can last you for years and years.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

I own an 02 Dolphin Super Skiff with a 90 Yammy 2s. My Keys tarpon & permit guide has an original 97 Mirage with the same power.

Every time I get in that Maverick the first thing I notice is how much bigger a boat it is. Basically it's a foot longer and the width at the chine is at least 8" wider. This results in a higher, more on top the water ride, than my Dolphin with two people. The extra firm ride with lighter load is noticeable to me.

However my guide isn't shy to point out that his 300+ pound clients that have fished out of Dolphins like his boat better. I've had 300+pound guests before and I prefer they fish out of somebody else's boat too. 

What's really kinda f'd up is my 02 Dolphin is rated for 4 persons, yet the Maverick 17 is rated for 3 persons.

If I won the lottery I could see myself buying a new 17HPX-V2 hull and moving my engine and other stuff over, but other than using free money I couldn't justify it for any reason other than fishing 3 persons regularly.


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## Sheremeta (Nov 29, 2010)

If you won the lottery you would have maverick put a brand new engine on that HPX 17


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

> If you won the lottery you would have maverick put a brand new engine on that HPX 17


This guy has had them all and put an old 2 stroke 90 on a new boat

http://saltyshores.com/wordpress/?s=maverick+HPX+VII


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## Sheremeta (Nov 29, 2010)

But he didn't win the lotto.  I would have the first seven marine powered pontoon boat if I won. 

That's a great looking maverick.


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## [email protected] (Aug 15, 2010)

FMH, FlyFishSC, and Marietta Mike thanks for that guys. Thats exactly the kind of info Im looking for. I do agree that from what ive seen and heard from several different sources is that the Maverick is the most versatile although I think the new Biscayne and Islamorads 18 are up there also. But those 2 are out of my budget because they cant be found used and even if found used they would still be out of my budget. And there are not many old style biscaynes so not much info on them.

Marietta Mike, I agree that the Mavericks are noticeably larger. The Mirage II had 78" beam and I think slightly over 17 feet, the HPXV's are 16'9" and 75" beam so a little smaller than its predecssor but still larger than other skiffs in it class. The Dolphin SS at 15'10" and 72" beam and the Biscayne at 16'4" and 70" beam. I do like the 16'9" length of the Mav but wish it was a little more slender at the beam.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

I looked real hard at buying a new Maverick 17 HPX V2 today but found a few problems I'll have to sleep on.

PROBLEM ONE
If I put my standard size Blue Point casting platform in front of the bow hatch there isn't any room for my trolling motor. If I put the casting platform on the bow hatch the trolling motor will fit, but the trolling motor has to be angled to the side so much that the top of the trolling motor is way out past the rub rail. May have to look at the possibility of mounting the quick mount plate on backwards or something so I can mount it the side and more in line with the boat like I have on my Dolphin. That pointed front looks good, but sucks for bow mounting a trolling motor. I predict if Capt E reads this he will post "Get rid of that TM!" problem solved.

PROBLEM TWO
My Fishpond boat bag will not fit anywhere but the bow dry storage compartment. Since that's the bag I keep my binos, reels, and camera in I would have to move them to my smaller boat bag to stow them in one of the rear storage compartments to keep them from getting pounded on a choppy day. My smaller bag is a Patagonia Great Divider III and it would not fit through the rear compartment hatches without some extra effort that will probably rip the side pouch zipper off at some point AND/OR damage the hatch gasket. And even after getting it in there I had to push it to the side to close and latch it because of that big honking latch and gas shock. My 13qt Engel cooler that is perfect for a six pack, couple waters and sandwichs won't fit anywhere but the front storage either. I don't have these problems on my Dolphin that is 11" shorter and 4" narrower at the rear chine. 

PROBLEM THREE
When I looked closely at the Ameratrail trailer I noticed they use a lot of U bolts to hold it together,. While my old BoatMaster is fitted, drilled, and bolted with all SS hardware, including those nuts with the PIA nylon inserts that you can't turn by hand. Not one clamped, friction fit anywhere. The Ameritrail trailer lights are wired with that small gauge color coded white-brown-yellow-green ribbon cable, while the old BoatMaster has marine Romex. A 3500# torsion axle is too stiff for this rig in my opinion, and the 12 year old Fulton winch on my trailer is nicer than the new winch on that Ameratrail. There are other things I noticed, but that horse is dead. Not sure if supplying your own trailer voids the hull warranty like with Hells Bay, but I will have to evaluate alternative trailers.

PROBLEM FOUR
The poling platform height for a 4 stroke 90 seems scary high to me. Even higher than the one on my Dolphin that clears my 2 stroke 90 on a 6" jack plate.

Maybe my new tarpon boat fever will pass when the weather gets good again, but if a tree fell on my Dolphin I would probably buy a Maverick 17 HPX V2 to replace it and keep my current trailer and engine if possible.


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## Snookdaddy (Jan 5, 2008)

medic232 has one of the old original Maverick Mirage, 1993 I think.. He should be able to give you good info.  That hull or the newer versions up to the HPX-V would be on my short list of skiff for your area and fishing style.  That "V" will eat up chop and provide a very good ride.  Same goes for the Super Skiff.

I don't know anything about the older HB Biscayne skiffs...

A 17.8 is flat in the back and will ride like a jackhammer going the same speeds as the skiffs above in rough chop.  

Good luck in your search.  You've picked out a couple of great ones to choose from.


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

Pick your poison.... All are nice boats and will catch fish. But, the bonefish I have been targeted for the last 2 evenings are untouchable by all 3!!!! Where do you launch from on a regular basis?


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## Zhunter (Feb 19, 2014)

Ok, I have fished a lot out of a Super Skiff, and own a 17 8, so I'll give you what I know.

The SS is a great boat, but crossing rough water the lack of length of the boat makes it tough to gap waves. It also struggles on the hook Oceanside while Tarpon fishing.

My HB has it's problems too. Like any technical poling skiff, it's wet in a beam sea. The 17 8 is much better into the seas than down. The lightness in rough seas can have it bow walking which I found disconcerting, but..... Last year I mounted a trolling motor and two batteries up front, wow what a difference, it handles rough water so much better. Example, I made the 20+ mile run from Oxfoot to Islamorada on Thursday into an 18kt wind, never got wet. Was it a rough ride, sure, woulda been a rough ride in any poling skiff. I ran my Yamaha 90 at 4200 going 30mph the whole way. No problem.

As previously stated, the 17 8 poles as straight as any boat, but it does not spin as well as the SS. I attribute this to the sponsons. I love the length of the 17 8, I think that's what makes it a great riding boat. If it was 16' long with nearly ZERO deadrise it would be a terrible boat. 

I am a Tarpon fisherman first and foremost, but love to chase Bones too, no way would I have a boat that drafted 8+ inches. 

There is no perfect boat, every boat has a trade off, you have to decide what you are willing to forgo in your purchase.

Also, learning how to trim a boat for different conditions is the key. You won't figure that out in a 30-45 minute wet test, it takes months on the water to really get it down

Hope this helps


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## acraft1720 (Jul 31, 2012)

Those compression latches on the new hpx make for the driest storage I've ever had on a boat. Mine is the 18 but the 17 hatches should still be ample, there's a ton of storage back there and that's where I keep all my tackle. I went with the bigger fuel tank and put an AGM battery all the way forward so I can run either a full or half tank depending on how many people I'll have on the bow. It works well, the guys at Maverick said the boat "rides big and fishes small" and it really does. Like you say there's no perfect boat but this one is the closest I've found for my use. Budget aside I'd think the 17 HPX-S would be a good compromise for a lot of people who want a really versatile boat.


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