# New to me Hells Bay Guide (1999)



## Pierson (Mar 16, 2016)

So this has been a very long time coming…..about 5 years in the making. I have messaged probably half of you guys asking for advice on the best skiff for my area and needs. After taking everything into consideration and fishing out of several skiffs, I had locked my sights on an early 2000’s Hells Bay Guide. Most Hells Bays are far out of my price range so finding one in the right condition and at the right price point was quite a challenge. As a popular guiding skiff, older Guides are usually in pretty salty condition, which I was ok with. I just wanted the original fuel tank and engine to already be replaced. Even amongst the COVID boat shortage, the perfect skiff popped up for sale back in September. After a quick trip down to Naples and a giant blow to my bank account, I finally come home with my dream skiff.

Specs:
1999 Hell’s Bay Guide Hull #9
2018 Mercury CT (Bigfoot)
Mercury Spitfire X7 15P Prop
Bobs’s Jack Plate
Low Profile Center Console
Custom extra tall poling platform with matching casting platform
Large rear hatch. Two sponson hatches rigged as live wells.

Performance:
I am extremely impressed with what this boat can do. For being a larger skiff, it poles easily and tracks straight. I pole backwards form the bow when I am solo, despite not being able to get the transom out of the water this works surprisingly well. When I am solo, the skiff drafts an honest 6” and with two anglers and gear, just shy of 8”. After fishing this skiff I can say it left nothing to be desired as far as draft goes. I can get about 31 mph on the GPS WOT. Will stay on plane close to 15 mph. Hole shot is spectacular. The boat jumps on plane in a boat length and extremely responsive to the trim tabs. Because of the larger lower unit, I can get the full range of performance of the boat with the jack plate all the way up. Although it will slide out in a fast turn if I don’t have the bow trimmed down. I guess my skiff was made before they added the plastic spray rails to the bow. This has made me a significantly better skiff driver. IMO you don’t need the spray rails although they certainly would help. When trimmed out properly I can stay dry in as nasty of conditions as you would go out in. The higher freeboard was also a big reason for choosing this skiff. I feel extremely safe crossing nasty Tampa Bay and running beachside.

Conclusions:
I am more than satisfied with my choice of skiff. It will fit the bill perfectly for what I want it to do. To me the Guide is a great compromise for having two skiffs. I can easily fish the boat by myself, draft as shallow as I ever need to, fish three people, load up with camping gear, and anchor up safely on the beach. I will say that to get the true performance out of this skiff, you got to keep it as light as possible. It originally came with a Power Pole which I had removed. I also had plans to add a TM, but probably not anymore. Even just filling up the rear live wells with water changed the hole shot and poling performance drastically. Running this boat solo with minimal gear, I feel like the boat is hardly in the water.

Questions:
Has anyone else ever seen a low-profile console like this on a HB? It was originally open, but I had a door added to it. I have never seen one and wondered if it was custom, aftermarket, or just something HB did before they added a jump seat.

Anyone running the same prop as me or a different prop, what performance numbers are you seeing? I was expecting to immediately want to change the prop out but after running it, I get no cavitation with the JP all the way up, hole shot is superb, and I can stay on plane at very slow speed. To me it leaves nothing to be desired, so I am curious to see if anyone has found anything better.


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## Surffshr (Dec 28, 2017)

Great looking skiff man! Congrats, I understand your story very well. As to your question, I haven’t...


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

Congrats. Your persistence paid off. Sweet skiff and good-looking first mates!


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## Water Bound (Dec 12, 2018)

Love the Guide and she looks great without the spray rails....Congrats!


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## MaGuyver (Nov 6, 2012)

I like the low console.


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## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

Congratulations! Looks great without the spray rails and Im diggin that low console as well.


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## Charles Hadley (Jan 20, 2019)

Looks like a console on one of Flips whiprays without the counter top.


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## Seebs (Dec 21, 2011)

Great find!!


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Very nice! Give Chris at call at Hell's Bay and he can probably tell you all the details about the console.


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## Pierson (Mar 16, 2016)

Thanks for all the compliments guys! Hopefully I can get another 20 years out of her!


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## Inshore_Inc. (Sep 16, 2014)

Georgeous!


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## Caddis (Feb 2, 2020)

Wow, looks like it's in amazing shape!


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## flynut (Sep 7, 2015)

Awesome boat and deck hand for sure. I'm like you, I don't want no power pole to add weight or get in the way when I'm poling. Get a removeable trolling motor if you decide to put one on there.


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## Mark H (Nov 22, 2016)

Pierson said:


> Thanks for all the compliments guys! Hopefully I can get another 20 years out of her!


Oh I think you can get way more than 20 years out of your deckhand.


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## Micro Thinfisher (Jan 27, 2018)

Congrats on finding the perfect skiff to suit you along with your first/best mate.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Good choice of skiffs


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## pointblank (Nov 9, 2017)

Congrats! Great looking skiff!


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## TheFrequentFlier (Feb 17, 2016)

love it


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## jesseflyangler (Mar 13, 2017)

That is a sweet boat!! The console and poling platform are unique and the boat colors are great! Congratulations!!


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## VB Fly Fisher (Mar 23, 2018)

Congratulations! Definitely a sweet sled!! I am in a similar situation in looking for a Hells Bay Professional or waterman in my price range, but may commit to a Beavertail Mosquito. Tight Lines!


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## Capt. Rollo (May 16, 2019)

I have a 2001 HB Guide. I just listed it on this site for sale. I have the same motor, which IMO, is THE BEST motor for this boat. I do have the larger console with the cooler seat forward. This is a great boat, as long as you are not crossing big water with any significant chop or seas. Backwater and in the bayou it will truly draft 7-8 inches with two guys and gear. Great boat for sure! I am moving to a bigger (bay boat) and starting my Bertram restoration, so mine is for sale if you know anyone interested. Enjoy your HB!


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## jonny (May 1, 2007)

Sweet!!
I had a 01 for a few years. It was a good boat. Good score on finding one with no spray rails. My friend had one a decade before me with no rails. Mine had rails and I swear mine was a wetter ride. Not bad but I would catch a occasional misting. They 💯 look better without. Plus the old rails would crack. Due to them using counter sunk screws. Which acted like wedges. With all the stress of bending that thick ass plastic. That console definitely smells of Flip. I have never seen one before. The new platform was a huge plus. Those old HB platforms are ugly as hell. They look like walkers or something. I got lucky on mine the PO had HB replace to something nicer. What’s that access hatch for?


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## Pierson (Mar 16, 2016)

jonny said:


> Sweet!!
> I had a 01 for a few years. It was a good boat. Good score on finding one with no spray rails. My friend had one a decade before me with no rails. Mine had rails and I swear mine was a wetter ride. Not bad but I would catch a occasional misting. They 💯 look better without. Plus the old rails would crack. Due to them using counter sunk screws. Which acted like wedges. With all the stress of bending that thick ass plastic. That console definitely smells of Flip. I have never seen one before. The new platform was a huge plus. Those old HB platforms are ugly as hell. They look like walkers or something. I got lucky on mine the PO had HB replace to something nicer. What’s that access hatch for?


I believe they replaced the pop up nav lights with shark eyes and that was an easy way to cover the hole. I have plans to glass it over down the road.


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## Pierson (Mar 16, 2016)

Capt. Rollo said:


> I have a 2001 HB Guide. I just listed it on this site for sale. I have the same motor, which IMO, is THE BEST motor for this boat. I do have the larger console with the cooler seat forward. This is a great boat, as long as you are not crossing big water with any significant chop or seas. Backwater and in the bayou it will truly draft 7-8 inches with two guys and gear. Great boat for sure! I am moving to a bigger (bay boat) and starting my Bertram restoration, so mine is for sale if you know anyone interested. Enjoy your HB!


Totally agree. 60hp bigfoot is a wonderful power. Keep it light!


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## Pierson (Mar 16, 2016)

Capt. Rollo said:


> I have a 2001 HB Guide. I just listed it on this site for sale. I have the same motor, which IMO, is THE BEST motor for this boat. I do have the larger console with the cooler seat forward. This is a great boat, as long as you are not crossing big water with any significant chop or seas. Backwater and in the bayou it will truly draft 7-8 inches with two guys and gear. Great boat for sure! I am moving to a bigger (bay boat) and starting my Bertram restoration, so mine is for sale if you know anyone interested. Enjoy your HB!


Mine has a few bumps on the deck as well. Can live with for now. Again, plans to perfect down the road. Nothing i cant live with for now.


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## Capt. Rollo (May 16, 2019)

Pierson said:


> Mine has a few bumps on the deck as well. Can live with for now. Again, plans to perfect down the road. Nothing i cant live with for now.


Yeah, kind of strange.... the bumps are not blisters (no air or water intrusion) and there’s no delamination. They are as hard as the deck around them. I’m fully prepared to live with them. Completely insignificant.


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## Pierson (Mar 16, 2016)

Capt. Rollo said:


> Yeah, kind of strange.... the bumps are not blisters (no air or water intrusion) and there’s no delamination. They are as hard as the deck around them. I’m fully prepared to live with them. Completely insignificant.


Yeah same here. Solid as a rock. Not sure the what causes them. I have heard similar issues with other early HBs. Just the fun of buying a 20 year old hull I guess


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## Capt. Rollo (May 16, 2019)

Pierson said:


> Yeah same here. Solid as a rock. Not sure the what causes them. I have heard similar issues with other early HBs. Just the fun of buying a 20 year old hull I guess


Yep, if you read up about hull blisters, they’re mostly attributed to the use of cheap materials (low quality epoxy, resins, or laminates) and occur below the waterline. Definitely not what I have.


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## GoGataGo52__20 (Jun 26, 2016)

Either way sick hull man, and I love the ole school 2 stroke Yamaha I bet she scoots.


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## 4991 (Jun 21, 2012)

Nice skiff and good looking English Cocker!


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## flynut (Sep 7, 2015)

Congrats on your new to you boat. You can't go wrong with a Hells Bay!!


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## WatermanGB (Jan 25, 2019)

You got a HB and a smoking hot wife!!..man someone is living the dream. Congrats enjoy the ride!


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## Omar_Guillen (Mar 14, 2009)

Gorgeous boat. Congrats


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Very nice. The Guide is an awesome do-it-all skiff. I've been all over the bay in @K3anderson 's and it does pretty much everything well.


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## GoGataGo52__20 (Jun 26, 2016)

What speed does she run?


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## Pierson (Mar 16, 2016)

GoGataGo52__20 said:


> What speed does she run?


I can get about 31 by myself. I cruise around 26 most of the time.


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