# Islamorada Boatworks Element



## fishn&flyn (Oct 23, 2015)

Looks like an awesome skiff! Priced very similar to HB and Maverick


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

fishn&flyn said:


> Looks like an awesome skiff! Priced very similar to HB and Maverick


back the cost of that 60 and the trailer out and you have a 40K hull.


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

This is helpful way to understand diff power costs 

Boat looks sharp


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## 25stampede (Dec 1, 2015)

i fished with travis holeman yesterday and he was talking to me about what he can do with the skiff. the thing is going to be legit.


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## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

devrep said:


> back the cost of that 60 and the trailer out and you have a 40K hull.


There's a whole lot of standard options in there as well.


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## 25stampede (Dec 1, 2015)

and if you don't know who travis is he is the guy standing on front of skiff


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

I like that they didn't just deck the whole bow where you can put your feet on the edge of the front deck while sitting in the jump seat like everyone else. (I never sit there anyway.) Plus having that space lets them put in that floor box for storing dirty/wet stuff like anchor, cast net, street shoes, etc..



.....also like how using a jack plate as standard for engine mounting totally simplifies the transom cap to hull connection. Although where do you stop the rub rail?


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## Snookdaddy (Jan 5, 2008)

25stampede said:


> and if you don't know who travis is he is the guy standing on front of skiff


Wrong.. That's Bryan "Bear" Holeman on the front of that skiff, unless Travis gained about 50lbs.. Both of them are great guys and guides..


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## 25stampede (Dec 1, 2015)

Snookdaddy said:


> Wrong.. That's Bryan "Bear" Holeman on the front of that skiff, unless Travis gained about 50lbs.. Both of them are great guys and guides..


oops my bad


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

They should have tucked that rigging up under the gunnel better before they put it on the ad. 

I have seen Tom's larger boats and their craftsmanship is top notch. I would expect this boat to be comparable to HB in quality considering his history. Last time I was at his shop half the crew if not more was old HB crew.


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

MariettaMike said:


> Didn't take those guys long to go from concept to production.
> 
> http://www.islamoradaboatworks.com/element.html


 Price is a bit out of line in my opinion. Take 20k off the top of all above pricing.


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## fishn&flyn (Oct 23, 2015)

Unfortunately the days of $30k skiffs are over, the good thing is its brought new manufacturers to the party! Saltmarsh, Spear, and Cayo to name a few!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

$40k for that hull???  Wow, I'm in the wrong business!


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Why 20k off the above listed pricing? Yeah it's expensive, but they can charge whatever they want. If this skiff is built to the standards of their other boats they will have the fit and finish to compete with the elite. In that company their target market isn't the average angler on a budget.


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

el9surf said:


> Why 20k off the above listed pricing? Yeah it's expensive, but they can charge whatever they want. If this skiff is built to the standards of their other boats they will have the fit and finish to compete with the elite. In that company their target market isn't the average angler on a budget.


My opinion is all. There is nothing so special about many skiffs that they should cost so much. They are not even sold through dealers. Problem is small companies and the manufacturing process is too slow and time consuming. I doubt they found some new magical materials that cost 10k more. Hope they do well.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

fishn&flyn said:


> Unfortunately the days of $30k skiffs are over, the good thing is its brought new manufacturers to the party! Saltmarsh, Spear, and Cayo to name a few!



Yep, I always have to remind myself that their are a lot of people that make more money than I ! $60k is nothing to them. I ran my BT for nine years and got most of my money back out of it. Now I'm waiting on my Glades X tunnel to be ready, which it will be by mid January.


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## fishn&flyn (Oct 23, 2015)

Exactly! I bought my whipray second hand cause it was half the price of a new one and I plan on being buried in it! Unless of course I win the lotta then I'm getting an 18hpxv, a new HB Pro, a Chittum, and an Element and something real big to carry them all around on....guess it's fun to dream!


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## CDL (May 14, 2015)

Yeah to all of the above....except to the guy who doesn't know Travis from Bear....lol JK Merry Christmas guys !


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

MariettaMike said:


> Didn't take those guys long to go from concept to production.
> 
> http://www.islamoradaboatworks.com/element.html




Mike- are you considering the element alongside the chittum? I know you have been weighing the chittum heavily and this skiff seems very comparable to it. I was weighing them all and ended up going the Marquesa route. My skiff is due late February/ early March.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Fish_specialist said:


> Mike- are you considering the element alongside the chittum? I know you have been weighing the chittum heavily and this skiff seems very comparable to it. I was weighing them all and ended up going the Marquesa route. My skiff is due late February/ early March.


Congratulations on your Marquesa! Hopefully we will see your build thread in February.

I won't speculate a comparison of skiffs I've never actually poled and fished from. Stats like 40+ mph and 5.5" draft with a 60 don't mean much if you're having to frequently dry your glasses from spray, or the wind/current pushes the skiff too hard on the pole, or the fish spook before you can get close enough for a decent shot. 

But just on pics and general specs I think the Element compares most directly with the EC Evo, and I predict there will be a "Evo vs Element" thread by Spring 2016.

As for skiff pricing I have copied and pasted the following from a recent post by someone that knows a little bit about the skiff business:

_"I've said this before, these boats sell for these prices because the market will bear it.

I think that anyone that can't afford a $50,000.00 485lb skiff should not be lusting after one. There are other skiffs out there.
Build your own for less than $20,000.00" Chris Morejohn _


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Fish_specialist said:


> Mike- are you considering the element alongside the chittum? I know you have been weighing the chittum heavily and this skiff seems very comparable to it. I was weighing them all and ended up going the Marquesa route. My skiff is due late February/ early March.


Seems to me that the Chittum went thru a lot more testing than the Gordon?


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

I think in general the customer gives these builders a lot more credit on testing than they should receive. Seen a lot of skiffs over the past several years from some notable builders that have gone from concept to production extremely fast. Also seen some flawed designs that builders will try to justify with "intentional design elements" because they don't want to go back to tooling. Not saying the element falls into this since I have never seen it or been on it. In my opinion these new boats should be fished for 6 months by the pro staff to work out any kinks before they are consumer ready.


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## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

I have a close friend who's on Tom's pro staff. He and I have been talking about this skiff for over 2 years with him giving me updates on where Tom was in the process. They did a lot of work and research before they started putting things out on social media. Also, the original goal of this skiff was to compete with (or rather out compete) the HB Pro. The pricing reflects that. The Element is built with the industry's top materials and methods, Tom Gordon style rigging and quality, and is extremely customizable to whatever the customer wants. I've fished on the 24 numerous times and have seen the 22 and Boca in person. IMHO, there is not a finer built boat. Tom and his team work their tails off to optimize every square inch of every hull. For buyers considering a Chittum, Pro, Mav, Elite, or Evo, I think the Element deserves a good look too. My buddy's new carbon edition 24 will be ready in February, but an ultralight Element prototype may also be coming to LA very soon. I've got my fingers crossed.

Also, the pictures available are of the skiff in the testing stages and are not indicative of the final finish. They did this when they were just starting to put out the 22 and Boca as well. Those first few production hulls will take longer to build, but production will speed up the more they make. Last I heard they had somewhere in the neighborhood of 8-15 preordered with deposits already, but that was a few weeks ago.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

el9surf said:


> I think in general the customer gives these builders a lot more credit on testing than they should receive. Seen a lot of skiffs over the past several years from some notable builders that have gone from concept to production extremely fast. Also seen some flawed designs that builders will try to justify with "intentional design elements" because they don't want to go back to tooling. Not saying the element falls into this since I have never seen it or been on it. In my opinion these new boats should be fished for 6 months by the pro staff to work out any kinks before they are consumer ready.


Kinda fast to market but could have been more hull testing than we know.


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

MariettaMike said:


> Congratulations on your Marquesa! Hopefully we will see your build thread in February.
> 
> I won't speculate a comparison of skiffs I've never actually poled and fished from. Stats like 40+ mph and 5.5" draft with a 60 don't mean much if you're having to frequently dry your glasses from spray, or the wind/current pushes the skiff too hard on the pole, or the fish spook before you can get close enough for a decent shot.
> 
> ...



I'll post a build thread when the Marquesa gets started. 

I was initially extremely excited about the element. I made contact with Brandon at Islamorada and was receiving updates. I was a little disappointed when I saw the bulbous bow. I was expecting a sharper entry from the design on Chris's blog. It also seems they went a little higher on price than the initial loose quote. (I understand this part as material costs are hard to nail down until you have a boat completed) All and all I believe they will be successful with this skiff.


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

el9surf said:


> I think in general the customer gives these builders a lot more credit on testing than they should receive. Seen a lot of skiffs over the past several years from some notable builders that have gone from concept to production extremely fast. Also seen some flawed designs that builders will try to justify with "intentional design elements" because they don't want to go back to tooling. Not saying the element falls into this since I have never seen it or been on it. In my opinion these new boats should be fished for 6 months by the pro staff to work out any kinks before they are consumer ready.



I'll agree with this. My Father owns one of the first 22 pathfinders. It was bought new by my next door neighbor growing up. It has some HORRIBLE design flaws!! Deck is lower up front causing any water that is on the deck to run forward. Also, the deck is set 1/2" too low. If the plugs aren't in, you WILL take on water. It is only self bailing when hard underway.... Front deck is also a mess with design quirks.....


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Fish_specialist said:


> I was a little disappointed when I saw the bulbous bow.


The Element does NOT have a bulbous bow. This is a bulbous bow.


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

MariettaMike said:


> The Element does NOT have a bulbous bow. This is a bulbous bow.


Hahaha!!


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

Not quoting anyone specific as this relates to a few other replies. Think of what you are saying. A skiff has been in design for 2 years and is completely customixable. Throw a trolling motor here or a battery or two here, or this console in middle or on the side. You get the idea. You just tossed two years of perfection out the window. Cant have a perfect skiff and make changes or add items.
And from recent experience. Does not matter how quiet my boat approaches, when the arthritis in your knee makes that snap sound or my wife does not flip bail over by hand we might as well have been in a 90's Aquasport center console with the motor on. Still caught plenty. For the most part a boat just gets you there and keeps you from wading. Minimal hullslap is a bonus.


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## Indy (Aug 21, 2015)

Amen brother !!!!!!!!!


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

I doubt if material prices have caused the price to go up. I bought millions of pounds of glass and resin at my previous employer. Resin is derived from oil and we all know where the price of a barrel of oil is compared to two years ago. Even glass should be lower as they use natural gas to fire the furnaces in making any kind of glass or carbon strand. A big part of what you are paying for is assembly, fitting, rigging etc,. I for one don't need a boat with a surface that has the accuracy of the surface of the mirror in the Hubble telescope. I want a well designed, no slap hull that will hold up over the years. I will say I like impeccable wiring and rigging and I'm willing to pay for that.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Capnredfish said:


> ...my wife does not flip bail over by hand...


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## No Bait / Lures Only (Apr 10, 2011)

Sublime said:


> Yep, I always have to remind myself that their are a lot of people that make more money than I ! $60k is nothing to them. I ran my BT for nine years and got most of my money back out of it. Now I'm waiting on my Glades X tunnel to be ready, which it will be by mid January.


Keep us posted on the performance and the size of motor used.......


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

Sublime said:


> I doubt if material prices have caused the price to go up. I bought millions of pounds of glass and resin at my previous employer. Resin is derived from oil and we all know where the price of a barrel of oil is compared to two years ago. Even glass should be lower as they use natural gas to fire the furnaces in making any kind of glass or carbon strand. A big part of what you are paying for is assembly, fitting, rigging etc,. I for one don't need a boat with a surface that has the accuracy of the surface of the mirror in the Hubble telescope. I want a well designed, no slap hull that will hold up over the years. I will say I like impeccable wiring and rigging and I'm willing to pay for that.



I wasn't saying materials have gone up in cost, just that when I was loosely quoted, the cap had yet to be constructed. They had yet to approximate the hourly labor and material costs. And while the price of a barrel of oil has dropped, my resin bill hasn't. I believe it will take 6 months of low oil prices to reflect in our resin costs. 

I'm totally with you on wiring and quietness being a biggie- I have personally experienced a boat fire. It's one of scariest situations I've been in.. And we all have had fish that wouldn't eat because of a noisy hull-


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

MariettaMike said:


> But just on pics and general specs I think the Element compares most directly with the EC Evo, and I predict there will be a "Evo vs Element" thread by Spring 2016.


Little surprised that seems like natural comparison--someone else in here mentioned HB Pro as a comparison which (without having been on it!) seems more natural. Doesn't seem like the hull has a really sharp entry or a lot of deadrise, so wouldn't think the comparison would be HPX/Chittum/EVO, but more something like the HB Pro, Waterman, Chittum SS...

Also, hard to tell from the pics how "hollowed out" the spray rails -- curious to see some better pics or in action to see how well they deflect water. That one shot from the rear makes it look more like a ledge vs a cup that will catch the water and throw it back down


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## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

jsnipes said:


> Little surprised that seems like natural comparison--someone else in here mentioned HB Pro as a comparison which (without having been on it!) seems more natural. Doesn't seem like the hull has a really sharp entry or a lot of deadrise, so wouldn't think the comparison would be HPX/Chittum/EVO, but more something like the HB Pro, Waterman, Chittum SS...
> 
> Also, hard to tell from the pics how "hollowed out" the spray rails -- curious to see some better pics or in action to see how well they deflect water. That one shot from the rear makes it look more like a ledge vs a cup that will catch the water and throw it back down











There's a few videos on the facebook page too. I believe the deadrise at the transom is 7%. I'm not sure of the exact number, but it's close to that.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Sublime said:


> I doubt if material prices have caused the price to go up. I bought millions of pounds of glass and resin at my previous employer. Resin is derived from oil and we all know where the price of a barrel of oil is compared to two years ago. Even glass should be lower as they use natural gas to fire the furnaces in making any kind of glass or carbon strand. A big part of what you are paying for is assembly, fitting, rigging etc,. I for one don't need a boat with a surface that has the accuracy of the surface of the mirror in the Hubble telescope. I want a well designed, no slap hull that will hold up over the years. I will say I like impeccable wiring and rigging and I'm willing to pay for that.


But you and I both know it doesn't take $40k to put that skiff together and still make a decent and fair profit. I too was in the boat industry for a time and know what it takes to build those parts with a decent laminating schedule and quality components, even stepping up to good resins and materials with Kevlar reinforcements (not building the whole dang thing out of Kevlar, which is seriously redundant!)! Yes labor is getting more expensive. But the profit margins are more than what more people can imagine! So the question is.... is the quality, name, customer service, warranty, re-sale and longevity of the boat worth the extra dough they build into the price? That would be the question!


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## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

Capnredfish said:


> Not quoting anyone specific as this relates to a few other replies. Think of what you are saying. A skiff has been in design for 2 years and is completely customixable. Throw a trolling motor here or a battery or two here, or this console in middle or on the side. You get the idea. You just tossed two years of perfection out the window. Cant have a perfect skiff and make changes or add items.
> And from recent experience. Does not matter how quiet my boat approaches, when the arthritis in your knee makes that snap sound or my wife does not flip bail over by hand we might as well have been in a 90's Aquasport center console with the motor on. Still caught plenty. For the most part a boat just gets you there and keeps you from wading. Minimal hullslap is a bonus.


I don't think Islamorada BW is unique in offering substantial customization options to their customers. HB, ECC, Beavertail, Ankona, and new builders like Cayo and Skimmer all offer various layout, accessory and outboard options for their models. The "perfect skiff" is different for everyone and being able to build a boat to fit the buyers needs is important. Also, no one is saying a 50K skiff is necessary to catch fish. My current boat is worth maybe 4 on a good day (with the trailer and very new outboard) and is as noisy as they come and I catch plenty out of it. Just like with cars, you don't need a $200K+ super car to drive to work every day, but that doesn't mean you can't drool over them.  Glad y'all caught plenty. Continued tight lines.


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## jonrconner (May 20, 2015)

How much better is a $100 dollar bottle of wine than a $20 bottle?
The pricing of prestigious skiffs is analogous!
JC


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Backwater said:


> But you and I both know it doesn't take $40k to put that skiff together and still make a decent and fair profit. I too was in the boat industry for a time and know what it takes to build those parts with a decent laminating schedule and quality components, even stepping up to good resins and materials with Kevlar reinforcements (not building the whole dang thing out of Kevlar, which is seriously redundant!)! Yes labor is getting more expensive. But the profit margins are more than what more people can imagine! So the question is.... is the quality, name, customer service, warranty, re-sale and longevity of the boat worth the extra dough they build into the price? That would be the question!


No you're correct. I guess it depends on how many boats you pump out in a year. I'm guessing for the higher end boats like Chittum and Islamorada, the number isn't huge. Now take labor costs, lease cost, electricity cost, tooling costs, advertising cost, material costs, taxes, legal fees, environmental costs, a profit for yourself and money to reinvest and divide that by the number of boats you produce in a year and the number gets a little more understandable. But it's still way too high


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

These boats are a lot of like boutique watches. A cheap on works just fine, but there is something special about things that are expertly crafted. The Element isn't the style of boat that I am into so I'm kind of indifferent but I can see why it's obnoxiously expensive. Does it fish better than a $20k boat? No, of course not, but that's not the point. 

Case in point, my cheap Ankona is faster, dryer, and draws a little less water than my buddies whipray. Yet when we take his boat there is something special about it, one of those things being the trailer but that's another story. The little things make the whip make it more enjoyable, and unfortunately the little things aren't free. Does that it make better than my little Ankona? No. at least not in the sense that the whipray does things my boat cannot.

I spent more money on an old beat up submariner than I did on my boat while my friend spent a fortune on his boat but wears, in my opinion, the most god awful watch I've ever seen. I guess we all have our priorities.


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## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

jmrodandgun said:


> I spent more money on an old beat up submariner than I did on my boat while my friend spent a fortune on his boat but wears, in my opinion, the most god awful watch I've ever seen. I guess we all have our priorities.


I guess I'm just an all around cheapskate with my timex and J16


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

There are some $20 bottles of wine that are better than some $100 ones too... Louis M Martini is an excellent $18 bottle


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## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

Sublime said:


> No you're correct. I guess it depends on how many boats you pump out in a year. I'm guessing for the higher end boats like Chittum and Islamorada, the number isn't huge. Now take labor costs, lease cost, electricity cost, tooling costs, advertising cost, material costs, taxes, legal fees, environmental costs, a profit for yourself and money to reinvest and divide that by the number of boats you produce in a year and the number gets a little more understandable. But it's still way too high


In this day and age it's not just about base costs. It’s good that you mentioned advertising. Pro staff discounts and support, boat shows, owner events, tournaments, charity events, contributions to non-profits in addition to media advertising can all add up to a very significant number. In my mind, HB stands out in setting the benchmark in this area.

These costs are only likely to increase over the near term. On the subject of pro staffs with Chittum’s three boats and now the Element in play rather suddenly, I suspect the pro staff market for the top guides will tighten up and become more competitive. It goes on from there...


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

pt448 said:


> There's a few videos on the facebook page too. I believe the deadrise at the transom is 7%. I'm not sure of the exact number, but it's close to that.


Yea, the "spray rails" here don't look very deep. Looks like it's just a ledge...definitely curious to ride one.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

jsnipes said:


> Yea, the "spray rails" here don't look very deep. Looks like it's just a ledge...definitely curious to ride one.


Let us know how it rides and poles Jsnipes.


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

I am sure these 40 to 50k boats are awesome for the most part. My B2 is great but not flawless in every aspect but at 18k new I figure 10k more should cover a little better fit and finish and some other improvements for a basic skiff.


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

I ran into Tom Gordon today! Guess what he had behind his truck????

First, I must say, I was completed wrong about the bow, It DOES have a sharp entry though it widens quickly to add displacement to accommodate 2 individuals on the bow or an angler and a trolling motor (similar to a HB Guide) - this was one of the first things we discussed.



We spoke briefly about the skiff, he has some plans for a few adjustments. I'll just give the basics- he is adding to the spray rails, making them deeper by extending straight down.(I'm sure the inside will have a radius) Also, he said there was a little sliding, so he is adding small strakes to each side to curb this. He also spoke of extending the front deck 5 inches, and adding a small cutout to accommodate the ram for the hydraulic steering. Sounds like the hatches will move some as well. Tom said that the hull really gets on the pad (even with the 60hp!) 

The hull is really beautiful!! Pictures don't do it justice!




The curve on the stern is a great concept, I believe it will work out well when that small chop comes at you from behind.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Fish_specialist said:


>


Sounds like they're going to be tweaking for a while.

From the looks of it the poling platform will need to be four feet above the deck and require a ladder to climb up/down.


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

MariettaMike said:


> Sounds like they're going to be tweaking for a while.
> 
> From the looks of it the poling platform will need to be four feet above the deck and require a ladder to climb up/down.


Actually, I think they'll be in production soon. 
I work with fiberglass on a daily basis, and the changes he spoke of won't take long- keep in mind, they don't have a deck mold yet, everything you see here as a deck is just a mock up until they nail down exactly what they want. Then they will make the deck mold for production. With skilled help, I could bang out a deck mold in skinny minute...


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Fish_specialist said:


> I ran into Tom Gordon today! Guess what he had behind his truck????
> 
> First, I must say, I was completed wrong about the bow, It DOES have a sharp entry though it widens quickly to add displacement to accommodate 2 individuals on the bow or an angler and a trolling motor (similar to a HB Guide) - this was one of the first things we discussed.
> 
> ...


Nice concept skiff. Designed primarily for open water tarpon or more all purpose shallow draft/poling wave crusher? I would like to demo this skiff due to the unusual stern design.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

I like the idea of the convex stern. Could come in handy staked out in open water for tarpon.


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

I feel better now about this skiff now that the deck cap is for mock up only. Whats with that trailer bunk?


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Capnredfish said:


> I feel better now about this skiff now that the deck cap is for mock up only. Whats with that trailer bunk?


Probably just put it on a trailer they had laying around to get it from point A to point B,


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

sjrobin said:


> Nice concept skiff. Designed primarily for open water tarpon or more all purpose shallow draft/poling wave crusher? I would like to demo this skiff due to the unusual stern design.


It looks very all purpose to me. It's not an Oceanside specific boat. It does have some deadrise. I believe it is 7 degrees


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## tj14 (Sep 8, 2013)

_Tom said that the hull really gets on the pad (even with the 60hp!)_

It may be a nice skiff but can someone educate me as to where the "pad" is on this hull? I don't see that cutting a couple of grooves in a hull creates a "pad", if that's what the implication is from a marketing perspective.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

tj14 said:


> _Tom said that the hull really gets on the pad (even with the 60hp!)_
> 
> It may be a nice skiff but can someone educate me as to where the "pad" is on this hull? I don't see that cutting a couple of grooves in a hull creates a "pad", if that's what the implication is from a marketing perspective.


Its not the grooves. Its the flat keel at the stern that allows trimming the engine up with a prop that has a lot of rake to lift the bow and minimize wetted running surface area. A flat bottomed boat will just porpoise, and a vee will just dig deeper and is unstable.

When you consider a 175 pound person can barefoot water ski on size 9 feet at 35 mph you don't need a lot of area.


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## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

MariettaMike said:


> Sounds like they're going to be tweaking for a while


I agree. I thought the three grooves were a clever innovation to reduce side slip, but there is some sliding. I think they are going need to play around with the spray rails too. At some point, with too much angle to vertical they may overload and lose their effectiveness. I am wondering if they ran the boat without the rails; the cap extends well beyond the hull from what I can see...
Then again, I am more into form over function; what a stunning boat.


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## tj14 (Sep 8, 2013)

No offense, a flat area in the bottom "V" of a skiff is hardly new and certainly would not be considered a "pad" in the high performance bass boat world. A true pad is entirely different, has different performance characteristics and this boat doesn't have one in my opinion.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

tj14 said:


> No offense, a flat area in the bottom "V" of a skiff is hardly new and certainly would not be considered a "pad" in the high performance bass boat world. A true pad is entirely different, has different performance characteristics and this boat doesn't have one in my opinion.


None taken..my old Super Skiff has a flat keel, and I agree its nothing like the "pad" on a modern high performance bass boats. But try running a 60 hp on one of them. It ain't gonna fly.

Heck, even a Maverick 17 HPX-V2 barely runs on its "pad" with a 70 with two fat guys in it. You have to dumb it down to preserve draft and poling capabilities

Marquesa on pad?


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## Otter (Sep 7, 2015)

jmrodandgun said:


> These boats are a lot of like boutique watches. A cheap on works just fine, but there is something special about things that are expertly crafted. The Element isn't the style of boat that I am into so I'm kind of indifferent but I can see why it's obnoxiously expensive. Does it fish better than a $20k boat? No, of course not, but that's not the point.
> 
> Case in point, my cheap Ankona is faster, dryer, and draws a little less water than my buddies whipray. Yet when we take his boat there is something special about it, one of those things being the trailer but that's another story. The little things make the whip make it more enjoyable, and unfortunately the little things aren't free. Does that it make better than my little Ankona? No. at least not in the sense that the whipray does things my boat cannot.
> 
> I spent more money on an old beat up submariner than I did on my boat while my friend spent a fortune on his boat but wears, in my opinion, the most god awful watch I've ever seen. I guess we all have our priorities.



Just for kicks. What model Ankona do you run?


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## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

Testing with max horsepower has begun. This thing is aired out. No numbers posted yet.








Also looks like Capt. Al Keller is signed up for one. I thought he just got a new Evo?


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## East Cape (Sep 3, 2015)

pt448 said:


> Testing with max horsepower has begun. This thing is aired out. No numbers posted yet.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No he never was a customer for a EVO. We chatted and we wish him and IBW the best


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## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

East Cape said:


> No he never was a customer for a EVO. We chatted and we wish him and IBW the best


Gotcha, my mistake. The EVO is a sick sled as well, along with all the rest of skiffs y'all put out. Y'all have quite the following over here in the bayou state. Keep up the good work.


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## Shallow Hal (Jun 4, 2013)

East Cape said:


> No he never was a customer for a EVO. We chatted and we wish him and IBW the best



Very classy Kevin.


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

Research, naval architects, space age materials. Say all you want that those things drive the cost up, but the #1 thing that does this is that the market demands the price. Sure, those items help the buyer sleep at night after the 50 - 60k purchase and it makes for really cool advertising. But at the end of the day, people are buying boats at those prices, so the costs have to be justified enough in the buyers eyes. And there is a wait line for skiffs, so sellers can drive up prices due to demand.

Take a look at wakeboard boats. I had a Wakesetter back in 2001 - cost about $42k brand new. That boat today is over $120k. 15 years and it is 3 times the price? I've been in one - it isn't 3 times better. When I am on the lake and see teenage or early twenties kids in these $150k boats, I really wonder how the boat can be afforded. I also remember scraping together $1,500 cash with a buddy when I was 19 to buy a 1975 Aristrocraft to wakeboard behind. This was the early 90s and wakeboarding wasn't hot yet, but that was the best $1,500 we spent. Sold it for $1,200, even with a cracked block. My mind can't comprehend being that age and having a $150k boat, even if daddy paid (or pays over 30 years) for it.

If there was market cool off or correction you'd see more affordable versions of the same model boats we see today at high prices. Easy financing and a hot economy drive disposable spending up. When that dries up, so do the sales.

I love seeing well made skiffs and the tech, and I love that there is a great community out there for skiffs and fishing, I just don't want to see the skiff go the way of wakeboard boats.


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## Guest (Feb 5, 2016)

jmrodandgun said:


> These boats are a lot of like boutique watches. A cheap on works just fine, but there is something special about things that are expertly crafted. The Element isn't the style of boat that I am into so I'm kind of indifferent but I can see why it's obnoxiously expensive. Does it fish better than a $20k boat? No, of course not, but that's not the point.
> 
> Case in point, my cheap Ankona is faster, dryer, and draws a little less water than my buddies whipray. Yet when we take his boat there is something special about it, one of those things being the trailer but that's another story. The little things make the whip make it more enjoyable, and unfortunately the little things aren't free. Does that it make better than my little Ankona? No. at least not in the sense that the whipray does things my boat cannot.
> 
> I spent more money on an old beat up submariner than I did on my boat while my friend spent a fortune on his boat but wears, in my opinion, the most god awful watch I've ever seen. I guess we all have our priorities.


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## Boatdesigner (Dec 9, 2009)

I won't comment on the shape of the boat or the quality as I don't know anything about the builder. I will say that earlier picture of the hull with the deck off scared the crap out of me! There are no stringers or structure of any kind up forward, in the area with the highest G loading on the boat. Unless that hull has about a 1/2" thick core bonded into the laminate or there is some other part they still haven't installed, I question how long it will be before it starts tearing itself apart up there. I'd love to see their laminate calculations. I have never been able to get the numbers to work on an uncored laminate over 14"-15" wide. It always fails the flex calculations. I haven't worked with a lot of carbon or Kevlar, but that number is generally governed by the thickness of the laminate more than the strength of the material. 

As for cost, if someone is willing to pay it, who am I to complain! I can guess from my own experience what I think it costs to build that hull, but I can't guess at their overhead or tooling costs. If they build them in the Keys, that is a pretty high rent area for building boats!


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## jfboothe (Dec 19, 2012)

coconutgroves said:


> Research, naval architects, space age materials. Say all you want that those things drive the cost up, but the #1 thing that does this is that the market demands the price. Sure, those items help the buyer sleep at night after the 50 - 60k purchase and it makes for really cool advertising. But at the end of the day, people are buying boats at those prices, so the costs have to be justified enough in the buyers eyes. And there is a wait line for skiffs, so sellers can drive up prices due to demand.
> 
> Take a look at wakeboard boats. I had a Wakesetter back in 2001 - cost about $42k brand new. That boat today is over $120k. 15 years and it is 3 times the price? I've been in one - it isn't 3 times better. When I am on the lake and see teenage or early twenties kids in these $150k boats, I really wonder how the boat can be afforded. I also remember scraping together $1,500 cash with a buddy when I was 19 to buy a 1975 Aristrocraft to wakeboard behind. This was the early 90s and wakeboarding wasn't hot yet, but that was the best $1,500 we spent. Sold it for $1,200, even with a cracked block. My mind can't comprehend being that age and having a $150k boat, even if daddy paid (or pays over 30 years) for it.
> 
> ...


I know comparing a new well optioned $45,000 4x4 truck to a boat isn't appropriate for many reasons but I still have a hard time comprehending how a fiberglass skiff with an outboard cost more than the truck towing it.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

jfboothe said:


> I know comparing a new well optioned $45,000 4x4 truck to a boat isn't appropriate for many reasons but I still have a hard time comprehending how a fiberglass skiff with an outboard cost more than the truck towing it.


The same could be said for why you take your wife or girlfriend to a nice restaurant on date night...and reminds me my son once said while playing the role of King Charlemagne in Pippin *"Sometimes I wonder if the fornicating I'm getting is worth the fornicating I'm getting."*


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

I was thinking about this yesterday. It's pretty ridiculous.


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

Anyone heard / seen any updates on this? Seemed like things were moving fast but haven't seen a finished boat yet. Curious!


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## MSG (Jan 11, 2010)

I think everyone tends to under estimate the cost of doing and staying in business. Remember, you have to amortize all the R&D time as well as overhead, insurance, payroll taxes, etc into the pricing to stay in business. It adds up quick. It's not as simple as totaling up the parts cost and then marking it up a little bit. Comparing costs in a small specialty manufacturer versus a car never works, as your talking about a company worth billions of dollars that gets to spread all that amortized cost out of hundreds of thousands of units - not the same thing.


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## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

jsnipes said:


> Anyone heard / seen any updates on this? Seemed like things were moving fast but haven't seen a finished boat yet. Curious!


They're reworking the hull right now. Some tweeks to the running surface and spray rails. Testing is ongoing.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDggoWGlPti/?taken-by=islamorada_boatworks


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## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

MSG said:


> I think everyone tends to under estimate the cost of doing and staying in business. Remember, you have to amortize all the R&D time as well as overhead, insurance, payroll taxes, etc into the pricing to stay in business. It adds up quick. It's not as simple as totaling up the parts cost and then marking it up a little bit. Comparing costs in a small specialty manufacturer versus a car never works, as your talking about a company worth billions of dollars that gets to spread all that amortized cost out of hundreds of thousands of units - not the same thing.


Well put. 

Even if you double production your cost per boat will not be reduced by 50%. On the other hand if you had to hand tool and build by hand that 4X4 and only get 30 or 40 out the door per year the cost per unit would be on the far side of Ferrari.


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

jfboothe said:


> I know comparing a new well optioned $45,000 4x4 truck to a boat isn't appropriate for many reasons but I still have a hard time comprehending how a fiberglass skiff with an outboard cost more than the truck towing it.


Low volume sales and caveman era production is why. Takes too long to make them. I understand there will never be enough demand to build a modern production line. Delmonte packs more cans of green beans in a day than all skiffs built in a year combined.


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