# New Towee rivermaster 16



## LWalker (Aug 20, 2013)

I like it. Keep it clean and simple and you will like it more...my opinion anyway. Go fishing a few times and then decide what you "need". I would "need" a platform and a pole, but no trolling motor. It really depends on your style of fishing.


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## Shalla Wata Rider (Aug 14, 2013)

Cool lookin' rig .Looks like it would be a good duck boat! Keep us posted on how it performs and stability .what HP is the zuk?


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## jwarren (Aug 23, 2013)

great looking rig. Do you trout fish? Where did you get your Suzuki DF20? l


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## Thomas.PI (Oct 3, 2012)

Nice, very very nice! Congratulations and I'm really interested in hearing how it runs out. [smiley=cool2.gif]


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## Edfish (Jan 4, 2013)

It's a 20 Suzuki, I bought it through Newoutboards.com, which, to the best of my knowledge is run by a guy named Steve who was very helpful with questions I had before and after purchase. 
http://www.newoutboards.com/Suzuki-20-hp-outboard.html

I fish a little for spotted sea trout, but they are more bycatch when I'm targeting reds. I may fish the boat a bit in freshwater for Suwannee bass or largemouths. I haven't duck hunted since moving to FL, but I bought the boat hoping it would function well for fishing or hunting just about anywhere else I moved (in school still).


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## TC (Feb 15, 2011)

Cool simple skiff, man!


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## Rooster (Mar 13, 2011)

Ed, this is Atlanta (Tom). I love it and hope that you have as great a time in yours that I have had in mine for the last 3 seasons. Let me know how you equip and e-mail me if you have any questions!


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## Gsoloway (May 15, 2012)

Nice rig Edfish! I like simple is better. I expect my Towee to be ready mid to late October. I ordered the same boat, same color, but opted for the bow storage area. I need to check out the Suzuki motors. Thanks for the link.


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## airbornemike (Oct 2, 2013)

Edfish have you taken it out yet? I just ordered a Calusa from Todd and was looking for reviews. I'm looking to power it and that Suzuki is at the top of the list, I'd love to know what kind of top end you get with it.

BTW great looking rig hope your enjoying it.


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## davefishing (Dec 16, 2011)

Very nice Edfish, best of luck. Seen one up here in Ga on lake Allatoona. Great simple boat. Love the color.


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## Edfish (Jan 4, 2013)

So I've had this boat for a couple months now and got it out a bit, and feel a little more able to comment on how it handles.  I haven't done much to it.  I added an I-pilot 55, put hydroturf down, and added a "grab-bar" of sorts that shallow water solutions/anytide fabricated for me.  The short story is I like it a lot, for more details, read below pics.

View of bow:


view of stern (uhhh ignore garage mess):


View of grab bar:


Skiff running in windy, short chop:


Skiff with fish!





Fish!  Not in the skiff though, too big and ugly (poor pic, it's a ~30lb black drum).





So far, I'm happy with how the skiff performs.  It appears to do most things I thought it would do.  I've had it in some 1.5'+ chop in the exposed gulf, and it takes it fine, and has been generally dry into or with the wind.  It will float in <4" with one person, depending on how you distribute weight.  Draft with 2 people is more, but it's hard for me to get a good measurement.  My set up cavitates a little at WOT, probably because its has quite a bit of weight up front with TM +battery, and little weight in the back. I'm not sure what I'll do about that (reprop, whaletale, etc.).  For now I just slow down a little whenever it occurs (pretty effective).  That balance that creates the problem though, is awesome for getting on plane, since there is very little bow-rise at all, and this is sweet in the oystery bottoms around here.  The boat is plenty stable enough for me.  I usually stand on that cooler (rate for 250 lbs and only $40 at wal-mart!), sometimes I'll stand on the bow or the seat.  I haven't recorded a precise measurement of mpg, but even on a 15-20 mile days, I'm using well less than 2 gallons.  Overall, the boat get where I want to be, through chop and shallow water and narrow creeks, and does it for a low capital and very low operating cost.    

Other things...I think the hull is pretty quiet, but I don't have the ear for that that others might, fish are a little less spooky in the big bend.  I don't know how to pole for crap, so I can't speak to those habits of the skiff.  I can control it from the front with a stand-up paddle board paddle, which I think is fun.  The trolling motor hauls it around just fine--I really think the remote control is important in this boat, because the bow is pretty far forward of where I stand.  I wasn't sure I'd use the grab bar--I do all the time.  I think the hydro-turf is great so far.  I went with this over seadek due to cost, and I like the camo patterns for hiding dirt and hunting options (maybe seadek has that now?)  I use a pvc tiller extension because I haven't ordered a real one yet.  I would like to add a "guide box" forward of the rear bench for more storage, but I haven't figured out how to get this yet (custom built from ankona or customgheenoe or DIY).  I wish the manufacturer had done a couple small things different (the front cockpit has small depression that collect water, this could easily be glassed over to make a flatter floor), but in general, I'm pretty happy.  If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask.


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## tj14 (Sep 8, 2013)

Thanks for the info! I'm looking to getting a skiff first of '14 and have looked at the Towee's. Is the interior finish just gelcoat with maybe a webbing? Before the hydroturf..


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## jimsmicro (Oct 29, 2013)

I think I've seen you at Waccasassa before. Cool skiff. I have a white Gheenoe Classic and fish Wac a lot as well as local rivers and lakes.


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## NoeSmyrnaBch (Aug 19, 2013)

Nice setup! Been looking at the hydroturf for my build since SeaDeck is so out to lunch on pricing.


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## Edfish (Jan 4, 2013)

Hey Jim,
Yeah, I remember seeing you out there. Nice to put a name with a skiff. I sent you a PM


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## Rooster (Mar 13, 2011)

Hi Edfish - this is Rooster in ATL. We talked a bit about my Rivermaster that was for sale. I just sold it this weekend and am going to order a Calusa from Todd next week. I'm also thinking about getting an Ipilot like your & sounds like you like that a lot? Anything different that you would have done or would add to that? I was thinking about getting the wireless footpedal - wonder if that works well... I am looking at a 20 HP Yamaha, and have just started looking at a Suzuki like yours. Had a 15 electric start Honda last time and, although I came to like the electric start, it adds some weight to the motor and then quite a bit back there for the battery - plus taking up space. Do you mind "pulling" vs. pushing a button? A little concerned that you are getting cavitation at WOT. Are you saying that you can't top end cause it breaks free?


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## Edfish (Jan 4, 2013)

Hey Rooster,
I saw that you sold your skiff--seems like it went pretty well, congrats. Here's my opinion on what you mentioned:
-TM: I really think the remote control is nice in this skiff. The ability to control it without being right next to the TM is, for me, critical, because of where I like to stand. The i-pilot "auto-correct" with steering means less adjustments for me, and the spot-lock is pretty useful. Also I like the ST mount much more than the SP. For how I fish, the TM is used constantly, and it was worth it to me to spend the extra money to get what I think works best. I don't have the foot pedal, but have heard good things from a guide who fly fishes solo a bit, and will probably pick it up soon. The fob is a little inconvenient for fine scale operation around oysters when using spinnerbaits and other things that one doesn't want to stop a retrieve for. 
Outboard:
I like the suzuki, but have no comparison in performance. I really like the front-adjustable tilt lock, the pull-start doesn't bother me a bit, and lifting the motor into shallow water drive is sufficient. Regarding the potential cavitation, I haven't tested enough to provide too much info--I know I'm light in the transom, with no batter, a 3 gallon gas tank, and I weight ~165, and with the TM + battery + cooler up front, there very little of the hull is submerged on plane (it looks like none from where I stand..obviously there is some). Like I said, I could probably address this issue in any number of ways, I just haven't yet because it has such a minimal impact on my fishing. 
Anything I would do different...
I would like more storage, and I think it would be worth seeing if Towee could customize 2 things: 
1. Have an option for a ~12-15" wide, width-of-boat, top-opening box built behind or in front of that rear bench (and integrated into it for a flat surface). This would accommodate storing larger items and give more room for standing in the back. I guess if one finished the rear-deck hatch, that might work well. 
2. Glass the front cockpit completely flat--mine has small "depressions" on the side where water collects. 
Other things...I put a $4 cargo net from harbor freight under the bow cap for life jacket storage, and used heavy duty velcro to keep TM batter box in place and not bouncing underneath that. It's worked so far and allows easy removal of anything, for very little money. 

That's it. For me, the tough part of the Calusa or adding extras to the rivermaster (hatches, full front deck, etc.) was that the price creeps up to relatively close to the Ankona SUV 17, which has a lot of storage in its $6k hull.


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## Bamajo (Apr 11, 2013)

I like your towee setup. I just got a rivermaster this week. What length shaft trolling motor is that?


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## Edfish (Jan 4, 2013)

Trolling motor shaft is 52"

Update: So I wound up having trouble with the Suzuki--it turns out the harness "fell part", causing me to be stranded. It took a while to diagnose, and then to fix (2 months off the water!). Suzuki was great about not charging me, but time is valuable too, and that was a lot of down time. Also, in my previous posts I said I thought I was having some cavitation. I was wrong, that was me hitting the rev limiter and not being intelligent enough to realize it. So, I replaced with 10 pitch prop with an 11, and this is no longer an issue. Top end speed is 27 mph, solo or with another person. If I back off throttle till the RPM's drop, I go 25. More importantly, the boat gets on plane almost instantly with very little bow rise, and stays on plane at low speeds. 
I've taken the boat out in a bit of chop recently, and it's been great. A little spray in the rear, but that was with 20kt crosswinds so no complaints. Bow stayed dry in that though, which was nice for my passenger and for the gear. They make a poling platform now, kinda wish they did when I ordered mine.


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## Agm984 (Oct 30, 2015)

How's the Calusa going a few years into it? I'd really like an update on how it's held up and any other changes you've done to it. Thanks.


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## RSC (Sep 28, 2016)

Edfish said:


> Just got this boat delivered last week, I haven't taken it out yet (shame on me). Here is some quick background and a couple pictures of the skiff as it was delivered (Trailer not delivered, I already had that). I'll update this thread as make any modifications (I will add a TM asap) I make and hopefully soon, actual impressions from on the water.
> 
> Why I bought it: To fish shallow water inshore, mostly in big bend FL, occasionally crossing rough (12-18" chop) waters. I wanted a inexpensive, light boat that I could target backwaters that are too far for my kayak, or require crossing exposed water. I specifically wanted the simplest system I thought was fishable, i.e. I valued simplicity and light weight and low cost more than convenience (e.g., manual tilt motor ~97lbs, removable storage instead of hatches, etc.). All that said, I now find myself wanting to add every sweet skiff-accessory I see to it. I'll try to resist that temptation, because I think this small boat is coolest (to me) kept simple, light, and mostly open.
> 
> ...


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