# Chittum Skiffs Islamorada 18 Review posted.



## Neumie (Jan 13, 2009)

> anyone spot me sixty three thousand dollars?  ;D



Sure!! Do you accept checks? Of course I'll need some time to move funds around and some of my charities will take a hit.


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

Third party, post dated out of state check no doubt. ;D

On a serious note, I do want to thank everyone here for how well thy respect each other. This skiff has been discussed on other forums and to say it's gotten ugly is an understatement. 

Just wanted to say thanks!

Cheers
Capt. Jan


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

I guess the guy that has everything won't have everything until he get's one of these.  

I would however, like to see some video of a proud new owner putting it through its paces around Ozello.  ;D


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

Eric, your a hoot. 

Cheers


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## Flyline (Mar 3, 2008)

Too much for me.....


CaptnRon...it's your turn ;D


Sweet looking boat but I don't blame them for a hard work to put on this sweet NASA skiff for the price. I think that's fair.


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## brew1891 (Dec 10, 2006)

absolutely beautiful skiff.

absolutely outrageous price tag.

who knew that a new HB would be such a bargain?


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

> absolutely beautiful skiff.
> 
> absolutely outrageous price tag.
> 
> who knew that a new HB would be such a bargain?


Yes, one of my first impressions was how bloody high the price tag was. But once I saw the build process and materials it made sense. Considering that on average the materials cost twice or more traditional build techniques and takes up to three times longer. The price tag starts to make sense.


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## costefishnt (Dec 11, 2006)

> absolutely beautiful skiff.
> 
> absolutely outrageous price tag.
> 
> *who knew that a new HB would be such a bargain?*



:snotbubbles:


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## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

Nice skiff and great honest review. It's always nice to hear some facts!

Your right, the other forums did blow this one way out of proportions. Lots of hype with this boat. Looks like it lived up to most of it!


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

Looks nice! Picture #9 is dead sexy! I love the build but it does not seem to have a design different or "special" enough to justify the cost.


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

The difference is the laminate. Here is a good write up to help clarify the differences.

http://www.redrockstore.com/resin.htm

This one is a PDF but it's good.

http://www.c-cyachts.com/images/company_assets/512F1C7F-0D64-4A5E-9D91-785DC064755F/16cf4_Adv_of_Epoxy_v_Poly.pdf


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Good read Jan, and as any engineer will tell you...
If you want to be on the bleeding edge of technology, be prepared to pay.


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## TomFL (Oct 2, 2007)

Sounds like they've taken the flats boat build to the highest level, giving them justification for the price tag. 

They are obviously looking to the upper (uppist?!?!) crust for customers with that boat, and I'd bet they'll sell 'em.

-T


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## Neumie (Jan 13, 2009)

I agree with what's been said about the price, but the boat looks great. Those spray rails are massive, they should have called the boat the Hammerhead.


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

Jan, I didn't notice in the review, but is the live well free flow below the water line or at least some portion of the volume or does the water weight contribute to the draft at rest?


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## gnuraider (Nov 4, 2008)

too rich for my blood, but I'm sure the space age materials are one hell of a story at the ramp...my skiff was built by an old NASA guy too for about $60,000 less...lol 

All joking aside, great review as usual and that boat does look beautiful.


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

> at least some portion of the volume or does the water weight contribute to the draft at rest?


8.556 lbs per gallon... 30 gallon max yea it's going to contribute. 

The well is located behind in the center of the rear deck. It is plumbed and can be completely shut off and left dry. I'm guessing you asking if there was water in the live well when the draft numbers were taken?


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

Jan, I think if all the water weight is "above" the water line, then having some sense for what impact that has on the draft is a fair question. Especially, if used as a release well for a tournament where you're cherry picking fish as you pole around all day. Assuming a full well (256lbs) for maximum gamefish vitality that's the equivalent of another "above" average weight passenger. I think that's significant. If the well flowed naturally and was below the water line there would be no draft penalty. Only dead weight to get on plane, which I doubt would make a huge difference in the hole shot. Although 256lbs of additional payload is 256lbs no matter what the hull is made out of. For $64K I think they could have solved that better.

I think its fair to say this boat is targeted more so at the Range Rover crowd for sure, but I am a little disappointed at the draft for such a high end skiff. Growing up and fishing S. Fl and the keys for nearly 40 years, I appreciate where the 12 degrees of deadrise came from though. It doesn't take too many trips from Islamorada to Flamingo and back to understand that. In all fairness too, 8" is plenty skinny for 99% of any flats fishing I've done anywhere in the state too. 

But given the cost and hype, I would have expected a better draft figure. And certainly a more innovative live well system. But again, that's just me.


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

I guess I'm not quite following your questions them. :-[ Sorry. I'll see if I can get George Sawley here to better explain it. 

When you describe free flow are you talking like the hold Hewes with he free flow wells in the sponsons? No pumps.. Just perforations in the hull?


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

> The difference is the laminate. Here is a good write up to help clarify the differences.
> 
> http://www.redrockstore.com/resin.htm
> 
> ...


Capt. Jan, I understand the vast difference in epoxy vs. polyester.  My point is, is the epoxy ~$30k superior (everything else equal)? IMHO no, it is not.  But still one heck of a skiff, no doubt about it.

P.S. - Not doggin' ya Jan, I'm just a cheap sob!


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

I don't set the price...


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

> I guess I'm not quite following your questions them.  :-[ Sorry. I'll see if I can get George Sawley here to better explain it.
> 
> When you describe free flow are you talking like the hold Hewes with he free flow wells in the sponsons? No pumps.. Just perforations in the hull?


Yes, that's the idea. The well is cavity below the water line that fills naturally when opened to the outside water pressure. Since its "below" the water line there is no effect on the draft as the well can only fill to the level of the outside water pressure. Very common in deeper vee offshore fishing boats. There are a number of ways to increase the inflow/outflow via pumps, etc. Of course, the well needs to be closed off or sufficiently replenished while underway or the water runs out.  

With a very shallow draft hull then the well cavity has to increase in size to get the water volume over a deeper vee hull and maybe that amount of real-estate on a skiff this size out weighed (no pun intended ) that as a viable option. But 8" is getting close to what I would consider sufficient draft for a workable free flow well, probably not 30 gallons though unless it ran for some length along the keel near the stern or by using sponson's like you mentioned.

That said I could see "value" in a something on the order of 8-10 gallons or so that would keep a hearty supply of pinfish, shrimp or crabs alive all day without adding another 80lbs of dead weight to the boat. I'd imagine with some sort of supplemental recirculation 10 gallons would keep a couple of slots reds or snook alive all day too. 

Anyway, its a question I had. This is supposed to be an innovative skiff right? So far the primary innovation seems to some weight/strength ratio by taking a page from sailboat and offshore power boat racing construction techniques. But with an 8" draft for a flats skiff, I'm not sure they got all they wanted there. But I like I said before, there's a ride comfort aspect to that deadrise, so maybe 8" was the equilibrium on that.

Still, not trying to be a ball buster, its a neat looking skiff and I imagine the attention to detail is first rate.


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## gmckee1 (Sep 8, 2009)

The thing to remember about this skiff is that it's targeted at the mega-yacht crowd; guys like Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, or Jimmy Buffett who own 150 footers and are also hard core fly fisherman. They'll drop one or two of these on their decks without batting an eye at the price. I hope Hal sells a bunch of them. This is an awesome product made in America by a privately owned business. We should all be rooting for his success. And I'll stick with my $18,000 Beavertail.


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## River (Sep 28, 2008)

Draft is 6" I'm guessing actual will be a little lower with everything
For that much money I would think they should have concentrated on getting a sub 4" and preferably a sub 3".
Technical poling skiffs that can't get skinny enough to catch the fish don't do much good do they?


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

> Draft is 6" I'm guessing actual will be a little lower with everything
> For that much money I would think they should have concentrated on getting a sub 4" and preferably a sub 3".
> Technical poling skiffs that can't get skinny enough to catch the fish don't do much good do they?


 I got the 8" figure from Jan's cited number with some real world loading. Manufacturers never give real world figures, even for $64K.


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

There are a couple manufactures that do get true (or as close as possible) to true numbers out to the public. I believe my real world measurement is about .5" more than what they determined for the load we measured. So that's really close.


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

sorry Jan, I didn't mean to paint all manufacturers with such a broad brush, especially if there are "a couple" that get close to true. ;D


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## salt_life (Apr 7, 2009)

63,000 [smiley=smoker-bouncing.gif]


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## LoneRanger (Dec 11, 2006)

> I would however, like to see some video of a proud new owner putting it through its paces around Ozello.  ;D


now thats what i'm talkin about!


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## ko (Jun 9, 2007)

Thanks for the review! It is interesting to read about the layup technology even if the boat is $$$ and out of the price range of most of us. There are some custom builders up here in VA and MD who use epoxy only and their boats are also $$$$. I would like to see shoot out between this boat and perhaps an Egret and/or a Maverick and/or a Dragonfly 17....not that I'll ever buy any of them as they are all too big for me!  True Micros for ever!


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## franklin.howell (Aug 11, 2009)

Thought I might put my 2 cents in as I just spent the morning with Capt. Bob Branham on his new Islamorada 18 fishing Biscayne Bay. We left Crandon Park at 7:00 am and fished as far as  Sands Key and got off the water at 1:00pm. First, I was very impressed with the performance of this boat with the Honda 60 4 stroke. I thought it would be slow but that engine does a nice job and will probably be even better when Bob gets a performance prop. Second, I poled the boat several times and must say that for a boat this size it was very nimble. It actually feels like your poling a 16' Dolphin or Whipray. As far as draft goes I can only say that we went over some shoals on the flats that where too shallow for bones to cross. We were dragging but I pushed over them to some tailers that had their backs out of the water. Third, I drove the boat back to the dock and found the ride to very nice. There was a big difference in ride from sitting on the center console cooler seat to sitting on the aft cushion behind the console (the ride is always better further aft in most skiffs). Lastly, the fit and finish was superb . To sum it up in my opinion, Chittum built an exquisite boat with a price tag that reflects the high costs associated with building a skiff using these advanced methods. I think this  skiff is targeted to a niche in the market that isn't that concerned about spending an extra $10,000 or  so but wants the highest level of quality and performance. One final note, from a pure aesthetics view you would be hard pressed to find a skiff with more beautiful lines.


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## mark_gardner (Mar 18, 2009)

sweet skiff , there undoubtly will be some out there that have to have the best . kinda makes my mud minnow look like an old volkswagon


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## backwaterbandits (Dec 15, 2006)

Nice job Capt. Jan, very interesting review.
Thanks as always.


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## dpurcell (Sep 13, 2009)

> Third party, post dated out of state check no doubt.  ;D
> 
> On a serious note, I do want to thank everyone here for how well thy respect each other. This skiff has been discussed on other forums and to say it's gotten ugly is an understatement.
> 
> ...


I couldn't agree with you more Jan, I was following the thread on the "other" forum and things kinda got a little ugly to say the least. I just recently joined here and wanted to say this is a great forum group, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. 

No matter how you slice it Hal's boat is a sweet ride, venturing out of the box to make a lighter, more comfortable, and more user friendly skiff. That split chine and radiused or cambered transom are cool ideas. Granted it has a big price tag but I feel more companies will follow suit and prices will come down with skiffs of similar weights (maybe only slightly heavier), i.e. same or similar build method with epoxy resins, but less exotic cores and fibers.


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