# Skiff Challenge



## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

Just saw that the 2020 Challenge is scheduled, presently with 7 entries. Let the smack rhetoric commence.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Eh, I think we beat it to death pretty good the last few years.

Highlights:
- it has very little to do with the environment 
- it serves as a big advertisement for the builders
- they won't tell you exactly what the expenses are, or how the money goes to, well, anything
- teams are hand picked so it's a closed race, despite more willing to join in
- chittum guys will talk smack
- they all cheat by blasting through the NMZ's
- the trackers they use don't work half the time, and the other half the site goes down
..........

What did I miss guys?


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

This year's race will see all teams stopping in the marquesas for three weeks to avoid dying from the corona virus which will destroy civilization.


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## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

firecat1981 said:


> chittum guys will talk smac


No Chittum as of yet


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## Copahee Hound (Dec 21, 2017)

What a joke and correct me if I'm wrong... 

But last I heard, it's near impossible to get a Cayo,,, skiff. Took my neighbor almost a year to get his 180. And they've been really busy developing their offshore cat, but they have time to speed around the coast of Florida?

Key West and Sea Pro don't really market their boats as skiffs, but more as entry level bay boats. I've been on both and haven't seen someone pole one around here.

I don't know anything about Canyon Bay or Angler Pro, but they look nice.

Yellowfin and Hells Bay... We all know where that rabbit hole leads to!

And like FC said, how much money gets donated? And how much goes to FL water quality and not a new office for an organization?

Can't wait to see who wins because I will definitely be putting my deposit down on the winning overpriced boat, um skiff! Did I offend everyone yet? If so, what did I win?


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## Guest (Jan 29, 2020)

I still think we should do a home builders version! A true microskiff Florida challenge!


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## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

firecat1981 said:


> Eh, I think we beat it to death pretty good the last few years.
> 
> Highlights:
> - it has very little to do with the environment
> ...


Panga will break around Bradenton.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

firecat1981 said:


> - they all cheat by blasting through the NMZ's


What is the over / under on the number of NMZ infractions this year?


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Ok, so even if chittum doesn't enter they will still talk smack.

Now I know we like our polling skiffs here, but a "skiff" is just a small light boat that requires little power. They aren't necessarily made for skinny waters. We in florida just automatically associate then that way. That said, we can predict the winner will be one of the 2 main teams listed above.

I wish panga could hang in longer.

BB I tried to enter years ago when I was feeling froggy. Now I just want to fish, lol.

Betting on NMZ's? Well if you'll be the bookie and set up the odds...... but it's a sure bet they all do it again.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

I’m running for Maverick with the motor jacked all the way up the whole time.


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## jlindsley (Nov 24, 2015)

1.Regardless of whether or not you like it there will be a thread 10 plus pages about it with everyone following
2.Technically you could race in it just not as a “valid” entry. Imo this team would get a lot of advertising even if not “officially” in it.

To point number 2 I would love to see a microskiff team put something together for this. Cost split and organization it really wouldn’t be too expensive. (Assuming not “officially” entered.). Guess it comes down to who wants to put 30 plus hours on their skiff


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## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

jlindsley said:


> To point number 2 I would love to see a microskiff team put something together for this.


Kinda like a "stock" division. Would be interesting to see the thread on that one.


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## jonterr (Mar 24, 2013)

eightwt said:


> Just saw that the 2020 Challenge is scheduled, presently with 7 entries. Let the smack rhetoric commence.


Oh hell
Has it already been a year???


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2020)

I have to admit, it is fun watchin’ others get their butts kicked out there in a skiff!


From the warm, dry comfort of my recliner!


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

If I put 30 hours on my boat I’m going to be fishing.


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## Copahee Hound (Dec 21, 2017)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> If I put 30 hours on my boat I’m going to be fishing.


Amen!


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Between the 5k entry fee, and associated costs, I'm sure each team is out at least 10-15k by the end of it all.


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## WylanB (Jan 14, 2020)

Can anyone help fill in the blanks on past winners? I believe this all started back in 2015? Were HB and YF the original 2 participants? Someone help with history.

Winners:
2015 - ?
2016 - ?
2017 - Hell’s Bay
2018 - Hell’s Bay
2019 - Yellowfin

I know theres a lot of hate from this event. I think its a lot of fun to follow along and a great challenge for the competitors!


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Boatbrains said:


> I still think we should do a home builders version! A true microskiff Florida challenge!


They used to have one of those in Atlanta.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

WylanB said:


> Can anyone help fill in the blanks on past winners? I believe this all started back in 2015? Were HB and YF the original 2 participants? Someone help with history.
> 
> Winners:
> 2015 - ?
> ...


The first few "events" were not races if I remember. They were simply single boat challenges on much shorter routes. I think it started in '14 or '15 with yellowfin.

And yes we all bash it, while enjoying watching it. It's akin to watching and major sport these days, while bitching about players attitude and them being crybabies....


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## dranrab (Oct 9, 2016)

I am fascinated by how polarizing this event can be. People sure can get worked up over it. Hell, I think it's fun.


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## ZaneD (Feb 28, 2017)

I think its pretty interesting. I believe that it's over hyped from a charity/environmental perspective, but it seems like it would be challenging and a heck of a lot of fun.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

dranrab said:


> I am fascinated by how polarizing this event can be. People sure can get worked up over it. Hell, I think it's fun.


Don't get most of us wrong, we all obviously think the concept is pretty cool. Our gripes are the touting of environmental benefits or charity, how it's organized, and the limited allowed entry.


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## scott nathanson (Jun 7, 2019)

Boatbrains said:


> I still think we should do a home builders version! A true microskiff Florida challenge!


Yes with a 25hp max


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

scott nathanson said:


> Yes with a 25hp max


That would eliminate most of us homebuilders then. Think a lot of us are looking at 40-70hp these days.


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2020)

Yeah, doesn’t have to be race or muscle flexing contest. We could throw some fishing in the mix. Something like... you can’t move on to the next location until you cpr a certain species and/or size of species. We can come up with our own thing fellas. I’m sure we could get a few sponsors in the name if charity!


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## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

Boatbrains said:


> I still think we should do a home builders version! A true microskiff Florida challenge!


I'd volunteer for the pit crew. Go team Excaliber.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

firecat1981 said:


> Think a lot of us are looking at 40-70hp these days.












Pffff! *MACRO*-skiffer


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Boatbrains said:


> Yeah, doesn’t have to be race or muscle flexing contest. We could throw some fishing in the mix. Something like... you can’t move on to the next location until you cpr a certain species and/or size of species. We can come up with our own thing fellas. I’m sure we could get a few sponsors in the name if charity!


So I'm never leaving the first spot, unless we are catching catfish.


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

firecat1981 said:


> So I'm never leaving the first spot, unless we are catching catfish.


Haha yeah I've spent an entire week in new places and couldn't catch certain target species even on bait, so we'd need a time cap 

However something like a one mile poling-only section would be interesting.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

bryson said:


> Haha yeah I've spent an entire week in new places and couldn't catch certain target species even on bait, so we'd need a time cap
> 
> However something like a one mile poling-only section would be interesting.


Not for us that don't pole. Make it a pole or troll area and I'll bite. Like I stated before, the term skiff, even microskiff, doesn't mean a shallow water boat, just a small one.


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2020)

firecat1981 said:


> So I'm never leaving the first spot, unless we are catching catfish.


We can put catfish in the mix, just for you and @SomaliPirate lol! We’ll handicap SP with a “no flip flop” clause though!


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

Boatbrains said:


> We can put catfish in the mix, just for you and @SomaliPirate lol! We’ll handicap SP with a “no flip flop” clause though!


I need my flip flop. I need it, man.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

I saw Hell's Bay's ALL CARBON Biscayne yesterday and it is bad ass.


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## jlindsley (Nov 24, 2015)

Shadowcast16 said:


> S.
> 3. Angler Pro never heard of them and they will probably fold before this challenge happens.
> 
> This challenge is a joke! I thought you had to sell x number of hulls before you could enter!


Angler Pro is the company that acquired the molds for Angler Boats which was in business in south florida I think from the 80s-2012 or so. Same look/mold but with Pro next to it


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## kamakuras (Feb 23, 2012)

Micro Challenge Matheson Hammock to Marco Island.


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## Charles Hadley (Jan 20, 2019)

How bout anyone can enter and it's a real skiff challenge, how shallow can your shit get on plane and pole ,get walked by bay boat with ladder on front and not fall off poling platform after 3 beers pole while smoking whole cigar and not ashing till you hit the label ,20 yard beer toss boat to boat ,removing a hook from someone's neck while being ate alive by gnats,casting platform rodeo in 2 foot inlet chop,mud flat sprints on foot,and trailer loading in 3 knot current and 15 mph wind.Who the fuck cares if you run around the outside of our coast,seriously how many people really do this on your skiff,bet to say probably the only ones trying to sell skiffs in the bay boat market ,but fuck what do I know right?


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

As I said previously it's a skiff challenge. It's not a polling skiff challenge, and the majority of buyers of skiffs will never pole them. If they did all the typical stuff we do everyday it would be a boring comparison, not a challenge.
I have no issue with the restrictions, they are the same as our Microskiff.com rules, but the way the pick and choose participants is total BS. It should be open to anyone wanting to put a team together. Maybe then the entry fee would be cheaper?


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## Charles Hadley (Jan 20, 2019)

Ok so


firecat1981 said:


> As I said previously it's a skiff challenge. It's not a polling skiff challenge, and the majority of buyers of skiffs will never pole them. If they did all the typical stuff we do everyday it would be a boring comparison, not a challenge.
> I have no issue with the restrictions, they are the same as our Microskiff.com rules, but the way the pick and choose participants is total BS. It should be open to anyone wanting to put a team together. Maybe then the entry fee would be cheaper?


ok so we can take the poling aspect away


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## flysalt060 (Aug 5, 2012)

MariettaMike said:


> They used to have one of those in Atlanta.yea, now we just row, catch stripers,talk to drunk,future strippers in float tubes and drink beer. Oh and the spandex hatch on jogging trail can be good.


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

I like some of the stuff on @Charles Hadley list! like a buoy you tie up to then you have to cast into another container on a buoy like 70 ft into the wind. Like 3 stretches 5 miles Long you have to catch any species before continuing. I think the skiff shoot to is kind of lame that only the main manufacture guys can do it, but its still cool.


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## Charles Hadley (Jan 20, 2019)

Drifter said:


> I like some of the stuff on @Charles Hadley list! like a buoy you tie up to then you have to cast into another container on a buoy like 70 ft into the wind. Like 3 stretches 5 miles Long you have to catch any species before continuing. I think the skiff shoot to is kind of lame that only the main manufacture guys can do it, but its still cool.


Don't get me wrong it takes balls to skiff challenge and its impressive, just trying to mix up real world


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## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

How beat is this dead horse?


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## Charles Hadley (Jan 20, 2019)

Well


Godzuki86 said:


> How beat is this dead horse?


 Start us an interesting thread then,and please not a chonchfish thread


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## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

Charles Hadley said:


> Well
> 
> Start us an interesting thread then,and please not a chonchfish thread


I did. Years ago. It’s called “what did you catch today”.


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## Charles Hadley (Jan 20, 2019)

We all know what Snook,redfish trout look like,where they swim and what they eat. Besides if I don't want to to read about something I don't open thread,this one is not click bait


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## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

Charles Hadley said:


> We all know what Snook,redfish trout look like,where they swim and what they eat. Besides if I don't want to to read about something I don't open thread,this one is not click bait


cool.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

eightwt said:


> Just saw that the 2020 Challenge is scheduled, presently with 7 entries. Let the smack rhetoric commence.


Looks like there's only six teams now. Who backed out?

https://captainsforcleanwater.org/skiff-challenge/sponsor-team/


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I see 6, but I can see them postponing it until later. Hard to have media coverage for something like this when everyone is tunnel visioned right now.


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## makin moves (Mar 20, 2010)

firecat1981 said:


> I see 6, but I can see them postponing it until later. Hard to have media coverage for something like this when everyone is tunnel visioned right now.


Or it could be a big deal because no other sports are happening. Only thing to watch.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I'd like to be optimistic, but it barely got coverage before, and never mainstream enough where it needs to be. But it is an event that can be done anytime except if a hurricane is looming, so who knows.


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## Copahee Hound (Dec 21, 2017)

MariettaMike said:


> Looks like there's only six teams now. Who backed out?
> 
> https://captainsforcleanwater.org/skiff-challenge/sponsor-team/


Canyon Bay


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## WylanB (Jan 14, 2020)

Just saw on instagram that YF is testing their Skiff Challenge boat with the new Merc 60R. I wonder if HB will stick with the 70? If so, that could make things interesting.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

WylanB said:


> Just saw on instagram that YF is testing their Skiff Challenge boat with the new Merc 60R. I wonder if HB will stick with the 70? If so, that could make things interesting.


HB is testing their new ALL CARBON Biscayne with a 70, but it's NOT a Yamaha.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Oh my, is the yammi love affair finally over?


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## WylanB (Jan 14, 2020)

MariettaMike said:


> HB is testing their new ALL CARBON Biscayne with a 70, but it's NOT a Yamaha.


Well are you gunna tell us what it is or keep us all guessing??? Lol


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

id put some money in there if Beavertail had a ride! where are they at? too busy building boats?


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## Copahee Hound (Dec 21, 2017)

Drifter said:


> id put some money in there if Beavertail had a ride! where are they at? too busy building boats?


exactly the point. Builders with actual deadlines to customers that were promised a build date and priced less than 60 grand are too busy satisfying customers over paying 2 guys to race around Florida plus 2 guys in a chase truck. Same reason reason some builders don’t spend $ to have a booth at the Miami boat show. Sometimes the juice isn’t worth the squeeze


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

Copahee Hound said:


> exactly the point. Builders with actual deadlines to customers that were promised a build date and priced less than 60 grand are too busy satisfying customers over paying 2 guys to race around Florida plus 2 guys in a chase truck. Same reason reason some builders don’t spend $ to have a booth at the Miami boat show. Sometimes the juice isn’t worth the squeeze


dude id pay them to let me drive that boat and my wife could drive the chase car. Just need a teammate who's in.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

SomaliPirate said:


> This year's race will see all teams stopping in the marquesas for three weeks to avoid dying from the corona virus which will destroy civilization.


Man, this post is aging well.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Well it's official. Outside of our own entertainment to it's very limited audience, the challenge is pretty pointless without media involvement.


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## shb (Oct 29, 2013)

They should combine it with a Rifle Challenge



https://www.riflesonly.com/assassin-s-way


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

Looks like this years event has been postponed due to the uncertainty around the coronavirus.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Gee, who woulda thunk it?


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

They could compete with mask and gloves and the non-driver must be 6’...,


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

The boat wasn't the issue, it was the chase team. They would be trying to travel through areas that have curfews established, and half the ramps they plotted out as stopping points are now shut down. They should have pulled the plug once they cancelled the media.


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## bcblues (Apr 10, 2018)

firecat1981 said:


> The boat wasn't the issue, it was the chase team. They would be trying to travel through areas that have curfews established, and half the ramps they plotted out as stopping points are now shut down. They should have pulled the plug once they cancelled the media.


Well, now. That might be an interesting twist.....


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

I'm sure there are a few manatees sighing some relief as they won't be run over in the no wake zones they blast thru.


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## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

Would rather be reading banter about the challenge and the winners worthiness than the virus.


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## Stevie (Jun 27, 2017)

MariettaMike said:


> HB is testing their new ALL CARBON Biscayne with a 70, but it's NOT a Yamaha.


Which 70 was it?


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Stevie said:


> Which 70 was it?


ZUKE


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## Stevie (Jun 27, 2017)

MariettaMike said:


> ZUKE


At 82 lbs more than the Yamaha, seems to negate the benefits of all carbon. Any idea what HB's thinking was?


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Stevie said:


> At 82 lbs more than the Yamaha, seems to negate the benefits of all carbon. Any idea what HB's thinking was?


It’s faster.


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