# Stilt 20' Flats Boat



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Lots of talk on the web, including this bit...

http://www.texasflats.net/index.php?topic=9376.msg55845;topicseen

and these

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=stilt+microskiff.com&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&fp=cadb23fdfea72014


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

I have no first hand information.  If you get bored, you can play tennis on the front deck.  

This is probably not a novel observation to anyone else, but I just noticed that Texas flats boats have a much different look than the Florida style.  They really really like flush decks, very low freeboard, little to no cockpit, huge center consoles and huge engines.  

The Stilt looks like a nice layout for fishing.

Nate


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## Un-shore (Sep 27, 2007)

Looks tippy ;D


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## Neumie (Jan 13, 2009)

I was told two things about that particular accident. One was pilot error, plain and simple.

The other was a design error from making the tunnel too big for a narrow beam. The guy made a sharp turn, the tunnel blew out and the boat rolled. I'm not a boat designer, so I can't comment on that. Reading about the occasional gheenoe rolls on this forum tend to make this true.

It's a sweet looking boat and and his other boats are awesome.

Yeah, us Texas boys like to go fast and runny SKINNY!


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## Guest (Jun 30, 2010)

I was told this "boat design was going to send Hells Bay Back to the drawing board". : Glad no one got hurt! Could this be a reason this "innovative" tunnel design was kept in such a hush,hush way?


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## oysterbreath (Jan 13, 2009)

> I was told this "boat design was going to send Hells Bay Back to the drawing board".  : Glad no one got hurt! Could this be a reason this "innovative" tunnel design was kept in such a hush,hush way?


It sounds like hells bay ain't the company that has to go back to the drawing table...

I hope they get their design issues resolved though. Looks like a nice skiff. I was in Texas last year and talked to a few fishermen. They all commented on how fast and "wreakless"Texas boaters like to go in the shallows. They were all kayakers so there is no telling how many of their claims were inflated. I know...I kayak a lot too and boy can I inflate tales of crazy jerk boaters! lol


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

I'd hesitate before I blamed the tunnel. This a specialty hull that is a 20' 2" long by 5' 2" wide boat that weighs 490#. That is pretty darn long, light and narrow, all things considered. I bet a 35-40 horse would be about right, but I doubt many people pull of the lot without that 70 hp. It appears to have a hard chine for the aft 2/3 of the length with a strake right on the chine for about the middle 1/3. It will aid tracking, but it will be more subject to chine tripping if you scream through a corner. That is a good recipe to allow a new owner who is feeling his oats to roll his boat in a hard corner in slightly rough water.

Nate


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## Neumie (Jan 13, 2009)

> I was in Texas last year and talked to a few fishermen. They all commented on how fast and "wreakless"Texas boaters like to go in the shallows.  They were all kayakers so there is no telling how many of their claims were inflated.


All of them are inflated. I'm a kayaker in Texas too. Lots of boats, lots of yakers, and not enough water for everyone.


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

Even my previous hp estimates were a bit elevated.  I just did the math using maximum hp formula for remote steering, flat bottomed, hard chined boats with transoms less than 20" in height from the *USCG Safety Standards for Backyard Boat Builders*.  I estimated the transom width at 4' since the widest point seems to be well forward and I didn't count the elevated motor mount in the transom height because it has no positive effect on stability, buoyancy or freeboard.  

You get your base factor by multiplying the length in feet by the transom width in feet.

20.17' x 4' = 80.68

80.68 is our factor.

Formula for flat-bottomed, hard chine outboard boats that either do not have remote steering or that have a transom height of less than 20 inches (i.e. 19
inches) with a factor of 52 or higher

(80.68 x .5) - 15 = 25.34

Round up to next multiple of 5 which equals 30.

If I built a boat to similar specs at home, the Coast Guard recommends a 30 hp engine.  I am sure that commercial boat builders use a more complex formula that takes the tunnel and weight into consideration, but even so it makes me think this boat would be "exciting" with a 70 hp and you'd have to be careful.

Nate


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## natasha1 (Jul 27, 2009)

> They all commented on how fast and "wreakless"Texas boaters like to go in the shallows.


Yes. This is a big problem where I fish/guide outside of Houston. These idiots run full throttle up to where they are fishing on the flats, stop, go up to the bow, make a few casts and then run to the next area. This has resulted in the spookiest redfish I have ever seen. Last weekend I had 2 of these idiots burn the water I was fishing and one boat ran down the shore about 20 yards away from me as I am poling.


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## natasha1 (Jul 27, 2009)

Oh and to be a productive member of the thread, The stilt is a beautiful skiff. I believe they price out at about $40k. I spoke to the owner and he can build tiller models.


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## TomFL (Oct 2, 2007)

> > They all commented on how fast and "wreakless"Texas boaters like to go in the shallows.
> 
> 
> Yes. This is a big problem where I fish/guide outside of Houston.  These idiots run full throttle up to where they are fishing on the flats, stop, go up to the bow, make a few casts and then run to the next area. This has resulted in the spookiest redfish I have ever seen.  Last weekend I had 2 of these idiots burn the water I was fishing and one boat ran down the shore about 20 yards away from me as I am poling.


You've obviously never fished SE Florida.... 

-T


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## natasha1 (Jul 27, 2009)

> You've obviously never fished SE Florida


Not for reds....


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## commtrd (Aug 1, 2015)

WhiteDog70810 said:


> I have no first hand information. If you get bored, you can play tennis on the front deck.
> 
> This is probably not a novel observation to anyone else, but I just noticed that Texas flats boats have a much different look than the Florida style. They really really like flush decks, very low freeboard, little to no cockpit, huge center consoles and huge engines.
> 
> ...


Yep the predominant favored style nowadays is 20 to 25 foot cats with at least a 250 but preferably a 300 hp outboard. They have elevated center consoles so they can burn the flats and look for fish from way up there. Then stop and get out and wade. The hull shapes are inherently very noisy. OR the other guys like full-on speed boats with up to a 400 on the stern that will run at or near 100+ mph. And almost all of these idiots believe in filling the box every single time out. Welcome to Texas...


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## commtrd (Aug 1, 2015)

TheBrazilNut said:


> I was told this "boat design was going to send Hells Bay Back to the drawing board". : Glad no one got hurt! Could this be a reason this "innovative" tunnel design was kept in such a hush,hush way?


Uhm yeah... Right. I have a pretty good idea Hell's Bay has absolutely nothing to worry about.


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## Pudldux (Mar 3, 2016)

I have fished on a stilt many times. Like any boat it has +\-. It's draft is 5" with two people and gear,not much more adding a third person. It poles effortlessly and tracks perfect. Gets up very shallow. Extremely quiet approach to fish. It is a bit wobbly from side to side though when fishing very weight sensitive. Not comfortable to ride in because it's so low. You can get raised rear seating though. Rod holders are a pain in the ass to access. They handle ok in chop. Slow down on sharp turns or it will slide like most tunnels.


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

You can get a non tunnel version. There is no design flaw that caused the incident mentioned above. I heard the tabs were part of the issue and it was driver error.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

commtrd said:


> Yep the predominant favored style nowadays is 20 to 25 foot cats with at least a 250 but preferably a 300 hp outboard. They have elevated center consoles so they can burn the flats and look for fish from way up there. Then stop and get out and wade. The hull shapes are inherently very noisy. OR the other guys like full-on speed boats with up to a 400 on the stern that will run at or near 100+ mph. And almost all of these idiots believe in filling the box every single time out. Welcome to Texas...


Don't make these guys think we are all like that! Yeah there are lots of those fools on the water now though.


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## commtrd (Aug 1, 2015)

The Stilt is a real nice looking boat. Not sure how they are built. It would be great to see some TX manufacturers build a really fine TPS adhering to Florida manufacturer build standards. Competition in the marketplace is a very good thing.


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