# Aluminum Skiff



## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Looks great! Are the floors quiet when walking around?


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## BatesInTheZone (Feb 2, 2017)

I checked into those as well. Very nice boat- appear to be very well made. Pricey though- they start in the upper $20k's.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

yobata said:


> Looks great! Are the floors quiet when walking around?


Yes


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## GullsGoneWild (Dec 16, 2014)

Check out Sabineskiffs instagram account. B little is doing is own rock the dock and pulling hulls from TX to FL and has several stops along the way. This would be a good opportunity to see them in person take a ride and speak with the man himself.


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## Bluwave (Nov 3, 2014)

They need to add an entry transition... that thing would get pounded in chop. 

Here's one they've been making in SC for awhile. 
https://www.castandblastboats.com/cast-blast-17-tiller


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## 'Nano-Skiff' (Aug 27, 2012)

That's a nice one too.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Cool looking skiffs and obviously some market for them. With that said, you will never be able to build an aluminum skiff for what you can build a composite one for. So you have to ask yourself how bad do you need an indestructible skiff.


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## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

Bluwave said:


> They need to add an entry transition... that thing would get pounded in chop.


This is not in necessarily true in Texas or Louisiana for a cast and blast hull. I would much prefer the flat bottom for duck hunting in the marsh over there. It will force you to slow down when crossing big water, but that isn't what a cast and blast is designed to do. The ICW is the biggest water a cast and blast is designed to handle on a day to day basis in the ducky areas of Louisiana and Texas.

On the other hand, over here in South Carolina, the shallow areas are so high and dry during low tide that the mod-vee hull doesn't hurt you at all. If you use the shallow draft of a flat bottom to stay on the flats a "just a bit longer" once the tide is falling, you are about to be stranded.

They are simply different boats for different areas.

Nate


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## Anderson Guide Service (Feb 17, 2017)

Where I am at you are crossing (grinding) over oysters so much metal is nice. Or you could be like me a just consider it part of doing business and not let it bother you!! I am thinking about getting a skiff to add to my business. It is hard to decided which way to go.


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## Bluwave (Nov 3, 2014)

WhiteDog70810 said:


> This is not in necessarily true in Texas or Louisiana for a cast and blast hull. I would much prefer the flat bottom for duck hunting in the marsh over there. It will force you to slow down when crossing big water, but that isn't what a cast and blast is designed to do. The ICW is the biggest water a cast and blast is designed to handle on a day to day basis in the ducky areas of Louisiana and Texas.
> 
> On the other hand, over here in South Carolina, the shallow areas are so high and dry during low tide that the mod-vee hull doesn't hurt you at all. If you use the shallow draft of a flat bottom to stay on the flats a "just a bit longer" once the tide is falling, you are about to be stranded.
> 
> ...


I don't think you understand what I meant by entry transition. I wasn't talking about the dead-rise or even comparing these skiffs to one another, bc I've never been in either. To be honest, I prefer a flat bottom (on boats), but that Sabine goes from a sharp entry to flat bottom with no transitional lines to deflect/disperse water. I can feel my teeth chattering just by talking about it.

It doesn't matter where you run that boat Texas, Florida, SC... water is water, chop is chop and that's one hell of a hard edge. Just my 2 cents


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

View attachment 6506


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Backcountry 16 said:


> View attachment 6506


What does that mean? You have a duck boat? Congratulations!


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

I


Smackdaddy53 said:


> What does that mean? You have a duck boat? Congratulations!


I think the thread was aluminum poling skiffs so there's mine congratulations.


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## BatesInTheZone (Feb 2, 2017)

Nice looking boat- did you do the decking? Are the gunnels wood or aluminum?


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

BatesInTheZone said:


> Nice looking boat- did you do the decking? Are the gunnels wood or aluminum?


Aluminum it's actually came like that from bass pro shop it's a flip pallot edition Backcountry 16 hence my name on here.


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## BatesInTheZone (Feb 2, 2017)

Nice! I've looked for one of those- wish Tracker would release them again.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Backcountry 16 said:


> I
> 
> I think the thread was aluminum poling skiffs so there's mine congratulations.


I was just razzing you. I built an aluminum poling skiff a few years ago that looks similar. Pretty sweet.


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I was just razzing you. I built an aluminum poling skiff a few years ago that looks similar. Pretty sweet.





Smackdaddy53 said:


> I was just razzing you. I built an aluminum poling skiff a few years ago that looks similar. Pretty sweet.


It's all good yeah I love the boat it's a 1999 and has held up pretty good I had to replace some of the carpet but can't complain. It's really good for hauling fire wood to camp in 10000 islands when we camp there that's actually where the pics from a camping trip last year. I love 10000 islands but it was way nicer 15 years ago


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Yea


BatesInTheZone said:


> Nice! I've looked for one of those- wish Tracker would release them again.


Yes I have only ever seen two of them.


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## GullsGoneWild (Dec 16, 2014)

I had the opportunity to demo the Sabine Skiffs Versatile on Saturday. I met Brian at the CCA Golden Triangle Anglers Night Out Event and spent several hours talking skiffs. We made a plan that evening to touch base the next day so we could schedule a wet test. Our plan was to test my Caimen Lite and the Versatile side by side.

The Skiff: I didn’t write any of the specs down so I am going from memory. I hope Brian chimes in and corrects any mistakes I may have made. Sorry B! The skiff is 17.6 long and 70+” wide at the widest point across the gunnels. Its 50+” across the widest point on the bottom of the hull. There are no bottom features other than the chines and a slight rise in the bow. Zero Degree Deadrise. This skiff does not have poling strakes but it doesn’t need them. In fact the skiff glides across soft mud much easier without the strakes. It has a 50HP Tohatsu short shaft and a very aggressive Bauman prop. The cav plate sits right at the bottom of the hull or even a hair higher. I looked in all the hatches and inspected the wiring. Everything was top notch and would compare to your typical TPS builders.

Poling: We launched the skiffs about 9:30 in almost perfect conditions for a wet test. Low tides and a Northerly wind that felt like 8000MPH! We ran a short distance to beach my skiff so we could test the poling capabilities of the Versatile. Once on the flat, Brian had me stand directly in front of the PP and poled us into the wind. This was the only time there was hull slap. I’m not sure what Brian weighs but I would guess it takes over 350+ lbs in the stern to get the bow out of the water to create hull slap. Even fishing 3 guys you would have someone on the bow so I don’t think you would ever have hull slap in normal fishing conditions. We basically had to the force the skiff to hull slap which was very impressive. After the quick hull slap demo Brian and I switched it up and I poled the rest of the flat. I tried to pole down wind, cross wind and in to the wind on this flat. I spent the majority of time poling into the wind. On this flat there was a partially submerged tire. It was partially submerged in sand/mud and laying just under the surface of the water. This wasn’t a normal tire either, it looked to be an old Willis Jeep tire, you know, those skinny tires. Since we didn’t get out and measure this is where I am getting my depth references. We poled from 8” all the way into about 4” or less, past the tire. The only issue I had on the pole was in a narrow creek that was only marginally wider than the skiff. The wind was howling so as soon as I pushed off the bank the wind would push me right back. Any skiff would have the same issues. There is almost nothing you can do when the wind is blowing that hard. On the pole the skiff handles very well with minimal corrections needed to track straight into the wind. I’ll say this….. Ive been on other highly sought after skiffs that didn’t pole as well as the Versatile. I’m not sure how those skiffs were balanced but they tended to want to bow or stern walk.

Ride and Running: The shallow water take off was equally impressive in the boats ability and Brian's skill. Our shallow water take off was in about 6-8" of water. Brian commented that the holeshot wasn't the best this shallow but you could get the boat on plane. He trimmed out the engine and gave it gas and then slowly trimmed it back in and the next thing you know we were on plane and cruising off the flat towards a different marsh. During the shallow running test Brian said to me “look down”. I looked down to see that we were somewhere between 6-8” of water and getting skinnier by the second. I then turned around and looked at the prop and trim angle and about half of the prop was in the water. Looked at the wake and I didn’t see any mud but it was a quick glance. We did grind some mud coming out of one marsh where we missed the channel by accident. At ¾ Throttle to WOT the skiff slid all the way over the mud bar with no noticeable decrease in speed or a sudden jolt. This makes me think that it would be extremely difficult to hard stick the skiff. The skiff runs WOT mid 30s and does not slide in turns. The only turn where we slid was in a shallow area, after the shallow water take off test, where Brian didn’t have much skeg in the water. Heck he only had about half the prop in the water! On the way back to the ramp Brian and I switched skiffs and he ran mine while I ran the Versatile. I used this solo time to hot dog the skiff and try to make it slide in turns and jump wakes when Brian wasn’t looking. I had no issues crossing any of the wakes we encountered, even the large barge wake presented no issues. I lost my hat, for the second time that day, and spun around quickly to get the hat and didn’t notice any sliding in that sharp turn.

Conclusion: It’s a head turning, shallow drafting, bad *** skiff! I am seriously considering moving into this skiff. I was so impressed after our day together that I told Brian to give me a week or two to consider options for a quote I will be submitting. If anyone is seriously considering a technical poling skiff or flats boat this is something you should consider.

The decks are quiet and there is no squeaking. As far as getting pounded in chop and killing the kidneys. I didn't feel any of that. We ran in a North Wind that was blowing a steady 20-25MPH. There is a transition from the bow to the flat bottom, plus the reverse chines. The bow rises slightly from the flat bottom. This happens in the first 2-3 feet and then it transitions to a flat bottom.


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