# building as skiff vs buying one.



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I'm building mine obviously, but if I were you and just getting into micros I would buy one. tons of good deals out there and you can pick up a full rig for a few grand. Buy one first and see how you use it and like it, then if you want to build one you will know how you want to change it to fit your needs. 
Plus insurance is harder to get on a homemade boat, and usually has offshore restrictions on boats under 17ft. And if you build it and don't like it you really can't sell it for fear of liability, so you may end up cutting it up


----------



## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

If you like to fish more than putter in your garage, buy the best ready-to-fish hull you can afford.

If you still want to keep your near shore rig, get a cheap used hull and set it up the way you like it over time. In this case you still have to buy a rig that is solid enough to fish immediately.

If you don't want to keep the near shore rig, sell it and buy a better shallow water rig that is ready to go.

If you have a creative bone, feel free to build/renovate. Never build from scratch or renovate a classic for economic reasons. There are none. You can almost always find a ready-to-fish hull which will cost you less money over the long run than a build/renovation . You have to love the building process. Plan on missing out on some fishing in the mean time. You need those weekends you would otherwise spend fishing to get the dang thing finished instead of having an eternal project sitting in your garage.

Nate


----------



## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

If your looking for a good inshore and a shallow water diving boat for a good price, Your going to need space in the boat. My opinion, I would look on Craigs list, find a carolina skiff 17 ft with a 60 yamaha or something like that. It's durable, will float shallow, you can store all the gear in it, you can pull it with a small truck, you can't beat it. Some people don't like them but I owned 1 and loved every minuet I had it. If you want, you can add a front deck to it if there is not one available.

Advantages,
1, Lots of room
2, Can and will go off shore for your diving outings.
3, You can pull it with a small truck. It's light.
4, Your family can go on excursions (versitable)
There are a bunch of things you can do, these boats have carried airplanes, cars, and other things, Safety is the best part I liked about it.

Drawbacks,
1. The boat will beat you to death if you run WOT in large waves, BUT it won't sink.
2. You will get wet sometimes, if your boating you should expect that with any boat you get or don't buy a boat.
3. The trailer if not set up correctly can give you trouble loading. (That's with every boat but with this one you can hand load it so that's not to much of an issue.

I built a deck from the edge of the front deck to the console and it was great.

Others will have different opinions but here is mine. CS 17 ft with a 60 yamaha you cant beat, 6 to 8 inch draft.


----------



## Baily (Mar 29, 2010)

> Never build from scratch or renovate a classic for economic reasons


 :-?


----------



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

> Never build from scratch or renovate a classic for economic reasons


I'd say that is partially true. I couldn't find what I liked before so I built it. Now I can't afford the hull I would like so I am building one instead for much less. Building the first time is pricey until you get all the techniques down. Like I said I would buy a cheap rig for now, then if you want later you can build a boat. If I could go back I would have started with a kayak and then built a boat.


----------



## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

buy a used hull shine/fix her up and put new power on it-----don't worry and be happy [smiley=1-beer.gif]


----------



## Frank_Sebastian (Oct 15, 2007)

With all of the used boats out there you can find one you like with boat, motor and trailer and customize the hull with help from the forum members here.

I recently bought a rig just for the trailer. They are that low priced.

Frank_S


----------



## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

> buy a used hull shine/fix her up and put new power on it-----don't worry and be happy [smiley=1-beer.gif]


I agree as well, Make your decision on what you want out of a boat that will support your needs. Find something you can work with and fish, dive, and have fun doing what you want. 
Remenber this, if you think ahead and get something versitile you can't go wrong.

Then if you decide to build something from scratch. You will get a real appreciation for the boat you build.

just my 2 cents


----------



## WhiteDog70810 (May 6, 2008)

I am building my own skiff for the same reason as Firecat.  I could not find exactly what I wanted, so I am making it from scratch.  I could have had a boat that was fishable and upgraded it over time to do the same job (...but I wouldn't look as cool) and been on the water in the mean time for the money I've already spent.  I will eventually have the "perfect boat" and I've had a blast making the thing.  I just don't add up receipts, lost fishing days or, God forbid, billable hours.  I'd dry heave of I did.

Customizing the decks of a $1500 jon boat or gheenoe that is fishable the day you buy it makes economic sense.  Gutting and overhauling a free Mitchell, ShiPoke or Challenger that has been a bird bath for the last 15-30 years is different endeavor.  Such a project is a labor of love and will earn you major cool points with your peers, but don't try to justify it with a monetary excuse.

Like I said before, jump in with both feet if it sounds like fun.  It doesn't need to make economic sense.  You'd just blow the money on bait, gas and beer otherwise.

There are too many great used skiffs available to jack around in your garage unless you like that sort of thing.  I still perk up every time I see a used Gladesman.

Nate


----------



## oysterbreath (Jan 13, 2009)

> Plus insurance is harder to get on a homemade boat...


As obvious as that is...it NEVER crossed my mind! Please DO tell of your home built boat insurance misadventures?


----------



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

> As obvious as that is...it NEVER crossed my mind! Please DO tell of your home built boat insurance misadventures?


No real misadventures, just alot of denials. I went to all the conventional places first (geico, progressive......), as soon as I said homemade they said no. So I asked a few other wood boat builders and got what I needed. Hagerty's is what I'm going with. They will insure homemade boats, but they did have some restrictions on which boats they would insure. Our skiffs are no problem, but they won't do anything in Florida bigger then 20ft or if it goes offshore ( I think she said more then 6 miles or something like that). It is as-stated insurance ( or agreed value....) so you decide how much your boat is worth and they tell you how much it will cost. 
The first quote I got was very low I only did:
$3100 motor
$1200 trailer
$3500 hull
The quote came out to about $225 a year, but I'm not sure what liability coverage that was, I'll be getting new quotes soon.


----------



## Charlie (Apr 5, 2010)

> First, I'm gunna be the guy to say talk to Mel at ankona because I was talking to Mel about a year before we actually had any inclination to buy our copperhead. He doens't think any question is stupid, and won't get impatient. Next, i'd say if you enjoy  building stuff and don't mind waiting for a project to finish before you fish, built it. If you really are just building it to fish, buy a boat. Even if you don't get new, there is plenty of used things for absolutly amazing prices out there. I've been watching some of the jons and carolinas and gheenoes go for 3000-6000 ready to be dropped in the water and fished. So it really depends on what you want to do: build and fish, or just fish!
> 
> In terms of the native 14, you get get the boat fully rigged with front deck and rear bench seat for just under $7000 WITH a new 20hp four stroke. Im sure it be around $5000 without the motor.
> 
> Best of luck with what ever you decide to do!


----------

