I hear everyone talking about how great a skiff is but I just don't see it for what I run. Seems like the rake on the bottom is not high enough to run I've beaver dams and what not. I like the looks but why don't they make the bottom come up higher to clear when jumping stuff. Or is that just not the purpose of having a skiff? I've always wondered that and just thought I would ask y'all's opinion. Thanks in advance!


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Skiffs are made more to cut trough than jump over!!


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Generally, a pointed stemmed boat will plow through water hyacinth, maneuver through flooded timber and thick brush better than a square stemmed boat. This is very important if you are a commercial crawfisherman.

i was dead set on a skiff as my next boat but seems to be more cons than pros. I also run a river by he house with some boat traffic and also run in the lake some. More i read he worse it gets on how they will eat a wave quick and send you swimming. ive since changed my mind on a skiff!

I ran skiffs my whole life. Once I quit crawfishing I seen no reason to have one. More cons than pros for sure. After owning regular square front boats I won't go back to a skiff unless I decide to put out traps or something


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You don't want a skiff. I crawfish, and I hate my skiff. I'm gonna get rid of it after this year and replace it with a 1948/46 pointed front bateau. The only advantage is in thick lillies - but that doesn't justify the way it handles wakes and rough water.

i wouldnt want a skiff either. i got to have a front deck for fishing but those long narrow skiffs look cool as hell

Someone posted this one and I love it. Thinking of building one when I build my boat.

I think phowler used to build a bateau with the sides pulled all the way together like you are talking about. Can't remember what they called em

Since we are talking skiffs. You think a 16*42 can float a gtr35?

Thinking of building one that size and purchasing a gtr to put on there. I want a 35 and not the Subaru so I'm gonna have the boat built to the motor but really wanting the smallest skiff I can float reasonably with that motor.
I do appreciate the offer though.

J Lacour had a bad ass pro drive 27 on a skiff , was very fast. . In the se respect there is a video of him laying it on its side and doing the submarine. . Everything said above their are pros and cons. . With that being said I use my skiff more than my other boat. . Just have to learn your boat and what you can do and not do. . I make a conscience effort to nose into a wake or on coming waves .

H Finn

I watched a 1546 toss 2 kids out running wide open in a bayou at fausse point one year with 30-40 mudboats running. Kinda burned me on skiffs


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I have had several skiffs. Had a wooden one with a 20 merc as a kid....1448'ish? Nice little F/G one for a 16 HP GDLT. Had a 1660 side console with a 60 Mariner. Currently use my brother's skiff with front steering quite a bit. Not sure of dimensions... Maybe 1960'ish? With a 135. Wish I had a pic of it...it has a lot of rake and lot of flare in the sides. Really nice build. Don't even know who built it...maybe Casey? I have always loved them. In the same breath, have always respected what can happen in them, too. I caught one running circles one time in Stephensville after two guys in it were tossed. It was a wooden skiff with a tiller steer outboard. I was in high school at the time but can still remember those two stoners getting back into their boat with that deer in the headlights look!


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. Here's mine

Nice Wildberry.

As some have mentioned skiffs go through lilys and brush better. A bateau tends to ride up on top of thick lilys and such where a skiff pushes through. I also find they tote a load very well.

I think a bateau is a more versatile boat but skiffs definitely have a purpose and perform good in certain situations.

Thanks Nate. The main reason I have a skiff is I was trying to stay on budget and keep it simple. Its great for hunting flooded timber and river slu's which always have so kind of current and trees to hit. Which is where I hunt 90% of the time. But I don't really fish out of my boat or haul big loads so it works for me.

Can anyone tell me why people get thrown out of them and why they handle so bad in deep water??


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When that front end wedges its way into a wave at a bad angle, it will give it one heck of a quick and sharp turn...basically bringing the boat to a complete stop and turning on a dime in a split second moment.

I didn't know they handed bad in deep water?


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Not saying that doesn't happen. But its never happened to me. I do use my skiff in the bays around here and its not a maverick but isn't dangerous or anything.