# Carolina Skiff



## ozzy9292 (Mar 31, 2010)

Looking at buying a carolina skiff to use around lake lanier. I have read some good and bad things about the boat and still on the fence. Wanted to know anyones experiences with them on lanier or another lake. Will be mostly used for fishing and crusing around the lake. I have read numerous times about how rough they can ride but how bad is it? Also read that they can be easily flipped over a large wake if hit sideways because of no crest in the hull. Thanks for the help!


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## Twenty five ought six (Apr 1, 2010)

They will pound about as good or bad as any other flat bottom boat.  They are heavier than aluminum, so won't pound as bad as an equivalent sized alum. boat.  

I would take that bit about being flipped over by a wake with several very large grains of salt.  Do you have any first hand accounts of this happening?  Typically flat bottom boats are very stable in the situation you mention because of their tendency to ride the wake.

Actually a V-hull (which I'm assuming is what you mean by "crest") will roll substantially more than a flat bottom boat.  That's the factor that people tend to leave out when talking about how a flat bottom boat pounds.  

You may be referring to "chine tripping" which can happen to any boat with hard chines in a very narrow set of circumstances, involving mostly high speed and idiocy.


I used to have a link to a guy in a bass boat chine tripping, but I can't find it.


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## ribber (Apr 1, 2010)

one of my buddies has a 1655 semi-v and i love it for fishing and it's very stable. BUT,it does ride rough in rough water and if you hit a wake it WILL wet you.


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## j_seph (Apr 1, 2010)

I love my 19 ft only thing I'd recommend is bigger is better. Don't plan on it turning into a corner like a ski boat cause flat bottoms won't. They tend to want to slide/skip in too sharp of a turn at too high of a speed.


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## HMwolfpup (Apr 1, 2010)

I've got a 218 DLV and love it.  It does get bumpy in rough water, but as far as wakes from other boats, it doesn't take long to learn ho how to maneuver through them or slow down.  One of the biggest advantages to a skiff is the amount or room they have beam to beam.  The way vhulls are made, you lose some moving around room....like J_Seph said, bigger seems to be better.


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## germag (Apr 1, 2010)

I have a good bit of experience with skiffs. Carolina Skiffs are good boats, but let me offer a bit of advice. Before you buy, check out the newer Sundance Skiffs. Different hull design, drier ride, smoother ride, faster on plane.

Bigger IS better. I have a 20 foot CC Sundance B20CCR that I bought new last year. My previous one was a 2002 F19 Sundance....there is a HUGE difference in the hull design. I have to work at it to make this one slide.

I like the big wide skiffs for a fishing platform, because is really stable. It doesn't rock and roll so bad when someone is walking around....and it has LOTS of room. I can very comfortably fish 4 out of my center console 20-footer, and can fish 6 but it's a little cramped.

The hull design is very efficient...you don't need as much horsepower. I have 4-stroke Yamaha 90 hp on mine and it will run nearly 40 mph.....that's really about as fast as you want to go in a skiff.


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## ratherbefishin (Apr 1, 2010)

HMwolfpup said:


> I've got a 218 DLV and love it.  It does get bumpy in rough water, but as far as wakes from other boats, it doesn't take long to learn ho how to maneuver through them or slow down.  One of the biggest advantages to a skiff is the amount or room they have beam to beam.  The way vhulls are made, you lose some moving around room....like J_Seph said, bigger seems to be better.



x2 on the DLV. I have had one for 2 years and love it. They ride and corner way better than the flat bottoms and still have the room and stability.


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## ozzy9292 (Apr 1, 2010)

Im thinking now the original j series hull is not what im looking for or need. Thanks everyone for all the advice!


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## Robert 31320 (Apr 2, 2010)

I had a 19' semi-V that I fished saltwater in for about 5 years.  

It was rough in rough water if you chose not to slow down.  

If you hit a wake head on, it would wet you.  

If you hit bottom, tilt the motor, get out and push.  Not too bad, the water won't be knee deep!

I've run the beach at St Catherines Island so many times I can't count and never, I repeat, NEVER felt unsafe in it!  

As for tipping, I have anchored IN the breakers along the beach to fish for redfish.  No tipping issues!

I wish I still had that boat.


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## germag (Apr 2, 2010)

Yeah, I love the skiffs for stability....

BTW...that's the first one I've seen with a sattelite dish on it.


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## Robert 31320 (Apr 2, 2010)

germag said:


> ...BTW...that's the first one I've seen with a sattelite dish on it.



Redneck Skiff at its finest.  Hated to miss the race on Sundays


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