We (son & I) have been thinking on jon/skiff 16-17’ for back in marshes, forest, rivers…
Besides $, motor size is under consideration. I like 40hp as it will usually plain out with our 500#+ on board…220 or 315 for one of us…
Most Carolina Skiff J16 seem to come w 25hp which seems way small, slow…25mph…
Boats we know are 16’ -17’ War Eagle & Duracraft.
Budget is $4-6k.
I like Aluminium as oysters don’t bother it much…but open.
Any suggestions?
Can’t speak to the $$$ but I prefer the 1870 G3 CC w/ 90hp yami jet drive to any others that i’ve had any dealings with… Very shallow draft and the jet will push it in 10-12 inches making it ideal for creeks and flats…just my prefrence!!!
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17-18’ got a lot more room -
16’ CS - you want a 30-40 hp - had one with a 25 it not enough unless only 1-2 in boat
I tend to agree w/30-40hp…
Yet there is 88#more on the 40…on top of my 300… Read one report- do not remember whether 2 or 4 stroke, but the difference of the CS J16 with a 25 or 40 was 25 vs 32 mph.
Grant, the 40 will get there quicker.
Carolina skiffs aren’t fast hulls. They can carry a lot of weight and there are some deeper hull models. The deep hull model needs way more engine. There is a reason you see so many crabbers and oysters using Carolina skiffs and it’s not because they want to fit in. Low maintenance, low budget, low frills, efficient boats. I’d definitely want bigger then a 25 if I was going to have big loads most of the time. If the people are 500 pluse. I’m sure with a good load your sitting close to 700s. I had a 13ft Malibu with a 25 2 stroke and it would run about 25 or 30 with a 500ish load and about 20 with 700. My brother was like 350 and my dad and I were both around 220. Plus we had gear and other stuff. Small boats make lower speeds seem faster, so does small water. Top end wise the 2 and 4 usually don’t make much of a difference, it’s usually the planning speed. 2 strokes usually have more out the hole and a lower weight. Most hulls have a max speed and rpms and prop pitch have big effects on top end speed.
I’ve had a J 16 for 20 plus years, and run a Merc 2 stroke 25 and it did well but I changed to a 4 blade prop and it sure changed the preformace for better hole shot, speed and load increase’. I ran a 50 Yamaha 2 stroke till the oiler quit and it locked up and went back to the 25 the 50 did well but it slid on turns. Great little no frill boat.
I have a 3-1/2 yr old War Eagle for sale posted here if you want something for comparison.
Alweld Marsh VV Series best boat I have owned hands down! The open layout is great and have fished up to 3 comfortably one on the stern, one in the middle, and one on the bow. I have the 15’ with the new lighter F25 yamaha. It will do ~25mph with me, wife, and dog. I have had 3 grown men and 4 bushels of oysters in it still going 20 mph. It is the driest riding small boat I have been in and I have had it in some nasty stuff in the harbor. Not tooting my own horn but I have been in a lot of different smaller vessels from expensive flats boat to Carolina Skiffs too.
I have owned a J16 and a JV16 they are WET and ROUGH…even in a small chop they will soak you. But they are meant to be a work boat.
Only place that sold them when I bought mine was Charleston Marine. $8K boat, motor (pull and electric start), and trailer but it was discounted for year end closeouts. Best decision I have ever made! And you will want to seadek it or you will roast your tender bits or burn your dogs paws, but thats any jon boat. We did it ours for ~$300 ourselves its easy to do.
Appreciate the input…
Most of what I have heard on the CS is WET. Not good.