Im a new boat owner, getting to know the local waters.
My boat is a 21 foot Sea Hunt.
In the past Ive gone out on flats boats with a guide and fished the creeks off the intracoastal and in and around Daniel Island.
Im wondering if a push pole would be practical or helpful on a larger boat like a 21 footer.
My initial thought is that the boat is too heavy. But if I get stuck on an oyster bed or sand bar, I wonder if there is an advantage a push pole provides.
That’s a lot of boat to push. If you get stuck on a sandbar or oyster bed, the best thing to do is get out and push, that boats too heavy for a pushpole. I guess there could be a practical use for it, but I can’t come up with one off the top of my head. A trolling motor would be a much better investment.
You will have a very hard time poling that boat. A decent push pole will run you north of five hundred…a stiffy will cost 700 give or take. A long paddle may be your best bet to push off a bar but as was said getting out is your best bet. Keep an old pair of tennis shoes for such an adventure. Flip flops will only get you cut up.
quote:
Im dreading the first time it happens, but knowing how to deal with it makes it a little less intimidating.
No need to dread, if you boat around here much it’s going to happen more than once. Worst case is you wait for the tide to come back in and float you off. Before you get out of the boat to push, test the bottom firmness. Some you can walk in, some you can drown in. Make sure you are not in soft pluff mud or you can sink yourself down into the mud up to your chest. Not a good place to be stuck when the tide comes in [:0]
I agree with everyone else, a 21’ boat is too big to do much poling. but having a 10’ pole for when you get stuck can be real handy.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
You will run aground and at times you might have to wait for the tide. When it happens try not to go with the urge to attempt to motor off. Go back the way you came unto the structure or bank. Like mentioned get out …relax and push or pull. Trying to motor off will damage something or suck up grit/mud which will do damage to your water pump.
You then will overheat.
I noticed from your pics that you were up the Wando. Beyond the bridge there are a few shell banks/ bars that seem like they are in the middle of the river. Go on a scouting trip at low tide and learn where they are. This coming week is a good time for it because of the moon tides which mean higher highs and lower lows. Swing wide on the major creeks and realize that the smaller ones almost always have a bar at the entrance.
You will do better than 90% of the boaters up that way with a little practice.
I have a 21’ bay boat. I purchased a “super stick” for about a couple hundred bucks.
I don’t pole with it often, but it saved me from getting out of the boat to push many times and has also kept me off of the rocks at the jetties.
Talk to Titan www.titanfiberglass.com
(in the Swap Shop area). Get 2 10ft shallow anchors. You can use them to push off things or stab in the ground and pull yourself off. Sometimes I jam them in the ground and then pry against the boat to move it. 3/4" fiberglass rod can take a beating.
Make sure they are 10ft. I have 8ft and wish I had the 10 footers everytime I go out.
