If you were to design a boat, a boat that would do as much inshore and backwater activities in South Carolina coastal waters as possible, what would it look like?
I’m wanting outside the box ideas as well as what’s good from models that you’ve seen or been on in the past.
Also want to hear some of the bad.
To me, I want a good dry ride, able to get through water 10-12" deep, large rear and fwd casting platforms, several small livewells, and lots of efficient storage.
I know it is probably not what you are looking for, but living here all my life, I have always looked at the 16’ High Tide as the standard for SC backwater activities. And apparently a lot of people up and down the SC coast feel the same way.
From fishing the black waters of Yauhanna, hunting the rice fields, running Winyah bay to North Inlet, beaching at “The Point” in Murrells Inlet, collecting oysters in MCVL, shrimping in Bulls Bay, gigging for flatties on 23’s favorite spot, anchoring at The Grillage for bull reds, hitting the nearshore reef in the fall/winter for sheepshead. Those are the backwater spots of SC, and that boat has done it all. At a reasonable price, solid construction, and plenty of storage. It might not be the fastest, or driest, or prettiest, but it will do it all.
I built that Garvey for a client, exactly like he wanted it. The basic hull design is a Jacques Mertens GF18, highly modified.
I built this Dory for me, also to do everything you are asking for and it does it all well. It’s a modified Jacques Mertens design OD18. 5" draft. I fish it everywhere from the smallest creeks, to the Bahamas, made 3 trips to the Bahamas in it, and a trip from Clyo, GA to Cape Fear, NC and back.
Past due for spring maintenance
With the skills I’ve seen you have, from that Mako restoration to your CF outriggers, you should build your own. That’s the only way I can get a boat exactly like I want it, and know that it’s built right.
I love my old Skandia. The hull is a 1980 model. Dad left it to me, so I have a sentimental attachment to it. I don’t know how to do pictures on here, but anyone who used to frequent the old Lemon Island Marina is familiar with them - they used to sell them cheap to crabbers. The hull is flat in the back to carry a ton of gear, but has a sharp entry to cut down on (some of) the hull slap when running into a chop. I used to do nearshore in it, but it is best when used inshore as a bayboat. It has no rear casting platform and no T-top, which is how I want it. It has a small side console, which leaves tons of room for night shrimping.
I had the transom, stringers, and deck replaced a few years back. There is no wood to rot now. I put a new (to me) beater motor on it every few years. It will float in less than a foot of water if the weight is distributed correctly - skinny enough for my type of redfishing. I have launched it at Sugar Hill Landing off Combahee near low tide and bumped out through the stumps in less than knee deep water. It is really ugly, but I don’t care how it looks as long as it does what I want it to do. It is just an all around great boat, and I don’t have to worry if I get a few scratches on it. It is paid for. There are no mechanicals below deck. It is a low maintenance, “keep it simple” boat.
I would like a small (3-4’) boat for serving Lowcountry Boils. Can you build something like that? Probably a decent market for them once everyone finds out I have one. Look what I did for Pathfinder boats in the Charleston area
I think you misspelled thongs. Cause you know all the ladies at Fritzies house will be hanging their undies off it like its a tiki hut bar down in the keys.
Not as pretty as some, but my next boat will look similar to this. Cover it in mud and blood, run it up on the bank and through the shallows, bounce it off of docks, drop the anchor on the floor, throw clams and oysters on the bow, drag crab pots over the side, spill gas, etc., then hose it off and its none the worse for wear.
