[Michael Dephoure]

Hello all,

In my search for my first skiff I have narrowed the final list down to a 2007 ranger ghost 173 with 800 hours and a Yamaha 115, a custom ankona suv 17, or a 2014 BT Elite with a Evinrude etec 90 with 800 hours.

All three of these boats have similar features such as power pole, trim tab, etc. The only thing is the Ranger is the lowest price, Ankona is second lowest, and BT is highest. Yet they are all within 8k of each other. Basically I’m just looking for some advice, experience, or anything anyone has for me in the continuing of my search!

Thank you,
Michael

 

[Lagoonnewb]

Hello all,

In my search for my first skiff I have narrowed the final list down to a 2007 ranger ghost 173 with 800 hours and a Yamaha 115, a custom ankona suv 17, or a 2014 BT Elite with a Evinrude etec 90 with 800 hours.

All three of these boats have similar features such as power pole, trim tab, etc. The only thing is the Ranger is the lowest price, Ankona is second lowest, and BT is highest. Yet they are all within 8k of each other. Basically I’m just looking for some advice, experience, or anything anyone has for me in the continuing of my search!

Thank you,
Michael

The Ankona will be the best bang for your buck if the motor has reasonably low hours on it. Ankona is such a great company and makes a very nice skiff, I’m on my second Ankona myself and I wouldn’t look at another company if I was buying new. The native17 floats very shallow 6-7 inches and it poles very well and is also pretty dry considering the design of the hull. I personally wouldn’t get the ranger but depending on the BT and it’s condition that might be a good skiff to consider, what motor is on the native?

 

[Michael Dephoure]

The Ankona will be the best bang for your buck if the motor has reasonably low hours on it. Ankona is such a great company and makes a very nice skiff, I’m on my second Ankona myself and I wouldn’t look at another company if I was buying new. The native17 floats very shallow 6-7 inches and it poles very well and is also pretty dry considering the design of the hull. I personally wouldn’t get the ranger but depending on the BT and it’s condition that might be a good skiff to consider, what motor is on the native?

The Ankona would be a brand new with a 40 hp E tec center console. Price for it would be 22k, Beavertail is 24, ranger is 17.

 

[Lagoonnewb]

The Ankona would be a brand new with a 40 hp E tec center console. Price for it would be 22k, Beavertail is 24, ranger is 17.

Hell if your getting the Ankona new built from the shop then that should be your only option. Nothing beats a factory warranty both on the hull and on the motor. I’m assuming you have good etec service around you then get the Ankona hands down

 

[jonterr]

Hell if your getting the Ankona new built from the shop then that should be your only option. Nothing beats a factory warranty both on the hull and on the motor. I’m assuming you have good etec service around you then get the Ankona hands down

Agree!!!

 

[EvanHammer]

There is quite a bit of difference in the weight, horsepower, handling, etc. of those boats. Where are you fishing, how do you fish, etc?

 

[Michael Dephoure]

There is quite a bit of difference in the weight, horsepower, handling, etc. of those boats. Where are you fishing, how do you fish, etc?

I fish in the Tampa bay/ Sarasota waters with a mixture of live bait and artificial.

 

[Guest]

As much as I’d love to get ya in one of my up and coming skiffs, I have to say that @Lagoonnewb is speaking truth about the Ankona! Never heard a single negative about those folks! Not a thing! From my perspective they are a fine group of people with great customer service that produces a decent boat at a good price! Heck, I’d probably be interested if I wasn’t working on my own thing! My 2 pennies is go with the Ankona!

 

[EvanHammer]

I fish in the Tampa bay/ Sarasota waters with a mixture of live bait and artificial.

Poling? Drifting? Trolling motor? Wading? Sight fishing? What's the shallowest you typically fish?

 

[Shadowcast]

If you want to fish the winter time lows up in Palma Sola, around Prices Key, or in tight on Long Bar, the Native will get you in there. It floats in 5-6" all day depending on your load. The others will not get you there.

 

[Michael Dephoure]

Poling? Drifting? Trolling motor? Wading? Sight fishing? What's the shallowest you typically fish?

Pretty much all of it, the benefit of the bay and the backwater regions is you can do anything. Sight cast coins and triple tail, pole for snook and redfish, anchor down for snapper and grouper. It’s a great place but the shallowest it gets is about 7-9 inches in some spots.

 

[Shadowcast]

It’s a great place but the shallowest it gets is about 7-9 inches in some spots.

Try poling behind Prices Key to get to the holes that dot Palma Sola on a negative low tide with a north wind in Jan, Feb, and March. It gets much shallower than 7-9". I'm usually poling in floating grass at that time.

 

[Michael Dephoure]

Try poling behind Prices Key to get to the holes that dot Palma Sola on a negative low tide with a north wind in Jan, Feb, and March. It gets much shallower than 7-9". I'm usually poling in floating grass at that time.

Ill definitely go give it a shot I haven’t ever made it over there, thanks.

 

[crboggs]

I fish in the Tampa bay/ Sarasota waters with a mixture of live bait and artificial.

That screams flats boat to me, not technical / poling skiff.

More livewells and trolling motors and less push pole and sight casting.

 

[Scrob]

I'd pick the boat best for your kind of fishing. If poling is your desired method, then the SUV should top your list, especially if you can build it out to your specs from new. I like Ankona's mini steering wheel console they have although I run an 17 SUV with 40hp tiller and love it, way more fun to drive than a boring old wheel boat!