I live in South Louisiana and I'm starting to look at boats and it turns out there are no skiff builders/manufactures here, only thing close is Cottommouth boats which is basically a glorified bateau/jon boats, and used boats are far and wide. I see at least 5-10 skiffs/flats when I go fishing and think are these people driving 5-10 hours to pick up their rigs. I am just curious as to why no one has set up shop here? Some insight will be helpful. thanks yall
Where are all the Louisiana boats!!
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...because people are willing to drive the 5-10 hours to pickup skiffs, and of those manufacturers those "skiffs" are not their main builds? Maybe?
I think the better question is, why are more dealers not setting up shop, and/or why are the current dealers not selling more skiffs? If there were more skiff sales, that would entice a builder to start up there (beyond the one-offs)
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Your spot on. I agree with all u mentioned. Since 1968 every boat I purchased was from Florida. Louisiana was splashing n chopping boats together n some today still do. Quality of no wood construction just started lately. My old fleet :
Kingfisher
Starcraft
Kennedy kraft
18x52 monark aluminum flat
Bill Butler skiff
Custom aluminum flat ehret
Hoog hornet
Shipoke backcountry
Spear glades x
Uncle J's aluminum flat
First one I actually attempted to buy was 18' pre maverick hull, Dr. Berg?
Kingfisher
Starcraft
Kennedy kraft
18x52 monark aluminum flat
Bill Butler skiff
Custom aluminum flat ehret
Hoog hornet
Shipoke backcountry
Spear glades x
Uncle J's aluminum flat
First one I actually attempted to buy was 18' pre maverick hull, Dr. Berg?
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2,959 Posts
Couple of points not mentioned yet.
1. Many of the skiffs you see in LA are guides from other areas. The trailer their boats to LA to fish for some period of time but are not living their full time. They get their boats closer to where they live. Texas, Florida, and the Carolinas are boats I see all the time.
2. Its never going to be cheaper to buy from a local dealer than direct from the builder. Its certainly more convenient if you can get it local but at what cost.
3. While you may see a handful of skiffs when you are out fishing compare that number to the total number of boats you see. A dealer isn't going to sell enough skiffs to make it worth having them. Its simply a matter of demand.
4. Skiff owners have very specific needs depending on their use (and sure so does a bay boat owner but not near the degree). A dealer is almost never going to have a skiff on hand that fits what a guy wants. So you have to order it. So other than building a relationship with your dealer there is no real advantage.
1. Many of the skiffs you see in LA are guides from other areas. The trailer their boats to LA to fish for some period of time but are not living their full time. They get their boats closer to where they live. Texas, Florida, and the Carolinas are boats I see all the time.
2. Its never going to be cheaper to buy from a local dealer than direct from the builder. Its certainly more convenient if you can get it local but at what cost.
3. While you may see a handful of skiffs when you are out fishing compare that number to the total number of boats you see. A dealer isn't going to sell enough skiffs to make it worth having them. Its simply a matter of demand.
4. Skiff owners have very specific needs depending on their use (and sure so does a bay boat owner but not near the degree). A dealer is almost never going to have a skiff on hand that fits what a guy wants. So you have to order it. So other than building a relationship with your dealer there is no real advantage.
Check out Sabine Skiff out of LaPorte (I think) Texas. They build an aluminum poling skiff, which is probably the perfect skiff for fishing over all the oyster beds in S. La.
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That would be one opinion. Another would be that aluminum boats tend to be noisier than fiberglass boats.
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That's a sweet list!
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Scott Null's
He wrote about his skiff hunt. https://www.texassaltwaterfishingmagazine.com/gear/boats/time-for-a-new-skiff
Sommerslatte has a stable of skiff's. Recently did a restore on a cool bare-bone whipray. https://www.instagram.com/p/ByStKpMh9Fp/
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Have you had the opportunity to test out a Sabine? If you’re around Texas, I’d be glad to give you a spin on mine so you can see for yourself that there isn’t any noise difference due to Sabine’s no hull slap design.
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Nor I, but I do like to look at good pictures on pages with public access. Both Scotts are talented photographers.I was with Scott at a media event right before he took delivery. He was telling about the options/set-up.
Knew Scott S. had a flotilla. Just wasn't aware of the Sabine addition. I don't InstyTweetFace.
There are a lot of really nice aluminum skiffs built in LA. I believe most are overlooked because typical flats guys cant get past the camo that most of these rigs are painted in. I was one of them until I started looking at Uncle J, Cottonmouth, WC Custom, Sportsman Fabrication as well as well as many others builder that will literally make anything you want.
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It ain’t the camo, it’s the designs that cause hull slap and pole like shit.
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Big difference in a mud boat hull and a good poling skiff.
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