Inshore boat review?

[TCSO122]

Hello,
I am in the market for a inshore boat capable of fishing econfina, st. marks, Ochlocknee bay and venturing out a mile or two on calm days to fish deeper water.

At this point I am considering:
Xpress H20 Bay
Ranger Banshee Extreme
SeaArk 1860cc

I have noticed several of the new bay series Xpress boats around the area but have never rode on one or heard many reviews from local anglers.
Thanks guys,

[silverking]

The two metal boats both have good pedigrees. Several members on here with those brands so hopefully they'll chime in.

Have tested the Ranger. While a capable and skinny inshore 2-man skiff, it would be very very few times I'd run near/offshore in one. Ranger is also proprietary with their parts. Have to order direct or from dealer in most situations. Just something else to consider with that one.

I'd add Action Craft 1820 or Hewes 18 Redfisher to the list of possibilities for what you're wanting to do. May take awhile to find the right one and will likely require expanding the search radius, but they are out there for reasonable prices. Good luck with your search.

[UFBeef]

How skinny do you want to get? There is a tradeoff for everything, if you want to not worry about low tide, that's gonna sacrifice open water handling and vice versa, if you are plugging around in 3-4 ft of water all the time it would make less difference, but it the three boats listed all do different things well.

[Steve Stinson]

Personally, I would go with an aluminum hull if you are going to fish over to the East near Econfina or Aucilla. The rocks and tannin stained water are a constant problem for fiberglass boats. If you are going to fish the St. George Isl. area or West of there, a glass boat may be a better option.

For going off shore on occasion, a bay boat would be better. Sea Pro, Skeeter, Pathfinder or something similar.

I live South of Monticello and stay over toward the East side of our fishing area most of the time. I am currently running a 2072 SeaArk which is great for that area. I can hit the motor, hull and trailer with a pressure washer when I came home and put it back in the barn ready for the next trip. That being said, it still rides like an aluminum boat, and I only venture off shore on the calmest of days.

- Steve Stinson

[One Keeper]

While I may be partial to sea-ark since I bought mine 3 years ago I will say I have never owned a better built metal boat then the ark. I've owned a G-3 and a mon-ark over the years the sea-ark is hands down just a better boat (built like a barge) but still floats very shallow. My brother and Steve Stinson have since bought one and I can also say they have told me that they love them. As for the express bay I know a few fellow fisherman that have those as well and they also seem to like them. As for the glass boats I can say they will definitely ride better but I can't stand the sound of a rock sliding down the hull/gelcoat . My advice is if your gonna spend most of your time fishing in and around aucilla/econfina I would definitely consider a metal boat. That's my .02 and good luck in your venture.

[TCSO122]

Thanks for the responses. If I can find a seaark I will buy it, not having to much luck searching at this point. I target trout and redfish and want a boat able to get me out to the flats during the hot months and be able to fish the shoreline, get into some creeks etc. I prefer low maintinence as far as upkeep and cleanup. Have any of y’all added any foam with custom decks to your aluminum boats for a quieter ride and buoyancy?
Thanks

[One Keeper]

Big Bend Marine in Perry Fl. is the closest retailer I think. Are you looking for a new one or used?

[TCSO122]

The ideal situation for me is to buy a used hull/trailer and put a brand new motor on it. Im looking to spend under 20k, preferably 15-18k. I’m also interested in fabricating an elevated console which I like on a flats boat. Not sure how much a new seaark hull goes for I’m leaning towards the 1872 model with sponsons.

[Steve Stinson]

SeaArks are hard to find used.

I bought mine used (2013 model) from Big Bend Marine and it was in your price range. They were great to deal with and have been very supportive with annual services. Mine has the sponsons on the back which help when you want to plane off in shallow water. At full throttle, there is only a limited amount that you can trim the nose up and lift the boat out of the water, so its a trade off. If you want to put a power pole on one of the sponsons, SeaArk sells the bracket. I have one on my port side.

- Steve Stinson

[AugustusMccrae]

So, for the $64 question of the day..... How far, realistically, can you take one of these aluminum boats out? Understanding you have to pick your days, would you ever try to get to the Steinhatchee Reef in one (I believe about 8 miles)?

[Steve Stinson]

This is a personal opinion question. There's always somebody crazier than you are, so there is no definite answer.

I am not familiar with Steinhatchee Reef, but I've been to Dog Island Reef and also been offshore trolling for grouper in mine. If the weather goes South real quick while you are way out there, I am pretty sure the boat will still be in one piece when they find it. These are some tough arse hulls.

[bbb]

https://ocala.craigslist.org/boa/d/20-f ... 08612.html

[Steve Stinson]

https://ocala.craigslist.org/boa/d/20-f ... 08612.html

Tunnel hull is not going to go offshore very well.

SeaArk makes a tunnel, jet tunnel and standard hull. I was running a jet motor when I bought mine (standard hull) and decided if I didn't like the prop boat, I could swap the foot and go back to the jet.

- Steve Stinson

[STMU]

Tunnel hull is not going to go offshore very well.

I agree. I have a tunnel hull, and with my prop sitting high as you could run any sort of wind/wave action, even moderate, causes it to cup. As others have mentioned, it's all about your needs. I'm ok with mine, as I usually only run real shallow and close to shore, but if you want to venture off you might want to look other options.

Have any of y’all added any foam with custom decks to your aluminum boats for a quieter ride and buoyancy?

I installed foam during my build, thinking it would make the deck a little quieter and help me sneak up on fish. I am not certain if it actually helped, and I would definitely not do the foam again. Mine got water-logged, and it is a pain to remove!!! Not worth it IMO. Maybe others have had more luck.

How far, realistically, can you take one of these aluminum boats out?

Dog Ballard. Not my brightest move, but I did catch a grouper on a Jon Boat, kinda cool, really dumb!!!

[UFBeef]

Always love the, "How far off can I go in boat X", if you have to ask, not very far. I run a 17 Master Angler, I routinely ran it 15 plus, sometimes out to 20 miles in South Florida, but i knew my boat and I knew that part of the ocean and what weather to look for. I also had the appropriate safety measures. It's all dependent on your prep and how comfortable you feel