Hells Bay Glade Skiff

JEM · Post by **JEM** » February 11th, 2005, 11:55 am

Anyone riding one of these? Thoughts? Opions?

Like it because....

Think they improve on .....

Tanx

Post by **Chalk** » February 11th, 2005, 12:41 pm

A picture is worth a thousand words.....

Post by **Chalk** » February 11th, 2005, 1:20 pm

It's a protected water boat JEM....There isn't much protected water in the panhandle....So, lack of a responses are because of that....The boat is mainly seen in South Florida and Texas....

Though it would make a good winter, river and lake boat in our little place we call paradise.

I have been trying to influence JEM into drawing it up, thought it would be a good, easy to build boat to add to his porfolio....I'm slowly easing him into a 24' catamaran design

I think it would be a great design for our area in the winter and very inshore (Stoney Bayou, Sulpur Creek, Spring Warrior, etc.) the rest of the year....

Post by RC » February 11th, 2005, 2:27 pm

Great shallow water boat. check out the 17' 8" professional. One of the features I like best is the motor well. It allows you to use a heavier motor without sacrificing draft. That is as long as you don't use the extensions for a livewell or battery compartment. 1 cf of space below the waterline supports 64 lb of weight. On a boat that light engine weight becomes critical. If i ever build a shallow water boat I would incorporate this into my design. Then I could have put a 40 hp on my hell's bay with the draft of the 25 hp.

Post by **rocket** » February 11th, 2005, 2:33 pm

I bet it is shallow, but it looks wet! That's why I sold that 17' Pathfinder I had. It would run in a mud puddle, but would drench you in the slightest chop.

Post by RC » February 11th, 2005, 3:00 pm

Sorry but I don't know how to post pictures. If you go to the Hell's Bay website look at the 17'8" professional. The motor sits in a sort of well. There are transom extensions or sponsons (sp) extending along both sides of the motor. As long as they are not used for live wells or battery compartments they increase the displacement of the boat around the motor allowing for a heavier motor without increasing draft. Also with the increased bouyancy in the stern the boat will get on plane with less bow rise. I'm sure there are tradeoffs in ride but for shallow water performance it makes sense.

Post by **Atticus** » February 11th, 2005, 5:54 pm

If you wanted something like that you could spend your cash on one of those insane custom ghenoes (with poling platform and all) and pay about 30% of what they are probably asking for a kevlar HB.

Just a thought.