looking at a carolina skiff

cormier

cormier

Member
Im looking at buying a J14 carolina skiff, 64" wide, does anybody on this site have one and how do you like it? Im looking at running a 25 hp yami on it, its rated for max 30 hp so im hoping it will run in the mid 20's for speed those this sound about right?
 
My fatehr in-law has that combo with a center console and PTT. Very nice ride and has plenty of speed unloaded. He has said he wishes he had maxed out the hp. He has a Johnson 2-stroke 25 on his. It is not the most "dry" boat I've been on. Great on relatively flat water. If you are going to use it on rough water I'd move up to a whaler, but that's a BIG price jump.

It is a great boat when used under the right conditions.

Gene Jr.
 
I am a fireman and we have one at work for water rescue. It runs well in a good chop on the Deleware River. Very fast with a Yamaha 25. Pretty stable boat. I have always thought that it would make a good duck rig with some minor modifications...........................Kevin
 
Two guys who were best friends with a good friend of mine took theirs out in the fall chasing bluefish, I think off Stratford CT a few years back. The wind and tide were against and the waves were up a bit. Not sure exactly how it went down, but the boat dumped both in the water and they were lost.
Excellent boat for a working platform in protected areas and fast due to the flat bottom, but they are not good sea boats for late season open water work if the area is known to have a rough water history. Very low free board and square sides do not gain reserve bouyancy as the hull leans over. Basically a fiberglass john boat. Good at that job.
 
A couple of years back someone here lost a dog when their (or a friends) skiff swamped. I think they had problems with righting it due to lack of level flotation. I would check to see if it had the flotation up high enough to be somewhat stable when swamped.


I thought level flotation was pretty much a given these days but the last day of the season this year proved that wrong. I came back to the ramp only to see someone's truck blocking the ramp. Looking over to the floats next door I see some guys trying to lift the bow of a boat out of the water. Long story short I helped them to right the boat but in trying to drag it through the water 50 yds to the ramp it rolled again. Righted it again and finally pulled it up to the ramp. While it gave every indication of being able to float it wasn't in any usable platform with the bow up upside down. This was an aluminum production boat.


My .02


Eric
 
Unfortunately with many small boats, level flotation is only level until you hang a 200 to 300-lb outboard off the transom. Then the stern wants to settle and the bow rises up and she turtles. It's hard to get the flotation above the center of gravity with so much of the motor above and aft of the center of bouyancy (flotation). Our Lunds have most of their flotation under the floor with a little aft of the rod lockers. Not having an enclosed bilge and a self bailing cockpit I suspect they will turtle if fully swamped. Damn I hope I'm wrong!

Scott
 
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I'd agree that a Carolina isn't suited for a duck boat. They're just not safe enough for cold rough water, and IMO they're TOO DAMN WET!

I know of two instances when people have been lost in Carolinas. One in the summer and one in the winter.

There are a number of Bateau flat bottom boats of similar design that have proven to be safer and drier boats. Southern Skimmer, Jones Bro, KenCrafts.

BUT....I still would rather something with decking on it to keep the water out.

Good luck in your search.

-D
 
They are fine boats high quality, but much like anything else form follows function. I use a J12 in the tidal rivers here in South Jersey and it is a great boat for that. I would not take it out in the open bay unless it was an 80 degree summer day. Small skiffs are not made to handle those conditions. That 14 will run like a raped ape with a 25 on it for sure. They can haul alot of gear, are low maintenence and are tough boats.

I highly recommend it as long as it is used in the right environment. Don't over power it and make sure you pay attention to the weight of the outboard. The new 4 strokes are pretty heavy.
 
I have a 21' Carolina Skiff set up for sea ducks. We use it as a shooting platform for as many a 4 hunters. We have had good days but frequently have had days when the ducks would not decoy (probably due to size of boat (shadows etc.). Originally, we were setting up to offer guided hunts but have since decided against it. It has a 115 Yami 4 stroke. Even though, we have added considerable weight, I would say it handles perfectly in moderate seas. A couple of days we hunted Boston harbor in rough seas and we never felt compromised. It's one hell of a rugged boat for the price.

Bill
 
I don't think much of a Carolina skiff. I watched a friend of mine flip his in a turn in Lake Okeechobee. Since then I have heard many Flip-olina stories. Thankfully there were no life threating injuries. Since his gear and his boys floated nothing was lost. A Canon AE-1 although recovered was ruined. My friend ended up bobing in the water with a nasty gash in his hand. The funny thing was 5 minutes earlier we were having a post hunt bull session with 2 other boats. As we we preparing to head back to the ramp and those in my boat all put on their PFD a couple of guys from the other boats asked why we always wear "those things".
 
Okay, It seems that my limited view of the skiff was just that, limited! I spoke with the guys that work on the fireboat all of the time and they say that it is good for sheltered waters only. It's a good rescue boat because of the low gunnels and limited freeboard. But this exposes it to swamping or capsizing in heavy chop. Be careful how you use it!
 
Carolina Skiffs, like all the other flat bottom skiffs Jones Brothers, Southern Skimmer, etc., are great duck boats and are extremely safe if you have the right boat for the conditions. Personally, I would never use one under 17' for hunting except for in protected/shallow waters. I wouldn't use one under 19' to hunt out of, but a 17' to 19' will get you to a blind in semi protected waters. If it is open water you are looking to hunt in, I would not use one short of 22' to 24'. I've seen video of carolina skiff's with the sides taken off running through 5' to 6' breaking surf in the ocean. They will not sink any more than a Boston Whaler will. The statements made so far about level flotation are incorrect because (1) level flotation does not mean a boat won't flip over; (2) level flotation does not mean a boat will right itself if it does flip over; (3) level floation does not mean that rough seas will not flip a boat after/before it is sunk; (4) and level flotation does not mean a boat will even float level when full of water if the weight inside the boat is inadequately distributed. Level flotation merely means that a boat will float level when full of water. If I am correct the test is performed in a pool. These "level flotation" problems would arise for a number of boats in similar situations. If you want a boat that will right itself when flipped over, get a sailboat or call the Coast Guard to see if they'll sell you one of their 5 (may be more now) boats that cost multi-millions and right themselves in seconds. There's one on the Columbia River that Sutton could probably show you, and there's one here at Oregon Inlet that I'll be glad to show you if you want to see. Also, I think the Coast Guard at Oregon Inlet or here in EC has a Carolina Skiff in their arsenal as well.

Carolina Skiffs are self-bailing and that makes them a lot safer than most john boats. I have a friend here who fishes nets out of his 24' in some mighty rough stuff, and he cut the drain hole out of the back and made it into a 6" diameter hole that is always open. He comes back every time. The key is to get a big enough skiff. The bigger the skiff the wider and the higher the gunnels. Foot for foot over 17' the skiff is a much safer boat than a typical john boat in my opininon, and most people I know in this area would agree.

My disclaimer on this is that EVERY boat is dangerous in the wrong place at the wrong time or with the wrong load or with the wrong captain.
 
Excellent post Ben,
I wondered how long it would take until someone from NC posted up here.
I have hunted out of these boats for the last 5 years in NC during the last 3 days in January, cutting across
Currituck sound with a 30 to 35 mph NNW wind. Needless to say, we got a little wet, but nothing that
a "water"fowler shouldn't be able to handle. NOT one time did I feel unsafe in any of those skiffs.
It is true that having the right set up, and the right Captain is necessary. These guys know how to run
their skiffs, and they know those waters like the back of their hands.
I wouldn't be afraid to own one.
Bo
 
My brother has a 20' Carolina skiff, and so does one of the guys that works for him, also in our club. That's what they use to get across the bay to our lease on one of the barrier islands off the South Louisiana Coast. I have a Panga, and I love it, but lost the skeg and messed up my prop trying to get off the island at a very very low tide last month, and have had to ride with my brother the last 2 trips. It's not unsafe at all, but the ride is pounding in a 2-3 foot chop. Wet if you're sitting on the forward livewell, I can attest to that. Excellent, and probably the best there is for speed for any given hp, fuel economy, load carrying capacity. Tough, takes a lot of abuse. Kinda the 4x4 pickup of the boat world. Also, fairly inexpensive. Not an ocean going boat for sure, but fine for inside waters.

Ed.
 
Thank you Ben for your well thought out response. Agree that 19' or better is a good idea. I know of several in the Northeast who have these and are happy.
 
Right On Ben !

I have a freind who cracked a vertabrae running into a head sea on the Chesapeake in a 21 footer. I have another freind who thinks his skiff is the cat's pajamas. If I wanted a big fiberglass Jon boat, I'd try to find a Chincoteague scow as they are more stable,drier and sea kindly.

You nailed the subject with your review.
Best,
Harry

BTW what's your take on the "Sundance" line of falt bottom boats ?
 
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Ben, I have a 24' DLX with a F150 Yamaha on it and use it on the Mississippi River south of N'awlins. It hauls two piroques my layout boat, 300 quarts of ice, 65 gallons of fuel, 5 guns, a boykin spaniel,food for a week, and many cases of beer. It wil do 47mph with this load if the river is calm and a limited amount of ship traffic. Never felt safer in any other boat on the mighty Mississippi than the Carolina. Last July we caught speckled trout, redfish, flounder inshore then ran outside to the rigs and caught red snapper, white trout, triggerfish, scamp and ( the so called endangered ) shark. The boat is only as good as the conditions allow it. It's not a Regulator or Contender but it will fish in 8'' of water or 800'. My only experiences have been positive.
 
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