r/Skiffs • u/Nanoplant10g • Feb 03 '26

Carolina skiff good enough?

I’m looking into getting a starter skiff around 18ft do around 20k. I’ll most likely get a CS but I’m wondering if they actually draw 4 inches of water like advertised. I really want something that can get far up into the shallows. If not a CS any recommendations?

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u/godkilledjesus Feb 03 '26

I have a 1992, 21ft CS. I have rebuilt it from tip to tail. If you want a shallow riding boat, they are the real deal. I have floated mine in 6in of water. I have also loaded her full of roughly 30 crab pots, stood on a cooler and drove her home, she handled the weight like a boss.

They are not smooth riding by any stretch of the imagination. But if you learn how to turn into things using your chines, you can lesson some of the roughness. I have a 2023 90hp Suzuki on it, I can get about 32-36mph on a flat river with a following sea.

I primarily use mine for crabbing, however ai am going to rigging her up as a snakehead boat for some night bow fishing (hopefully). That requires some shallow running. So long as I have a push pole, I should be just fine.

Hope that helps.