Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3809 April 12-26 2019 | Page 33

Apr 12 - 26, 2019 SALTWATER VOL.38 • ISS. 9 31 The Sea Eagle FishSkiff 16: Big Boat Benefits Without Boat Trailer Hassles Or Storage Headaches! S ure, you enjoy fishing from a large boat for the comfort, stability and range they offer, but the stress of dragging that big boat around on a trailer gets you down and once you get that boat and trailer home storage becomes a major issue. You can’t get the boat and trailer into your backyard, the garage is spoken for and if you leave the boat out front you are just begging somebody to steal or vandalize it. What to do? Stay home and watch TV? Be content fishing from the bank? Sell your tackle, cancel your subscription to The Fish Sniffer and take up ballroom dance? No, no and NO! Last July at the ICast Fishing Trade Show in Orlando, Florida I came face to face with a truly revolutionary fishing boat that I couldn’t wait to try. It’s the FishSkiff 16 inflatable boat from the folks at Sea Eagle. When I saw the functionality and porta- bility of the FishSkiff 16, I couldn’t order one for myself fast enough. Now you might be skeptical about an inflatable boat and I would be too if the FishSkiff 16 wasn’t made by the Sea Eagle Team. They’ve been supplying anglers with inflatable boats and water- craft since 1968. The Sea Eagle name is associated with quality, affordability, reliability and safety. The fact of the matter is that Sea Eagle watercraft have taken on some of the most remote Combined with a gas outboard and a bow mounted electric trolling motor the FishSkiff 16 has the range and and challenging nimbleness to take on most lake, river and estuary fisheries. water in the world Photo courtesy of SEA EAGLE, Fish Skiff 16 including Angel Falls in South America, the Ganges River in India, the Yangtze River in China and the ocean waters off Easter Island to name just a few. If Sea Eagle boats can conquer these waters, I figured running around Northern Cali- fornia’s lakes and reservoirs in a Sea Eagle FishSkiff 16 would be a piece of cake and I was right. My FishSkiff 16 is 16 feet long, just under 5 feet wide and features a hard transom, Scotty rod holders and two pedestal seats. When the boat arrived at my house the main body of the boat was in one large box and the other Sea Eagle FishSkiff 16 gives you big boat performance in a highly portable design. Store it in parts of the boat such at the transom, The your closet all week and hit big water on the weekend. chairs and canopy were in a few Photo courtesy of SEA EAGLE, Fish Skiff 16. other boxes. Yes, my FishSkiff sports a canopy to shield me and my the boxes open and rolled the boat out in the budget so I’ve been utilizing an wife Gena from both the sun and rain! on my garage floor. Using the included electric trolling motor with a 55-pound As soon as I got the chance I broke all bicycle style pump, I filled the boat’s 3 thrust and I’ve been getting around just internal chambers to the recommended 15 fine. Granted I don’t have the range I’d psi in about 25 minutes. Next I dropped in have with a gas motor, but since I’m not the transom, secured it with the included limited to launching in places with formal bolts and just like that I had a full size launch ramps I’m seldom far from the fish rigid boat sitting in my garage. when I get the boat wet. Filling the boat up with air was one What has impressed me most about the thing, but I wondered how completely boat so far is the rigidness of the design it would deflate for transport? After and how spacious the FishSkiff is. You showing the boat to Gena, I reversed the can walk around, sit or stretch out on the process and found that removing the air floor and just relax. was even quicker than pumping it in! What about leaks and punctures? Well With the transom removed and air back I’m leaving my gaff at home but beyond out, I rolled up the boat and trussed it that I have zero concern. The boat’s skin up in the green storage canvas that came is extremely tough and there is no way with the boat. In this condition, the boat you’d be able to breach it with a fish hook measured a compact 62 x 30 inches and or rock strike. In the worst case, even if sat neatly against garage wall until I was you did manage to punch a hole in the ready to hit the water. boat, its three internal chambers insure Gas motor capable and with enough power and stability for two adult anglers, the FishSkiff As with any other boat, the hull is only you absolute are not going to sink! 16 is the ultimate fishing machine for anglers that hate trailering big boats and don’t have part of the equation, I needed a motor to As of this time I’ve yet to catch many the room to store a full size rigid hull boat at home. go with my new boat. The FishSkiff 16 is fish out of my FishSkiff 16 primarily Photo courtesy of SEA EAGLE, Fish Skiff 16. rated for gas or propane motors of up to because the weather and conditions have 6 horsepower. With a full size motor the been so bad this spring. I’ll be hitting boat is capable of reaching 17 mph. the water from my FishSkiff 16 at every For me a gas more just hasn’t been opportunity this spring and summer and I’m sure I’ll be giving a good many trout and bass a grand tour of my lethal new New Easy Rider Sportfishing fishing machine! FISH SNIFFER COUNTRY by Cal Kellogg Departures from Berkeley Marina 3712 N ow B ookiNg SALMoN, HALiBUT, BASS LiVE BAiT TRiPS Rock & Ling Cod and Sturgeon Reservations & Information (707)422-2050 captainjgallia@neweasyrider.com www.neweasyrider.com Here we see the FishSkiff 16 with its transom removed. Author Cal Kellogg’s FishSkiff 16, when full deflated measure a compact 62 x 30 inches. Photo courtesy of SEA EAGLE, Fish Skiff 16.