Carolina Skiff on big water?

[pathfinder]

Hey guys,

I have a friend trying to talk me into getting a 19' Carolina Skiff instead of a 18' zodiac or a 20' Aluminum. I do a little fishing, but I mostly use my boat on coastal Lake Superior from early summer to late fall to hunt some islands and explore the Canadian coast. Also, to take the family to the manitous, lime island, drummond.

Does anybody have experience with a Carolina Skiff. They have a semi-vee or flat bottom. He says they use the flat bottoms on the gulf down south, but I can't imagine a flat bottom on rough water?

I have been all over Lake Michigan in a 14' Quicksilver Inflatable in a lot of rough water. While the ride is dicey, the boat does very well.

Anybody have an opinion, advice, or experince with the Carolina Skiff. I would plan to add a cuddy if it doesn't have one and build it up for big water, if I could.

Thanks for any comments.

[steve ypsi]

19' Carolina Skiff
don't do it , even their semi V is rough and wet riding, I was in Fl for a year, they mostly used them in the shallow bays, with a mild 1 1/2 chop they ride hard and the people that bought them because they were cheaper.
read these
http://www.wmi.org/www/boating/boatboard/index.html

In the search box to the left top type in carolina skiff and you will get a lot of answers, most of them say how rough they are and the ones that don't use them in rivers and lakes

[ESOX]

Those are decent flats boats, but due to the inherent design sacrifices needed to make a shallow draft boat, you would need a kidney belt on when out in any seas heavier than a ripple.

[pathfinder]

I found it very hard to believe that a flat bottom would be a good choice for big water.

Thanks, you guys are great. I have a few more questions to pose, but later.

Thanks, Again.

Chuck