Flats boat for bow

Hells Bay.

Nice enough boats, but it looks like their smallest boat is 16'4". The thing that gets me about this idea is that you're dealing with a single purpose boat. Could you imagine taking one of these down the ICW on Saturday afternoon in F.L.? Also once you get down to 14' I have concerns about stability with this style and use. I think I'd be more inclined to use a small Boston Whaler, maybe a 15 Montauk or a 13 Sport.

They make a 14' I think, but I agree. A flats boat that small is near useless as a tender and pretty tippy. A whaler 13' would be a good choice, but a carolina skiff even better. A rib can also get into pretty skinny water if you're pushing it. I'd probably go the carolina skiff route.

There was another boat I was trying to think of but drew a blank. Carolina Skiff was it. Thanks.

Add into the equation that I think the OP will be putting that on the bow of a Post 50. I've always considered 13 feet the maximum and watch the weigh?

Agree with the size. As for weight I think a flats boat would be lighter than a Whaler, but you'd pay for that when it throws you overboard.

Aluminum wouldn't cut it. At 14' you'd have the same stability and swamping issues as with a flats boat, and I doubt you'd want something light and metal swinging around under your davit. A BW is probably your best bet

Btw if you'd like to look into aluminum boats simply Google that. there are several types is that size range, but my recommendation would still be BW.

If you are getting into fishing the flats do your homework. Bw and the like don't work well. The flat bottom will slap while fishing. You may not notice it as a novice but the fish will leave the area. Same with aluminum boats, noisy tin can. Your hunting more than fishing, stealth matters. Ribs are very heavy for there size flats boats are not. Flats boats have different hull shape than regular boats. Aggressive v at waterline to allow long runs in wind chop with loosing teeth. To a virtually flat bottom, that gives substantial stability for such a light narrow boat.

Trouble is when you get down to 14' do you think you could stand on that bow casting without going overboard? Do you think you'd want to come up the ICW with 3' wakes are bouncing between the sea walls? It's going to be a compromise. If he was down in the keys or on a lake/river I'd say go with a flats boat, but considering what her other duties might be I'd stick with BW.

Having spent alot of time on both types of boats I'd go with flats boat. Bw 13 will knock your teeth out in the chop. The rib shines when rafting up, it is essentially a big fender. The other two are not. Flats boats typically travel long distances across bays, hence the hull design. With tabs they ride pretty well. A bw 13 will not.

The BW 13 sport is not the old cathedral hull we remember from our youth. Check it out. It's also a stable bow platform for casting . And she's not going to get swamped on the ICW.

How many flats boats have you ridden on? Because I’ve ridden on both a maverick and a lake and bay in the keys and they give a old 13’ whaler a run for their money in the knock your fillings loose category.

A bunch thru the keys and Bahamas. Grew up on a 13 bw, don't miss the ride at all. Most flats boats with tabs will not ride as bad as a bw. Both will be wet.
Yes some flats boats sacrificed ride quality for the last inch of water.

We have one of the newer 13' Whalers and after we installed our davit, we decided to see what the fitment looked like. The Davit (Marquipt 1500) will lift it not problem but handling the boat once up is quite the workout in calm seas nevermind anything rougher. The newer 13' Whaler is about 1,000lbs. When the Whaler was positioned on deck, it was just too tall for me and looked like a monstrosity. I agree that 13' is the max but there is a big difference with a 13' inflatable like a Walker Bay or Zodiac compared to a BW or similar boat based on where the outboard sits. My advice for anyone would be to find someone at the marina with a similar boat to what you are looking at and then lift it and see what you think.

Everything about choosing a boat, whether a yacht or a dink, is compromise. First consideration has to be planned use. A RIB looks best on deck, has a soft ride and soft sides in case it strikes the big boat while being launched. The down sides are lack of interior space, lifespan and care of the tubes. A flats boat has speed on flat water and a sleek look. Down side for one this size is a lack of stability and easily swamped. I wouldn't want to depend on one as a lifeboat. Aluminum is lightest but every touch against fiberglass means a scratch. I'm also not sure how they hold up to the stress of launching. A BW is the heaviest and biggest of the bunch but it's a stable fishing platform, unsinkable and driest ride. It can also do double duty as a ski/tubing boat, a local cruising boat or lifeboat. If the OP's planned use was flat's fishing in the keys my recommendation would be one thing, if a dink for the anchorages it'd be another, a fresh water lake a 3rd. The OP is in Ft. Lauderdale, a place with 125 miles of canals to explore, lots of sea side restaurants, and where the ICW and Port Everglades can get nuts with wakes. Btw, one other mentioned choice was the Carolina Skiff. I'd rate it with the BW. Trouble with the CS is that it looks like a workboat.