Historically, companies that focus on freshwater bass fishing have difficulty with saltwater-oriented products. Skeeter represents a significant exception. Of course, this 24 is also the first bay skiff we’ve ever run with twin-outboard power.
| SPECIFICATIONS****LOA 24 ft. BEAM 8 ft. 5 in. DEADRISE 16 deg. DRAFT 1 ft. 2 in. WEIGHT 2,550 lb. (w/o power) FUEL 80 gal. MAX HP 300-hp MSRP $50,620 (250-hp HPDI OB)Skeeter Boats Kilgore, Texas 903-984-0541 www.skeeterboats.com | The quick tour shows rod lockers in both in-deck storage compartments on the bow that accommodate up to 7 1/2-foot fly rods. Just aft on centerline, a large dry-storage box drains overboard. You’ll find a Frigid Rigid cooler that also serves as seating on centerline just forward of the console with a baitwell just forward of that. This deck also has hidden seats and a bait/release well on centerline followed by an access hatch for filters, pumps and other bilge residents. The only negatives we found concern the optional T-top. While you get three vertical rod holders on each side of the console, the T-top has no holes for rod tips. |
| You do get four rod holders on the back of the T-top and four more across the back of the leaning post in addition to those in the gunwales. |
You’ll find yet another Frigid Rigid cooler under the helm leaning post, which also houses a precoiled saltwater washdown hose to starboard and a dry- storage tube on the port side.
We particularly liked the windscreen’s quick-release fasteners that allow you to remove the screen prior to breaking it off as you back your boat into your garage. Given more space, we could serve you pages more, extolling the virtues of this boat. Instead, we’ll say that for a company based nowhere near salt water, Skeeter made this bay skiff just right.
