16ft Dargel versus Carolina Skiff

I am looking for some advice from those of you that may have experience with Dargel and Carolina Skiff Boats. I plan on fishing the flats in Laguna Madre and am looking for a project Bay Boat. I found a 1983 16ft Dargel that is fairly cheap but has a soft deck. It has a flat deck with no sides and a tunnel hull. The guy wants 2500 including a 115 Susuki Outboard. The owner tells me its an easy fix because most of the hull is fiberglass and the deck is 1/2 plywood. I plan on pulling this boat into my garage and working on it for a while - even if I have to change the transom. However before I buy I was also looking at a Carolina Skiff. I found one for about 3000 (looks like a 17 ft). The skiff specs say it drifts in 3-6 inches of water. Thing is, it does not have a tunnel and I was wondering how the take offs would be in shallow water. The skiff weighs about 550 lbs. The Dargel weighs 750 lbs but has a tunnel. If your fishing the bay flats which boat would you buy. I live in Dallas Fort Worth so I will be putting in some freshwater lakes - but my heart is in bay fishing. Appreciate any advice that would help resolve my dilema.

Thanks, Erbey

Re: 16ft Dargel versus Carolina Skiff

Carolina skiff for flats. I don' tknow Dargels or tunnels but I use a 19' skiff in skinny water all the time.
If it's not loaded it will get to a plane in skinny water, eventually; in fact the water pressure pushes it up so when I have trouble planing due to load I just drive over the shallows.
Nice thing about the skiff is that you can use a much smaller (and therefore lighter) motor. I have a 50 on the 19'.
All fiberglass in the hull; no rot potential.

Re: 16ft Dargel versus Carolina Skiff

You bring up some good points. The lighter, the wider/longer foot print on the water the shallower draft. What do you define as shallow water - how deep? How does it handle on turns - does it slip? A good selling point that you brought up is that its more economical because of the smaller motor and therefore less fuel and less load = shallower.

In boats that have tunnel hulls - the engine prop sits above the hull and is fed with water via the tunnel - therefore you can get into some skinny water when your moving. However when your stagnant its all about displacement and weight (tunnel does not help you).

Thanks for your response.

Erbey

Re: 16ft Dargel versus Carolina Skiff

Carolina skiff..its a great boat, foam filled = unsinkable, most commercial fishermen/crabbers use them because there durable, as for skinny water,with a jackplate you can run one in 4-6 inches of water, also consider selling value, if ever you want to upgrade, the CS will fare better as far as re-sale value. 2 cents.

Re: 16ft Dargel versus Carolina Skiff

mine is the first year (96 I think) and the bottom is perfectly smooth with two chines along the bottom. It slides like a hockey puck and then grabs--dangerously if you are inexperienced and not expecting it. You can control this with skillful use of the throttle. I think the later models may have addressed this. They also put a chine horizonally under the bow to reduce the forward spray, and a small bilge well (we added wooden floors to ours to keep stuff dry).
Now our is used mostly like a work boat. Those looking for a "nice" boat should consider other models.

Re: 16ft Dargel versus Carolina Skiff

Thanks for the input. I went to a local boat place to take a look at them (Carolina Skiffs) - they are kind of narrow boats - beams approximately 64 inches. I was looking for a 17-19 footer with a minimum 7 ft beam. Carolina Skiff does make them wider however the weight goes up fast - 850 to 1000 pounds depending on the length. I am not sure if you guys are familiar with the Texas Scooter Boats such as Dargels and Shallow Sports. Here the website for shallow sports: http://www.shallowsportboats.com/. I still think that the Carolina Skiff is a good choice - if only I can find a used one with the dimensions that I am looking for.

Thank you very much for your input. I did not know they were unsinkable and foam filled.

Erbey

Re: 16ft Dargel versus Carolina Skiff

I sent you a PM on the subject.. While a carolina skiff is an excellent boat. Its not going to get as skinny as a dargel. If you want to put that to a challenge. I will gladly except. The flats of the laguna madre are very shallow and very vast. You sometimes have to cross a very long flat to reach a backlate or protected shoreline. The dargel with a jackplate will run easily in 4-6 inches of water and get up in 8-12 inch on a soft mud bottom. Hard sand bottom you will need 12 inches min. The 16' dargel has a very wide beam at 7' so its super stable.

here is a pic of my dargel scooter

Re: 16ft Dargel versus Carolina Skiff

If you find yourself leaning towards the CS, you might want to check out a boat call a "Sundance." They have a number of models, including one that is very similar to a CS. I'm not sure what the used market might be for them in your area, but we are seeing alot of them around the SE Louisiana area.

http://www.sundanceboats.com/

Re: 16ft Dargel versus Carolina Skiff

Cut a Dargel in half and see if she will float.........a Carolina Skiff will ......you can find the video online somewhere if you look for it I have seen it before. Now thats a boat I want.

Re: 16ft Dargel versus Carolina Skiff

Here you go........ .........it was cut into 3 peices sorry...lol

Re: 16ft Dargel versus Carolina Skiff

jash1178 said:

Cut a Dargel in half and see if she will float.........a Carolina Skiff will ......you can find the video online somewhere if you look for it I have seen it before. Now thats a boat I want.

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Dargel is foam filled as well. Coast guard requires any boats over 14 feet I believe to have positive flotation.. The dargel will never capsize either because its design. There is no sides no gunnels if a huge wave crashes onto the boat or comes from behind the water simply rolls off the back of the boat. But like I said the CS is an excellent boat and while you may see alot of them out here on the laguna you will see more tunnel hulled scooter boats. More fishing area a wider more stable platform and much easier to get in and out of if you like to wade..

Re: 16ft Dargel versus Carolina Skiff

carolina will float shallow-er (no tunnel), if you get where you want. It won't jump as shallow or run as shallow (tunnel). Dargel has a thru tunnel, (from bow to stern) which does not limit speed like a partial tunnel. Want the perfect boat?? Own 14 like I do. NO SUCH BOAT. ps Im the one with the dargel your looking at buying.

Re: 16ft Dargel versus Carolina Skiff

I did not mean to start a debate - but I am glad to hear the different points of view - both boats have pros and cons. Bottom line - I found a 16ft Dargel in Corpus for $1400 with a hydraulic jack plate, steering, and center console. He said the deck was soft on it - but thats ok because I plan on rebuilding it. I learned that the stringers in the Dargels are fiberglass - therefore replacing only the deck should be an easy fix. Price does not include a motor. He had one but I did not want it - it was a 110 Suzuki with a cracked lower unit. I will find me a motor later. This will be my winter project and I hope it looks as great as robul's.

I even looked at the Florida skiffs. They dont get as shallow as the Texas Scooters with the exception of the Hells Bay which is a bad boat.

Re: 16ft Dargel versus Carolina Skiff

erbey said:

I did not mean to start a debate - but I am glad to hear the different points of view - both boats have pros and cons. Bottom line - I found a 16ft Dargel in Corpus for $1400 with a hydraulic jack plate, steering, and center console. He said the deck was soft on it - but thats ok because I plan on rebuilding it. I learned that the stringers in the Dargels are fiberglass - therefore replacing only the deck should be an easy fix. Price does not include a motor. He had one but I did not want it - it was a 110 Suzuki with a cracked lower unit. I will find me a motor later. This will be my winter project and I hope it looks as great as robul's.

I even looked at the Florida skiffs. They dont get as shallow as the Texas Scooters with the exception of the Hells Bay which is a bad boat.

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I live in corpus.> When do you plan on coming down? Maybe I can take you out in my dargel. Or you can come check it out.. shoot me a pm or email robul at aol dot com