ROTOMOLDED SOLOSKIFF

Roger S · Post by **Roger S** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 1:55 pm

Solos kiff has come out with a rotomolded version of their micro skiff and will be shipping in April. It also said it now has a nationwide network of dealers set up. The new skiff will sell for $1700.

Anyone here have any info on who might cary them, any Texas dealers?

AKC?

Thanks,
Roger

Forever Fishing · Post by **Forever Fishing** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:35 pm

Roger S wrote: It also said it now has a nationwide network of dealers set up.

What's "It" ?

Roger S wrote:Anyone here have any info on who might cary them, any Texas dealers?

AKC?

That's a product line that seems a little progressive for ACK. Historically they haven't seemed very open to motorized kayaks. If they are interested they'll need to move quick as the rumor mill has it their competition is in negotiations. One thing for sure it seems to be the first one to market and you know it'll it be popular in Texas. Perfect boat for our area.

Love that live well/ice chest/storage box on the bow. Plus it's going to have a rowing option. I can see that being really useful BTB!

Roto Molded Solo Skiff

Endo · Post by **Endo** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 6:00 pm

Forever Fishing wrote:
........ One thing for sure it seems to be the first one to market and you know it'll it be popular in Texas. Perfect boat for our area.

Love that live well/ice chest/storage box on the bow. Plus it's going to have a rowing option. I can see that being really useful BTB!

Is it, how so?

I really want to like the soloskiff, but I just can't see how it would work very well in the flats with our higher winds. Poling in the wind sucks, and while they have the option to paddle, I can't see how it would be very efficient.

In calm conditions, I can see that thing being great. Wish we had weather more like Florida.

I'd hate to be BTB in that thing and the outboard go wrong and try to paddle that skiff 3 miles back in.

Man they are cool looking though and on those calm days I bet would be a treat on the flats. Any idea how shallow it drafts loaded down?

.

TDD · Post by **TDD** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 7:30 pm

are they still going to make the glass ones? ... what's the difference in weight and cost between the glass and rotomold??

Copperspoonfly · Post by **Copperspoonfly** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 8:16 pm

The rotomolded skiff is about 20 lbs heavier. The fiberglass skiff is still being made, but the price now went up 1000$ from the original price, while the rotomolded skiff is about 1000$ less.

macjank7 · Post by **macjank7** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 8:19 pm

I'd love one

texasag07 · Post by **texasag07** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 9:11 pm

Buy an aluminum square stern canoe and save yourself 500-900 and about 20 lbs. I seriously can't see how they get that much for a hull, you can get an ankona shadowcast hull for not much more.

Forever Fishing · Post by **Forever Fishing** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 11:36 pm

Endo wrote:
Forever Fishing wrote:
........ One thing for sure it seems to be the first one to market and you know it'll it be popular in Texas. Perfect boat for our area.

Love that live well/ice chest/storage box on the bow. Plus it's going to have a rowing option. I can see that being really useful BTB!
Is it, how so?

I really want to like the soloskiff, but I just can't see how it would work very well in the flats with our higher winds. Poling in the wind sucks, and while they have the option to paddle, I can't see how it would be very efficient.

In calm conditions, I can see that thing being great. Wish we had weather more like Florida.

I'd hate to be BTB in that thing and the outboard go wrong and try to paddle that skiff 3 miles back in.

Man they are cool looking though and on those calm days I bet would be a treat on the flats. Any idea how shallow it drafts loaded down?

.

So far the prototype rotomolded SK has performed "just like" the fiberglass SK according to Tom Metzlaff in his limited testing. So the information below is based on my personal experience using the fiberglass version for the past two years. Until my demo boat arrives I can only hope it's even better than the fiberglass. It sure would be nice to NOT have to worry about scratching the gel coat on my cool little fishing machine in all the oyster shell ridden shallows I love to fish. Right now the weight and length are almost identical but the prototype could change and who knows what it will end up being.

It's perfect in that's it's designed to easily reach flats that your kayak can't. 25 miles a day is easy on the SK but tough on my kayak. Set up a drift (drift socks and drag chains work great) stand and cast or hop over board and wade. We have miles and miles of shallow flats from Trinity Bay to Baffin Bay and beyond. If you have winds that are over the tolerance of a skiff then you are correct in that it's not a great solution for you but neither is a kayak in those same conditions. I've found it to be perfect for the Galveston Bay complex as well as many of the fresh water opportunities around here. It also stores like a kayak (a big one) as it fits in your garage or hang it from the rafters like I do.

The rowing option becomes even more appealing when you mention BTB/off shore. I consider anything under 2 miles from shore BTB and anything over 2 miles off shore. Two miles with a failed motor wouldn't necessarily be a huge problem under the previous mentioned conditions. But having an alternate/better propulsion method (like rowing capabilities) and 3 - 5 miles doesn't seem too bad at all in an emergency. Plus rowing through the surf would prove to be much easier as well as compared to paddling. To my knowledge it (rowing) hasn't been done yet but even on my fiberglass SK it's very appealing and I'm looking at some rigging options to give it try.

The fiberglass SK drafts in 3" easily with outboard and gear. I'm hoping the rotomolded SK does as well but we won't know until the prototype is fully tested. I've also heard rumors of a trolling motor mount for the bow so you can have your regular engine and a trolling motor. Who needs a pole anyway?

I've spent many hours on my skiff and I would love for you to make the trek down from Austin so you can verify what I'm saying. Come fish the flats down here, demo this thing and you'll see what I mean. PM me for more information.

Forever Fishing · Post by **Forever Fishing** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 11:47 pm

texasag07 wrote:Buy an aluminum square stern canoe and save yourself 500-900 and about 20 lbs. I seriously can't see how they get that much for a hull, you can get an ankona shadowcast hull for not much more.

I think the reason for the raised price is to promote the rotomolded version. At $1700 retail for the plastic why would you want the fiberglass one? If you really have to have fiberglass you can still get one it's just going to cost a bit more.

Those Ankona's are nice but they start at $4400 for the hull. The new Solo Skiff will be had forr $2600 including a 3.5HP 4 stroke engine. That's $500 less than a Hobie Pro Angler. Sounds like a pretty good deal.

Heatstroke · Post by **Heatstroke** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 7:01 am

I think I need one!! It'd be awesome motoring up and down the Trinity...

pshay4 · Post by **pshay4** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 2:23 pm

I love my Solos. If the wind is blowing hard, I don't go fishing, just like with my kayak. If I'm out there and it kicks up, at least I have a motor to move me against it and not just a paddle. The boat cuts through the water well. Any waves or spray that come over, just run off the back, as there is no transom. I use my kayak paddle to push through the flats sitting. I'd like to get a longer paddle that I could actually use normally. I use a T120 older style, and the Solo will go at least as shallow as the kayak, if not more. It has a fantastic glide, so it takes little effort to move it. The biggest drawback to me, is anchoring shallow, to not be blown into the targeted fish. I think I'm going to go ahead and spring for a micro power pole, and just get on with the fishing.

tw1nny03 · Post by **tw1nny03** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 3:42 pm

I'm interested in the roto-molded version. Looking forward to more pics and reviews.

george · Post by **george** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 8:16 pm

pshay4 wrote: The biggest drawback to me, is anchoring shallow, to not be blown into the targeted fish. I think I'm going to go ahead and spring for a micro power pole, and just get on with the fishing.

I asked this question in the other solo skiff thread, can you set up an anchor trolley on the rotomolded version (realizing nobody has one yet)? Or would it be too far below water line where you have to drill? I've always had a kayak, so I was thinking maybe put a cleat on it somewhere and tie off a stakeout stick to it? Has anybody come up with a good solution for shallow anchoring?

I should edit to say, I have been really debating between buying a bassyak kit for my big rig or buying the new rotomolded solo skiff. The upside to putting a bassyak on my big rig is the it is setup perfectly for marsh fishing. The downside is I don't know if i trust the coated freshwater MK trolling motor. The upside to the solo skiff is it can handle greater distance and saltwater. The downside is, not sure how to anchor it, don't know how shallow I can really run it with a motor, would require some rigging for things like rods, and have to ship it/or hope there is a houston area dealer.

pshay4 · Post by **pshay4** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 11:34 pm

I have fiberglass obviously, but do have a cleat for an anchor on it. I just don't like all the time and noise when I get on a tailing fish. It's fine when I'm working an area. The thing about placement of an anchor trolley has more to do with your seating position. You are not sitting flat on the deck where you reach the waterline. You are sitting a foot higher or standing a foot higher. That's when it would be very convenient to push a buton on a lanyard to drop anchor instantly.
It takes about a foot of water to run the motor. I fish in a marsh-type area and flats, the motor works in the same areas my Hobie Revo pedaled. I have to pull the motor up where I had to pull out the Mirage drive.

TDD · Post by **TDD** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 2:07 am

They should incorporate a 1" diameter heavy molded thru-hull hole on both rear sides of the roto-mold hull where all you would need to do is drop a stake-out stick down thru either or both holes to secure the solo in shallow water ....... it should be easy to incorporate this into the mold just like you would a heavy duty scupper but instead it would be a stake-out-stick housing. Also there needs to be access points into the hull where one could use fender washers and nuts for mounting instead of having to depend on butterfly rivets ... or it might be easier to just incorporate a few molded in nuts/washers into the hull (like Hobie does) where one could mount their own tracks on the sides. I'm starting to want one myself.

Forever Fishing · Post by **Forever Fishing** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 7:57 am

Great information guys and some really good ideas TD!

I've just been using my stakeout stick for shallow water short term anchoring or when I hook up with a fish in the marsh. For working a shallow shoreline the skiff just seems to glide along and if the wind is right I don't have to do anything but drift. For marsh fishing I prefer to use the trolling motor. 8 miles on a windy day has been my longest trip via a 50# thrust trolling motor I purchased from craigslist for $50. Using the TM is like a kayak trip (short distance) or when my buddies are in their kayaks and we want to fish together. I've also found my paddle very useful in the marsh and seem to reach for it more often than the pole if I'm just gong a short distance.

]

Where the SK really shines are places like the north shoreline of Trinity Bay, Frozen Point, West Bay, Estes Flats where you have 1' or so of water and long, long distances to drift. While standing and blind casting you can work miles of flats with a top water and have the time of your life! Here are a couple of screen shots from my tracks app on my phone.

george wrote:I asked this question in the other solo skiff thread, can you set up an anchor trolley on the rotomolded version (realizing nobody has one yet)? Or would it be too far below water line where you have to drill? I've always had a kayak, so I was thinking maybe put a cleat on it somewhere and tie off a stakeout stick to it? Has anybody come up with a good solution for shallow anchoring?

I should edit to say, I have been really debating between buying a bassyak kit for my big rig or buying the new rotomolded solo skiff. The upside to putting a bassyak on my big rig is the it is setup perfectly for marsh fishing. The downside is I don't know if i trust the coated freshwater MK trolling motor. The upside to the solo skiff is it can handle greater distance and saltwater. The downside is, not sure how to anchor it, don't know how shallow I can really run it with a motor, would require some rigging for things like rods, and have to ship it/or hope there is a houston area dealer.

Shallow water anchoring hasn't been a problem for me utilizing a fiber glass stake out pole and connecting it to a connection point (pad eye or cleat). I could see how it could get challenging if you are on sighted fish with the wind blowing towards them and you have your push pole in your hands. The owner of SK uses an anchor pin but I don't have any photos of it. That micro Powerpole would be a great solution but I've find them to be overly priced (just my opinion) and heavy. There are photos on the Solo Skiff Facebook page of the anchor pin.

While BTB fishing I use a removable anchor trolley connected to the bow and a pad eye towards the stern. Works perfectly for me while bottom fishing. Scotty makes an excellent self locking anchoring system that could easily be mounted on the SK but I've never used one. See their website for more information.

If I want to wade fish (which isn't very often) I just use a heavy mushroom anchor and go. I've never lost my skiff using this method.

There is going to be someone in Houston carrying the Solo Skiff so don't worry about shipping one from Florida. However, I don't know who or when that's going to happen.

BTW rigging is some of the best part of owning any kind of boat. Do it your way and end up with a rig that's customized by you for you! Who doesn't love that?

Just imagine all the places you can fish with this type of rig. You'll go crazy looking at Google Maps and considering all the possibilities.

Jerry-rigged · Post by **Jerry-rigged** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 8:28 am

From the Solo Skiff Blog -

lurejunkee · Post by **lurejunkee** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 10:32 am

I've pondered this quite a bit. I'd love to see one and test one out.

richg99 · Post by **richg99** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 1:06 pm

Sounds like we need a "Demo Day".

richg99

MobyYack · Post by **MobyYack** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 1:23 pm

thats an awesome kayak

tw1nny03 · Post by **tw1nny03** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 1:39 pm

Last i heard, it'll be around the end of April when Dealers will have any in stock.

SKIFFGUY · Post by **SKIFFGUY** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 1:41 pm

mmikle wrote:thats an awesome kayak

Hey guys... thats a quote I like as when Solo was designed it was designed to be a kayak on steroids lol...

Someone mentioned above - molding in a scupper for an anchor pin... great on a yak, but on a yak that can go up to 18mph not so good...why ? The scupper because of water force will spray water in a rooster tail all over... This was an option I considered but checked off the list due to this potential nightmare...

The boats design allows you to reach in through the hatch and thru bolt hardware in any spot you can reach... you guys be surprised how easy it is to access the hull... I through bolted on the grabrail.... its all the way in the rear... lol it wasnt easy but I did it..see the pic, theres a LOT of room in the hull to reach into / store things...a LOT more than it looks

Anyway - if you have questions please ask... be happy to help out... and if your wondering yes I designed the Solo Skiff.

SKIFFGUY · Post by **SKIFFGUY** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 1:50 pm

Imagine the water at this speed hitting a scupper hole and forcing its way up... hence the decision not to mold in an anchor pin...

VIDEO LINK :

http://youtu.be/f8apRRYvY0g" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

lurejunkee · Post by **lurejunkee** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 2:28 pm

Thanks for the info Mr. Mitzlaff. Wish there was one to look at in the San Antonio area. Maybe at the Houston fishing show.

tw1nny03 · Post by **tw1nny03** » Tue Feb 24, 2015 3:15 pm

Gear tracks along the left and right side of the SK would be a great idea. You can mount rod holders and paddle holders on the gear tracks.

TexasKayakFisherman.com