Are Skeeters "Thin Skinned?"

[BassFeed]

So I'm at a club event and we're talking boats...big surprise.
I mention that I have my eye on an end-of-year deal on an '07 ZX250.

That's all it took...

...I had three people all over me...

"You want a Skeeter?"

Then they proceeded to tell me how thin the hull on the Skeeters are and how they know this guy and that guy who split their hull (no specifics here...like what did they hit and how fast were they going), and I should do some research before I decided to buy a Skeeter...

Honestly, it made me want to buy the Skeeter just to spite them.

Anybody have any idea why people might have this impression of Skeeter? (Besides owning another brand.)

Thanks,
Billy Raymond

[Lee Smith]

i have two friends with Skeeters and they love theirs.  I fished from both and haven't run into any problems, nor heard them down talk them, and one of these guys would if he wasn't happy!!

AB is the guy to ask !!

[Wildcat26]

I drive a Skeeter and know a bunch of guys that are Skeeter drivers. I have never heard of one splitting.

[skeeter_bite]

Love my bug.  If you're the original buyer they come with a lifetime warranty on the hull.

[JEVSkeeter]

Dock talk and ramp talk. Call Skeeter directly, let them know what was said by who and enjoy the response you'll get.

[skeeter jay]

   thats funny right there...  Skeeters, thin hulled??      I know for a fact that you can hammer a stump while on plane and only receive minimal damage in a Skeeter     Ive personally done it, when my boat was only about 2 weeks old    sure it ended up costing me about $600 to get it fixed, but it was just basically gel coat damage.  I did have a very small area of glass that was bruised and had to be fixed, but as hard as I hit that stump I expected there to be a gaping hole in the bottom of the boat.. but there wasnt...  I felt the hull held up very well..  If their buddy hit something and split the hull, then I'd bet that it would of done the same to any boat out there.  Just look at the hull weights of the Skeeters and you will see that they arent thin.

[BassFeed]

JEVSkeeter -
I think you're absolutely right to assess those comments as "dock talk."
I didn't mention it in the original post, but all of the people disparaging the Skeeter are Champion owners.
Now, I doubt that Champion owners in general have some issue with Skeeter, but it's worth noting that all three of these people had purchased their boats from another club member who owns a Champion dealership.
I did my best to pass off these comments for what they were...hollow criticism meant to rationalize their own boat choice.
Nonetheless, in the interest of due diligence, I wanted to hear from people who actually own and know something about Skeeters.
I'm feeling more and more confident that my next boat will be either a ZX250 or an iClass...depends on how much of a deal Smithville Marine wants to make on my well-loved Charger.

Maybe I should invite Skeeter to sponsor the BassFeed podcast! (Yeah, right...)

Thanks for all the feedback, everybody!

Billy Raymond

[clubber]

I owned a Skeeter for several years. Never had an issue with the hull, and I really "used" it. Those Champion probably just don't want another Skeeter around that they have to chase.

[Falcon104]

Wouldn't trade my Skeeter for any other boat bar none.

Falc

[JEVSkeeter]

JEVSkeeter -
I think you're absolutely right to assess those comments as "dock talk."
I didn't mention it in the original post, but all of the people disparaging the Skeeter are Champion owners.
Now, I doubt that Champion owners in general have some issue with Skeeter, but it's worth noting that all three of these people had purchased their boats from another club member who owns a Champion dealership.
I did my best to pass off these comments for what they were...hollow criticism meant to rationalize their own boat choice.
Nonetheless, in the interest of due diligence, I wanted to hear from people who actually own and know something about Skeeters.
I'm feeling more and more confident that my next boat will be either a ZX250 or an iClass...depends on how much of a deal Smithville Marine wants to make on my well-loved Charger.


Billy are you in the Kansas City area or Iowa? I used to fish Team Charger and loved the boat. Smithville Marine is a new Skeeter dealer so work with that young lady and see what she can do for  you.

I tell people, and the Skeeter guys know it, that the best built bass boat in the world is the one you're driving if you love it. Every boat has features and benefits that will attract fishermen just make sure you get the boat that satisfies yours. For me and in my humble opinion Skeeter has done the best job. If you have any questions just PM me.

J.E.

Maybe I should invite Skeeter to sponsor the BassFeed podcast! (Yeah, right...)

Thanks for all the feedback, everybody!

Billy Raymond

[Jason]

man, i have the skeeter zx190 and i totally love that boat. it might not be top of the line, but it is perfect for me. i have never had a problem with it. now, if you plan on hitting stumps at 70 the sure your gonna have some problems. that is going to be with any boat. im telling you, there is not a better built boat on the market as far as im concerned.

[Warpath]

I know you've heard from several owners, but I'm not one and still can attest to how well a Skeeter is built.  I have ridden in several, and have been impressed everytime.

I know rough water is more about the driver than the boat, but I was on Erie this past year in a loaner Skeeter.  My buddy's Bullet was int he shop and the gave him a brand new Skeeter (I think it was a ZX 200).  We headed out to Niagra reef in 4-6 footers, and other than spray, we didn't get soaked once.  I was really impressed with how it handled.

Eric

[foo]

Wouldn't trade my Skeeter for any other boat bar none.

Falc

I will second that!!!

[Kickin Bass]

Personally I'm a ranger guy but my best friend and his entire family have been skeeter guys for years and they have never had a problem.  It's a chevy vs. dodge vs. ford thing.  get what you want and don't worry about what people say if research can't support it.

[JEVSkeeter]

Personally I'm a ranger guy but my best friend and his entire family have been skeeter guys for years and they have never had a problem.  It's a chevy vs. dodge vs. ford thing.  get what you want and don't worry about what people say if research can't support it.

Guys this is the way it should be done. Class act Kckin Bass. Skeeters, Rangers, Champions, Legends, Nitros, etc. They are all good boats, what makes them Great are the guys that buy them.

Merry Christmas to all.

[skeeterrulz37]

fished a SKEETER for some time now and I would own only one other boat on the market and believe me my hard earned money does'nt come easy ! When your a poor man on a budget ....listen and listen close ....you buy a product that is going to last (SKEETER) 'nuff said'

[Buzbait88]

I own a champion and absolutely love it.  I do like skeeters though and there is guys that run them on the river and you would absolutely not believe some of the abuse people put their boats through on the river.  Karl knows as well as I do.  To get to some of the best spots you get on plane and floor it through a stump field to make through.  If you stop your stuck and you bounce off plenty of logs and I've never heard of any body having problems with skeeters before.  I might even buy one in a few years when I get a new boat.  good buying.  THese days boats are almost identical as far as quality goes, so pick a boat that is a good deal with a strong motor, that looks good and has features that you will put to good use.

[BIG PAPA]

As someone that has owned 2 Skeeters I can absolutely tell you this, back in the 70's and early 80's Skeeters were thin skined, This was the time when everyone first wanted to go fast and Skeeters were very fast. As of today I hear nothing but great things about them, if they were not good boats they would not be the oldest Bass boat company around.

[skeeterrulz37]

  dont tell anybody about SKEETER being around longer than ranger , champion , basscat  we might make somebody jealous!!

[Buzbait88]

dont tell anybody about SKEETER being around longer than ranger , champion , basscat  we might make somebody jealous!!

Most people should already know this.  Skeeter is the originator of the bassboat.  In 1948 Holmes thurmond created the first of the skeeter line of boats and in 1961 skeeter built the first fiberglass bass boat and in 1975 they created the very first V bottom bass boat.

[ʇuǝɹq™]

I know I'm a little late, but I hit a wood boat row marker pole going kinda fast, and nothing happened to my boat.  I was for sure at the time thinking I was going to sink.  I jumped up and looked, and it just smeared my sticker a little bit.

[stew6371]

here is a pic of the original skeeter bass boat. pretty much a panfish boat today. karl white has one completly restored in his collection in jenks,ok at the oklahoma aquarium.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[fishrman]

I'm alitlte late getting in on this one, but a good testimate to the Skeeter. Last year I was pulling my 21 ft I-class in Bossier city. I stopped at a red light, been there for about a minute when I felt a stong jolt. Really strong jolt! My sons carseat leaned forward into the back of the frontseat so hard it made his nose bleed. Upon exiting the car I saw smoke behind the 250 yamaha. As I got closer to the back of the boat, I began to see a car. An 18 year old girl was busy texting on her cell phone and failed to see the redlight or the truck and trailer stopped at it. The police estimated she was doing 40 mph when she connected with the boat. She was driving a corolla. She lived, the car didn't. There was damage to the trailer (front and back, she moved the boat two feet forward on the trailer), lower unit, jackplate, Motor mounts, and steering arms. Broke two blades off the prop and never saw the transom saver again. The skeg from the lower unit was broken off and found three inches deep in her intake manifold.The boat however didn't have a scratch, and no transom damage nothing. I would recommend a Skeeter to anyone. Good luck and good fishing.

[Warpath]

Well, I haven't seen this post for awhile, but my story has changed somewhat. 

Not only was I impressed with the Skeeter on Erie that I gave it high marks, I went and bought me one.  I now own a 2007 ZX 190 and it is one heckuva ride.  It'll run 60+ and I've never had it chine walk on me once.  It's really great at moving water out away fromt he boat, so getting wet just doesn't seem to happen. 

I don't think it is any better or any worse than a Ranger, a Champipon, a Startos, or a Legend.  They are all well built machines, and I'm just happy I found a boat at the right price that was completely loaded.

I may not run as fast as my club members from point A to B, but I can pass them on a bank with my 101 MK!!!  A signature mark of any Warpath boat is a bigger than usual TM!!!

Eric

[dpreed24]

People that knock Skeeter are people who cannot afford them.  Plan and simple!  Skeeter and Ranger are the two best boats.  Who every told you this is very naive or just jealous.