Rich Stern wrote:

A small fleet of Polar skiffs were purchased by an inshore bait, tackle
and boat rental business on the ICW in NE Florida. These boats were not
used on open waters. Within 90 days, cracks developed in the liners that
also served as the deck over the flotation in the bottom of the hulls. A
guide I know, one whose boats and engines are supplied to him by
manufacturers, also had a Polar skiff go bad on him for the same reasons
-liner and then hull fractures. Now, I'm not talking about hull side
liners, because these boats don't have any. But they do have a false
floor, so to speak, underneath which is flotation and hull stiffening
assembly. There also were problems with the consoles and seats
separating from the hulls.

Whether this is endemic to the Polar line, I don't know. They're pretty
cheaply made boats, though, and as rough and ready as Carolina Skiffs
are, the Polars I've seen seem shabbier.

OK, this is more useful info. When did this happen?


Mid 1990s. I almost bought one. After my guide friend got his and I went
out fishing with him, I thought I'd pick up one for inshore fishing. I
checked them out at a local dealer, but I didn't like the looks of the
skiffs as they came from the factory. Also, the dealer only handled
Suzuki outboards, and they were not a line I'd consider. If I were still
living in Florida along the east coast and the ICW, I'd definitely get a
Carolina Skiff for ICW, inshore and creek fishing. You simply don't need
any more boat than that, and that kind of fishing is fabulous in parts
of Florida.



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