At The Helm: New Twist To “Family Boating

It never fails! A guy and his wife, let’s call them John and Jane, decide that it’s time to purchase a boat. John has dreams of an ultra-shallow water bay or flats boat, maybe even a scooter, capable of getting into the shallow back bay areas so he can catch some Reds, a couple Trout or maybe even an elusive Snook. Jane’s idea is a boat that the whole family can go out and cruise around on while she reads a book and improves her tan, and her husband teaches the kids to fish. Of course, her boat has to have sides on it, be safe and she couldn’t care less about getting back into the skinny (scary) waters where she could end up having to help push and pull the boat should it get stuck. It’s a “he said, she said” thing and we all know who ends up getting their way on that one.

As the couple continue to shop around, Jane begins adding even more wants and must-haves to her list of features that this boat will need. Among them is a nice, soft place for their youngest son, Junior, to lie down and take a nap, and of course, it’ll need to be well shaded. Then, Jane brings up the deal buster of all times, that being that the boat must have a potty on it because she has no intention of jumping off the boat when nature calls. That’s about the time when John takes a breath of relief as he looks around the boat dealership and is glad that they don’t have any house boats on the showroom floor.

This story of John and Jane’s quest to somehow find a “family boat,” one that will meet both of their needs is not uncommon. Unfortunately, there just aren’t that many boats to choose from that can perform like John wants it to, and that include all of the features that Jane feels are vitally important. In fact, I know of a couple, similar to John and Jane, who have been shopping around for over a year, and they still don’t have that new boat, and here’s why.

While there are many shallow water bay boats available, only a few are large enough for a family or large group of up to eight to 10 people. Typically, it’s going to take a boat that is at least 20 feet long, or longer, to safely carry that many people and that much weight. Then, assuming that the boat is large enough, even fewer boats will still retain their shallow water capabilities. Despite that, many bay boats have a center console configuration which doesn’t usually have enough seating for that many passengers, much less an onboard porta-potty, or a place for Junior to take a nap.

At this point, the selection of boats shrinks drastically. Sure, there are the common aluminum pontoon boats, with their side consoles and a few bench seats, but those boats draft way too much water to be considered in the first place. Another problem with these pontoon boats is that they’re made out of aluminum which in our rough and ultra-salty waters is a recipe for cracked and broken welds and corrosion galore. Pontoons are excellent for inland lakes and rivers, but just not a good choice for our bay waters.

The next type of family boat that folks consider is a deck boat. Deck boats are usually made of fiberglass and have an interior layout similar to an aluminum pontoon boat. Also, like a pontoon, they can be easily rigged with bimini tops for shade and a convenient porta-potty with a privacy curtain. There are several brands of nice deck boats available, such as the Hurricane, Glastron and Stingray. Unfortunately, while these are really nice boats, they too draft far too much water to be considered for fishing the shallows of the Lower Laguna Madre.

Now, we’ve eliminated about 99 percent of all the various family boats, which leaves potential buyers with less than a handful of choices. What’s needed is a highly specialized boat, one that got its roots from being a shallow water bay boat in the first place. For that, buyers need to look no further than right here in the Rio Grande Valley!

For a number of years, Bay Master Boats, a local boat builder, has been producing a deck boat named the “Bravo,” which is available in 19- and 22-foot lengths. Unlike the typical deck boats that may require a couple of feet of water, or more, to get up in and navigate, the Bravo needs only half as much, making it suitable for fishing in fairly shallow waters. The secret behind the Bravo’s shallow water performance is simple … they started out by using one of their shallow water bay boat hulls in the first place. After that, it only required changing the upper deck layout to that of a deck boat, with a side console and a couple bench seats surrounded by a great looking aluminum railing. Then, “BINGO!” You’ve got a shallow water deck boat!

Another big difference between the Bravo and other deck and pontoon boats is passenger comfort. For the most part, all of these boats offer a pretty nice, smooth ride, but even on a beautiful, sunny day some passengers may need to wear rain gear as these boats are known for their bow spray. In contrast, the Bay Master Bravo’s not only have a smooth ride, but also a reasonably dry one in most conditions.

Just recently, a brand new boat made its debut at the local Rio Grande Valley RV and Boat Show in Mercedes. This boat is touted to put a whole “new twist on family boating.” The new South Bay 200 HPD (high performance deck boat) by Cougar Marine USA, like the Bravo, was developed from their sleek, low profile flats boat, the South Bay 200. The South Bay is extremely well rigged and is 20 feet in length and has a whopping 102-inch beam which allows this boat to get into and back out of super skinny waters, well less than a foot deep. As for its passenger comfort, I’ve been on one of these in some really nasty conditions and not a drop of water ever hit the deck, and its ride was like being in a big limo. There’s so much room on the South Bay 200 HPD, some folks have jokingly called it “the aircraft carrier.”

Okay, if you are like John and Jane, and you’re looking for a comfortable family boat, but also one that can fish the super skinny shallow waters of our bay, then I highly recommend that you check out the Bay Master Bravo’s and the new Cougar South Bay 200 HPD.

AS ALWAYS, STAY SAFE & HAPPY BOATING!!!