Moving to Jacksonville....boat advice.

[Roosterrusek]

Folks,

My wife and I are planning a relocation to Jacksonville, and I am soliciting opinons for a type of boat that would be best suited there. This will play into my decision to keep my current boat or look for something more suited..here are my deets..

I already own a 18 foot Carolina Skiff Center Console. It is the flat/no semi V model. Here in Georgia lakes it is great until the rest of the boats get on the water and the waves start some hard azz hits to the hull sending up the spray getting the wife wet. Wife HATES when that happens.

So in Jacksonville I am thinking that most of my fishing would come in the intercoastal areas, am I correct to believe that I would not be faced with the same issues of big lakes here?

St' Johns...more of a river or a lake? Waves and turbulence reports please....I read the river is actually rather shallow for it's size?

Taking my 18 footer offshore is very not likely.

Thoughts and opinions are appreciated. I am going there for a week with the wife (sans boat) to start our looking into things. I'll be asking there too but thought a few cats out there with experience in the area would be a big help before I went down.

Thanks cats

Paulie

[URY914]

Byron where are you?

[id10t]

Your boat will be fine for the river but even the near coast area can get some waves ... your boat would be great on the other coast where the gulf can be mirror flat on the grass flats...

[VINMAN]

ON the intercoastal, especially with heavy boat traffic, I would want somthing with a little bit of deadrise. That flat bottom will take a huge pounding.

[nota]

I really like power cats
high dry ride
and cuts chop/waves well

lots of tide flow there 4-5 knots at peak
and that can stack up the chop

spray rails/strakes can be added to cut spray some
or add a trim piece that sticks out at the deck level
like a wide rub rail
but flat bottoms will pound

[URY914]

The St John's is BIG in some areas.

[mikester]

Im actually in jax right now. The intercoastal waterway is not usually rough but does have a good current. I have seen all sorts of boats travel it and done so in small boats like yours myself. I feel more comfortable in something larger. There are many other tributaries to take your boat in besides the water way so that boat you have will get plenty of use. Im not sure of a flat bottom in the atlantic but we had a small boat like that when i was young and took it out all the time. Just stayed close in.

[herr_oberst]

[K9Torro]

Best be looking for some serious spoonage instead of a boat if you are moving to Jax, just tune in to the local news sometime at News 4 Jax | Jacksonville News, Jacksonville, Florida News, Weather, Sports | WJXT Channel 4 and study up.

T

[targa911S]

sell it and buy another boat when you get settled. Boats are cheap in FL.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Roosterrusek

Folks,

My wife and I are planning a relocation to Jacksonville, and I am soliciting opinons for a type of boat that would be best suited there. This will play into my decision to keep my current boat or look for something more suited..here are my deets..
....
ISt' Johns...more of a river or a lake? Waves and turbulence reports please....I read the river is actually rather shallow for it's size?...

Hi Paulie, I've been playing on the St. John's for 25+ years in all kinds of boats (bassboats, center consoles, sailboats) and the river, like Jax is huge and varies greatly. Depends a lot upon where you will live imo... Jax. Beach, Jax proper, Orange Park, etc. In general, the lower St. Johns, south of the Buckman Bridge (I-295) would be more suited to a flat bottom, otherwise something with a V is prudent imo. I doubt the "ditch" (intercoastal) will appeal much, but the St John's is varied, and is great for boaters... Good luck!!!