These are but a few of the questions first time and veteran skiff buyers face when looking to invest in light tackle platforms.

The first question an angler must answer, is "What am I going to be doing with my boat and what expectations do I have for it?"

First time boat buyers often make the mistake of purchasing a boat for the 10% of the fishing or boating they intend to do. The key to successful skiff buying is determining what you need the boat to do 90% of the time, then purchase the correct platform for that purpose.

Once you've answered these first few questions and decided what you expect from your new skiff, the next step is to look at the various manufacturers.
Visit local dealers, go to boat shows, fishing shows or any place you might be able to get a look at the various products. Devour as much information as you can, and ask plenty of questions.
One thing to consider when looking at boat manufacturers is what their background is in boat building and light tackle fishing.
Where is the manufacturers factory? Is it truly a manufacturing facility or is it somebody's garage? Can you tour the facility?
What is the company's history in the light tackle skiff business? Some manufacturers have been building skiffs and flats boats for more than 50 years. Others have taken boats, bolted a poling platform on them and started calling them light tackle skiffs. Check them out first.

What type of warranty does the boat come with? What does the warranty cover? Where does the boat have to go if I do have a problem with it? How does the boat get there? Is the owner responsible or does the company make arrangements to pick up the boat? Ask questions.
Another good tip for boat buyers is to purchase the smallest boat you can get away with.
If a 16-footer will suit your usage needs, go with a l6-footer. If a larger boat is needed, then go with that.
By sticking with the smallest boat that will fill your requirements, you'll make trailering, launching, recovering and poling a more enjoyable experience.

Alot of boat builders will tell you that a wide boat, or a boat with a wide beam, will offer more stability and handle rough seas better.
Chances are, they haven't spent much time in their boats in rough water.
Would you try to cut a cake with the thin, cutting edge of a knife, or the blunt, flat trailing edge?
Native Americans discovered a long time ago that square canoes weren't the way to go.

Dryness in a light tackle, open skiff is a relative term. On the right day a 72-foot custom sportfisherman is a wet boat.
The sea conditions, combined with the direction in which you are taking them will contribute to the dryness of the vessel.
The overall performance and dryness of an open skiff in rough water is a combination of the hull design and the operators skill, experience and prudence when underway
One design feature that can help deal with spray is lapstrake construction. The lapstrake concept has been around for hundreds of years and is a proven concept in Naval Architecture. A boat with lapstrake construction features a hull with wrinkles or steps along the side that produce a hydro laminar flow
This is nothing more than a fancy word that means as the spray hits the side of the boat, each lapstrake knocks it down.
The Gondolas along the canals of Venice, US Navy Whaleboat launches and the personal launch for Queen Elizabeth II aboard the HMS Brittania incorporate lapstrake construction. Are we on to something here?
More freeboard doesn't necessarily translate into a drier boat. It may also affect the influence wind has on the skiff both poling and running.
By combining lower freeboard with lapstrake construction, you end up with a drier, more fishable boat.

The difference will become apparent when you begin running the boat in varying sea conditions. When the afternoon tide turns against the prevailing wind and you are 35-miles from home, that's when hull design really counts.
A narrow hull with a steep bow entry (6~degrees or less) will slice through swells and chop like a knife. A boat featuring a wider beam and lesser bow entry will tend to porpoise and pound in rough conditions.
The narrow hull will also handle better on the pole, allowing the angler to pivot the boat more quickly and make faster; finer moves across a flat under manual propulsion.
The steeper entry also reduces hull slap, the noise caused by wavelets slapping against the hull as you pole across a flat.
Couple these traits with a full keel that runs the length of the boat, and you have a skiff that will act as a benchmark for poling and fishing ability as well as getting you and your family there and back.
Does the skiff have a U.S. Coast Guard Level Flotation Certificate?

Boat building is neither an art nor a science. Rather; it is a discipline.

While the best measure of whether or not a manufacturer has mastered this discipline might be visiting a factory that isn't always possible. Instead, anglers are forced to look at the finished product.

The first thing boat buyers should do is go to the stern of the skiff and open one of the rigging lockers. How do the hatches fit? Are the insides of the compartments and hatches finished or do you see exposed wood, fiberglass or an unsightly rough and cheap4looking speckle finish?

Next, check out the hardware that the manufacturers use. The marine environment is no place to scrimp. Do the manufacturers use high-grade stainless steel or chrome plated hardware?

If you are going to be adding a trolling motor, poling platform or other accessories, does the boat feature molded in backing plates or will you just be attaching the items to raw fiberglass?

While the cosmetics may seem trivial, consider this: Likely you will be spending $15,000 or more on your new light tackle skiff. Wouldn't it be nice if the manufacturer would take time to finish the insides of the hatches and splurge on the hardware?

Buyers should also consider what type of materials are used in making the skiff they are interested in.
Does the manufacturer use any wood in the construction? Wood is heavy and rots from the inside out.
Today' composite construction techniques using space-age foams and resins creates boats that are stronger; faster and lighter than their wooden predecessors.
What type of foam are they using? Klegecell is the standard, but it comes in different weights. If they use a light grade for the decks and hatches, you don't want them using the same grade for the transom where the engine bolts on.
Its' also a good idea to consider what type of GelCotes manufacturers use. Today' standard for most manufacturers of premiere light tackle skiffs is ArmorCote. It is the strongest, hardest, most colorfast version of the GelCote family Some manufacturers use this type for a boot stripe and then claim the boat is made using ArmorCote. If you are going to be paying top-dollar for a light tackle skiff, then you ought to be getting your money's worth.

Looking at boats on a show room floor is really no substitute for getting out on the water and actually using a boat.
Most reputable skiff manufacturers have professional captains and guides that run their products. Call one of the companies and see if they can direct you to a captain in your area that runs the particular model you're interested in.
After you have pared down your selection to several choices, hire the captain for a day or two, and get a good look and feel for how the skiff performs.
It's also a good opportunity to pick the captains brain about any recommendations as far as accessories or customizing. Nobody knows light tackle skiffs better than the hard-working individuals that make their living with them on a daily basis.

Buying a light tackle skiff is one of the toughest personal decisions a consumer can make. It will take a lot of time, effort and eventually money to select the skiff that will transport you to your dreams. But by taking the time and gathering all of the pertinent information, defining your goals and expectations and asking questions, you can make the process a little easier and hopefully more enjoyable.