Great video. Can't thank you enough for showcasing the boat. "Sense of fatherly pride" is Andy in a nutshell. His work ethic and positivity is contagious, and we love what we do. Cheers
@fasteddio5 - no exaggerating - You can really see how much pride and care Andy put into the boat. Its an amazing piece of art wrapped up in a flats boat.
Nice job on the video but in all fairness to the dolphin and stern weight, that motor is way too big for a 17’10” boat, especially considering it doesn’t have sponsons either. The motor weights 530 lbs vs a 115 merc at 360lbs. The dolphin is a fast hull and with a 115 would run as fast as you’d ever want to go. I know you bought the boat used and you get what it comes with but that motor size is ridiculously large.
@davide3129 - 100% agree with everything you said about the engine on the Dolphin. I have no need to go 60 mph on the Dolphin. The Envinrude has been giving me constant headaches as well. I just got a great deal on a new Yamaha 150. It won't save as much weight as going to the 115 merc, but it will cut 120 lbs of weight off the backend. of the boat. Thanks for watching!
Excellent Unbiased Review of a Quality Flats Boat. Their website has more boat photos which show how flat and high out of the water it sits. Interesting that your Dolphin and this boat have much larger engines (115-150-175hp!) and thus larger fuel tanks than the “typical 60-70hp” Flats Boat yet sits so flat. Also liked the clean wiring. I drag my bassboat to the Keys for the month of March and “It’ll Do” but it surely is not the Best Solution. Because I fish in the Midwest US and in Canada into the late Fall, a full windshield is a real blessing against mosquitoes, cold winds, rain, sleet and snow. I have found you really need two boats in the Keys: Bigger boat with a Carolina flare bow for the Ocean and a Flats Boat for the shallows (like you have) is as good as it gets. But, a bigger engine does allow one to run into the Ocean on some days and would be fun slinging around in protected waters. When at a sandbar last week I saw and liked an Xplor X7 Flats boat where the top deck extended beyond the hull. Just thought it was an interesting design. Tarpon Boat Works 19’ design still beats it. Oh, and we took your RUclips suggestions on Restaurants in the area and have visited some and enjoyed them. I would add the Square Grouper on Cudjoe Key and Hogfish Bar and Grill on Stock Island as two additional favorites. Be well.
@kevinlynch6799 - Thanks for all the excellent feedback! The folks at Tarpon Boat Works told me, event the the 115 HP is the standard engine, they have never had any take it, they all go for the bigger engines. I've never heard of the XplorX7, I will search that one out. And yes, I need to update my list of restaurants. The Hogfish Grill and the Square Grouper belong on the list. Thanks for watching.
Great video. Can't thank you enough for showcasing the boat. "Sense of fatherly pride" is Andy in a nutshell. His work ethic and positivity is contagious, and we love what we do. Cheers
@fasteddio5 - no exaggerating - You can really see how much pride and care Andy put into the boat. Its an amazing piece of art wrapped up in a flats boat.
@@lowerkeysliving oh I know it. I work with Andy building these beauties. That wiring? I did that. 😎
@@Fasteddio5 I need you to come and rewire my boat 🙂
The shame of the whole video is we can’t get the best part. The Evinrude G2K motor!
I really do love my Evinrude on the Dolphin 18. Its the best 2 stroke ever (my opinion). Thanks for watching.
Nice job on the video but in all fairness to the dolphin and stern weight, that motor is way too big for a 17’10” boat, especially considering it doesn’t have sponsons either. The motor weights 530 lbs vs a 115 merc at 360lbs. The dolphin is a fast hull and with a 115 would run as fast as you’d ever want to go. I know you bought the boat used and you get what it comes with but that motor size is ridiculously large.
@davide3129 - 100% agree with everything you said about the engine on the Dolphin. I have no need to go 60 mph on the Dolphin. The Envinrude has been giving me constant headaches as well. I just got a great deal on a new Yamaha 150. It won't save as much weight as going to the 115 merc, but it will cut 120 lbs of weight off the backend. of the boat. Thanks for watching!
Excellent Unbiased Review of a Quality Flats Boat.
Their website has more boat photos which show how flat and high out of the water it sits.
Interesting that your Dolphin and this boat have much larger engines (115-150-175hp!) and thus larger fuel tanks than the “typical 60-70hp” Flats Boat yet sits so flat.
Also liked the clean wiring.
I drag my bassboat to the Keys for the month of March and “It’ll Do” but it surely is not the Best Solution.
Because I fish in the Midwest US and in Canada into the late Fall, a full windshield is a real blessing against mosquitoes, cold winds, rain, sleet and snow.
I have found you really need two boats in the Keys:
Bigger boat with a Carolina flare bow for the Ocean and a Flats Boat for the shallows (like you have) is as good as it gets.
But, a bigger engine does allow one to run into the Ocean on some days and would be fun slinging around in protected waters.
When at a sandbar last week I saw and liked an Xplor X7 Flats boat where the top deck extended beyond the hull. Just thought it was an interesting design.
Tarpon Boat Works 19’ design still beats it.
Oh, and we took your RUclips suggestions on Restaurants in the area and have visited some and enjoyed them.
I would add the Square Grouper on Cudjoe Key and Hogfish Bar and Grill on Stock Island as two additional favorites.
Be well.
@kevinlynch6799 - Thanks for all the excellent feedback! The folks at Tarpon Boat Works told me, event the the 115 HP is the standard engine, they have never had any take it, they all go for the bigger engines. I've never heard of the XplorX7, I will search that one out. And yes, I need to update my list of restaurants. The Hogfish Grill and the Square Grouper belong on the list. Thanks for watching.