We got onboard the new Carolina Skiff 22 Ultra Elite to walk you through the features, specs, and more, plus—we put it to the test to bring you its performance data.

Keep your eye out for the official review in the 2023 Boat Buyers Guide, this December.

For more on the Ultra Elite series, visit: carolinaskiff.com

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Carolina Skiff continues to evolve beyond the classic work skiffs upon which the company built a reputation, but models such as the 23 LS still bear the brand’s signature traits. It’s versatile enough to handle a variety of water conditions and passenger uses, durable enough to last for many years to come, and is priced with value top of mind. One look at the boat’s attractive two-tone exterior, molded fiberglass cockpit liner and dare-we-say almost upscale finishing touches, however, and it’s clear that the 23 LS is a thoroughly modern center-console.

That molded fiberglass hull liner is the biggest departure from the rolled-edge finish that long defined the brand. Along with the fiberglass stringer grid and foam-cored transom, it adds rigidity, while the wood-free construction removes any worry of rot years down the road. Foam flotation exceeds US Coast Guard requirements while giving the hull a quick time to plane and shallow draft to get into skinny waters. The self-bailing cockpit channels water overboard and is easy to wash down at the end of the day.

The 23 LS’s raised decks and interior compartments are an integral part of the boat’s construction. At the bow, the LS features a platform across its full 8-foot beam, with covered anchor locker. Step the short drop onto the elevated forward deck, and two sizable storage compartments await various tackle and gear. Lids are composite Marine Board with stainless latches and friction hinges. Option a 12/24V trolling-motor plug with trim and swivel, 11-inch pedestal fishing seat, and spilt stainless-steel bow rail.

The center console adds an upholstered seat forward with additional storage below; convert into a livewell if desired. At the dash, analog instrumentation is neatly arrayed behind the five-spoke stainless wheel, with enough leftover space for additional electronics. The stainless-framed leaning post with backrest features a removable 70-quart cooler below. Aft, a raised platform incorporates twin jump seats; fold them down to fashion a broad casting deck with recessed 18-gallon livewell.

As for the ride, the LS hull retains Carolina Skiff’s legendary stability, but its bottom has morphed into a tri-V design, with a shallow-V forward to cut through chop, broad chines, dual lifting strakes, and a forward brow to knock down spray. It gives the LS all the function of the classic design, with a more passenger-friendly ride sure to be appreciated by friends and family.

High Points

• Full cockpit liner offers far more finished appearance, incorporates all compartments, includes nonslip finish and self-drainage.
• Choose from overhead Bimini or selection of T-tops, including molded fiberglass hardtop with overhead electronics box.
• Standards include stainless-steel flip-up cleats and cup holders, diamond-pleated upholstery, port and starboard coaming pads, lockable helm storage, stainless-steel boarding ladder.
• Choice of six hull colors, including black, electric blue and seafoam green.

Specs

Carolina Skiff – Waycross, Georgia; 800-422-7282; carolinaskiff.com

MSRP: For pricing and additional details, please contact your local authorized Carolina Skiff dealer.

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We Say: The Carolina Skiff 24 Ultra is a coastal fishing boat with enough creature comforts to make it more than family-friendly.

Evidence of the 24 Ultra’s multipurpose nature can be seen in the bow, where cushion fillers convert the elevated casting platform into a full-on sun pad. Twin forward-facing backrests can be inserted on either side to create lounges. There’s also a padded bench seat on the front of the console, which lifts on gas struts to reveal a head with a portable potty and privacy shade inside. Need more seating? The aft casting platform houses three flip-up backrests that hide cushioned seats underneath.

Ready to fish? Remove the cushions in the bow on the casting deck. Hatches on both sides lift to show the U-shaped stowage compartment underneath. The standard twin-seat leaning post features four built-in rod holders, with a removable cooler underneath. The inwale rod racks can hold three rods per side. And the aft casting deck comes with a built-in livewell. With the coaming bolsters extending along the gunwales all the way fore and aft, this boat has true 360-degree fishability. And when you get tired from fighting that fish all around the boat, rest assured you’ll be able to take a seat.

Who’d Want One: The coastal angler who also likes to entertain a crowd.

Another Choice: The Key Largo V24 CC ($63,075 with a 175 hp Yamaha) offers an optional cushion package.

Bottom Line: $41,658 (without power); carolinaskiff.com

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Carolina Skiff’s motto for its Sea Chaser line is to combine family, fishing and fun. With the new 26 LX, the company did exactly that, producing a center console bay boat that can handle hardcore fishing duty yet keep the family comfortable on a leisurely cruise.

On the performance front, the Sea Chaser 26 LX features a stepped hull that helps break the water’s resistance, increasing efficiency. While it’s rated to handle 350 horses, our test model did just fine with a Suzuki DF250 outboard on the transom. From an idle stop, it reached 30 mph in a mere 6.3 seconds en route to a near-50 mph top-end speed. Plus, at optimal cruising speed (28.1 mph at 3,500 rpm) it achieved a burn rate of 3.85 mpg.

The 26 LX is well-equipped for the angling set, with a 25-gallon livewell built into the forward casting deck in addition to the one in the aft deck, so anglers will have live-bait access front to back. The foredeck offers two built-in lockable rod lockers for your quiver and comes pre-rigged to mount a 36-volt trolling motor. There are also inwale rod racks that hold three rods per side, along with coaming bolsters that wrap around the boat. The optional T-top has four rod holders, and there are eight stainless-steel rod holders in the gunwale topsides. All cleats flip down into recessed position, so you won’t have to worry about snagging one while fishing.

The aft swim platform lifts up on struts to reveal incredibly easy access to the bilge area, a handy feature that all boat owners will appreciate when it’s time to conduct routine maintenance tasks.

When it’s family time, flip up the aft jump seats that seat three across, held up with compression hinges. A cushioned bench seats two passengers in front of the console. A cooler hides under the leaning post for ice and beverages. Anchor up or beach the boat for a swim, and you can easily reboard via the aft swim step to port of the engine.

High Points
* Fore and aft built-in livewells ensure bait is always in reach of any angler.
* Lockable rod lockers in the foredeck keep your gear secure at the dock.
* Jump seats for three passengers flip up out of the aft casting deck.
* The swim step to port of the engine makes for easy reboarding after a swim.

How We Tested
Engine: Suzuki DF250
Prop: 16″ x 18½” 3-blade stainless steel
Gear Ratio: 2.29:1
Fuel Load: 35 gal.
Crew Weight: 400 lb.

Price
$37,695 (without power)

Contact
Sea Chaser by Carolina Skiff Waycross, Georgia; 800-422-7282; carolinaskiff.com

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The Carolina Skiff 24 Ultra Elite is a coastal fishing boat with enough creature comforts to make it more than family-friendly. If it were a car, you’d call it a crossover vehicle. As a boat, you’d simply say it’s versatile.

With a 200 hp Suzuki, the 24 Ultra performed ably, reaching a top speed of nearly 46 mph at a 2.4 mpg fuel burn. It exhibited predictable handling characteristics underway, proving equally adept for tubing or trolling.

Evidence of the 24 Ultra’s multipurpose nature can be seen in the bow, where cushion fillers convert the elevated casting platform into a full-on sun pad. Twin forward-facing backrests can be inserted on either side to create lounges. There’s also a padded bench seat on the front of the console, which lifts on gas struts to reveal a head with a portable potty. A flip-out curtain provides privacy for changing into bathing suits or clothes for dockside dining.

Need more seating? The aft casting platform houses three flip-up backrests that hide cushioned seats underneath. Each can be raised or lowered independently, depending on who needs to sit. Each flip-up seat has its own cup holder, so the day’s beverage never has to be too far out of reach.

Ready to fish? Remove the filler cushions in the bow to reveal the casting deck. Hatches on both sides lift to show the U-shaped stowage compartment underneath — great for stowing gear or icing down the day’s catch.

The standard twin-seat leaning post features four built-in rod holders and houses a removable cooler underneath. The inwale rod racks can hold three rods per side, so you can pack an arsenal for your trip. And the aft casting deck comes with a built-in livewell. With the coaming bolsters extending along the gunwales all the way fore and aft, this boat has true 360-degree fishability. And when you get tired from fighting that fish all around the boat, rest assured you’ll be able to take a seat.

High Points
* A hatch on the aft fishing platform raises for easy bilge access.
* Each seat on the boat has its own cup holder, so all crew members are covered.
* Coaming bolsters extend fore and aft along both gunwales.
* A portable toilet and privacy curtain hide inside the center console.

How We Tested
Engine: Suzuki DF200
Drive/Prop: Outboard/15″ x 21″ 3-blade stainless steel
Gear Ratio: 2.50:1
Fuel Load: 50 gal.
Crew Weight: 380 lb.

Price
$41,658 (without power)

Contact
Carolina Skiff Waycross, Georgia; 800-422-7282; carolinaskiff.com

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The NMMA-certified Carolina Skiff Fun Chaser 2100 Cruiser delivers a unique experience to those seeking the best attributes of a pontoon and those of a fiberglass boat. Smooth and stable, the Fun Chaser 2100 Cruiser rides a twin-sponson hull design rendered in molded fiberglass. We think it’s more akin to a catamaran than a pontoon, as the hulls are asymmetric and a catlike wedge is located forward to provide lift and prevent swells from slamming the underside of the deck spanning the twin hulls. Both attributes are utilized to deliver a safe, smooth fuel-efficient ride. As such, this boat has great appeal to coastal boaters.

Power choices range between 115 and 150 hp, though the Fun Chaser 2100 Cruiser is rated for a maximum of 175 hp outboard.

Of course, performance and power are only part of what makes up a good boat. The Fun Chaser 2100 also sports a layout that provides the versatility needed to pursue a variety of boating activities. Three boarding gates — one of which is wide enough for a wheelchair — combined with the stainless-steel swim ladder on the aft swim platform and the functional bow deck, provide great access to the water, the beach, the dock or wherever you might cruise. There’s luxurious seating and a removable windshield, and the captain’s chair at the helm provides comfortable command. The standard propane-fired grill, Bimini top and marine-grade Bluetooth stereo are just some of the many standard amenities.

We’d expect a lot from one of the largest boatbuilders in the world, and the Carolina Skiff Fun Chaser 2100 Cruiser is designed and equipped to deliver.

High Points
*Delivers the space of a pontoon with the feel and ride of a fiberglass runabout.
*Includes fiberglass hatch lids, boarding gates and a high-gloss gelcoat.
*Perimeter fencing, the console and the seat bases are made from 100 percent rot-free composite material.

Price
Unavailable (at press time)

Contact
Carolina Skiff Waycross, Georgia; 800-422-7282; carolinaskiff.com

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It doesn’t matter how hard-core an angler you are or desire to be; when family is involved in the boat-purchasing decision, they are going to want amenities. Center-console builders have wised up to that, building serious fishing machines with actual places to sit, tan and socialize. The new Sea Chaser 22 HFC, built by Carolina Skiff, provides just such a platform — the HFC in the name fittingly stands for Hybrid Fish and Cruise.

For cruising, the family will like the bench that runs almost the entire length of the transom, save for the area to port where the 25-gallon livewell is installed. The bench features two separate cushions over hatches. The cushion to starboard lifts to reveal an insulated built-in cooler. The larger hatch to center opens for access to the batteries, bilge and other ship systems. An added backrest extends above the transom topside to provide more passenger comfort.

Cruising passengers can rest a cold beverage in one of eight LED-lit cup holders placed throughout the boat, including two in the bow area. The bow features snap-on cushions to easily convert the boat from fishing to lounging duty. Removable backrests slide in to create twin forward-facing loungers. There’s a pedestal base for a cockpit table on the hatch opening to the insole 32-gallon fish box. There’s another 52 gallons of storage capacity under the U-shaped seating. There’s also a removable 100-quart cooler under the helm leaning post.

Fishing features? Besides the aforementioned livewell and fish box, there’s rod storage built into each gunwale, with room for three rods per side. There’s a raw-water washdown, plus four rod holders built into the topsides, four more in the leaning post and four on the T-top.

Underway, the boat climbed onto plane fairly quickly with no real squatting or loss of visibility at the helm. With the 200 hp Suzuki test power, it accelerated to 30 mph in about seven seconds on its way to a 44.7 mph top end. The top of the swim step corners dipped a little too low to the water during hard-over turns at 30 mph, causing drag and throwing spray, but otherwise the boat performed well in a light bay chop.

Comparable Model: Sea Fox 226 Commander

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Carolina Skiff 21 Ultra Elite

Carolina Skiff 21 Ultra Elite

Carolina Skiff 21 Ultra Elite

Carolina Skiff 21 Ultra Elite

Carolina Skiff 21 Ultra Elite

Carolina Skiff 21 Ultra Elite

Carolina Skiff 21 Ultra Elite

Mention Carolina Skiff, and many boaters think of simple flat-bottom, rolled-edge boats. Indeed, just such a no-frills design helped build Carolina Skiff into one of the most popular boat brands in the United States.

But today, Carolina Skiff offers more than just, well, skiffs. The new 21 Ultra Elite is a prime example. This beamy, bull-nose center-console fishing boat offers a full liner as well as fit and finish that take the brand to a new level of refinement, while also retaining Carolina Skiff’s penchant for stability.

Though dressed to the nines, the 21 Ultra Elite sells for under $28,000 (without power) and can run up to 260 miles on a single 52-gallon tank of gas with Suzuki’s new DF140 AP outboard, featuring lean-burn technology.

The gunwales are wide, especially at the forepeak, under which resides a roomy anchor locker. The console incorporates four vertical rod holders on each side. There are also under-gunwale horizontal rod racks on both inwales and four flush-mount trolling-rod holders atop the gunwales. A 20-gallon livewell is concealed below the aft deck. The small console does not offer a lot of room for marine electronics, and I could not find a compass.

Seating for the captain and co-pilot is a bench seat with a backrest featuring four more rod holders.

An elevated bow deck (with cavernous dry storage below) serves as a platform from which to run a bow trolling motor while stalking fish. An expansive aft deck can accommodate a pair of anglers, and twin flip-up jump seats in the forward portion of the aft deck allow for both to rest their backs.

The cathedral-like hull on the 21 Ultra Elite offers amazing stability — a Carolina Skiff trademark. Step up on the gunwale, and the boat barely lists. However, there is a price for such stability — the hull rides a bit hard in big seas. We experienced a few hard thuds and modest spray while running in three-foot waves off Key Largo, Florida.

On calmer water, the 21 Ultra Elite felt more comfortable than any other boat of its size. Carolina Skiff has always offered boat buyers a value proposition — solid, durable boats that sell for reasonable prices. The slightly upscale 21 Ultra Elite carries this forward at a time when many boat buyers might appreciate it more than ever.

Comparable model: Sea Fox 209 Commander

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With an insulated 20-gallon livewell and an aft tackle-tray system, it’s ready to fish hard; but the ultra elite is also perfectly within its element for a fun day of cruising. Look no further than its unique bow area.

Thoughtfully designed with comfortable wraparound seating and a large pedestal table, it’s the perfect place to enjoy lunch with the family. But remove the padded cushions and table, and the deck quickly transforms into an ideal fishing platform. I was particularly impressed with the height of this deck — high enough to work a top-water plug, yet low enough for secure footing in rough water.

The Ultra Elite is extremely stable at rest. I noticed very little list when moving about the gunwales of the boat. Under way, it glides beautifully across the water. The moderate V-hull (actually a hybrid between a traditional Carolina Skiff and a Sea Chaser design) cuts nicely into turns, with gentle slippage at speed, and provides adequate muscle for delivering both comfort and safety in seas up to three feet.

Step inside the console and find another surprise — an exceptionally roomy walk-in compartment with a portable head. The compartment is a full 60 inches tall, and I didn’t feel cramped in the least. I also noted a 12-volt light in the ceiling and neat, organized wiring from the helm instruments tucked carefully and securely behind a zippered compartment.

With the throttle down and engine trimmed, our tester hit a top speed of 47 mph and achieved an economical 3.89 mpg on the Suzuki Command System displays with the DF200 purring at 3,000 rpm.

Other standard features aboard the Ultra Elite include a large anchor locker that drains overboard, a transom sink with hideaway faucet and a nifty leaning post, outfitted with rod holders, cup holders and a 100-quart cooler.

Of course, if you really want to get serious, consider adding an optional T-top with rocket launcher and spreader lights ($3,245) like my tester had. So equipped, it’s ready for just about anything.

Comparable models: Nautic Star 210 Coastal

**

**

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On the water, we found steady acceleration to a top end of 36.4 mph with our test boat’s four-stroke 90 hp outboard and four people aboard. Rigging max horsepower — 115 — on the transom should produce speeds in the low 40s and cost only slightly more to operate. In hard-over turns, the boat proved extremely stable, curving to port and starboard with very little centrifugal force. The ride, in a light chop, is an obvious improvement over a flat-bottom design, though we note the boat is at home near shore or in calmer bay waters.

On the deck, the 198 Elite appears larger than its 19 feet, and offers both family-friendly and fisherman-friendly standard features. Anglers will appreciate the 12/24-volt trolling-motor panel with plug and the 22-gallon aerated lighted livewell in the transom; order high-speed pickup as an option. The console, transplanted from the Sea Chaser bay boat line, includes vertical rod storage. We also found horizontal rod storage beneath both gunwales.

Families will love the rear flush-mount fold-down jump seats and the optional bow cushions and rail. The 198 also features a quick-disconnect windshield for more vertical clearance and easier garage storage.

Who should buy it: Novice or seasoned anglers wanting to explore inshore and very nearshore saltwater fishing with their families. Boaters who enjoy coastal nature touring would also find this boat to their liking.

Vital Stats * Length Overall: 19′ * Beam: 8′ * Dry Weight: 1,475 lb. * Weight Capacity: 2,200 lb. * Fuel Capacity: 32 gal. * Max HP: 115 * MSRP: (boat only): $17,417 * NMMA certified: Yes

Power Picks
(Editor’s note: Carolina Skiff does not package boats and engines. Select your power from the outboard companies that work with your dealer.)

Also Consider…
DLV 198
Length: 19′
Beam: 8′
Max HP: 115
A boat with the same basic dimensions as the featured boat, but built with fewer features and a smaller fuel tank.

DLV 218 Elite
Length: 21′
Beam: 8′
Max HP: 150
Move up to the 218 to gain a little length and add a little horsepower; otherwise, it mirrors the 198.

Test Drive * Test Engine: Yamaha F90 * Test Prop: 13 x 19, aluminum * Test Load: People (780 lb.); Fuel (23 gal.) * Top Speed: 36.4 MPH @ 5,700 RPM * Time to Plane: 3.5 sec.

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