Does the 18 parker really only draft 7" ??

[eswice]

Per the company website the spec for the 1801 is only 7" draft??

In the real world is this true?? Does the forefoot under the bow only dip 7" under the waterline or is the 7" draft based on the transom?

I am getting out of a 20 ft grady cuddy and am looking for a boat with a shallow enough draft to allow me to fish insore for redfish in creeks and flats......My goal is to have such a boat with shallow capability...but also be salty enough to fish ofshore a few miles on nice summer days...

The 18 Parker can handle 2 to 3 ft offshore for sure ...but can this Factory spec draft claim be true??

? Even a little 17 Mako has a 9" draft by factory specs ?

Can I get some real -world 18 owner feedback...

Many Thanks

Ed
Charleston SC

 

[wflgator]

I can't directly address your 1801 question but my experiences with the 21SE may be helpful. The 21SE has a listed draft of 10". The boat would definitely float in 12" of water and I could push it across a sandbar or flat in a foot of water. I could ease along in 2' of water with the motor tilted up but needed about 3.5' to get fully up on plane. I have found Parker specs to be pretty accurate.

 

[eswice]

Thanks for the feedback!

--Another issue that has me thinking is the "Spec Weight"??
of 1950 lbs is really heavy for a 17' boat ( I know this is due to the very high quality
of construction that goes into a Parker....)

Anyone have real-on-the-water-experience with a 17' in shallow water over carolina pluff mud??

Thanks for all feedback

 

[mildew2]

Depends on the weight in the boat. And how it is distributed. 1801 is a very shallow drafted boat. I'd think more like a foot and a half to 2 feet. Especially including transducer.

 

[eswice]

i'm a bit new to Parker models..What is the difference in the 1800 and 1801??

 

[windknotnc]

My old 23SE drafted about 12" and my 21SE now is around the same; however, I have it pretty loaded.

 

[bryank]

I have an 1801 that i use around Murrells inlet and Winyah bay for redfish/ trout. the boat is pretty new to me (got it in the Fall) but due to the mild winter we have had in SC i have tried to use it as much as possible. I too was skeptical of the 7" draft spec but i do know that the boat will still be floating long after the engine is trimmed to high to get any forward momentum which i know to be less than a foot of water. The boat came with a low end Garmin fishfinder and i have seen that read 0ft. of water on a couple occasions and the boats still floating.