Dolphin 17 Super Skiff Pro

If you’ve traveled to almost any bonefish destination around the Caribbean, chances are you’ve fished out of a Dolphin Super Skiff. It was one of the first technical poling skiffs created, and its design has proven reliable and effective for almost four decades. Dolphin decided to step things up a bit with the introduction of its faster, long-range 17-foot Super Skiff Pro. The company designed this boat so four anglers could fish comfortably all day, yet it’s light enough that you can pole it in 10 inches of water.

The new 17 Pro is built from three separate parts – the proprietary hull, the inner liner and the deck – that are made completely of composite materials and fused together using a special process to create a strong and durable one-piece unit. It also incorporates Kevlar and vacuum-bag infusion to ensure quality construction and finish throughout. Like all Dolphin Skiffs, the 17 Pro contains no wood, and the company backs the hull with a transferable 10-year warranty.
  Dolphin got input on the design of this boat from hundreds of customers and guides, and the result is a functional and intelligent layout. The hull shape is a modified version of the high-performance deep-V from the 16-foot Super Skiff Pro, but it still affords a 10-inch draft and now boasts an 81-inch beam. This combination of draft and beam enables the boat to run over 40 mph with a 90-hp Evinrude E-Tec and to smoothly handle a 2-foot chop, but the boat is rated for up to a 140-hp engine.

Its large 32-gallon gas tank holds enough fuel to make even the longest runs possible. The oversize forward deck makes a perfect casting platform, while the in-floor cast-net storage and ample dry-storage compartments easily accommodate the gear of four anglers. Fore- and aft-facing undergunwale
rod racks hold up to six fly rods on each side. Dolphin incorporated an ergonomically designed helm seat behind the center console that folds down to open the rear deck for additional casting room. The entire deck and the cockpit sole feature a molded-in nonskid surface to help you keep your footing when moving around the boat.