YAMAHA have done it once again in consummate style with their new all-purpose Skeeter range that was recently introduced to the South African market. The range starts with a 19ft craft and goes all the way up to a 24ft version. I was invited to the Inanda Dam to meet Greg Bennett and his Yamaha crew and put the Skeeter through her paces. With Inanda Dam providing a fitting backdrop, I was introduced to the ZX 20 Bay model, fitted with a potent 115hp Yamaha 4--stroke engine.

GENERAL IMPRESSIONS

The 20ft snow-white boat with blue decals on the side looks impressive even when stationary. She has a very clean, tidy look about her, and is sure to go down well with most boaters.

CONDITIONS

We tested the boat on a typical mid-winter’s morning — chilly with no wind, the water like glass, just the odd fish breaking the mirrored surface here and there.

LAUNCHING AND TRAILERING

The Skeeter comes standard on an aluminium double-axle trailer. A durable double roller has been fitted at the back of the trailer to protect the boat when loading. This has the added benefit of making it much easier to load the craft single-handedly.

The trailer is also fitted with four crossbar bunk supports that make it much stronger and more stable when towing. The whole trailer has full body welds to reduce the number of mechanical fasteners, and this helps to extend the life of the trailer.

All these aspects make it really easy to launch the boat into the water, as well as re-trailer her. The stability when towing is amazing, even on a steep decline. Anybody who is familiar with the road to Inanda Dam will know that there’s one particular hill that’s a real challenge, both on the way up and down. Dealing with this task on this occasion was a breeze. The boat and trailer pulled very well behind the vehicle, and there was no pushing or swinging which often frustrates boat owners. A major plus is that it makes trailering a safe exercise.

MOTORS AND CONTROLS
This specific Skeeter had the Yamaha 115 4-stroke with binnacle-mount controls. Although the engine was a little stiff because it was straight out of the box, it reacted instantly when the throttle was engaged. The binnacle-mount controls were very smooth with no noise from the engine when pushed into gear.

This boat can accommodate up to a 150hp motor, but the 115hp had her on the plane in a flash. Many bass fishermen might opt for the 150hp motor, but as I mentioned, the 115hp proved more than adequate and will suit those on a tighter budget.

PERFORMANCE
This boat has a very wide beam which creates a false impression that the boat is slow. Let me dispel this. The Skeeter is lightning-fast with awesome stability. Even though the rig and motors were brand new, she accelerated up to 80kph very, very quickly. At this speed it was still easy to move and walk around on the boat, and it didn’t make any difference to the stability or the ride.

This is by far one of the smoothest rides I have ever experienced, and Skeeter have mandatory NMMA Certification on all their models. This certification has been awarded due to the fact that the Skeeter can engage its maximum speed and can have the steering sharply turned at 180 degrees with no change in settings. The rig won’t capsize, and control can be easily maintained by the person at the helm.

In order to receive this certification the boat must be able to complete 90 degree turns in either direction, without loss of control. This levels the playing field between experienced boaters and novices — a definite plus. This stability in control is attributed to the same wide beam that I initially thought would slow her down.

The ride at all times was very dry, and the widened beam makes for an ideal fishing platform.

LAYOUT
The Skeeter has the perfect layout for a multi-purpose boat. The wide platform will allow two flyfishers ample space to fish at the same time without tangling. The anchor is neatly stowed away in its storage hatch, and a further storage hatch will easily facilitate all the other fishing paraphernalia that fishermen always have in quantities.

Rod lockers are located on the port and starboard sides. Here your rods can be kept safely out of the way, and the compartments can be locked too, keeping the rods safe from long fingers.

The controls and gauges are well laid out and look very professional. The deck is self-draining with a non-slip finish, and there’s plenty of space front and rear.

The boat is also fitted with two live-wells to accommodate your buddies who haven’t yet converted to the fly.

FISHABILITY
As mentioned, this is one of the most stable centre console boats that I have tested. Two people could comfortably flyfish and move around on the boat without her rocking excessively or you having an unexpected swim. Even when other boats went past, the wake did not affect her stability. Because she is such a wide boat with a self-draining deck, it is safe to use the Skeeter in a bay, estuary or even out at sea.

FINISH
This boat stands out no matter what you use her for. Indeed, she has that professional finishing touch to her. Everything has a place on the boat, and it is clear that a lot of thought has gone into her design and manufacture with the end-user in mind.

CONCLUSION
The Skeeter is one of the best designed multi-purpose boats I have tested. She has everything the flyfisher and dedicated bass fisherman are looking for — class, stability, space, speed and a limited lifetime warranty on any major structural defects in material or workmanship. This combination of boat, trailer and engine cannot be faulted. Definitely a thumbs up!