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Anyone have an opinion trading off these two hulls ? Looks like the ride would be pretty similar between the two. Have pretty much heard good things about both, but May-craft is much less expensive. Maritime is supposed to be a very dry ride.
Well I have a 20 ft. Maritime Skiff and my friend has a 20 ft. May Craft and I like mine much better. Ride is better and drier. M-Skiff is unsinkable. They do cost more. THe m-skiff hull design is just much more superior in my opinion.
I looked at both boats back in 2004. The May Craft would be my choice between the two. The Maritime is a very nice boat, but it seemed overpriced considering the type of boat it is. Both hulls are pretty bare bones but the May Craft reflects it in the price. I like basic boats with a basic price! If you think you'll need 18' of boat then you may want to move up to a 19' or preferably a 20'. It's amazing how boats shrink when you get them wet. I was originally going to get an 18' Sea Hunt then my wife convinced me to go with the 20 so I could be happy with it for more than a few months. BOY WAS SHE RIGHT! There's a big difference in size between an 18' and 20' CC. Launching and retrieving is just about the same in both sizes and the price is usually just a little more.
Good luck and keep us posted.
__________________
2005 Sea Hunt 202, Honda BF150 2009 Toyota Tundra
Same, same with the diff between the 18 and 20 MayCraft......one 18 is a rolled gunnel and the 20 is a cap/liner/hull boat and will naturally ride better.
That MayCraft 19 is a cap/liner/hull boat and is such a tuff hull for its size. I'm a bit biased since I have a freind with a 19 and I have a 23....and we BOTH have electronics boxes built INTO a spacious EZ to use console. A very nice feature.
A big selling feature for me with the Maritime Skiff was the fact that the 20 ft. CC was easily pushed (35 mph) with a 90 HP 4 stroke. Most 20 ft v-hull CC's need 150 hp roughly to accomplish the same performance. The hull design of the M-Skiffs is superior. Its very efficient, has better load bearing capabilities, and more reserve bouyancy due to the rounded bow. Go to their web site and look at the picture of the 18 ft. hull loaded with 9500 pounds. Hull design! Is it worth the extra cost? Probably not for the average boater / angler but I dont want to be average.
There is no magic to the MariTime skiff hull design. Go to their website and read thru all the BS. It's a 10 degree deadrise, little more than a Carolina Skiff.
As typical of all moderate deadrise hulls, the MT will carry a large load, with little hp, plane easily, and provide a very stable platform...downside is it will beat you up...just like a Carolina Skiff.
I suggest you get out on one of each, I DID.......then make your choice based on your needs.
I found the MS to have more room, certainly was a lot drier, less hp to go faster.
Depends on your personal wants/needs.
It is nothing like a cs.
I'm lucky that my dealer carries both so I had a side by side comparison and then took em out to make a final decision. I think that's the best way.
Good Luck in whichever you decide, I hope it does what you want and gives you years of service.
Someone mentioned something important that was overlooked. On the May-Craft 1800, you get an electronics box built into the console. That's a wonderful feature. A 90HP will push the May Craft just fine too. Some people have gotten 115HP engines instead, and from what I heard, they'll propel the boat to about 45MPH. Not bad, not bad.
Personally, I looked at Maritime Skiffs this summer, and was impressed until I saw the price. Now I know why I don't see too many of them on the water.
__________________ 2001 May-Craft 1800
2001 90HP Johnson OceanPro
You either like or don't like the Maritime Skiff boats. I owned two of them. An 18' with T-Top & 20-P. Loved both of them. The 18' gives you fishing room from bow to stern. By this I mean no storage compartments to fish around. I used mine for back water fishing to Bass fishing at Block Island.
The 20-P would fis nicely out 20 miles or so on good days. Very seaworthy, comfortable dry ride. Tabs are a plus on the 20 footers. There is a used 20 on the Black Lab web page www.blacklabmarine.com
They are pricey though. That is the big argument, a lot of money fo a little boat. They are not production boats meaning hundreds built at a time.
Another vote for the Maycraft. Maritime skiff is waaaay over priced IMHO. Price aside I would take the hull design of the Maycraft as well. As mentioned by someone before take a look at the 1900 it will still be signifigantly less money than the Maritime. Maritime will definetley bang more in a chop than the maycraft. Don't buy into the unsinkable thing. Any boat that meets CG requirements for floatation now days is unsinkable. Buy the maycraft and use the leftover money to gas up the boat for the next 5 years. Or buy your wife something nice before you tow the new maycraft home!
Do your homework its alot of money either way!!
__________________ "My biggest worry is that my wife (when I'm dead) will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it." Koos Brandt
Looked at the MS's when I was shopping. As with some other brands, I couldn't figure out what I got for the extra money; so I am satisfied with the Maycraft. I figure I paid alot less to get pounded just the same as the similar hull designs.
I have a F115 on my 1900 MC it runs between 38 to 42 MPH depending on conditions. I added TT to my 1900 and it greatly improves the ride. BTW,it's for sale.
I have an 1800 Maycraft, bought it new 6 years ago. 115 Johnson. Good boat, good price. It pounds and is wet when in offshore in chop. I put a permatrim on it and it helps but it still needs tabs if you are going to use it like off shore on choppy days. Great boat for the waterway and the backwaters. I really have pushed the boat and it does not have one stress crack anywhere. The boat can take it. The 1900 has a better ride and is not a rolled gunnel boat. The 20 is a much better boat for going outside. Tuff boats and I will buy another Maycraft.A few for sale on the THT. The 23 in FL looks like a great deal, and the 1800 for sale in the 4 Oaks area in NC on the THT would be a great deal if its for sale.
the maritime has a decent bow on it..... i wonder where they got that idea from
most accept that a 18' x 7'6"ft beam with low deadrise, will ride a bit hard in heavy chop and slow down
there is a very similar looking, stable 22' delta padded, hull, with a smaller 6'6" beam, that will give a softer ride, with good economy and seakeepoing, commonly called a panga
if that is an issue to you
test ride is the only way to see what boat you like
A carolina skiff in no way compares to the ride of a Maritime skiff. Most of the M-Skiff bashers have never fished in one and are put off by the price. Yes they are too expensive for what you get but having run BOTH the 20 May Craft and the 20 M-Skiff the ride is softer and MUCH more dry in the M-Skiff. Opinions should be based on actual experiances with the boat in question. The Maycraft is a good value not doubt, but as far as overall performance the M-Skiff is better in most respects. IMHO.
__________________ Fishing the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic O.C. in my bad a$$ Maritime Skiff 20D.
the maritime has a decent bow on it..... i wonder where they got that idea from
most accept that a 18' x 7'6"ft beam with low deadrise, will ride a bit hard in heavy chop and slow down
there is a very similar looking, stable 22' delta padded, hull, with a smaller 6'6" beam, that will give a softer ride, with good economy and seakeepoing, commonly called a panga
if that is an issue to you
test ride is the only way to see what boat you like
From what I have been told. The Maritime designs are straight out of Boston Whaler. I have heard Original BW designer is the designer for Maritime, and built in the old BW factory. Anyone know if thats true???
__________________ "My biggest worry is that my wife (when I'm dead) will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it." Koos Brandt
A carolina skiff in no way compares to the ride of a Maritime skiff. Most of the M-Skiff bashers have never fished in one and are put off by the price. Yes they are too expensive for what you get but having run BOTH the 20 May Craft and the 20 M-Skiff the ride is softer and MUCH more dry in the M-Skiff. Opinions should be based on actual experiances with the boat in question. The Maycraft is a good value not doubt, but as far as overall performance the M-Skiff is better in most respects. IMHO.
I have fished and run the Maritime 2090 several times as well as the Maycraft 2000cc. Dryer and better ride came from the Maycraft hands down. I also thought the finish and layout was better on the Maycraft quite honestly.
Yes I can say this because it comes as first hand knowledge of the two. And after I test ran both as well as the Parker 21 I chose my TV 19 Cat. Out ran all of them in every catagory. Usable interior space, Smoothest ride, Best fuel economy, Best stabilty adrift, Best weight for trailering, Shallowest draft, Price, etc. Paid 18K 19cat with 115zuke and trailer.
But he was'nt asking about cats was he
__________________ "My biggest worry is that my wife (when I'm dead) will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it." Koos Brandt
18' Maritime Skiff vs 18' May-Craft Skiff 
I was originally going to get an 18' Sea Hunt then my wife convinced me to go with the 20 so I could be happy with it for more than a few months. BOY WAS SHE RIGHT! There's a big difference in size between an 18' and 20' CC. Launching and retrieving is just about the same in both sizes and the price is usually just a little more.
"My biggest worry is that my wife (when I'm dead) will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it." Koos Brandt 
