The Carolina 20 dazzled the editors of The Boating News.

The Carolina 20 dazzled the editors of The Boating News.



The Carolina Bay 20 sport fishing skiff from Bayshore Boats Inc. has been awarded the Coastal Boating Lifestyles Boat of the Year honor by The Boating News (www.theboatingnews.com). It is the first time the award has been given.

"The award is to be presented once each year to the most beautiful new boat that also achieves excellence in performing the purpose for which it was originally designed and built," said Rick Eyerdam, editor and publisher of The Boating News. "Additionally, it must guarantee a consistent quality of fit and finish that demonstrates the diligence of the craftsmen at work on each boat."

The testers spent several days aboard the Carolina Bay 20, including fishing in a tournament, and then visited the factory in Wilmington, N.C. to examine construction techniques and several hulls in various stages of production before choosing the boat for the honor.

In addition aesthetics, the Carolina Bay 20 was found to meet or exceed all the builders? promises, the testers found. It was exceptionally dry under virtually all normal fishing conditions and in choppy water. The boat poled in less than 10 inches of water. It was the most stable shallow water skiff ever examined by the editors, and its quality of the workmanship and detail exceeded those of any small boat they had ever examined.

In the online review of the Carolina Bay 20 the editors said: "It has raised the bar for skiffs in fit, finish, beauty and fishability. Nothing is done to save time or cut corners. Everything is made to equal or exceed big yacht standards."

"The sexy tumblehome serves a double purpose. Of course it is attractive, but it also provides rounded edges at the stern to reduce drag underway and lateral drag when she is being poled. Plexus bonding of all components keeps her strong. Structural foam core improves rigidity, decreases weight, increases floatation and serves as a sound damper when poling up on a skittish fish. All corners are radiused, inside and out, for additional strength, enhanced appearance and to soften her entry and reduce telltale splash in stalking mode. The base boat (at $36,000) comes with raised diamond nonskid gel coat, gel coat bilge and anchor locker, recessed stainless hardware, a 38 gallon live well, under gunwale lighting, cavernous dry storage, two Optima batteries, dual bilge pumps, Teleflex hydraulic steering, a breaker panel electrical system and, get this, room to store a gillion dollars worth of rigged fly rods (16 to be exact)."

Eyerdam added: "Anyone who dreams of the days when Rivas and Garwoods and those lovely little Chris Crafts graced the waters with no other purpose than a beautiful joy ride will recognize the Carolina Bay 20 as an opportunity to own a new classic beauty that is a joy to drive and a great platform for shallow water fishing."