IamA Inventor/Owner if the Ultraskiff 360 Watercraft AMA!

Can I fit the New York Giants receiving corps on one?

If all 4 of them just sat down indian style on the deck Yes they could all float around and fish. Cruz, Shep ODB and whoever the 4th guy is I dont know. Im an Eagles Fan, congrats on showing us how to win with a new head coach. Much Respect.

Go Eagles!!!

HAHA! Yes lets hope Wentzlemania picks up where it left off mid season this Fall.

How does an Eagles fan end up in Dunedin? My parents live there and I love visiting that town. I recall a good cheesesteak place run by some Philadelphia folks who moved there (I think).

My Grand Parents used to vacation here every year and growing in South Jersey up I always wanted to live here. This was my chance to have a good excuse to do it. Yes your right there is a place called "Delcos" right around the corner from it. ANd when you walk in you would think you were at a steak joint in Philly. The atmosphere and food is top notch authentic. And you would be amazed at how many Tri State People live down here. When I'm in the place they all filter in talking loud wearing Eagles Jerseys and you just know they are not Floridians. Cool place.

That's awesome. And I've been to that cheesesteak place. Very good! Also went to Nortons sports bar after attending the Bucs vs Eagles game in 2013. Saw a LOT of Eagles fans. Good times down there. Wish you a lot of success man.

Thanks, Yes I frequent Nortons alot as well. Next time your in town just down the road from both places is a Bar called the Pinehurst Pub. Best wings I have ever had in Florida. Monday is 35 cent wing night BTW. Thanks!

Your Eagles are gonna be a lot better next year.

Appreciate that! But as a Philly fan we don't get our hopes up anymore. Were the most cynical fans out there and proud of it.

I am Minnesotan, and I beg to differ.

HAHA! Noted!! You know what its like.

Wait is "Indian Style" just American for "Criss-Cross Apple Sauce"????

In fact the very same.

What is it with the American prevalence if calling natives "Indians" and not "Aboriginals" or "Native Peoples"? Or even by thier tribal/nation names?

It is what was in our text books in grade school and High School. Its how Hollywood portrayed them growing up.

So how is ultra skiff doing? Has starting the company been more work than you expected and did the video going viral cause an influx of sales that you were able to handle?

Ultraskiff is doing Good. Yes it has been alot more work then I tough. Especially since I Bootstrapped it all starting with literally nothing. The first Viral Video certainly helped boost my first edition of the website, unfortunatly at that time I was not ready to manufacture and could only sell 20 prototypes. The following year in July of 2015 I finally had full manufacturing capabilities and had a Second video go Viral on Facebook. Reddit was not involved in the second video going Viral, it was a Facebook Video that went of 6,000,000 views in a couple months. That one sold me some boats!

Did your cameo with zoffinger bring you any business? I'd be interested in creating videos like that solely for you, if you 'sponsor' me a boat :-p

Nice. I don't remember ever doing one with him honestly. But if you have a bloated you tube channel like him then just message us and we will discuss :p Thanks!

Please stay in business longer! I will buy one of those a few years down the road, unfortunately I can not right now.

Do you ship to Germany? If not, maybe look into that sometime soon. Give me a year or two :D

Thats a deal! I will do my best to take this all the way. Germany has been a target of ours I am working hard to get into Europe this year and Germany is probably the best market for it. Thanks!

Really awesome thing you got going. My question is like you said below, "I personally fought a few Goliath groupers and 400 Lb sharks last summer and I would say 40 Lbs of drag is the max before that fish rip the rod out from you." What was it like when you were testing all of this stuff out and trying to find the do/dont's? Any close calls?

This is a great question. I didn't have any close calls because i knew exactly what to do. Stay in the seat, put the butt of the rod under my leg and hold on. That 400 Lb shark was wore out in about 15 minutes. I have not posted that video yet but I am this year. Capt Ben Chancey is the guy in the videos and he is so experienced I didnt have to tell him anything he just knows how to handle a fish. The biggest close call was Monster Mike, hes a small dude at like 5 foot and maybe 140 Lbs. When he hooked into a Goliath his feet couldn't reach the inner hull gradient, he needed a shorter pedestal that I did not bring that day. So without the pressure on the gradient the grouper just pulled him right the edge of the boat where he hung on for dear life. The skiff started tilting up but he hung on until the grouper eventually broke the line because it got back the wreck. I would say that was the closest call of anyone either getting pulled out or flipped over. I learned that day that you have to be sure that someones feet are flush against the inner hull and they are squared up with the butt of the rod either under their knee, or under the seat for leverage. Thanks!!!

Awesome man, and thanks for the reply! I wish you continued success brother

No Problem. Here is a link to the Grouper/Shark Video: https://youtu.be/w_nY4MDbylA

That's pretty sick man. I noticed you said you lived in south jersey. I grew up in middlesex county and live in Monmouth county now

Yes I am from the Berlin Area. I went to Camden Catholic High School. I come back often to see my family. Just wish the fishing was better cause I would move back in a heartbeat. Thanks!

Is it even possible to capsize? If so, how easy is it to right?

Yes it is possible, but you have to go out of your way and grab onto the motor as leverage. Like a lever, the motor shaft connected to the transom has enough power if you were pulling on it from the water to flip the boat. So if you climb back in, dont touch the motor!

How would you right it?

You mean if it capsized? I actually had a guy in California be the first to capsize one by trying to climb in using the motor to grab onto. He said he righted it in the water by doing the exact same thing, he grabbed onto the motor shaft and propeller that was sticking out of the water and put all his weight on it until the boat flipped back over. Made sense to me. Other then that I would imagine you would have to get it to shore or to a dock to flip it over yourself manually. Thanks for asking!!

So when did you decide to go balls to the wall and really start investing time/money in this thing? Was it an all at once or more of a gradual thing?

It was a very Gradual thing that was related to prototyping. It costs me about 6K and 6 months to build that first boat. It was all hinging on how well the very first trip on the water went with that prototype. I alrady made peace with myself before that trip, that if it sucked, I was ok with losing the money. And if it was great then I knew I was going Balls out. Simple as that. It was great on the first trip, really never made any changes after that. Would I of kept going if it sucked and built another prototype? Probably not, I did it all with credit cards and was tapped out.

Hey, avid fisherman here from Oklahoma... I usually fish smaller lakes on the local wildlife refuge. I used to have a smaller 2 man bass buggy type craft. If i was in the market to buy another small personal watercraft (for fishing primarily) what would set your watercraft apart from something like a nice hobie fishing kayak apart from the ease of standing?

Thanks

Get some of these on the water here in SW Oklahoma and you'll sell a lot.

That a great question and I could just run off all the usual benefits, pros and cons to you, stability, storage, seating, comfort, posture, strapping, transporting. That are all advantages. But the thing I try to convey that is missing in this industry is the value of the "experience". WHat does it FEEL like when you are fishing from a certain watercraft. Everything is so VISUAL nowadays, that boat LOOKS better, that one LOOKS cooler. A kayak has the experience of a kayak, it doesnt matter what brand it is your stuck in that position all day. Grant it, the pedel kayaks have a degree of separation from the paddle kayaks. The pedal is an obvious advantage and better experience then the paddle kayaks. But wow do you PAY for it. The Ultraskiff has the best Experience of any kayak or small jon boat. Its one part of the 360 degree vantage point, one part the constant foot gradient and posture, one part higher vantage point and another part open deck with stuff in storage. So you cant judge it from looking at it, you have to sit in it and cast from it to understand. That why I make so many videos: I'm trying to convey that experience because the boats are not available for people to test themselves. Now, what are the Cons to a kayak? there are 2: Kayaks tend to be a bit lighter (50% to 20% lighter) (paddle or peddle) and kayaks are faster because the hull is more streamlined and cuts through water better. You have to weigh that against the many advantages of the Ultraskiff. That how this all started, I had a big Pro and Cons list before this started and the Ultraskiff blew the kayaks away each time, Im not saying its the right choice for everyone in the debate, some may place more value in speed and weight over storage, seating, comfort, stability storage and versatility Ect.

Andddddd I just bought a boat.

HAHAHA. My favorite comment so far!

This guy skiffs. They look great man id love to have one

Thanks man! Appreciate that Broski

Damn, I wish I could afford one right now but we just finished saving for Disneyland. I'll trade you snowblower and a mini-fridge for one instead?

Well Ill pss on the trade since Im in Florida. But on the bright side we are about an hour and a half from Disney land so if you can find time come down to Dunedin FL and Ill put on a boat to try out and fish from. ALso there is a resort in Orlando that is buying a few for rentals this Spring. Contact us for speacial delas if you ever can pick one up, just ask for Jeff, thats me, Ill work with you. But Im good on the Freezer and SNowblower.

Hahaha that's so awesome. We will be on the other side of the states for Disneyland though. I've got your site bookmarked for when the time comes :)

Awesome! Let me know man and best of luck. Disney is a blast.

How many of these have you sold since you started selling them?

We have sold just over 600 of them so far. Hoping to hit the 1000 mark this year.

What is the maximum amount of weight you can hold on a line before the skiff flips? Or how many pounds of drag can you keep on a line without it getting dangerous?

The skiff can float with about 2300 Lbs in it. Now the amount you can hold on a Line is alot different because of the physics of it. I would calculate that if you had a giant fish on that for sure tendons in your knees would give out and you would collapse and fall overboard before the boat ever flipped while fighting a fish. the 2300 Lbs of buoyancy would be enhanced by the personas center of gravity sitting in the chair as well as the counter pressure on the inner hull from their feet. So you or your rod is going overboard but the skiff is staying right where it is. How much drag? I personally fought a few Goliath groupers and 400 Lb sharks last summer and I would say 40 Lbs of drag is the max before that fish rip the rod out from you.

Good fucking answer. Damn.

Thanks man. Here is a link to the Shark/Grouper Video: https://youtu.be/w_nY4MDbylA

What kind of waves can that thing handle?

It can handle SWELLS very well. Look no further then the shape of inflatable life rafts nowadays, they are about 6 foot and round because of how well they stick to the crest of a Swell and Bob over it. Waves are a different story if were talking about breakers, with a 3ft breaker the wave is going to come right over the gunwales and hit you in the face. Most of the water will drain out the scupper, some compartments will fill up with water, but that will only mnake it harder to flip when the nextr wave comes. Could a huge breaker flip the boat if it hit it straight up? I would imagine so, The small plastic boat is no match for the power of the ocean in that scenario.

How deep do they sit in the water? Lots of shallow areas around here!

Fully loaded with a 200 Lb man in it it drafts about 2-3 inches. You can push poll it through 4 inches of water no problem. But to use the propeller you need about a foot of water to avoid cavitation. Thanks!

Capitation?

*cavitation

Yes Cavitation. I was typing pretty fast yesterday. Thanks ghost.

Can this be fitted with a turbo encabulator?

LOL. I thought that was a joke until I just googled it and watch some 70's video on it. HAHA Nice.

I don't fish or own a Kayak, but your YouTube video was very good and enjoyable, It looks very neat and unique. Are the storage compartments waterproof ?

The storage compartments are not waterproof, water can still leak in on the edges of the doors. It futile because the doors have these Hols called "wire Holes" that allow people to run motor cables and wires into and through the compartment. You don't know how valuable these holes are until you have an Ultraskiff. Would making them close tighter with more pressure help keep some of the water out? Yes but it would raise the price of the boat significantly. The other factor is tht in a rain storm it is still a small amount of water, maybe 1/4" to 1/2" that would eventually accumulate in the bottom. Which is why we have a cover called a "skiff poncho" that fits over the boat and keep everything dry, cup holders, rod holders, compartments, everything dry in a rain storm and you can still fish in the boat or leave it docked with the chair on it. Overall a better more cost effective way to waterproofing the boat.

I can just imagine having ONE compartment that's rubber sealed to store a phone or GPS unit in. But Thank you for explaining it.

Of course, I thought of that alot, but in essence its just a dry box your explaining, so why not just bring a small plastic 5$ dry box to put into the compartment that you can then take out and put anywhere you want. You look at that VS the cost of added more assembly time, cost and Skus and it makes sense. Your welcome!

Not sure if it's been asked sorry if it has been but is there an option for a live well then? Or is there at least availability of a cooler to be fastened to the skiff? Btw very cool, love the skiff! Now I gotta convince the wife to let me buy one!

There are a million ways to make a livewell. I will post some viudeos in this reply. BUt on the concept of an exterior livewell, I have use the Todd round Livewell Tank as a seat before, and have used coolers of all sizes as seats/livewells before. You can even mount swivel chairs on top of the coolers/livewells and run hoses and pumps through the bottom of the cooler/livewell and through the center hole/scupper of the boat. That is a video I almost made I just never finished it. Still have all the equipment to do it. Here is a 4 part series I made on livewells. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8OD4De-JGg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfldGBYVjkc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2CeyK-1OWM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8deBZt3S13s

Good afternoon! Just checking in here from Texas and wanted to say I will be buying on of these on the 17th. I think I'm going to pick it up from Gainesville and I can't wait to get to work on it to have everything ready for warmer weather. Your website has allowed me to answer all questions I had ranging from how to transport it to motors to customizability. I am likely going to be using the cargo mount to move it. All in all awesome product and I am beyond excited to get it on the water.

For my question - in terms of getting the registration stickers on, which method on your site do you recommend?

Thats great news. Just make sure you contact us directly so I can deduct shipping from the price and get you a great deal. The registration is interesting, it looks like most guys just stick them onto the side of the boat. I have not had a single email about this since day one, very strange. I don't know if people are spraying the stickers with that 3M spray or what. My dad has a skiff and he just stuck his on the side, they are still there. The foolproof method in my opinion is to just take some 3M sticky tape (low energy vinyl tape/wrap) and put a piece of that over the section and then place your numbers on top of that. Me, I'm still using my first method, I have them on a thin piece of plastic that I velcro to the boat whenever I want to have numbers on it (just saltwater). Thanks and I look forward to serving you!

Hey mate - are you thinking of selling these in Australia in the future? These would do so well here. Kayak fishing has really taken off in the last couple of years, but I think some people stay away as it offers less stability and movement than a boat.

Gday mate. We already have an Australian Distributor who currently has them in Stock. They are a Car Dealership in Perth but can ship them anywhere in AU. Check out our Dealer page and scroll down to International. You will find their contact info their. If you have any trouble contacting them, just reach out to us and I will assist you and take care of it. -- Jeff

I already have a boat but im recommending this to everyone im 400km south of perth so thats great.... no one normally wants to deal with WA so this is a huge positive

That awesome! I really appreciate it! They are great guys and will serve the people of AU well. Let us know if there is anything I can do. Tight Lines Mate!

Do you have a customized trailer to haul this thing? Or can it fit in a standard half ton 6 foot truck bed? I only have a 1/4 ton truck (Ford Ranger), so I imagine I'd have to tow it.

No way they fit Easily into any truck bed, even ultra short crossover beds you can stand them up vertically and strap through the center hole. But in a 6 foot bed you can slide it in flat and close the door and your off. That's what I do. My skiff stays in my Ford F150 bed 24/7 most of the time. Not even strapped down. it goes everywhere with me. Thanks!

So just kinda lean it to one side and strap it down?

How much does this thing weigh dry and empty? Do you detach the motor first?

Yes in a truck it leans on one side and the other side is on the bed. Its easier then it sounds. Look at how I do it in the video. I call that the lift and roll method. If your going on a highway you should put one strap through the center hole. I have been on the freeway before and have seen the wind channels grab and lift it up before. If your just going around town I don't strap it down at all usually.

Hello, Congrats I was not around when you were initially getting reddits help to get this off the ground but along with the rest take partial credit in any present and future success you might have all the same, thinking about it is actually making me feel good. I wondering what is it made from and what the life expectancy of the product is, could it be left permanently in the water? Again your welcome and all the best.

HAHA THanks! Yes I do credit Reddittors with giving this idea the spark it needed to lift off 2 years ago. I am in your debt. Speacial Reddit discount to everyone, just mention when you call. Good questions: A LOT of people don't understand how durable and well made the product is. It is rotation-ally molded, just like all the $400-$1000 Coolers you see. So its all one molded piece of plastic, no glue, rivets or seams anywhere. These boats are tough as hell. I'm still using the same 3 samples I molded 3 years ago, they are in fantastic shape and I am purposefully rough and hard on them. ALot of people are surprised this could cost $1,500. But this shape is much more difficult to rotation ally mold then a cooler! You put in 33 mold in inserts, detachable pedestal mount, doors and cleats in the mix and its surprising they are not $2500. I would say the life expectancy depends on use and storage methods. The book is really open here because we have not had a single warranty claim yet on the books and I have yet to break one myself. So time will tell. Thank you again and best to you as well!

What is the draft? How shallow can it go? I am a big guy, 6'3"/290lbs. Is that realistically too big to be comfortable on one? Thanks!

Certainly not. We have couple new videos up now on our channel, one with a 250 Lb guy and one with a 350 Lb guy. Both are comfortable. The biggest drawback fro bigger guys in my opinion is speed, the motor just has to work a little harder for you to get places. Other then that your ok. Thanks!

What about the draft? How shallow can you go?

Drafts about 1 inch per 100 lbs that you put in the boat. You can poll in about 4 inches of water and can run the propeller in about a foot of water. Thanks!!!

how and what got you started with ultraskiff?

That's a good Question. For about 5 years I lived on the Anclote River in Tarpon Springs FL. During that time I fished out of 2 boats, a 14 ft Kayak and a 10 ft Jon Boat. Now each one of those crafts had pretty uncomfortable seating, the kayak had me in the forced "L" position and I was at the mercy of whichever way the kayak faced. The jon boat had be sitting on a bench seat limiting me to only certain angles and facing different angles had me straddling the bench seat and twisting my neck and shoulders to make up for the lack of a swivel chair. Mounting a swivel was not possible on the Jon boat because it was already unstable enough, and putting a higher perch or building an elevated deck would only make it worse by raising my center of gravity. I used live bait primarily and the 2 biggest things that always got under my skin were: 1. the way each boat would ambiently drift away from the bait, or the bait swimming away from whichever way I was facing. I dubbed these terms: "Ambient Drift" and "Directional Repositioning". Both meaning the same thing. Small lightweight boats will always drift and change direction erratically, its what they do. Then one day I sneezed and I could not get up on the floor, I suddenly had a herniated disk in my lower back and I attributed it to the long sessions fishing from these boats gradually wearing down my L1 disc. I then had to move back to New Jersey and it took a year to recover. During the first month of recover I started thinking of a solution to my small watercraft problems (since it was most likely I would never be able to sit in a kayak again), I needed to sit in a chair with normal posture and fish. The idea for a round boat was a solution to the "ambient drift" because then no matter how the boat turned my feet, vantage point and posture would always be constant and never change no matter what the boat did in response to the wind, barometer or current. All I had to do after that was figure out what people did wrong about prior attempts at modernizing a round boat. Which the prior art of those attempts looked like a round raft, flat on the bottom and flat on the top. I added the ramp like inner hull(for added stability and comfort) and the detachable pedestal mount (so that you could put pedestal mounts on and sit as high as you want without risking tearing the plastic), the roll bar (so it could roll), the storage compartments, rod holders, cleats, handles, skegs, center hole/scupper. And presto, I had the Ultraskiff concept. Thanks for asking!!!!!!

Do you ever sell them business to business? I could really see the kind of companies that hire out canoes and pedalos on lakes here in the uk having a few to hire out, especially when they can be used to sunbathe

Yes we do a lot of B2B Sales at wholesale pricing. And we will sell to anyone in the UK.

How far are you away from international sales?

We are about 6 months into international sales. So far we have a distributor in Australia, Kuwait and Russia. The EU, SA and the UK are next for us and we are still looking for the right company to work with. Thanks!

Cam you build a flying one?

Yes it is possible to install a Gyro Copter application to it. I think it would be an awesome giant flying fishing drone. One drone Tech reaches a certain level of efficiency and pricing.

How did you go about getting them manufactured? Looks awesome; will keep it in mind for a present for my father. :)

Thank you, I hope to serve you one day in the future. Manufacturing was the biggest hurdle I had to get over as an entrepreneur. Rotational Molding is a complicated Science and our first manufacturer was not up to the task. It took about a year of failed attempts at dialing in the process correctly before we had to move operations to a specialist in Texas. They had it about 2 weeks before they had a perfect boat finally. A bit more expensive to manufacture but you get what you pay for, live and learn. Basically when I had the concept drawings and the first prototype video done I just sent it to about 15 different molders, they all gave me quotes, lead times and pricing. Then I just had to choose the right one, visit the facility and ink the final deal. Thanks for the great question!

Need a product tester and or showcaser? Live in Boston and I think people would go crazy with excitement when seeing this on the Charles river.

We are past the product tester stage unfortunately. During the first couple months we have about 8 boats away and unfortunately did get burned by a few guys who just didn't put the work in. That doesn't mean we don't work with you on a great deal if you can offer us something in return. We are always here. We just cant give boats away anymore because it is bad business. Not saying that is what you were asking Im just saying I have to answer that question daily and you have to just give the most concise response you can, because it eats up a lot of my time negotiating with people. Bottom line, we sell boats. Thanks man!

Have you ever thought about going on Shark Tank? The publicity alone would probably get you slammed with orders.

Yes I auditioned last February in Miami. It went great. Nailed it! I got a phone call like 2 weeks after saying I was going to the next round. I had to go through a lot of work making a special Shark Tank Video for them and filling out paperwork. Then they said: You have to wait 4 months for the final answer from producers. I waited and never got a call back. Bad move on their part in my opinion, I think me rolling the boats through those doors and the reaction from the sharks would of made it a top rated episode. That's not the end of the story though, Im still trying and you may see me on it when all is said and done.

Good luck, I mean it makes sense to have fishing stuff on the show because... ya know... the name of the show.

My thoughts exactly. I mean we know they are not fishermen and all but... Isn't part of the show entertainment even if they dont like the product? The only answer is that it was me, my personality, I wasn't what they wanted on the show. I came off a little rough around the edges and raw I think because I taped the video from the boat while fishing just to be different. That's the only thing I can think of. Thanks, don't worry I've got something in the works...

Actually Daymond John fishes and is often the only one interested in fishing products that make it on Shark Tank. Just something you should know if you ever make it on the show.

Your right about Daymond, he does like to fish I just recently learned he invested with Line Cutters. Well lets see what happens this year.

Really good self awareness but if your personality from this AMA is anything to go by I can tell you the problem ISN'T your personality. You seem like an awesome guy, really passionate and honest. But consider it a possible blessing. You never know how these shows are going to edit you and some people seem to forget it's reality TV and people love a good failure. Would hate to see you get bad press for any reason. Keep doing what you're doing and I hope to see your Ultraskiff's floating all around Australia soon mate.

You have a good point there. Really appreciate the support and the encouragement! Thank you. And the name of the business who has skiffs in Perth is Max Commercials.

Where are these manufactured?

We Manufacture them in Gainesville TX at a rotational Molding Factory called Advanced Pedestals Inc. They are a great company and we have a good partnership.

What is love?

I think love is one entities appreciation of another entities existence. To put in the broadest and simplest terms possible...

These safe for kids? Great product by the way! Also I second the shark tank comment!

HAHA thanks. Yes its very safe for kids, especially with a trolling motor. Kids love riding in these things and if you get 2 of them it instantly turns into a bumper boat battle, which is very safe to do in these crafts. Appreciate the support!

Great craft, it looks like a really well planned out design, fantastic work.

Just out of curiosity were the old traditional coracles/boats your inspiration for your ultraskiff? Or was this something you came up with without seeing a coracle?

Thank you!!!! Love hearing that. They really were not at first. When I first had the idea pop in my head I knew about coracles so whether that is an inspiration Im not sure, it might of been. I got more inspiration by looking at the prior art of previous round boat attempts in the patent database. There were basically floating rafts that where flat on the top and bottom. From there I knew there was something missing in the design which was added stability and making it harder for the person to fall overboard. That's where the ramp like inner hull came into play. After that it opened up the complimenting accessories like the rod holders, cup holders, compartments, handles ect. The detachable pedestal mount was a separate innovation that had no prior art, that one was purely conceived as a way to separate the plastic stress that emanates from a single fulcrum of a pedestal base into a plastic hull. Thanks for asking!

I don't even fish, and that thing looks awesome.

How do other fishermen react when they see you out on the water with it?

The reactions range from: What the heck is that thing (which can be said in a negative or positive way)? to "how do I buy one?" My days fishing are always interrupted by curious angler wanted to talk to me, but that's ok, it only bothers me at sunset and sunrise when its time to fish! haha no, its always a pleasure to talk about it on the water. Good Question, thanks again!

Does it have any support for electronics such as displays, sonar transducers, batteries etc?

Yes recently we added Magnet Mounts. Which are great for any size transducer. Here is a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nis4J7aq1NE

ALso, here is an older video of our first attempt at this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlzS6Pm1I54

You actually got USCG certification on that thing?

Yes, believe it or not it was the easiest part of the whole endevour, in fact I got certified before I even molded the first boat. If the craft you want to certify has a HP rating of under 2 HP, then the USCG does NOT actually see or test the product, you just have to submit a picture. If you want a rating over 2 HP, then they actually come down and do the "Hull Breach Test" where they puncture a hole in the boat and then drive it a while and see if it sinks. We actually did that test ourselves and put a video of it way back in 2014. Here its: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvPiflPrsdA

Thanks!

Hey Jeff, this thing looks really cool! I'm not much of a fisherman, but it runs in my family and I love seeing new inventions.

1.) How similar was the original prototype to the final product you're not selling? How many different models did you make before you settled on the final product?

2.) Your website has a LOT of information on the craft. Like, really specific details about the dimensions, mechanics and construction of the end product. Do you worry that you tell TOO MUCH about your invention? That people might decide to just make one for themselves after getting the benefit of your trial and error?

Good Questions. Here is a video of the original prototype. https://youtu.be/FLYMjn18x5w

I made it my cutting up parts of a 10,000 Gallon Cone Bottom Plastic Tank and then Hiring a Plastic Welder to glue it all together. I still have the prototype at my Parents House in New Jersey and hopefully one day can move it to a safer place indoors. She is special to me.

1. That's a great question. Because you cant just go to your local store and touch one, the more information I have on it, the better it helps people feel confidant they know what they are getting. When it comes to intellectual property, the patent is already published online, that is the law, you can hide it, so anyone serious about copying it could access it anyway in even better detail. People have already tried to copy the concept and compete. Albeit failed attempts, but there isn't too much you can do especially since anyone can buy one and then dissect it for themselves. You just have to choose your battles when it comes to patent cases, am ready to do battle, but when the time comes you have to be sure you are going to win that battle hands down. It doesnt help you to worry about that stuff, you have to focus on growing your business and take things as they come. Thanks!!!

If I buy an ultra skiff can I get pictures with the ultra skiff babes from your website?

HAHA! Babes are one thing we do not have enough of. I feel like now is a good time to maybe get a few babes on the skiff because at this point I feel like we have shown us to be serious about fishing and boating. To just put babes in the first year I felt like it would make us look cheesy and gimmicky. But I think this year I will get a couple babes on board. The ones in our website are just family and personal friends of ours, so I cant really refer to them as "babes" lolol Thanks man!

Have you thought about making a bigger one with 5 chairs and a frigobar? I think I would buy that.

A Lot of people suggest that. But it is not unique enough to compete with Pontoon Boats, Which are much cheaper to manufacture, faster and conventionally practical then a 12 ft rotomolded circle boat. I had to google Frigobar, its a mini Fridge. HAHA. Yeah you could get one, convert it into 12V power and use as your seat on the Ultraskiff now if you really wanted to. Thanks!!!

How did you go about designing the boat? What kind of help did you have in the engineering of it.

And after you designed it, how did you get the first prototype built?

I must say, I only have a liberal arts degree. I designed it using simple math with a protractor and a pencil. Then I had to make a scale clay model, this was before 3D model printers where available. The scale model was not that hard to do because I just had to convert each measure from feet to inches with a simple conversion ratio and a calculator. AFter the scale model was done I went to a local college ( the one I graduated from) and put up a flier in the CAD department asking for help in designing a product. I had a student looking for work contact me and paid him a few hundred bucks for my first professional 3d drawings. I used those drawings for the patent and they also came in use for my first manufacturer to draw up the final design of the boat to be molded. Many things had to change in order to have a mold able design, but in the end it worked out well. The small features of the design changed a lot during that first year. The first prototype was build by cutting up a giant cone bottom tank and then glueing it together by hiring a plastic welder to do the hard work. This was pricey, as the welder charged me about 6K to get the prototype built. Thanks again!

How is it for scuba diving? Could one attach any kind of a ladder or platform? Would it tip if trying to pull oneself in with a lot of gear?

Good Question: We have some Scuba people on them. They just pull themselves up manually without a ladder. Now using a ladder is something I have not done yet really. The skiff is pretty easy to climb into once you get your chest over the gunwale. But the ladder has been on my list of things to test for a long time, I am not convinced it would work, I am going to start with a rope ladder and see what happens this year. Stay Tuned. Thanks!

Hey mate, occasional Aussie fisherman here. I absolutely admire how much effort and time you've put into this concept to get to this product. I think it's execution is great so big ups to you.

One thing on my mind is that when I go fishing I love doing it with my mates first and foremost. Do you think a big proportion of the market will not consider this product because of its nature as a more 'lone wolf fisherman' thing?

I dont think so, because the kayak fishing market is HUGE. over 200,000 kayaks are sold each year in the USA. Now any serious kayak fishermen rocks a single person kayak, and their friends go with them in their own kayak. Its the same with the Ultraskiff, only that your fishing buddy doesn't have to have an Ultraskiff, he/she can have a kayak or another small boat. The key to the 360 degree experience is the single seat, without the single seat you lose that experience. I think a 2 seater is just a slower, less roomy version of a Jon Boat in my opinion. A bit of a gimmick if you will, ok you have 2 seats, but then Why is it round? Whats the value in the round shape then? All in all the Ultraskiff doesn't have to be a isolated experience. Thanks Mate!!!!

How important was PR to your success? (Trick question. I own a PR firm).

PR was very important. People like the understand the back story to new concepts and I have tried hard to share it with anyone willing to listen. Bootstrapping a new business from scratch had its pitfalls, like the fact that it took years to get off the ground. But also had its advantages because it put a real person and true spirit behind the business. I think in todays age you have to be authentic if you want communities like Reddit to really engage you, Im thankful to everyone, it inspires me and hopefully it inspires other future inventors.

Fishing alone is a little lonely. Any discount when you buy two? On that question would your trailer solutions work for two units?

Yes we have great discounts on Multiple Boat Orders. ALl you have to do is call or email us 7274440021 or [email protected] and we will quote you the best price we can on 2 boats. If you email all we need is your zip code to get you a price. Thanks! Hope to hear from you soon!

I have a neighbor that drives his around with a golf cart, what made you come up with the idea?

HAHA thats awesome. I fished from a 10 ft Jon Boat and a 14ft kayak for about 6 years in my 20's. During that time was sitting in that "L" positioned for long sessions nearly every day and it wore my back out that eventually developed into a herniated disk. During my recovery I used that as inspiration to think of a better way someone who wanted a small boat could sit comfortably and fish more effectively while maintaining the properties that still made it "portable" for one person to launch in areas that did not have a boat ramp. Also, I wanted something I could keep in the back of my truck, which the Jon Boat and Kayak where both not that great at. Thanks for asking!

Can you ship to Canada?

We can, but unfortunately there is a lot of red tape and regulations every time we do. Its best that we set up a dealer so we have one in North Washington State at WesCan Marine. And another in Manitoba at Adventure Power Products Inc. Check them out and let us know if you need further assistance by emailing us at [email protected]

How does it handle smaller rivers? I saw you have a video of a larger river, but I am wondering if anyone has any experience doing trout fishing in something smaller with low class rapids like the Chattahoochee.

I would imagine it would handle smaller river better then a larger one. SO I don't see any problems with that at all. I take in on smaller rivers here in Florida often. Thanks!

I know I'm a little late here but I'm curious on if you plan to get rid if the nylon cleats that's are attached around the perimeter. It seems like that could be a safety hazard since someone could get a foot caught in it and whatnot.

I read that they are removable (from your site) which is good, I love that you support people wanting to modify it how they like. But this also gets rid of a cleat.

So I guess my question is, do you think it would be feasible to add some kind of retractable cleat? But at the same time, keep the threaded inserts for people to use to modify it how they like? Perhaps adding retractable cleats more towards the outside edge and putting covers in where the old cleats would be that can be removed for mods?

I have never experienced them as a safety hazard and have not seen or heard any negative reviews from customers regarding them yet. But yes, they are easily removable and you can just put the screws back in to cover the threads. On the retractable cleat, which are common on bigger boats nowadays. This may be an option on the next design of Ultraskiff. But I cannot do it on the current design because the recessed portion would have to be part of the mold itself. Its certainly something I am considering for the next design, whenever that happens. Thanks!

What song was used in your trailer? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRbhU4estkk

That song was purchased from shutterstock.com. Its called " All Wrapped Up" Thanks!

How long did it take you to come up with the idea?

Well ideas take about a second to pop into your head. Then they have to be refined from a blurry image into a clear representation of the product. I would say from blurry concept to Clay scale model that I made afterwards, about 3 weeks. A lot of pencil sketching and math in between. Thanks for the great question!

Have you considered going on a show like Shark Tank to help promote it? Are you doing this full time? How much weight can each boat handle?

Yes I auditioned for Shark Tank last year and made it to the final round but did not get on the show. I am going to try again. In a previous question I explain what happened in detail. Yes I have been doing this Full Time since I started selling in July of 2015 and had another full time employee since then. Each boat can handle about 2300 Lbs of weight, but I have the capacity set at a reasonable and practical 460 Lbs. Thanks a lot, I'm heading off to eat dinner and will be back tomorrow to answer anymore questions. Thanks a lot for commenting I really appreciate it!

How do you handle registration (Required by certain states DMV to operate with a motor) paperwork? Are Certificates of Origin and Bills of Sale mailed out or something?

Good Question. Yes we ship out an M.C.O. with each boat. Which is a Certificate of Origin. All you need is that filled out plus your original invoice or receipt and any DMV with title and register your Ultraskiff.

Would you consider taking your invention onto shark tank?

Yes I auditioned last February in Miami. It went great. Nailed it! I got a phone call like 2 weeks after saying I was going to the next round. I had to go through a lot of work making a special Shark Tank Video for them and filling out paperwork. Then they said: You have to wait 4 months for the final answer from producers. I waited and never got a call back. Bad move on their part in my opinion, I think me rolling the boats through those doors and the reaction from the sharks would of made it a top rated episode. That's not the end of the story though, Im still trying and you may see me on it when all is said and done.

Do the sides have fishing rod holders that can double as attachment points for an optional bimini cover?

@Hyperlite135 nailed it. But there are already numerous Sun Shades that attach to boat Seats that work on the Ultraskiff. The EZ Shade, Pro TEcht Mantis SUn SHade, Reel SHade, ULtra Boat seat umbrella holder and more. Check them out. We have a video coming out soon that will explain each one.

No reason you couldn't put pvc in rod holders and make a top. It would be hard to fish with one and it would only really work when the sun is directly overhead

Spot on. Thanks! Check these out: The EZ Shade, Pro TEcht Mantis SUn SHade, Reel SHade, ULtra Boat seat umbrella holder and more.

Where are you keeping all the "giant" fish you're catching? Hope its not the camera boat..

Well the real giant ones like the 500 Lb Grouper and SHarks we let go. But if we catch something tasty its usually small enough to fit in the compartment, if not you have to have Plan B. LOL. Thanks!