Badfish 18 Inshore Edition

The Swiss Army Knife of Inshore Skiffs

The original Badfish 18 is a versatile, full-featured inshore skiff designed for the shallow creeks and open sounds of Eastern North Carolina but equally at home anywhere that requires a combination of shallow draft and rough-water capability.

A unique “crossover” layout combines a large skiff-style casting deck forward with an open cockpit and a fiberglass seating pod/livewell. Wide, walkable gunwales provide secure footing plus plenty of room for fishing rod storage beneath.

A hand-tuned 8˚ bottom, aggressively flared bow, and wide, reverse chines provide a comfortable ride in chop, confident handling, and exceptional fuel efficiency. Meanwhile, considerable freeboard and a true self-bailing deck mean you don’t have to run for shelter at the first whitecap.

Off plane and with an angler on the bow, the chines are submerged, eliminating hull slap, while the carefully tuned strake configuration and bottom shape deliver exceptional tracking and handling on the pole.

Rigged with a Tohatsu 60, the Badfish 18 draws less than 6” of water, runs in the high 30s with two adults and gear, and cruises at around 10mpg. She also delivers exceptional value, with a special boat-motor-trailer price of $36,900. Give us a call to spec out your semi-custom Badfish 18!

Specs + Performance

82"

BEAM (at flare)

18'1"

LENGTH

22"

TRANSOM HEIGHT

73"

BEAM (at transom)

08˚

DEADRISE

14"

COCKPIT DEPTH

12/20G

FUEL CAPACITY

1,000LBS

WEIGHT (w/ 60hp)

4PERSONS

RATED CAPACITY

70HP

MAX POWER

10MPG

CRUISE W/ 60HP + 2 ADULTS

36MPH

WOT W/ 60hp + 2 ADULTS

$36,900

WATER-READY W/ TOHATSU 60HP, TRAILER, STANDARD RIGGING + ELECTRICAL PACKAGE

Hybrid Flats/Bay Layout

Forward of the console, the Badfish 18 is laid out like any flats skiff. Aft, it features a more open, bay boat-style layout. There’s still a raised casting deck and room for a poling platform, but there’s also room to move around in the cockpit. The fiberglass seating pod fits two adults and serves as dry storage or an optional 17-gallon livewell. For extra seating, removable folding seats or a backrest can be added to the aft deck.

Ample Freeboard + Self-Bailing

Although the Badfish 18 boasts a 6” static draft that’s competitive with specialized poling skiffs, her ample freeboard and true self-bailing cockpit with direct drainage through transom scuppers provide a margin of comfort and safety technical skiffs can’t. A generous 14” cockpit depth throughout makes her feel like a boat your ride in instead of on — great for children.

Hand-Tuned Running Surface

The Badfish 18 was designed the traditional way — with a hand-built prototype and careful refinement through extensive testing. Her 8˚ deadrise splits the difference between the more common 12˚ and 2˚ flats skiff bottoms to find the right balance between ride quality and draft. A wide reverse chine adds stability and keeps the ride dry but stays below waterline at rest for quiet poling. Lifting strakes and a large delta pad provide lift and improve efficiency, while a wide, graceful flare forward highlights her Carolina heritage.

Badfish 18 Gallery

Standards + Options

Although we offer a water-ready, boat, motor, and trailer package with a simple out-the-door price, the Badfish 18 is a semi-custom, built-to-order skiff. Every boat we build is handcrafted one-at-a-time to your exact specifications. Because Davis Custom Boatworks has extensive experience in rigging, restoration, and repairs on everything skiffs to sportfishers, we can do essentially anything you want, from high-end audio and electronics to poling and casting platforms to hanging your power of choice. If you don’t see something on the upgrades list below, just give us a call.

Turn-Key BMT Package

  • 100% composite construction

  • Choice of gelcoat color

  • Standard center console

  • Leaning post box seat with backrest

  • Large dry storage under forward deck

  • Cushion package

  • 35-qt Yeti cooler seat with cushion set and tiedown kit

  • Standard rigging package

    • Heavy duty rub rail

    • Hydraulic steering

    • Stainless steel 3-spoke wheel

    • 800 GPH automatic bilge pump

    • 12 gal. fuel tank

    • Fuel filter/water separator

    • Through-hull fittings

    • 316 stainless steel deck hardware

    • Console access door

  • Standard electrical package

    • Marine starting battery

    • Battery switch

    • Waterproof switch panel

    • Fuse panel

    • Busbars

    • Power posts

    • Navigation lights

    • Anchor light

    • Marine-grade tinned wire and heat-shrink terminals throughout

  • Tohatsu 60hp four-stroke

  • Galvanized trailer

Popular Upgrades

Hull + Deck

  • Molded fiberglass bow storage hatch with deep gutters

  • Larger console upgrade

Electronics + Audio

  • Wet Sounds stereo system

  • Wet Sounds sub and amp

  • Garmin 74sv chartplotter/fishfinder w/ transducer and NMEA 2000 link to engine gauges

Electrical + Mechanical

  • Upgraded engine

  • 20 gal. fuel tank

  • Hydraulic jackplate

  • Power-Pole shallow water anchor

  • Underwater lighting

  • Under-gunwale courtesy lights

Fishing

  • Box seat plumbed as livewell

  • Minn Kota or Power-Pole trolling motor system

  • Poling platform

  • Bow casting platform

  • Push pole w/ push pole holders

Comfort

  • SeaDek/AquaTraction

  • Cup holders, rod holders, grab bars

Trailer

  • Premium aluminum trailer

  • Swing tongue

  • Spare tire