# Dargel boats



## Rodmaster66 (Mar 19, 2007)

I am looking into buying a Dargel Skout, does anyone have an experiences with this brand of boat?


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## BertS (May 21, 2004)

will run in the "OH MY GAWD!!!" skinny water, but will beat you to heck, and you'll be wet getting there.........great boat for what they were intended....


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## dargelskout (Jan 11, 2005)

*dargel*

I owned a 186 skout for 2.5 yrs it was a great boat for the waters that I was fishing at the time (Port Mansfield). But, it is a little wet and rough, will run in super skinny water. Now have a majek illusion, big difference.


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## txranger (Jun 23, 2005)

My MIL has a late 80's 16' Skout with a newer Johnson 115 (I think) that she would prob sell. Boat is in good fishing condition, let me know if interested. I've fished out of it many times, pretty much agree with Bert and ds. It's great for 1 or 2 people, great for wading (easy to get in and out of), but 3's a little crowded.


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

I have a 2006 Skout 170 w/90 Etech. It is for sale right now. I moved to Galveston Bay area and the water gets too ruff at times here so I am selling the boat. 

I love the boat. If you want to run skinny, that boat will do it in very, very skinny water. I am not kidding when I say it can run in about 6 to 8 inches. It takes 8 to 10 to get up. I lived in south TX and used the boat in the LLM. Ideal boat for there, not sure if it would suit you here.

I know there are a lot of back water areas and some skinny water here, but I want to be able to run out to the Jettys or acorss the bay and not have to worry about it getting too ruff when it is not really ruff.

Great boat and well built. BTW my Etech has a 6 year fully transferable warranty on it. 

Do a search in the classifieds and you will find it under Dargel.


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## wellconnected (May 30, 2005)

My best friend has a 19' Dargel Skout and absolutely hates the boat. It is super rough and SUPER wet. I is pretty much made for the flats only. His deck has cracked on him twice. When he called the builder, he responded by saying the boat was made for the flats and not rough water. Fair enough and on the chopping block it went. He kicks himself everyday for buying that boat. I dont think it is a bad boat but it does need to fit a very specific fishing style that does not include rough water.


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## Speckwrangler (May 27, 2004)

I owned a Dargel Scout 210 with a 140 Suzuki 2 stroke and it performed awesome in skinny water but was a pretty bumpy and wet ride although it rides smoother than a Majek RFL IMO! From what I understand Dargel invented the Tunnel Hull... 

Hope this helps some!


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

Looks like you better pick something else..............
Thats way more negative feedback than I would need, to change my mind...........Good luck


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## bowed up (Apr 1, 2007)

They should issue you a Rain suit when you buy one. But will run in spit.


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## LBS (Sep 2, 2004)

it depends on where you're fishing. my FIL has one and i showed my BIL how skinny it would run once kind of by misjudgement of the tide level. we had it jacked up and trimmed out and were slinging stuff from the bottom 50 feet behind the boat. ran it for about 1/2 mile in I KNOW less than 6" of water. we could feel the boat sliding on the bottom at times and were like HOLY **** when we finally got to deep water. i have never seen a boat run that shallow and i've been on both trancat and flatscat boats with CRAZY drivers. it was a heart throbber going back out of that same "channel". i also fished with a guide named doug dunkin down in arroyo city for three days who had the 21 dargel w/ 140 suzuki 4 stroke. he drove this thing like an airboat shooting thru small breaks in the grass, just big enough for the boat to fit thru, to jump from back lake to back lake. one morning we cruised the very skinny back lakes off of the ICW and were able to stand on the front of the boat while we drove right up to a big school of reds. we could not stop because it was too shallow, seriously, this flat was 6-8" for miles of hard sand - we ended up wading and sight casting to pods of tailing reds on the same stuff we just drove across and it was less than ankle deep. i would say the dargel skout runs as skinny as the rest of em and has a ton of room. but like everyone else said, it is a rough, wet ride in even the smallest of chop.


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## Too Tall (May 21, 2004)

Speckwrangler said:


> From what I understand Dargel invented the Tunnel Hull...


They were putting tunnels on boats before Dargel started their business. They may have been the 1st to use that application for shallow water fishing boats though. Who knows.
Good boat for the Lower Laguna Madre though. As others have said Bring a good seat cushion and a wetsuit.


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

Well, mine sold today to a person who fishes the LLM. I absoutely love the boat for the application it was designed for. In the flats it is great. Get deeper and a little ruff, as stated, you will get wet and it is not a smooth ride. 

One time we were in south bay and it gets a little deeper down on that end and it was a ruff. Good luck.


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## kenny (May 21, 2004)

If it's that rough riding and that wet and EVERYONE knows it, why wouldn't the manufacturer change or at least tweak his design to improve those areas? Doesn't make sense. IMO


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## Salty Dog (Jan 29, 2005)

I have fished out of two 21'ers a whole bunch. They were powered with a 115 on one and a 120 on the other. My father-in-law owned both of them. They were solid boats, I cannot think of any problems we ever had with those hulls. 

They are pretty much as billed above. You have to consider what it is. The boat is a big ol flatbottom. Yes it has a tiny bit of V up front but overall it is a big flat tunnel hull. It will run skinny and it has tons of fishing space. It will get you wet and it can be rough. That is just what a flat bottom does. 

On the second Dargel my FIL had put an elevated console on it and had it set up where both passengers and driver were all up higher. That worked great, all the spray was down low and it made the ride plenty dry.

We fished them mainly in Matagorda. I have crossed West Matagorda Bay in them in all conditions and never felt unsafe. I fished it in the surf a bunch and have taken it up to 15 miles out on ice cream days.

It's been awhile since I have fished out of one and honestly for how I fish i don't think it would be my first choice but it wasn't a bad boat. I had lots of good times in them and caught lots of fish out of them.


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## hank (May 22, 2004)

*186 Fisherman*

I have a 98 Dargel Fisherman I picked up here from DargelJohn. It fits my needs well spending time in both fresh and salt water, runs in less water than I care to put it in on purpose, and from the sounds of the posts here isnt as wet or as rough as the Scout. Thats not to say that it loves big bay swells, but we run out to the jetties regularly and fish Trinity on occasion. We do get a little wet when it kicks up, but the ride isnt bad considering the hull design. No troubles what so ever structurally, or mechanically in the 2 years or so I have had it. Aside from occasionally wishing I had a little more bow so we could more confidently run to the short rigs, and the fact that the big tunnel and high motor placement dont allow for sharper turns when playing at the lake, I couldnt be happier. Neither of these two drawbacks were unexpected when I bought it, a man just has to have more than 1 boat to fit all conditions.


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## TooShallow (May 21, 2004)

Tunnel hulls were being used in the LLM long before Dargel popped out their first hull. First tunnel hull on record that I recall was built by E.A. Lewis back in the Fifties.


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## Rodmaster66 (Mar 19, 2007)

Thanks for all the reply's, I think when I get back home I will bypass the Dargel and continue my search. Thanks


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## FishFinder (May 25, 2004)

I have the Dargel 186 Scout...When I first bought it everyone got beat up and wet! Though with time, just like any flats tunnel semi V hull you learn how to run it even in the rough H2O. I primarily run it in Galveston and Matagorda. Yes, when running WOT in rougher water it will beat up anyone sitting up front. Though, in the rough waters cruising 18 to 23 mph it will handle just about anything! I have had it in some 5'-6' rollers and when navigated correctly the boat handles it well! It does not like a quick chop scenario in 2' to 3' waves or more...In those scenarios, you have to take angles on your heading on a cross chop path to eliminate the roughness. The fishing room is outstanding and I have had 3 drift fishing on it many times. It will run in spit as mentioned. Not that I like to, but it will...Ive hammered it across a 6" mud flat with no problem! Would not advise that, but the bote will run in an honest 8" of water. In regards to the hull design. It's built like a blank brick house! Though, the spray flares off of the front of the bote too easily. It would seem that Dargel should look into a sray shield that would repel the water back down instead of spraying over the bow! I assume that would not affect the performance of the bote at all! Just a little extra strategic 18" x 1" angled fiberglass strips on each side of the bow of the bote would work perfectly. That would eliminate the wet ride issue period! I just tell those who get on my bote. You don't like to get wet, then bring a jacket! You still ****** about getting wet, then get off lmao... Honestly, I love the bote! Yes, I sometimes wish I had that deep V to plow through the rough bays, but the Dargel is fine for me right now. I can run as skinny as I want! And, now that I now how to run the bote it really does not concern me if it gets rough! Overall, I think it's an awesome bote! Tho, some would say I'm biased...Too bad you just dropped it like white on rice without taking a ride in one! I'm sure one of the Dargel owners here on the upper coast would have offered to take you out. I know there are a few! Don't know them, but I know of atleast 3 different Dargels that frequent west g-bay!


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## Rodmaster66 (Mar 19, 2007)

I have already arranged when I get back home to test run the 186 Dargel Skout, and also the Shoalwater 18 Flat, these two are in my price range that I am willing to spend. Thanks for all the reply's.


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## Salty Dog (Jan 29, 2005)

Like I said, I fished out of two different Dargel 21' Skouts many dozens of times and also had a 18' Shoalwater flat for several years. Honestly the Dargel is better. They both run and float in about the same water. The Dargel is a little faster and is actually drier and smoother but only by a little bit. Both boats are built solid.


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## hi2utoo (Dec 4, 2005)

Rodmaster66, Shallowsport has a new price point boat out called the Bahia you may want to take a look at. The other to consider that would probably still keep you in the price range is TV boats by Explorer, Shoalwater and some others. I've had both Semi V Tunnels and the Pure V Tunnels and the later was a whole lot easier on you in big water without giving up much on the draft etc....

Good Luck


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## lureinflight (Nov 29, 2006)

I have a 16' 9" Skout that I have owned for 20 years. Runs like new. Have run it in every bay from Trinity Bay to South Bay/Padre Island including the beachfront. I am satisfied with the way it handles the chop in the Laguna Madre in almost any wind. Spray can be adjusted by your angle and speed - generally fast unless large swells. As far as the big deep bays, I do not like running in higher winds (open areas) where large swells set close together. Basically, I don't put my self in that situation by understanding the weather and run leeward as needed. 



Had a V type hull before and got stranded at San Louis Pass on sand bars to many times. One of the things I like about the Dargel is it has a short modified V, which is high enough that it does not contact the bottom and wedge. Rest of the boat is basically flat. Not all bay and flats boats are built this way. If you make a mistake (relatively easy to do if it is real skinny and there is tidal fluctuation) and run a ground or shut down in inches of water and lock up - you can slide it out a reasonable distance to deeper water. Push behind the motor not the boat. Never been stranded. I over shot a bend in a small tidal creek and beached in a cow pasture. My two passengers and I put it back in a few minutes. Don't know how how that works on the larger heavier Dargels. Incidentally, I have run a ground on grass flats a number of times. I have never found any evidence of a prop trail. Apparently, the motor is high enough and the cupped prop does not dig. Hole shots can disturb the bottom.



If this one gets broken/can't fix, I will defiantly consider buying an other one (last boat). Particularly for this size of boat, it is a back water/ shallow bay kind of boat. If you are primarily deep open water bay fisherman or have to consistently cross such water under a variety of conditions it might not be for you. I am not familiar will the longer hulls and how they handle bad water.


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## kenny (May 21, 2004)

lureinflight,
Interesting first post. Welcome to 2cool, you'll fit right in.


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