Skeeter: The Original Bass

Skeeter: The original bassOver thirty years agoHolmes Thurmond ofShreveport, Louisiana designedwhat is recognized today as theoriginal bass boat. At the time,Thurmond didn’t know he waslaying the initial groundwork forone of the largest booms in thehistory of the marine industry, andalso a new company: Skeeter.That original Skeeter was alittle over thirteen feet long andmade entirely from marine plywood. With slanted sides, flat bottom and pointed bow, it wasconsidered a bass fisherman’sdream come true. With the introduction of fiberglass into themarine industry around the sameperiod, the adaptation to theSkeeter came only natural and theboat gained quick recognition andacceptance.Soon after, a new and largerversion, the “Super Skeeter,” wasborn. The bass boat as it wasknow in those times offered thefisherman more than he had everhoped. Capable of handling outboards up to 35 H.P., the SuperSkeeter skimmed across the waterat unparalleled speed, better than30 mph. It was about this time,however, that fishing began to takeon a whole new meaning: Competition.So Skeeter designed a boat tomeet the competitive angler’sneeds. Tournament anglersdemanded boats which would handle even larger motors and takerougher water. Skeeter answeredthese demands with the SkeeterHawk. The demand for the Hawkby both tournament fishermen andguides was phenomenal, vaultingSkeeter to a dominant position inthe marketplace, and laying thegroundwork for one of the mostradical departures in conventionalboat design, the Wrangler. Overthe next few years, Skeeter introduced the current mainstays of theSkeeter line, the Starfire andStrada and each one reflects thequality and care that went into theoriginal Skeeter.In the fall of 1983 the ColemanCompany, a leader in the manufacturing of quality recreational equip-

boat that’s still #1 today.ment, acquired Skeeter Products,Inc. With both companies sharingand committed to the marketingphilosophy of producing the bestquality product at a fair and reasonable price. Skeeter will continue todominate the bass boat market.series has a solid 1 1 2” transomwhich runs from one side of thehull to the other. This transomhelps to distribute shock throughout the boat instead of just in theback. A carefully laid stringer system supports both the floor and“In sum, we liked pracically everything aboutthe Skeeter’s seating and dash layout. It’scomfortable and offers superb sight linesfrom the helm.”Popular MechanicsFrom the modest plywoodoriginal Skeeter, to today’s complete line, Skeeter and Colemanare dedicated to building a qualityboat from the ground up. Anyonecan copy a quality product, butSkeeter builds the quality in.Nothing Else is made like aSkeeterA Skeeter is designed toachieve a beautiful balancebetween high-speed performance,strength, fishability and comfort,because we know a fisherman’sneeds. You need a boat that cansprint to your favorite fishing hole,handle rough water without roughing you up, stow your gear, andmaneuver along structure filledshorelines with precision and ease.We build a Skeeter with all thisin mind. Each hull is hand laid.layers of both mat glass, whichprovides puncture resistance, andwoven roven glass, which providestear resistance, are sandwichedtogether. This gives this finishedrunning surface the strength ofeight glass layers, over the patented Diamond Core runningpad, all carefully hand laid.Attention to detail is anotherSkeeter hallmark. After laminatingand curing the hull, the trip chinesare filled solid with a putty ofcrushed glass beads. Thesechines give added strength to thehull. End-grained balsa strips arelaid into the hull as well for addedstrength and rigidity.And into that hull, Skeeterbuilds the strongest transom onany boat, anywhere. The Starfiredeck. This handcrafted hull is,literally the foundation of Skeeter.But Skeeter quality doesn’tstop with the hull. We havedesigned our own wiring system inshock resistant ribbed plastic. Allwires are coded and plainlymarked to eliminate any possibleerror in connection. Because thesystem is modular, options such astimer panels or E-Z Charge panelsmay be added at any time withoutspecial wiring. Attention to detaileven shows in our tournamentpreferred livewells, which are insulated with a thick layer of customformulated foam to protect yourcatch.We also check and test ourboats, along every step of the production process. Even before theboat is started, a full time chemistchecks ever batch of resins,glasses, foam and other materialsto make certain they meet orexceed our standards. All wiringand instrumentation is thoroughlytested. Gas tanks are pressurechecked, and plumbing lines arewater checked. All these inspections and many more make certainthat when a boat leaves our factoryit is delivered to you with the qualityon which Skeeter has built its reputation. A boat wont leave our factory unless we are proud to call it aSkeeter.Skeeter Number 1again!In 1986, Skeeter once againleft competitors in its wake. PopularMechanics magazine performed ahead-on comparison of the topbass boats in the market. The number one ranking went to the boatthat achieved the best balance inperformance and fishability.The Skeeter Starfire waspraised in every tested category. “Insum,” they reported, “we liked practicallyeverything about the Skeeter’s seatingand dash layout.It’s comfortable and offers superbsight lines from the helm.In highspeed handling, the Skeeter turnedeasily and well. The boat easesonto the after hull pads whentrimmed out fully.Smooth waterperformance at speeds in excessof 60 mph was quite literally abreeze.”Skeeter earns theUL seal of approvalNow Skeeter quality is recognized by Underwriters Laboratory.Skeeter is the first bass boat everto be UL classified. All SkeeterStarfires, Wranglers, and Stradashave now been classified byUnderwriters Laboratories, anindependent, non-profit testingorganization, in accordance withU.S. Coast Guard safety regulations.Underwriters Marine facilityconducted extensive tests, andclassified the boats in the areas ofcapacity, power, flotation, electrical, steering and fuel system characteristics. The classificationprocess lasted more than a yearand involved major tests at both theSkeeter factory and UL’s marinefacility in Florida. In the future,classification of all other bassboats will be based on the Skeetertests. Once again, Skeeter is theindustry innovator.

Skeeter StarfiresSince its conception in thelate 1970’s, SkeeterStarfire has consistently left itsrivals in awe. This is the boat thatfinished first against all comers inthe popular Mechanics “Battle of theBass Boats,“ the first boat to beclassified by Underwriters Laboratory, and the first in every fisherman’smind. In fact it’s safe to say thatmore tournaments have been wonout of Skeeter Starfires than in anyother modelA uniquely different patentedhull allows for maximum stability atany speed while maintaining superior cornering abilities. The Starfireseries has been expanded over thepast few years, bringing the totalnumber of models to seven.

Starfire 175Popular Mechanics Magazine’s “Battle of the BassBoats,” January, 1986 issue rankedthe Skeeter Starfire 175 #1 amongthe industry’s top boats. It comeswith a host of standard features, oryou can pick a special tournamentpackage that fits your needs.Overall Length: 18’ 5”Maximum Beam: 87”Approx. Weight: 1,200 lbs.Horsepower Range: 115/175Transom Height: 24”Standard Features Sequin Pin Stripe Starfire Seats Bilge Pump Snap-in Running Lights Competition Wheel Aluminum Lids and Doors Diamondcore Pad Dual-aerated Livewells Interior Light Package Kneed TransomSilver Crown Features22 Gallon Gas tankInstrument PanelE-Z Charge PanelHandrailsSequin Deck, Deck Stripe,Hull StripeDual SteeringPlush CarpetElectric Horn Additional FeaturesCustom Sequin FinishesEngine ControlsLarge Capacity BilgeTournament Special PackageE-Z Charge With 6 Gauge WireAnchor ReinsWindshieldBicycle SeatCustom High Back SeatsBench SeatSpecial HullsAuto Bilge SwitchTournament Livewell PackageAerator TimersHandrailsTransducersLowrance 1240-AExtra Seat BasesPro-keeper Boards

Starfire 175-DDesigned for the seriousfisherman, the new SF175D dual console features anoptional 50 gallon gas tank, dropdown passenger seating area, andnew casting deck layouts withlarger storage. The new floor layoutfeatures much more space withplenty of tackle box storage area,new console and dash designsoffer plenty of room for fish findersand accessories.Standard Features Aluminum Lids and Doors Starfire Seats Dual-aerated Livewells Interior Light Package Kneed Transom Bilge Pump Sequin Pin Stripe Diamondcore Pad Snap-in Running Lights Competition Wheel Tackle Box StorageAdditional Features50 Gallon Gas TankInstrument PanelDual SteeringHandrailsSequin Deck, Deck Stripe,Hull StripeE-Z Charge PanelPlush CarpetElectric Horn Overall Length: 18’ 5”Maximum Beam: 87”Approx. Weight: 1,225 lbs.Horsepower Range: 115/175Transom Height: 22”Additional Features Custom Sequin Finishes Engine Controls Large Capacity Bilge Custom High Back Seats Bench Seats Anchor Reins Ski Tow Bar Extra Seat Bases Tournament Livewell Package Tournament Special Package Special Hulls Auto Bilge Switch Front Jump Seat Transducers Lowrance 1240-A Ski ladder Bicycle Seat Aerator Timers

Starfire 150The same great boat as theSF-175, only in a performance oriented 17 foot version.Coupled with the new 150 H.P.outboards, the SF-150 is the fastestproduction bass boat on the water.Overall Length: 17’Maximum Beam: 86 1/2”Approx. Weight: 1,050 lbs.Horsepower Range: 90/150Transom Height: 22”Standard Features Sequin Pin Stripe Starfire Seats Bilge Pump Snap-in Running Lights Competition Wheel Aluminum Lids and Doors Diamondcore Pad Dual-aerated Livewells Interior Light Package Kneed TransomSilver Crown Features22 Gallon Gas TankInstrument PanelE-Z Charge PanelHandrailsSequin Deck, Deck Stripe,Hull StripeDual SteeringPlush CarpetElectric Horn Additional Features Custom Sequin Finishes Transducers Auto Bilge Switch Tournament Livewell Package Tournament Special Package Anchor Reins Extra Seat Bases Pro-keeper Boards Special Hulls Engine Controls Large Capacity Bilge Aerator Timers E-Z Charge with 6 Gauge Wire Lowrance 1240-A Windshield Bicycle Seat Bench Seat Custom High Back Seats

SF-180 Starfire and Starfire 160Family fun packed fish andski boats built on therenowned Starfire hull. Pullingskiers or chasing fish, the 160 and180 excel at both.Standard FeaturesSequin Pin StripeInterior Light PackageStarfire SeatsAluminum Doors and LidsDiamondcore PadBilge PumpSnap-in Running LightsAerated LivewellCompetition WheelKneed TransomWindshields Silver Crown FeaturesSequin Deck, Deck Stripe,Hull StripeE-Z Charge PanelPlush CarpetElectric Horn22 Gallon Gas TankRegency Panel and Glove BoxDual SteeringHandrails Additional FeaturesCustom Sequin FinishesEngine ControlsTournament Livewell PackageAerator TimersE-Z Charge with 6 Gauge WireLowrance 1240-ACanopy TopTransducersBicycle SeatPro-keeper BoardsSpecial HullsAuto Bilge SwitchLarge Capacity BilgeFloor-mounted StorageAnchor ReinsWalk-thru WindshieldExtra Seat BasesSki Tow BarLadder SF-180Overall Length: 18’ 5”Maximum Beam: 87”Approx. Weight: 1,250 lbs.Horsepower Range: 115/175Transom Height: 22”SF-160Overall Length: 17’Maximum Beam: 86 1/2”Approx. Weight: 1,050 lbs.Horsepower Range: 90/150Transom Height: 22”