It’s rare that I get on a boat to test it for a review, and at the end of the day I don’t want to give it back. Rare because I already have a fleet of three boats and I’m limited to three under marital agreement. (She said “yes, but…”). It’s rare because of financial realities. And it’s rare because often I’ll find things about a boat that make it wrong for me, personally. But after cruising and casting on the TuffTide 13, I really wanted to park it in my driveway and keep it there. Want to see why? Click and watch.
The TuffTide is a rotomolded, foam-filled poly boat designed for one to two anglers. In a very real way it bridges the gap between fishing kayaks and “real” boats, but in other ways it stands on its own as a unique fishing machine. With a mere 9.8 horses on the back I zipped along at speeds approaching 20 mph, and with two aboard it maintained speeds in the mid-teens. That may not match a 26-footer with 500 horses, but in comparison to a kayak it’s universe-expanding. And with the 24-V Minn Kota on the bow it zipped along at jogging speeds, spot-locked in place, and delivered all the angling acuity of a full-sized rig while casting topwater in the shallows.
Speaking of fishing the shallows: draft is a mere six inches, and I found it perfectly comfortable to stand and cast even without the optional grab bar. The bow is capped with an elevated casting deck, which provides stowage space underneath for lifejackets, gear bags, and tackle boxes. There are also two stowage compartments in the deck, which are below the waterline and plugged, so you can leave the plugs in and use them for stowage or pull them out and use them as livewells (for baits and/or fish larger than the scupper size). Gear junkies will love the integrated track mounting for adding on a fishfinder, rod holders, and more.
My biggest takeaway after cruising around on the TuffTide 13 all day was that it’s amazingly comfortable for such a small boat. It zipped right through the waves without pounding (one of the benefits of poly construction is that the material absorbs vibrations more than fiberglass and often delivers a surprisingly smooth ride); it was quite stable while standing and casting; and since the entire boat is decked in EVA foam, anywhere you sit, stand, or kneel is padded. The aft bench seat is also cushioned, although aged anglers with a bad back like myself will probably want to mount a swivel seat—which is no problem, since that bench seat is reinforced. It’s also no problem to deploy and stow the trolling motor with ease. I expected to have to do some stretching and straining at some point, but you can slide it in from the cockpit with a gentle shove and pull it back up while sitting on the foredeck. Added bonus: getting this boat on and off the trailer is a piece of cake, too. When we launched it at a sub-par ramp we couldn’t back in far enough for it to float, but a shove of the bow was all it took to slide the TuffTide into the water. Even beach launches and roadside access points will be doable with this rig.
Now, about that whole “financial reality” thing… we hate to publish pricing on these pages because boat prices change so fast, so please remember that things can change. But as we go to press TuffTide is advertising the 13 for a boat-only starting price of $6995, or a boat-motor-trailer package at $10,985. To be able to buy a new boat at those sorts of numbers in this day and age, well, that just about shatters reality. And it might just force me to shatter my three-boat limit.
Ummm, honey? Can we talk?
TuffTide 13 Specifications
- LOA – 13’0”
- Beam – 4’0”
- Displacement – 380 lbs.
- Draft (min.) – 0’6”
- Fuel Capacity – 3 gal.
- Max. Power – 9.9 hp
- For more information visit TuffTide or call (860) 248-6725.