December 26, 2013
By Sam Hudson
The Beavertail BT3 is one of three models of Beavertail skiff now being produced by Aeon Marine.
The Beavertail is back.
Aeon Marine, owned by Will and Elizabeth Leslie out of Palmetto, Florida, bought the Beavertail boat company about 18 months ago.
In total, Aeon Marine is producing three models from Beavertail, with the new
Strike (a 17-footer) ready to hit the scene in 2013. Also, Aeon continues production of its 23- and 24-footers, with the new
Aeon 20 set to hit the water in late 2012.
Boaters across the Southeast U.S. are taking notice. “We're starting to see our boats moving out to Georgia, North Carolina and Louisiana,” says Will Leslie. “We build everything in house, so we know what goes into building a boat, and we can create good value and maintain quality.”
Aeon is currently producing three different Beavertail models using the same base hull, but modifying the caps and gunwales on the Vengeance, Stu Apte series and the BT3. The Vengeance was the first boat, followed by the BT3.
“The Vengeance is a livebait fishing machine with a big livewell at the stern, while the BT3 is favored by artificial and fly fishermen,” says Leslie. “It has slightly larger deck space, giant storage and a smaller livewell.”
The 18-foot
Beavertail Skiff BT3 by Aeon Marine features an ergonomically-designed console, with waterproof backlit panel and tilt power steering. Fifteen-inch-wide gunwales create a stable fishing platform around the boat. Features include an anodized poling platform, trim tabs, automatic bilge pump, and aft all-purpose storage compartment. For complete details, see the photo review below.
Beavertail Skiff BT3 Specifications:
Length: 18 feet
Beam: 82 inches (or 6 feet, 10 inches)
Draft: 6 inches
Horsepower: 60 to 115 hp
Fuel Capacity: 23 gallons
Weight: 675 pounds
Aeon Marine
1850 14th Ave E
Palmetto, FL 34221
(941) 705-2090
www.aeonmarine.com
Click on an image to view full-size photo and caption.
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