This lookdown shot offers an interesting perspective of the Advent 17 in her element, ready for action.
December 27, 2018
By Florida Sportsman Editor
What most people define as a “True Technical Poling Skiff” is typically a small framed, “tippy” little wisp of a skiff built to carry two people, one on the bow casting and one on the pole. These boats are designed with a very narrow range of abilities for a very specific purpose, to sneak quietly into the shallowest waters and present a bait or fly to an unwary fish. While many people in search of a shallow water capable craft think this is the perfect style of boat to suit their needs, all too often they realize how little time they actually spend in 6-inches of water and the trade-off of limited space for anglers and gear and vessel instability doesn't justify the “technical skiff” returns. To offer the best of both worlds, Ankona Boats has combined the backwater personality traits and technical ability of a micro skiff with the stability and extra deck space of a larger flats boat with their new Ankona Advent 17.
The Advent 17 is sized to carry that extra angler if necessary and provide you the appropriate amount of storage space for three people's needs along with a single 10-gallon live well (second well optional). The Advent will take you into 6-inches of water when you pack her light but her 16-feet 10-inch by 68-inch footprint will deliver the real stability not found in a true “Micro” skiff. Like a micro skiff however, she exhibited very impressive poling manners with the combination of a light 350-pound carbon/Kevlar hull and Variable Radius Transom. The rounded corners aft provide a quiet down sea tack without hull slap while aiding the boats turning ability noticeably. The interior lines above deck are softer with curved edges to the rear of the foredeck cap adding a more graceful overall finished quality. This is a well thought out and long awaited addition to the Ankona family. The eternally working mind of Mel Walker never rests and this third new model in just two years demonstrates both his extensive knowledge of not only the design and construction of smart, modern skiffs, but also his understanding of the needs of the market.
The micro skiff market may very well have found the perfect balance in a boat that delivers shallow water ability in a slightly larger more practical for everyday use format. What may be the most favorable note is the price, as skiff costs continue to soar. The Advent 17 is offered in remote steering center or side consoles as well as tiller steering models with boat, motor, trailer packages starting at 20K.
Ankona Advent 17 specifications:
Length: 16 feet, 10 inches
Beam: 68 inches
Draft: 6 inches
Hull weight: 350 pounds
Horsepower: 30-50
Fuel: 11 gallons
Live well: 10 gallons (second 10-gallon well optional)
MSRP: Boat, Motor, Trailer packages starting at $20,000.00
While a touch larger than the traditional “Micro” skiff, the Ankona Advent 17 as seen here only requires roughly 6-inches of water below the waterline.
This lookdown shot offers an interesting perspective of the Advent 17 in her element, ready for action.
This lookdown shot offers an interesting perspective of the Advent 17 in her element, ready for action.
The additional stability gained with the larger deck space does nothing to hinder the nimble poling manners of this flat stalker.
The rounded corners seen here on Ankona’s Variable Radius Transom allows for easier turns and a quieter approach on the pole.
Radiuses in the corners of the cockpit outline add a softer styled look to the overall classy esthetics.
A dry storage locker under the forward casting deck houses your fuel tank while leaving a nice amount of storage for gear.
A sport sized console is sized still large enough to provide access to and house your battery.
A two-tone cockpit pan color scheme really accents the classy appearance of this sexy offering from Ankona.
Offset rod carriers under gunwales are staggered to allow stacking without crowding reels.
A pair of offset compartments under the rear deck can be used as storage or plumbed for (10-gallon) live bait storage as well.
