It's driving me nuts not to have a boat at the house.

I have tidal waterfront that goes to mud at low tide and 5+ feet when it comes in. It's great for kayaking, but the local zoning will not allow me to put a dock in, so the boat will go down to the bottom every day, twice a day.

Obviously I'm looking for something durable and inexpensive to tool around in once in awhile that draws as little water as possible. Pull the kids tubing, gunkholing, etc.

Nothing more than 13 feet ---15 tops.

Have had Zodiacs in the past, but I have heard if it is going to rest on the bottom that this is asking for trouble. Almost all my neighbors have Boston Whalers.

Any suggestions?

Are you allowed to have one of those floating things you can just run up on?

Nope. That was my first try, but I can't drive anything metal into the ground where I am zoned.

My father had one of these aluminum-hulled boats- it was built like one of those river-runners. The damn thing was made out of plate, not sheet. It was heavy but indestructible. Had a small jet on it. Something like that would be perfect.

The Whaler's tri-hull design is great for that application- shallow draft and flat in the back. Highly over-rated and absurdly expensive too.

My house growing up had the same problem. Everyone had a buoy and when tide was out, boats sat on soft mud on bottom. Both my Sea Ray and Boston whaler, sat like this. As Did most of my neighbors boats. I'll see if I have a picture. But nobody had problems as long as drives and outboards raised up.

Look into those "plastic" boats made by Triumph or Logic. Small, indestructible, and with outboards. I've been considering one just to play around in. If it smacks the dock, nothing is hurt and no gelcoat to sweat over.

Thanks. Never heard of them. I've been leaning toward a flats boat or Whaler. Outboard or jet or jet-outboard I think.

That's a crazy tide! Can you post a pic of in and out? Just curious. My god mother lived in Maine, near Casgow Bay? I visited decades ago and am not sure of that name. I remember her son raided a lobster trap for us. I do remember how observant he was while doing it.

Hey, I was just along for the ride...in his whaler.

I got one of these. Not powerful enough to pull a skiier, but great for fishing. All my friends love it. Draws like 6 inches. I got about 30mph with two people. 35 with one, but a bad porpoise I'm thinking of rigging up a center seat and maybe a 100hp ..............................j/k

This is how we deal with low water down here in Florida.