STOB, I got a 21 ft Carolina Skiff wide beam w/ 50 hp Suzuki 4stroke. Big, stable platform to fish from and can cruise into some really skinny water. Also very cheap - $13k boat motor trailer - and burns no gas. The down side is its slow going in 3 ft seas(every afternoon!). I was on a 20 ft ProLine w/200 hp Yamaha last week and was in awe at how fast this boat was in pretty rough conditions. With the flat bottom you have to slow it down or you'll rattle your brains so I stay pretty close to home(Charlestown Breachway). This is THE roughest breachway in RI and this boat handles it no problem, been vertical twice
. The skiff literaly stays right on top of the water and is unsinkable. Great shallow water, close to home, cheap kind of boat. The Maritimes do better in the rough stuff but plan on spending $10k more. 3 more years I'll have the big 23 ft something w/a 225!!!! Good Luck!