Skeeter ZX20 Bay Boats For Sale

The Skeeter ZX20 is a single-console saltwater fishing platform built for tournament and inshore anglers who want a 20-foot hull they can slide into thin water. A representative 2012 ZX20 bay boat for sale carries a 2012 Yamaha 250 SHO on the transom and runs around 70 mph. The decks are broad and flat, with deep double rod boxes and large broad lockers, so the boat works as a casting platform front to back. Earlier and current hulls share a known trait some call "skeeter slap," and ride quality has improved on later models, but the 250 horsepower behind it keeps performance strong.

Storage is a defining feature on the Skeeter 20-foot bay boat. There's a big hatch up front holding tackle, life jackets and a dry box, fitted with a roughly 2-inch lip, a positive rubber seal, a tension latch and an all-aluminum piano hinge that won't rust. The fold-away jump seats in the stern flip up to reveal two watertight storage compartments, and lifting the inner pad opens additional space for extra life jackets and rigging access. The seats fold flat to extend the casting deck, with high backs tall enough to support a six-foot angler on long runs.

Live bait capacity sets the boat apart in the inshore market. The stern carries a 35-gallon well with a wide opening for a cast net, a big floor drain, fully rounded interior walls so bait can circle, and a positive top seal that locks down in rough water. A second, smaller live well sits up front under the bow seat for shrimp or a second bait type. Seating handles five people, with a custom cooler seat or leaning-post option at the helm that raises the cooler off the deck and adds a thick, removable cushion.

A well-equipped Skeeter ZX20 bay boat for sale is often rigged for serious fishing before you buy. One example listed for $36,900 in West End, North Carolina came with a new Minn Kota Ultrex trolling motor (appearing to be a 112) on a recessed foot pedal, a Humminbird Helix 12 at the console, a Helix 10 at the bow, Garmin LiveScope, a single Power Pole, Pro trim, new batteries, and fresh carpet and upholstery. It rides on a tandem-axle trailer with a breakaway tongue. Adding a second Power Pole bracket and pole runs roughly $3,000, putting an outfitted boat near $39,000 to $40,000.

When shopping Skeeter bay boats for sale, inspect where the cap and hull meet at the transom, just behind the rub rail. These boats were riveted together back there, and separation is a known problem; look for the screw bumps along the rub rail, then stand on the cavitation plate, trim down and rock it to check for movement that shouldn't be there. Confirm motor hours and compression on the Yamaha SHO since those aren't always documented. As long as the structure checks out, the value holds up well, since a comparable new ZX20 runs roughly $72,000 to $75,000.