Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) and Floyd Skiff Co have announced the launch of “The Florida Boat” Sweepstakes in partnership with Yamaha Rightwaters, SIMMS, Sage, YETI, COSTA, Unmatched Marine, Marquesa Marine, Magic Tilt Trailers, and Raymarine. Part of BTT’s Win Back Our Water campaign, the promotion will run from May 3 to August 15, 2024, at which time a winner will be selected at random.
“Bonefish & Tarpon Trust is proud to join forces with Floyd Skiff Co and many other industry partners to offer this special opportunity to win ‘The Florida Boat’,” said BTT President and CEO Jim McDuffie. “And this isn’t just about winning a premium poling skiff loaded with high-end fishing gear. Through the partnership, we will raise awareness of the threats impacting our waterways and world-class fisheries and share BTT’s science-based approaches to address them. Together, we can ensure a healthy future for our fisheries and all that they support.”
A hand-built Floyd 7WT Side Console, “The Florida Boat” is the epitome of angling perfection, designed with precision for both novice and experienced anglers alike. Its design and features cater to those who seek both adventure and the tranquility of Florida’s waters. As part of the promotion, “The Florida Boat” will tour several fisheries within the state, beginning in the Florida Keys, to highlight the water quality issues and the science-based solutions needed to address them.
“The Florida Boat” also features custom SeaDek by Unmatched Marine in Storm Gray, including SeaDek reel pads and a poling platform; a Yamaha F70 Outboard courtesy of Yamaha Rightwaters, BTT’s official outboard partner; an aluminum Magic Tilt Trailer with custom wheels, stainless steel hardware, a torsion axle, and LED lights; a Marquesa Marine Professional Series Push Pole designed to perform from shallow bonefish flats to deep-water tarpon spots; and a Raymarine Axiom+ 9 RV Chartplotter with GPS. Premier fishing and outdoor gear complete the package. Included are full 7- and 9-weight SALT R8 fly rod set-ups from Sage, a set of Dry Creek waterproof bags and packs from SIMMS, a polarized sunglasses prize package from COSTA, and two Hondo Base Camp chairs, a GoBox gear case, and more from YETI.
“You can’t be passionate about building skiffs without being passionate about conservation,” said Brian and Heidi Floyd, founders of Floyd Skiff Co. “Because BTT does such great work we decided to support them by doing what we do best—to help raise awareness and funds while hopefully inspiring others to do so as well.”
Located in Edgewater, Florida, Floyd Skiff Co continues to lead the industry in custom technical poling skiff design and fabrication. Brian’s career in the boating industry spans the 25 years, during which time he has worked in assembly, rigging, repair, service, warranty, quality control management, and service management for other leading boat companies. His journey led him in 2010 to the Florida Keys where he had the opportunity to manage Islamarine. This gave him the opportunity to work closely with fishing guides on a wide array of flats skiff. He applied this knowledge to create the first “10WT skiff” and to launch Floyd Skiff Co in 2019.
Launched in November 2023, BTT’s Win Back Our Water campaign seeks to raise awareness of Florida’s urgent water quality issues. The campaign highlights key issues that have been identified as harming Florida’s water quality: altered freshwater flows, failing and/or outdated wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, pharmaceutical contaminants, and glyphosate pollution that can result from the use of herbicides.
Win Back Our Water has mobilized Floridians to take action to protect their state’s waterways and builds on BTT’s water quality priorities, most notably advocacy in support of Everglades restoration. The campaign emphasizes the importance of water quality not only for marine ecosystems but also for the many Floridians who depend on clean water for their livelihoods, recreation, and quality of life.
For more information and to enter The Florida Boat Sweepstakes, please visit: BTT.org/the-florida-boat.
