Santee 116 for estuaries and rivers?

I recently moved to Coastal Carolina. I have been paddling my old 17.5’x 24.5" touring boat since I been here but it gets to be a handful in the coastal winds and trying to negotiate the twisting creeks and tidal estuaries. I have been thinking about adding smaller boat to the fleet for the local conditions. I got a lead on a good used Hurricane Santee 116 yesterday($350). The boat is a little shorter than what I was thinking of. but it does have have bow and stern flotation. I read the reviews and they are for the most part positive. Anyone here have any experience with this boat in a coastal environment?

Thanks

Back in my young and poorly
equipped days, I paddled my 12’ rec boat around Hilton Head but did not go near the surf. It had a huge cockpit and I once got caught in a nasty storm that put 3" of water in the boat. You need a skirt if they have one for that boat.

When I go to the coast now, I paddle a Tarpon SOT.

I always wear a skirt
Not a boat I’m interested in getting near big water or surf. That said the advantage of this little boat is that it has a normal size cockpit using the same size skirt (Seals 2.2) that I have on my big boat.

Well that didn’t work out
Usual Ebay scam-nario. Guy accepted my low ball offer on “buy it now” and then pretended to get cold feet when the fees came up and he cancelled the transaction. Now he wants to do cash transaction off ebay for $50 MORE! Yeah right…I should tell him to meet me halfway with the boat (60 miles) and then not show up

To answer your question, short boats are
great for getting back in the marsh and creeks . just make sure it isn’t so wide it’s a barge.They are great for coastal rivers.