OUR FLEET

Boats are a key tool in the Mississippi River Delta. If every solution is a compromise, so is every boat. That’s why we invested in the right tools for the jobs at hand. Whether you’re just curious to learn about the delta on a nice day, or a surveyor on a mission to track changes in real time, we have the right boat and guide for you.

LAFITTE SKIFF  |  New Delta

The Lafitte skiff is the traditional Louisiana fishing boat of the 20th Century. This vessel design came about in the 1940s when new technology of modern car engines became available.

Before that, Old World boat designs led to the round bottomed lugger style sailing vessels common to Louisiana. Those boats got their name from the style of sailing, operators had to lug the sail from side to side to tack. Those old sailing boats were later equipped with primitive gasoline engines. Always looking for a better way, innovative fishermen designed a breakthrough boat made of thin cypress slats that could leap on top of the water on plane. 

Those old lugger boats, while efficient, were quite slow and led to fishermen staying out for longer trips. Refrigeration wasn’t widely used at the time and many fishing operations centered around small canneries strung along the coast. Families could move closer to population centers and fishermen had more time to spend with family instead of slowly steaming back to port. Seafood arrived at the market fresher. The Lafitte skiff was born and it forever changed the way we fish and live in Louisiana.

With a sea change in boat construction and a chance to start anew, fishermen added design elements that made their jobs easier and safer. The high bow and stern of the Lafitte skiff allowed the captain to work in choppy seas while the low midship section allowed for easy handling of nets and oyster tongs, most of which was done by hand. Over time, as fiberglass became the hull material of choice, a more "V" shaped bottom emerged below the water line. Today Lafitte skiffs have grown to dizzying proportions with several sixty-five footers trawling the gulf.

Built in 1983 at Jefferson Fiberglass in Harvey, Louisiana, our rendition is a lightweight fiberglass hull powered by an efficient and super quiet 140 horsepower four-stroke outboard. With the ability to seat six guests, she is outfitted with comfortable seats and a large ice chest.

We’re always improving our equipment and have added GPS navigation, VHF radio, radar, depth finder, winch, and improved safety equipment. The large canvas makes sunny days on the New Delta a breeze.

Specifically built and refit for her environment in the Mississippi River Delta, New Delta is the product of three hundred years of boat design in Louisiana. We blended tradition and technology to give you the ultimate eco tour platform to explore the Louisiana coast.

Like the fishermen before us, we take pride in our boats, as they’re a reflection on us, so our vessels are always clean, well cared for, and in a perpetual state of improvement. We hope you can avoid the crowds and join us on a journey, on this work of art, into the delta.

FLATBOAT  | Dry Cypress

Dry Cypress is our work horse. Twenty-two feet long with 150 horsepower, this boat gets things done, The boat has comfy seats and is often used for science.

MUDBOAT  | Trenasse

Named for the cajun word for a cut through the swamp and marsh, our special shallow water boat, Trenasse, can seat four guests on comfortable seats. This boat is the modern incarnation of flat boats that were push-poled down the Mississippi River. These first generation boats helped in the development of America by bringing people and goods down the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Impractical to push pole back upstream, when the flat boats would make it to New Orleans, they were dismantled with the lumber ending up in many of the famous shotgun houses found in the city.

Those early flat boats were replaced by steamboats that would pull flat boats up the river. These were the precursors to the modern barge.

With the technological breakthrough of the outboard motor Louisiana shrank. Suddenly people could fish, hunt, and trap further from home. Transport on the water came into the modern era.

Our mud boat was built by commercial fishermen in 1980 as a crawfishing boat used in the Atchafalaya Basin. She is made of aluminum and overbuilt for tough conditions by pragmatic folks making it the perfect boat for exploring remote and exotic parts of the Mississippi River Delta. Powered by a distinctly Louisiana invention, the boat is powered by an efficient 25 horsepower four-stroke engine called a Go Devil, which can take guests deep into the Louisiana swamps and shallows

This boat is a favorite of filmmakers and biologist looking to survey new lands. We’ve added removable comfy seats (not pictured) and a modern electrical system to help with the many roles and missions this boat is tasked with.

While this boat is mostly used on custom trips, it’s a favorite of guest seeking a picturesque swamp tour with no one else in view.

Start a conversation or book with us today about your next adventure on one of our boats.

Flexible Fleet Options

We can grow our fleet to meet the needs of your group. Our network of independent captains are born and raised in coastal Louisiana and have a visceral understanding of the delta. Each captain maintains an updated vessel and is licensed by the United States Coast Guard with current first aid training.