Design
Texas Sled 18
Designed by Jacques Mertens
An 18 ft inverted-vee flats boat of the Hickman sea sled type by Jacques Mertens for Bateau, meant for the Gulf coast flats where a shallow boat must also cover distance in chop. It draws 5 in at 1,800 lb, beam is 8 ft 1 in, dry hull weight about 850 lb, and it is rated for six people. The recommended outboard is 50 hp, for which the designer predicts 36 mph.
Stitch and glue composite, best built on a jig, with mostly straight plywood cuts. The designer says it is more complex than a jon boat and suggests building a small boat first. Designer's figures: 80 hours for the hull and 120 hours or more finished. Budget 200 to 350. Real hours from logged builds are below.
What building a Texas Sled 18 actually takes
Medians from the build logs kept on this site, not the designer’s estimate. Nobody has logged this boat here yet, so they are empty until the first builder does.
Those medians firm up as more people log this boat.
Builds of this boat
Nobody has logged a Texas Sled 18 here yet.
If you are building one, yours becomes the reference: the page the next person building this boat finds when they search for it. One photo and one line is a valid first entry.
Start the first log of this boatBoats like this one
Same type, closest in length.
| Design | Plans from | LOA | Logs |
|---|---|---|---|
| AF4 | Jim Michalak | 18′ 0″ (5.49 m) | 0 |
| Bay Pilot 18 | Arch Davis Design | 18′ 0″ (5.49 m) | 0 |
| Desperado | Glen-L Marine | 18′ 0″ (5.49 m) | 0 |
| Flats Stalker 18 | Bateau | 18′ 0″ (5.49 m) | 0 |
| Houseboat 18 | Bateau | 18′ 0″ (5.49 m) | 0 |
| Jetabout 18 | Bateau | 18′ 0″ (5.49 m) | 0 |