SM 1444
Aluminum Toughness, Composite Sophistication
The original Salt Marsh skiff, the SM 1444 was designed to combine the sheer toughness of a welded aluminum jon boat with the smooth, quiet ride and refined interior of a composite skiff. A decade later, the SM 1444 still does that better than anything else on the market.
With a Kevlar reinforced bottom, this little skiff isn’t scared of oyster bars, rocks, or stumps, yet it offers features aluminum jons don’t — a roomy, snag-free casting deck, walkable gunnels, molded nonskid throughout, excellent poling manners, and dedicated storage for 9’ fly rods.
It can be set up as a bare-bones hull with a portable outboard, or you can rig it out with a side console, tiller console, or grab bar, poling platform, trolling motor, and more. Value is unparalleled, with boat-motor-trailer packages starting at under $14,000.
SM 1444 Specs
5”
Draft
20hp
Max Power
58”
Beam
14’0”
Length
300lbs
Dry weight
44”
Waterline Width
3
Person Cap
portable
Fuel Cap
$13.6K
Boat-Motor-Trailer Starting Price
A Poling Skiff IN Jon Boat’s Clothing
Despite the SM 1444’s workboat toughness and versatility, it’s not your average all-purpose jon boat. Carefully refined poling strakes yield excellent tracking. A clean entry minimizes hull slap. Dedicated under-gunnel racks accommodate fly rods up to 9’. Flush hardware and a thoughtful layout eliminate snag points and maximize fishability. Jon boat silhouette or not, the SM 1444 is fully strapped for technical shallow-water fishing.
Cartopper or Loaded Tech Skiff? You Decide!
With a tough Kevlar bottom and a hull weight of just 300 lbs., a bare-bones 1444 can manhandled into a remote canal or marsh, where you can clamp a portable outboard to the transom, throw a 6-gallon fuel tank on the floor, and fish, hunt, or explore pristine waters in a fish-ready skiff. At the other end of the spectrum, the 1444 can be rigged with a side console, poling platform, trolling motor, trim tabs, jack plate, electronics, and anything else you need for long runs in the Glades, marshes, or river.
Kevlar Composite Performance, Aluminum Price
Mass-produced aluminum jon boats have their advantages. They’re affordable, lightweight, tough, and easy to maintain and repair. On the other hand, they’re noisy on the water and not very fishable; most lack casting decks and rod storage, present a minefield of snag points, and are hard to move around with their thwarts and ribs. For a similar cost, the Kevlar SM 1444 is just as tough and lightweight as an aluminum jon but also deadly silent on the water and ready for even the most technical fishing right out of the box.
Layout Details and Console/Grab Bar Options
Every SM 1444 features the same basic layout: a casting deck forward with flush-mount bow cleat and open bulkhead for access, an aft deck with hatch, open motor well with bilge access, and under-gunnel storage for rods up to 9’ long. Optionally, an HDPE access door can replace the opening in the front bulkhead.
One or two 6-gallon portable fuel tanks can be positioned under either the forward or aft deck. Putting the tanks in the bow improves planing but requires an open forward bulkhead for ventilation. With tanks under the aft deck, the motor well opening provides good ventilation, but trim tabs are recommended.
Side Console
Switch panel, binnacle controls, aluminum support w/ rod holder
Tiller Console
Switch panel, grab bar, dry storage, also available w/jump seat
Cooler Grab Bar
Accommodates most ##-quarter roto-molded coolers
Guide Box
Dry storage or can be plumbed as livewell. Grab bar and rod holders optional
SM 1444 Gallery
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