The Panga design originated sometime in the 1960s and was a project developed by Yamaha and the World Bank.  Yamaha's motive was selling engines, but the collaboration was also an effort to come up with a very ocean going boat design that fishermen around the world could not only afford to buy, but could afford to efficiently fish with minimal horsepower. There aren’t many commercial fisherman especially in underdeveloped countries who can afford to put twin 250HP engines on a boat much less afford double the maintenance and extra fuel consumption that goes along with it.  And even if you can afford it, should you?

 

The key features of a Panga design are a narrow hull, high bow, flotation bulge around the gunwale, and the delta pad protruding along the bottom of the hull, widening as it moves towards the stern. The combination of its narrowness and delta pad makes these boats so incredibly efficient and is crucial to a true Panga design. The high bow with sharp entry proves these boats to be extremely dry and seaworthy.  It allows for netting fisherman to pull in heavy loads from the bow offshore without swamping the boat in swells. Also is the added security of buoyancy in the flared gunwales running the length of the vessel which help contribute to the deflection of water spray as well. The Panga tends to skip across its delta pad when on a plane as opposed to plowing through the waves. It has a very shallow draft which is comparable or better than drafts of skiffs and bay boats except the Panga has the added benefit of far more offshore capability.

 

Deemed the Graveyard of the Atlantic, North Carolina’s offshore waters and large sounds are both rough and shallow.  The Banks Panga boat is the perfect all around boat to fit dynamic marine environments such as this. From navigating shallow sandbars, netting or fishing in inches of water to catching Dolphin and Tuna far offshore, to beaching your boat with the family after a dry ride, or handling the gale force short period waves and wind of our rough sounds, the Panga is the all in one answer.

 

Banks Pangas are built about a foot wider than the original Panga design, but not so wide as to compromise its purpose like some other designs.  They are also built with transverse and longitudinal stringer grid system which adds much strength and makes the boat considerably heavier than most of the Mexican designs, but still needing far less horsepower and lighter than other boats of its comparable size.  Banks Pangas, which are CE certified, are a no wood, all composite fiberglass boat hull built with vacuum infusion technology, and all the options you will find on boats boldly listed for over 100k. Although these Pangas are heavier than their predecessor designs, building them with vacuum infusion technology decreases unwanted weight by removing excess resin while maintaining strength in fiberglass.  Excess resin only adds weight not strength, that is what the fiberglass is for. Unlike vacuum bagging, vacuum infusion does not begin with a wet layup. Instead the vacuum along with the resin feeding lines introduces and draws the resin through the cloth in the first place. This allows for a more precise measurement of the materials and the ability to apply even pressure across a large area. Above the waterline Lantor Soric XF is applied which uses pressure stable cells which will not collapse under vacuum and is the product of choice for this application.  

 

If you would like to have the shallow draft of your bay boat and skiff yet add more of the offshore capability of a deeper V, than the Panga is the all in one choice.  Boat building has only gotten more efficient and they should not cost a fortune to own or to run. Is your wallet as efficient as your Panga? Buy one and it will be.