I've only fished Port O Connor 3 times. 2 times with guides and once with my brother (got stuck on a sand bar when fishing with my Brother).

I know there's alot of shallow water in POC so here's my question. Should I start with a cheap beater boat while I learn the area (in case I damage it)? Or should I go ahead and get what I want and hire a guide to show me a few routes?

Based on y'all's Port O Connor experience what would y'all do if you were a beginner?

Get a good graph and a better mapping card for the area

$200 towboat membership is a bargain.

Yes I plan on getting a tow boat membership. What are y'all's thoughts on a Bluewave 189 super tunnel for those waters? I found a pretty good deal on a used one and am considering it.

I'm thinking it should be able to handle some fairly shallow water and also be decent for running out to the jetties on calmer days.

Water here can get real thin real quick.
Most of the channels are marked coming out of POC and you can get around the bay pretty easy until you get to Steamboat.
Back lakes are a different deal. Sometimes waters high and it’s easy. Sometimes not so much. I’ve been running this fifteen years and still manage to screw the pooch. My jet scooter could run in two inch stuff all day. The shallow sport takes a bit more. Look at the picture, I’m less than a foot off the eight inch deep cut but sometimes that’s all it takes.

All depends on your desired way of fishing.

Yes sir totally understand. I've also been eyeing a Majek Redfish Line. We'll be based out of Seadrift also so I might want to learn the waters in San Antonio and Hines bay also. My only concern with something like a Redfish line is that it might be wetter and rougher than something with a V in the front.

Majek redfish is a super shallow runner when it's rigged properly.
Just remember, anything that makes a boat run smooth, also makes it run deep. And it's not just running shallow, it's how shallow can you take off and float in. Every inch more it takes to operate in, is a good percentage of water that is now off limits.

So I've found a Carolina Skiff 21 DLX in Amazing condition. I like how much room it has and it seems pretty safe for the wife and kids to ride in. My thinking is that it would be good for drifting and poling shallow areas and it has plenty of room to carry some kayaks to explore other areas as well. I'm also very interested in getting into flounder gigging and it seems perfect for that.

Considering all the above do y'all think it would be a reasonable boat for the POC area or do y'all think I'm way off track?

No tunnel will really limit where you can go. If you’re planning on wading those high sides make it painful to drag in after a long wade.

Those high sides act like a sail trying to drift a flat.

That Majek would be much more desirable.

Would a Flats Cat do okay? The Shoalwater cats are alot more money. I'm trying to find something I can pay cash for. I have 2 high school kids so trying to get them on the water while I still got em here without spending all their college money.

Flats cat is a very good hull. They'll get the job done for sure.