The Perfect Drift Boat.....

[XstreamAngler]

To all of you owners of drift boats and the smart ones, the friends of people with drift boats! I pose the question.....WHAT IS THE PERFECT DRIFT BOAT? I am NOT looking for Hyde, Clack, Willy etc etc.....I am asking....WHAT makes the perfect drift boat? Storage? Low side? High Side? Counter Balanced oars? Seating for 4? I want to hear what you are looking for in a drift boat, why and what you would do to improve a drift boat. Thanks for calling.

SAK
XstreamAnglers.com
HydeOutdoors.com

[tythetier]

Propane Heaters!!!! A Good Captian Is A Must As Well.
I Have Rowed With Both Composite And Wood Oars...dont Have A Preference Either Way.


Ty

[Backyard]

One that is not in 80mph wind gust's :beer2:

http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/gallery/data/18286/medium/ScoonesRow.jpg

[bigtj]

-Durable - you can kick the heck out of it and don't care about it
-Plenty of dry storage
-easy to move around in without tripping over stuff i.e. good layout
-comfortable to row and fish out of
-easy maintenance
-affordable
-relatively lightweight
-tracks straight
-good rod holders
-good resale
-designed for the conditions you fish in the most i.e. LP for out west trout fishing, high side for bigger rivers etc.
-good guarantee

I know you only asked about boats but on the same subject if you buy a trailer make sure it's galvanized. I don't like painted trailers at all.

[klintd]

- Quick, easy, secure, safe rod storage. Always have more than one rod per angler.
- Definitely counter balanced oars.
F- lat dry floor. No big deal for feet but it seems like you are always setting things on the floor. Maybe some type of raised grating that lets water pass thru.
- Casting horns front and back that strongly encourage anglers to stay in the middle of the boat.
- Adjustable rower foot brace with room enough for a foot.
- Easy conversion from a 2 person bench in front to a walk around single seat (with storage underneath).
- Small quick access dry box built in for camera, etc.
- Place to store a long handled net without it getting in the way

[XstreamAngler]

Keep em coming! Yard! I swear, it was a 40 MPH sustained with gusts up to 50! I am NO Steve Pool, but I am here to tell ya! Had we had a low pro, it MAY have made a tiny difference! That was a BRUTAL wind!

Rod storage, nik nak storage, raised floors, good trailer, net caddy...come on peeps! Even if you have only been in one or two, maybe once or twice....what did ya like, what didnt ya like? What would Jason Decker want?

SAK
XstreamAnglers.Com
HydeOutdoors.Com

[Dylan D]

Cupholders.

A good anchor system.

Multiple rod holders.

A couple small shelves strategically placed, with lips on them so stuff doesn't slide off.

[otter]

- Quick, easy, secure, safe rod storage. Always have more than one rod per angler.
- Definitely counter balanced oars.
F- lat dry floor. No big deal for feet but it seems like you are always setting things on the floor. Maybe some type of raised grating that lets water pass thru.
- Casting horns front and back that strongly encourage anglers to stay in the middle of the boat.
- Adjustable rower foot brace with room enough for a foot.
- Easy conversion from a 2 person bench in front to a walk around single seat (with storage underneath).
- Small quick access dry box built in for camera, etc.
- Place to store a long handled net without it getting in the way


Re:

Dry floor - there's a product out there called, I believe, Dri-Deck. snap together 8"x8"? open-grid tiles of high density plastic, about 5/8" thick, which you can cut to shape as needed. really bombproof stuff, good traction, no mold, just pull out of boat when you need to hose things down. Try Fisheries Supply or West Marine

Casting horns a must!

Rocker. The biggest single thing, to me, that determines the performance of the boat is the rocker of the bottom: degree of overall rocker, and the relative point of deepest rocker fore and aft. This, of course, in proportion to LOA and waterline beam.

Also, the rake of the hullsides has as much to do with a dry boat as their height.

Finally, glass beats tin hands down in all categories.


otter

[Mark Ritari]

-strategically placed tippet dispenser(s)
-velcroed on replaceable ripple foam for quick changing of flies
-egg shell stripping basket in front of boat
-large capacity cooler
-lots of dry storage
-dimple bottom is cool.
-clippers + hemistads on zingers in front and back
-sound system would be rad

[Jason Decker]

no comment! the one in my garage puts a smile on my face. thats boat enough for me.

[Eastside]

I have to say that my 1985 Clackacraft is the best for running 4-5 day float trips. The storage capacity is incredible with front and rear compartments. I lined the passenger's seat with styrofoam and that is the cooler - holds plenty of beer and steaks. Been running the Deschutes River in Oregon over 25 years and this boat has served me well! The new boats are pretty, but they don't have the same carrying capacity...

[Jeff Wood]

I concur with cupholders. At least 6 is best with room to put a cooler to fill those cup holders and still have three or four on board. I prefer the high sides because I want to take my wife and daughter with me. At least that is what I told her. Maybe next year.:p

[nomlasder]

Ya need cup holders, I got um

[tythetier]

Nomlasder,
Dude That Is A Sweet Looking Boat!! Did You Build It?? Looks Like You Have A Canoe Or Somthing Next To It.

Ty

[Jeff Hokanson]

-Lightweight and easily maneuverable: you never know when you'll need to move quickly to save your ass.
-Great warranty: rocks and debris can sneak up on even the most observant oarsmen.
-Lotsa storage with maximum interior free space: it's important to have adequate places to keep things, but not at the sacrifice of being totally cramped and unable to move around inside your craft.
-Cupholders: the point has been made (cheers!).
-High sides vs. Low sides: I can see the argument for both. It's a pain when whirling winds continually spin you one way or the other, but the high sides on my boat has kept us from swamping on a couple of occasions.
-Good rod holders: extra rods hanging out the front or back just get in the way and can be easily broken.
-Built in anchor system (preferrably foot activated): just that much easier.
-Adjustable rowing seat and foot brace: When you're out for a few days, it's nice to share the duty of being on the sticks, and adjustable settings are a must to keep all involved comfortable and to keep the boat balanced.
-Anchor holder: keeps 30 lbs of lead from potentially damaging something in the boat when you are transporting it.
-A high quality trailer with a full spare tire: I would probably go with galvanized if I were to do it again. The paint on mine has chipped in a few places (unavoidable) and the inevetable rust has begin to creep in which could be a big issue many years down the road. As for the tire...what more can one say.
-Waterproof cover for towing: you won't always use it, but it has been a lifesaver on long road trips to Montana (and elsewhere) where we have needed to store gear in the boat for the journey and have been through some nasty wet weather. Plus it seems to help gas mileage a bit.

Good luck on finding what works best for yourself. Hope everyone's input helps the decision process go smoother.

[Jerry Daschofsky]

Truth to be told, there is NO perfect driftboat. I've owned a few, and have rowed quite a few more (including some built only for whitewatering). No one driftboat is perfect. BUT.......what do YOU want out of a driftboat. Funny how every person has their own certain needs out of a boat over another. Lightweight/maneuverable is great if you plan to only row the boat and move from slot to slot and not fish a hell of alot. But a bit heavier/sluggish is easier on you if you want to sidedrift/fish on the move.

Makeup of the boat is here or there. What you want to do with it will also dictate what you want. You'll want a higher side boat if you plan to run some hairier waters (like out on the OP,etc). Rod storage is up in the air too. Do you plan to leave rods rigged up all the time? Do you plan to fish while you're on the move? If no, then storage really isn't as necessary. You can leave rods strung up and on the sides (just becareful on slots with overhanging trees, etc).

Trailers, you really don't need galvanized. If you care for it and ONLY use it in fresh water, it'll last for years. My old alumaweld I had, had a trailer that was over 30 years old under it. Was in excellent shape, with very little rust. It's how you take care of a trailer that dictates how it looks years down the road. Even if you're using it in salt water (though saltwater use WILL eventually take its toll). Trailer on my current driftboat is well over 30 years old (almost 40 actually) and only shows minor signs of rust near the tongue. Only where there is metal on metal contact (which I plan to rip apart and correct that).

I pose to you what do YOU want to do in this boat. Myself, there isn't a "one" boat that works. In fact, I want to get another aluminum boat next (and still keep my old glass boat as well). One is great for running whitewater and manuevering. But when I want to sidedrift/plug/work the fly on the go, it's nice having a heavier boat that tracks better and tracks SLOW so you don't have to work the oars in overdrive to keep the boat holding in place.

Also, don't always go with guarantees and such. I've seen some of the videos of glass boats being dropped onto FLAT ground from tall heights. Now, put a sharp (or rounded pointy) rock that's about a foot tall under and do it and let me see what happens. Then I'll be impressed. Since when you hit a rock going down most rivers fast, it's not a nice FLAT rock you hit. A guarantee is great, but helps you NOT AT ALL when you're a few miles up river with a wet cellphone and a LONG hike out. Great to know they'll own up after you're winched out of a slot and towed back to their shop to be fixed. But not so when you're swimming for shore.

Sorry not to expand much. But that's like saying the old "What's a good pontoon?". Let me go one better, "What's the perfect fly rod?". No such thing, but there is one perfect for you. ;) :D

[Salmo_g]

The perfect driftboat is made of unobtanium, far lighter and stronger than either glass or aluminum. It's stiff, but compliant, and slicker than deer guts on a doorknob - won't stick to any river rock.

Carbon fiber oars - lighter and stronger than wood and conventional composite; counter-balance unnecessary.

More rocker fore than aft, but more beam and flare foreward also. It balances perfectly.

Adjustable seating all around, and adjustable foot blocks. Casting braces fore and aft, as well.

Built in insulated cooler, not just cup and bottle holders. Mini liquor cabinet under fore deck.

Extended anchor bracket and storage trough on transom.

Lipped and covered shelves port and starboard between rower's seat and front seat.

Rod holders aft port side.

Swing out BBQ aft starboard.

Net bracket aft starboard.

Dry storage (lockable) under rower's seat and front seat(s).

Galvanized trailer with spare tire.

That might do.

Sg

[Fish Hunter]

No such thing. Different boats do better or worse on different water.

[papafsh]

The one you can afford that will get you down the river, with safety, room and storage.
My son Tony bought this older Don Hill last year. It could stand a little sprucing-up but it handles just fine on the Sky, Skagit and Yak.
We do plan on stripping it down and refinishing it at some point.
Boat, trailor, three spruce oars, enclosed front storage, anchor system and rope... all for $1,000....lots of fun and use for very little money.

LB

[guyg]

The one in my avatar is good, but if I could change....

Drink holders
Securable cooler, within easy reach of rower/fisher
Carry the beam a bit more aft
Cut down the sides about an inch, not so much for wind, but for getting in and out of.
Another rod holder
A low pulling bow eye

Things I'd keep:

The paint, because it's so easy to fix
The wood, because it looks so nice. A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
The anchor and system: simple and foolproof. Important, given the number of fools involved.
The friends who float with me, who realize the boat is powered by scotch.

[motroutbum]

all of the stuff you guys are saying you want in a drift boat i know the perfect boat for you.. HOG ISLAND! is the only way to go

[ceviche]

If you look at some of Hyde's and Clackacraft's dorys (driftboats), you can see how their beamier hulls with the low freeboard at the middle can work so well. As you make the hull wider, you increase the buoyancy and initial stability, as well as lessening draft. Remember those ads with the person sitting on the boat's railing and not capsizing it? They also rake the hull out at the middle to both increase the hull's displacement and to make rowing effort easier. This also puts more weight to the outside, further improving stability. In the end, you get a roomier, more stable boat that won't get hung up on the bottom as much.

Personally, it surprises me that people who make their own drift boats don't shoot for more beam at the bottom and at the rail and less freeboard. Good stability will keep everyone as dry as they really need to be--that is, in the boat and out of the water. Just imagine the boat drifting sideways in the river and then suddenly hitting a rock (because no one was looking). If the boat is beamy enough, it shouldn't roll and tip over as easily as one that is taller and skinnier. This is filed under the "metacentric height" issue of vessel stability.

If one is concerned about a dry boat, the flare of the hull will assist with that issue. Water splashing against the hull will get directed away. Grating across the deck is nice if you want to keep your feet dry, but it's also no fun if you drop something between the slats or need to bail water.

As far as fly fishing accessories, stripping trays are the cast's meow! Cup holders should be moved to the side, away from the fly line zone. If they are near, they should have bottoms and be of a shape that won't promote snagging. The bottoms are so that you can temporarily store indicators and other crap you might be too lazy to put away when trout become selective to dries.

Good rod storage is something I have to agree with. I was impressed by the boats that Red's uses. The tips of the rods are protected when rods are laying in the slots below the railing. I think those boats are Clacks, though I could be wrong. Red's might have Hydes as well.

The bottom of the hull should be clad with something to protect it from sharp rocks. I don't care if the boat is wood or f'glass, the additional protection can only be good.

These are some of my thoughts.

If dry gear is the real issue, build in compartments that will keep your gear dry. The bow, stern and the rower's bench are all good places for that--naturally.

[otter]

The perfect driftboat is made of unobtanium, far lighter and stronger than either glass or aluminum. It's stiff, but compliant, and slicker than deer guts on a doorknob - won't stick to any river rock.

Carbon fiber oars - lighter and stronger than wood and conventional composite; counter-balance unnecessary.

More rocker fore than aft, but more beam and flare foreward also. It balances perfectly.

Adjustable seating all around, and adjustable foot blocks. Casting braces fore and aft, as well.

Built in insulated cooler, not just cup and bottle holders. Mini liquor cabinet under fore deck.

Extended anchor bracket and storage trough on transom.

Lipped and covered shelves port and starboard between rower's seat and front seat.

Rod holders aft port side.

Swing out BBQ aft starboard.

Net bracket aft starboard.

Dry storage (lockable) under rower's seat and front seat(s).

Galvanized trailer with spare tire.

That might do.

Sg


Salmo -

Speaking of unobtanium,

I'm hot on the track.

I've recently come across "bondable UHMW" - I build boats for a living so the latest/greatest arrives regularly.

What this stuff is, is UHMW manufactured with an (epoxy) bondable scrim.

I'll tell more as I know more.

But wouldn't it be cool to vacuum bag a continuous UHMW bottom and chine strip to a drifter?

Probably another impossible dream..............


otter

[nomlasder]

Personally, it surprises me that people who make their own drift boats don't shoot for more beam at the bottom and at the rail and less freeboard.


I had to special order the last trailer because the bottom width is 56" while still mainting a beam of 6'-6". Displacement at 1000lbs results in a 6" draft. Don't need much more than that.

[Salmo_g]

Otter,

When you obtain unobtainium, it won't be unobtainium any longer. But you keep us posted, OK? Yeah, if that works, it would be cool.

Sg

[ceviche]

I had to special order the last trailer because the bottom width is 56" while still mainting a beam of 6'-6". Displacement at 1000lbs results in a 6" draft. Don't need much more than that.


So how is the stability of that boat? And what does it draft, and how much freeboard? As far as general "performance", how does it compare to other boats you've made? I wouldn't doubt that, with every boat you make, they get nicer and nicer. Still, what's your take on your latest improvement?

[Fishunter]

Easy rowing, a good rowers seat not the popular tractor style seat, a place to stow away spey rods, (That one might be tough) easy to move around in, easy to cast from, a tough hull that stands up to the occasional rock without chipping. I wonder if any boat builders are reading this.

[Fishunter]

Dave E.

I am told that if you get too wide at the bottom the boat becomes hard to handle and will not track well. That it makes the boat tougher to get through some of the more technical water. Any thoughts on this anyone?

[ceviche]

Dave E.

I am told that if you get too wide at the bottom the boat becomes hard to handle and will not track well. That it makes the boat tougher to get through some of the more technical water. Any thoughts on this anyone?

At this point, I think it's time for veteran driftboat guides to weigh in here. That said, here's my additional 2 cents.

I have experienced rowing boats that didn't track well but dealt with the situation with good rowing--adjusting the power you separately apply into each of your oars as you pull on them together. No big deal--unless there was a long ways you had to row the boat.

I've only rowed a drift boat once, but I quickly got the hang of it. Then again, though the Yak was running a bit high and fast that day, I'd hardly call what I went through "white water." Nonetheless, it seemed to me that drift boat rowing was basically keeping the boat a comfortable casting distance from the good water and dodging upcoming boulders. Upon seeing a boulder, I would warn the fishermen, pivot the boat 90 degrees to the shore, and pull on the oars until we were clear. Once clear, I'd shoot us back into fishing position, pivoting the boat to where both anglers could cast easy. While drifting, oars were used to control the drift a little.

In so many words, I still can't say that a drift boat's ability to track in a straight line is that important. What strikes me as important in a drift boat is maneuverability and controlling the direction of your drift. You sure as hell aint going to row upstream, are you? But here's a thought: When you're dodging that boulder, you certainly don't want to find the boat bogging down when you're pulling on the oars. Does this factor have anything to do with tracking?

That said, I really wonder what veteran guides have to say.

[Jeff Wood]

That is what I am talking about!!!!!! and beauty to boot

[Citori]

I have rowed most of the NW drift rivers at one time or another in my aluminum drift boat, including the Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho (125 mi. of white water) I have also rowed several friends glass boats. High sides are really nice when you crab a rock sideways and are high-siding to beat hell to try from becoming a submarine. I like the sharp chines of the aluminum boats, they move laterally with less pressure/effort on the oars. What is on the bottom of the boat will be the same temperature as the water, I disagree with one being warmer or colder than the other. Fixed storage is nice, don't want stuff moving around in the boat if things get dicey, so I like locked seat storage. I like sliding swivel seats, if any. Back rests help the sore back you get from standing all day. Have to have knee braces (hooks) but that is pretty much standard. Keep it simple, the more doo-dad's you have, the more there is to screw up or catch lines, etc.

The WORST thing you can do to a boat is to not use it. So my advice is to make your decision (there will always be pro's and con's) and after you get your boat, don't look back. Just use the hell out of it.

[otter]

A very interesting boat...........get on internet and bring up www.nordwestcomposites.com.

Been talking back and forth with the owner - Phillipe Jaudet - he sent me a bunch of detail pictures which for some dumb reason won't upload to this message.

Anyway, he's got it dialed - and I've spent the last twentyfive years building FG boats as a profession.

Now I'm scheming heavily on just how I'm gonna come up with the scratch to own one of these beauties. The highsider, not the lowrider.


otter

[Jerry Daschofsky]

I've seen those boats otter. They look pretty nice from what I've seen.

I'm still in the "no one boat will do it all" catagory. Why I'll be looking for an aluminum DB to go with my glass boat. Glass boat works great for quick maneuvering and low water running. But the aluminum is great when I'm working gear all day (plugs, sidedrifting, etc). Have yet to row a glass boat that didn't leave me ready to take a nap doing those methods. But to work a fly all day, they're great. Trade off is, the boat that does those things well are usually slugs (since you want a nice slow presentation while you're doing them). Why I normally whitewatered in glass boats, not aluminum (though I have used aluminum to do it, but sphincter factor was at high).

Like I've said, to each their own, you have to go with what suites you best. Lots of boats and options out there to play with. Seen that other builder in Montana that builds them out of kayak material. Polycarbonate I think. Light, fast, and very maneuverable from what I've heard.