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Newest, best drift boat?

Boats 
11K views 30 replies 24 participants last post by  KerryS 
#1 ·
This looks like the best designed drift boat I've ever seen. I'll bet these guys sell a ton of 'em every month once the word gets out, in fact they ain't doing so bad right now.
www.pavatimarine.com

If I had the $ I'd sure line up to buy one.

LB
 
#3 ·
Papafish,

this boat has to be the ugliest boat i've ever seen. looks like the luv child of a paddlefish and a carp. just fat and heavy.

it is also one of the worst designs for fly fishing boat i've ever seen. it has no rear angler spot, no casting braces front or rear, some weird knob on the bow that will catch line and break off fish. what is that anyways? a fake tit? wait, they have the tits in the drawer, jr high porn tits. the perfect spot for the stash! hope the wife doesnt find it!?http://pavatimarine.com/gallery/drift_boat-gallery-11a.gif truly a first class bunch of guys! heheh (beavis and butthead laugh)

have you ever tried to row a boat over a log in the river? good luck with that boat. you'll just get pinned and sink it while trying to open a door and jump out.

it has 2 doors for anglers who dont wear waders! dont get your feet wet at the launch!! why not put one on each side? not only are those useless doors, it loses valuable rod storage and ads weight. plus, it has metal backed seats(heavy), the storage seat looks like a modified snap-on tool box with a cushion glued to the top. so not only is it heavy, it has tons of wasted space on the side of the plano slider boxes. heck doesn't even have a built in cooler or spot for a pony keg and a tap. come on guys, get it right!
the rod holders are in the middle of boat in a spot that makes the rowers area crowded and limits oar range of motion. one thing i love about my clacka is the ability to move my rowers box back and forth to level the boat depending on the anglers and weight distribution.

this boat has nothing on clackacraft, hyde, ro, hogisland, montana boatbuilders, freestone boat works or premier driftboats. yes, most of these are glass boats,
but their design and technology are practical for fly fishing not pulling plugs and chuckin rapalas and jigs

also, the outfit that builds it looks like a couple of nice gear boys who probably started the company after one of them got fired at some other place like alumaweld and the other guy airbrushes harleys and then one of them got a 105% home equity line of credit right before the market bubble popped and presto, you got a new boat company.

also, if you want to buy a square chined aluminum boat, you might as well buy from a reputable place such as Hyde that will still be in business when you sell the lunker and upgrade to a glass boat.

I realize that some rivers are not ideal for glass boats but there are many other aluminum boat companies that look to provide a more practical fishing boat.

just my 2cents

JD
 
#6 ·
Papafish,

this boat has to be the ugliest boat i've ever seen. looks like the luv child of a paddlefish and a carp. just fat and heavy.

it is also one of the worst designs for fly fishing boat i've ever seen. it has no rear angler spot, no casting braces front or rear, some weird knob on the bow that will catch line and break off fish. what is that anyways? a fake tit? have you ever tried to row a boat over a log in the river? good luck with that boat. you'll just get pinned and sink it while trying to open a door and jump out.

it has 2 doors? for anglers who dont wear waders? dont get your feet wet at the launch!! why not put one on each side? not only are those useless doors, it loses valuable rod storage and ads weight. plus, it has metal backed seats(heavy), the storage seat looks like a modified snap-on tool box with a cushion glued to the top. so not only is it heavy, it has tons of wasted space, heck doesn't even have a built in cooler or spot for a pony keg and a tap. come on guys, get it right!

this boat has nothing on clackacraft, hyde, ro, hogisland, montana boatbuilders, freestone boat works or premier driftboats. yes, most of these are glass boats,
but their design and technology are practical for fly fishing not pulling plugs and chuckin rapalas and jigs

also, the outfit that builds it looks like a couple of nice gear boys who probably started the company after one of them got fired at some other place like alumaweld and the other guy airbrushes harleys and then one of them got a 105% home equity line of credit right before the market bubble popped and presto, you got a new boat company.

also, if you want to buy a square chined aluminum boat, you might as well buy from a reputable place such as Hyde that will still be in business when you sell the lunker and upgrade to a glass boat.

I realize that some rivers are not ideal for glass boats but there are many other aluminum boat companies that look to provide a more practical fishing boat.

just my 2cents

JD
iagree iagree iagree
 
#8 ·
Im looking hard at buying a new or slightly used drift boat. I would not buy the Pavati or whatever its called? that front "hook" would only cause problems getting caught up on logs, rocks, etc. Plus, where are the casting braces? probably added too much weight on a already "heavy" boat. The doors, good idea, maybe add a wheelchair ramp, fold out version? Ive decided on a Clackacraft Fly Pod LP, that boat is awsome! Just returned from the Elk River Ferney BC, drifted days in a Hyde, it has nothing over a Clack.
 
#9 ·
http://www.clacka.com/models/flypod.htm
View attachment 23643
Now that's a nice boat. None of that fake metal flake stuff. And whoever heard of a swing open door on a drift boat? I mean, if you're too old and feeble to climb in and out of a drift boat, maybe you should get a Ranger bass boat and take up bass fishing. What's next? Lambo doors? Gimme a break! :beathead:
 
#10 ·
Someone will buy them. Someone always is willing to buy the newest, latest, tweaked out with features (good or bad). Hummers are not the greatest vehicles, but there are a bunch of them out there. I bet that some guides who have older gents as clients or shorter clients that find hiking a leg over the side tough might consider that door. They may be super high quality materials, tech and all that. Someone already nailed it though, how much does that sucker weigh? Who cares if you get splashed while going through standing waves? I agree that front bow wave breaker scares the shit out of me.
 
#12 ·
Can I get a Jurassic Park logo on mine? If not I'd like a skull, a fire, and my little pony. Also, I'd like 3 doors for all of my 3 fat dogs. Asshole client, walk the plank...

The front appendage is most likely a fish stabber/filleter. Place your catch on the boat ramp, get a few forward strokes, and boom you have a filet. Seriously though is this a "cow grate" concept from the railroad to push aside spawning salmon or shoulder to shoulder fisherman in your favorite hole? Maybe it's just to look awesome.

Ugliest boat ever.
 
#13 ·
LOL. You guys are pretty damned funny. Can tell who has done a ton of rowing in ALL aspects, and who hasn't. That boat is designed pretty damned well actually. I looked at all the design facets of this boat and it's been thought through pretty well. They even have lean bars for the flyfisherman. That boat looks like it'll be a kick in the pants. Everything in that design is explained if you read into it. BUT, alot of that stuff isn't "new", alot of it has been done before by some small time builders of aluminum.

But, that's a wave cutter you see on the front of the boat, they stole that off alot of old sea boats.

I see it as a total gear boat. I prefer aluminum for gear fishing, glass for fly. But that's what those boats are designed for. Why I used to have TWO driftboats. One I strung up for flyfishing, other for gear fishing. One was meant to strictly put blood in the boat, the other mostly C&R. Why once I'm moved I'll be buying another aluminum drifter.

Will give them kudos on the sales pitch. They have me sold. Guy flyfishing in the boat is using an old Fenwick. I'm sold. ;)
 
#15 ·
Interesting to see the hate here for a boat builder. Some of the ideas look pretty cool, but I wonder about the weight and price. I like the door idea--I'm not always getting out of the boat in 6" of water. And if the dimpled bottom is good on a Clack, why not a metal boat? I'll give the guys credit for trying something different.
 
#17 ·
JD, quite a few assumptions in that post of yours. Get a Clack or don't buy a boat at all? I have a Hyde w/G4 and Willie. They both have their purpose. Hit a rock sideways on the Snake last year which the G4 handled quite well. I don't want to know what would have happened had we been in any other glass boat.
 
#19 ·
Yeah, I agree PT (think I mentioned that too). Used boats were like 11k. YIKES! I could buy a used Clack, Hyde, and a Willie for that. I'd rather go for the used. LOL.
 
#25 ·
checked web site out and found 17 foot for under 6k:
The Hottest drift boat on the river! Starting at $5995.00
Buy Today @ $99/month OAC
that does not seem to bad................comparable to other drift boats. 17 on center line not along gunnel. so more like a 19 foot. best way to judge is go ride one. my three cents.
 
#26 ·
Oh? I looked at their boats for sale, must be there top of the line all bells and whistles go for the $17k MSRP. No, $6k isn't to bad.

Only problem, finding one to row. I don't know anyone who has one, and most haven't even heard of them.
 
#27 ·
Whats the best anything? Form always follows function. What type of water are you floating? I love to run my little 10'6 self bailing inflatable with a rowing frame because I run a lot of small rivers, large creaks, and high areas where the water is fast and narrow. If I was going to run a fast big river with major haystacks I would opt for a larger boat to get me to a nice spot to fish. A Hog Island would be ideal in big water rapids, but not if there was no bank in a canyon with a log across the river. Wood boats are so pretty. I love to see them on the river but I wouldn't run one where I fish. I like bouncing off rocks once in a wile and hiking my boat in on my head. The benefit, I don't have to worry about parking at a boat launch, I can fish all day and not see a soul, pick it up for an easy portage, and nobody spooked my holes a half hour ago. And If I hit a big boulder head on I can kick off of it and wrap around it easer than pontoon guys (who's boats might catch a boulder, fold or roll). Another thing I like about my little raft is I can run in shallow water looking for summer steelys 3 inches! All I can say its better than beaten brush to fish places most have only seen on maps.


My next boat: NRS Tributary self bailer and a new thicker frame total cost: around $2000
http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=11671&pdeptid=1694

See what we were avoiding here:
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs293.snc3/28319_125215004166934_100000353047932_211087_4640837_n.jpg
 
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