Looking at Drift Boats

offensivename

offensivename

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OK, so I've been thinking about my boat needs (wants).
I want a sound boat. But thats spendy and I think honestly I need to wait till I have more money saved anyway.
I also want a river boat. I was torn between a drift boat, a raft or a jet boat. Recently I've thought more about this, I don't think I really have a desire to do much river boating on my own where I need to go back up river, I'd rather just fish on the bank if I'm by myself. My primary river is the Skagit which doesn't demand a raft, and if I need to do a more raft appropriate river I can just use my watermaster. So that leaves me with drift boat.

So what am I looking for with a drift boat? I'd guess at most 3 people, I don't have a lot of friends. I'd like to be able to use it on a lake, maybe with a motor? I know aluminum boats are 'colder' but I guess cheaper? What even do I look for when I'm looking at used ones? Whats a reasonable price? School me here folks!
 
I had a Willie, it was nice. Sold it for more than I paid for it after 12 years.
I would buy another, used Willie, without question.

YMMV
 
For what your looking for, go find a DB in the 2500 3500 range, aluminum will be more common in that price range but you can find some FG but they will usually need some work. Aluminum, zero maintenance unless you hit a shit ton of rock, especially if you like shades of green(@stonefish)!

I put a 55# electric on my DB so I can fish and control the boat during Coho season, Skagit, Sky, wherever, would be just as good in a lake.

If it's 14° outside, what the boat is made of will not make 1 bit of difference, you will be cold regardless, and, it's too fucking cold to fish!
 
Lots of used Clackacraft and Lavros out there for cheap.. for 3 people you'll want a wide 16 footer. Unless you're a bells and whistles kinda guy just get an old one from the 90s.
Within reason the condition of the trailer is more important than the condition of the boat.
Worst case scenario if you end up not liking it and you can sell it for what you paid.
 
like rog said, the trailer can be more of a headache, with wheel bearings, lights, and wiring... all 3 things demand attention, until u make em idiot proof.
i have a 70's alum db, and it has worked out fine. no options on it, just a shell, but that works, as we can fill it with camping gear for river trips. good oars and oarlocks for the boat. i restrung the rope seat . it would be nice to have a back rest - but not necessary.
go
 
Personally, I would be most motivated to save up for and purchase whatever craft I could effectively launch and manage by myself. For me, fishing is a solo endeavor 75% of the time. I bought my first boat a couple years ago, and this was my first priority when considering my options. I’ve been happy to take others along when schedules line up, but I’m so thankful that I can take it out when I have a free day. Just my .02 as someone who just went through this.

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horses for courses...not all drift boats are the same, all comes down to hull rocker, the bottom curve that allows drift boats to fit in the space/holes in whitewater between waves without pitchpoling.
Kofflers, for example, have a lot of rocker, make for good whitewater boats, strong aluminum construction makes them sturdy, heavier, and due to the rocker push have the slowest of speeds when pushed by electric or gas OB.
Clackacrafts on the other side of the spectrum, lighter, and featuring less hull rocker are more easily pushed by electric or gas.
Personally I'd look for an older Clackacraft, one with 54" of floor width, not a narrower older one. Fine boats for reasonable white water, skim easily on stillwater under power.
As to trailers - whereas galvanized is best, a lightly rusted frame is ok as long as it's only surface, easily sanded and repainted. Run a new wiring harness and LED lights. And instead of worrying about hubs and bearings, best to take measurements and then call up someone like Potter Webster in Portland who will ship a complete new axle with installed bearings and hubs to match, throw on some Walmart wheels/tires = my last project like that cost around $500 all in
 
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MarshRat said:
Personally, I would be most motivated to save up for and purchase whatever craft I could effectively launch and manage by myself. For me, fishing is a solo endeavor 75% of the time. I bought my first boat a couple years ago, and this was my first priority when considering my options. I’ve been happy to take others along when schedules line up, but I’m so thankful that I can take it out when I have a free day. Just my .02 as someone who just went through this.

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I'm actually on board with the be able to launch it and go yourself, I just think that part of my deciding to go for the drift boat is that I don't actually think I want to deal with that most of the time when I go to the river. For context, I'm on Whidbey, so a boat I can launch and take out on the sound myself is 100% a thing I'm looking for (probably a CC whalerish boat?) But the Skagit is at least an hour away, plus the shuttle, plus the loading and unloading plus the inherit uncertainty of being on the river alone and I just don't feel like I'd actually use something like a sled that I could launch myself and take back to the ramp. I can take a drift boat out alone on the lakes around me, I can use it when friends come up for portland, or I trick someone into hanging out by having a boat to float the river. Plus its not that expensive in the grand scheme of things.
 
SurfnFish said:
horses for courses...not all drift boats are the same, all comes down to hull rocker, the bottom curve that allows drift boats to fit in the space/holes in whitewater between waves without pitchpoling.
Kofflers, for example, have a lot of rocker, make for good whitewater boats, strong aluminum construction makes them sturdy, heavier, and due to the rocker push have the slowest of speeds when pushed by electric or gas OB.
Clackacrafts on the other side of the spectrum, lighter, and featuring less hull rocker are more easily pushed by electric or gas.
Personally I'd look for an older Clackacraft, one with 54" of beam, not a narrower older one. Fine boats for reasonable white water, skim easily on stillwater under power.
As to trailers - whereas galvanized is best, a lightly rusted frame is ok as long as it's only surface, easily sanded and repainted. Run a new wiring harness and LED lights. And instead of worrying about hubs and bearings, best to take measurements and then call up someone like Potter Webster in Portland who will ship a complete new axle with installed bearings and hubs to match, throw on some Walmart wheels/tires = my last project like that cost around $500 all in
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Thanks, I think being able to put a small electric or gas motor on it would be nice for some of the lakes near me.
 
I love my Clackacraft Fly Bench. Fiberglass is warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer than aluminum. You don’t have to coat the bottom. Fiberglass is sexier.
 
I was a fly fishing guide for over thirty years and I've rowed several different brands and builds in drift boats.
I'm not a fan of aluminum. The ones I've rowed were heavy in comparison to wood or glass, and in hot weather a hest sink. Like sitting in a frying pan.
Clackacraft, Hyde and Ro Drift all build great boats and you'll find brand enthusiasts that'll heartily bad mouth the others to support their own preference.
If it were me, I'd pay attention to features.
Stay away from boats built too long ago that don't have raised floors. Sounds minor, but most young guys haven't had the pleasure of hyper-extending their calves casting all day on a sloped floor.
For the most versatility, stay away from low-side boats , especially if you hope to run any white water.
A high side will go anywhere, but it also catches the most wind.
Check out medium side.
In boats, width equals stability.
Look for beams from 74" to 82" , and floor width a minimum of 54".
Multiple adjustments for oar lock placement is a plus. The more comfortable you are in the oar seat, the more you'll enjoy rowing.
A floor release anchor system will keep your stern angler from standing on or getting tangled in your side release anchor rope.
I ran the raised t handled drain plugs in my boats, as opposed to the wing nut versions. Inexperienced anglers have a tendency to kick the wing nut ones out of the drain, which you won't notice until you're ankle deep in water at the oar seat.
That's a staggeringly high volume of water. Trust me. For my purposes, if they kick the raised t-handled ones, they'll need first aid instead of a pfd, and their IQ goes up a couple points.
Don't sweat trailer maintenance. It's part of the deal and you'll get in the groove in no time.
After the list I mentioned, it's all about options. More rod holders is better than less. Locked storage is cool, but locks only keep honest people out.
A single leg rear brace seems trivial. From an oarsman, you'll appreciate a feature that keeps your angler centered in the stern.
That's all I can think of but there's definitely more. The cool thing is you never stop learning.
Hope you find one that suits you!
 
SurfnFish said:
Here in the Cascade high lakes, see more flyfishers aboard DB's pushed by electric or small outboards than any other type of boat.
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For the last 10 years I was one of those. I only had the DB in moving water one time, and I decided that it needed to be owned by someone who would fish it in rivers/streams as well. I sold the drifter and bought a small aluminum, motor powered center console boat that I have been very pleased with. I did have to get used to a boat that would easily exceed the 10mph speed limit in most lakes/reservoirs.
 
MELinOre said:
For the last 10 years I was one of those. I only had the DB in moving water one time, and I decided that it needed to be owned by someone who would fish it in rivers/streams as well. I sold the drifter and bought a small aluminum, motor powered center console boat that I have been very pleased with. I did have to get used to a boat that would easily exceed the 10mph speed limit in most lakes/reservoirs.
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lol..yea, rarely not over the 10 mph limit in my skiff if running across the lake
 
SurfnFish said:
Personally I'd look for an older Clackacraft
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I’ve got one that needs a lot of work in North Portland, maybe up for trade later this week, with for-real modest expectations on value. I’ll post it here pretty soon, but anyone please give a holler if I can share more info.

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Hoofer said:
I’ve got one that needs a lot of work in North Portland, maybe up for trade later this week, with for-real modest expectations on value. I’ll post it here pretty soon, but anyone please give a holler if I can share more info.

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that an older Clackacraft Magnum likely from the mid 80's, same model as the boat I retro fitted for my use.. That structure hanging off the back is a deflection plate designed, in conjunction with the flatter hull rocker, to help the boat get up on plane when under outboard power.
Those boats tend to row like barges due to their flatter rocker and wide beam, but are great for still water fishing and/or moderate river flows. Throw a 20 hp on that = 20 mph.
 
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SSPey said:
Keep in mind when looking that some manufacturers measure drift boat length along the gunwale while others measure on centerline. Many boats sold as 16’ are closer to 15’ centerline.
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Why that matters.. the more surface area on the bottom of the boat the higher it will float and the easier it will be to row.
 
Drift boats are kind of the PNW jack of all trades, master of one. I like my drifter for moving water, but it’s definitely suboptimal for stillwater or tidewater. If your main use is not rivers, and it sounds like you have other options for that, I’d focus on something else.

And, wooden drifters are cool, but I’d steer away unless you see maintenance as fun woodworking instead of a chore. Because it’s a chore.
 
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