Looking at Drift Boats

I rowed a drift boat professionally for over 35 years. Anyone that struggles as much as you describe trailering one, has no business charging people money to be inside of it.
Yea...well not every take out is paved, level, and with traction grooves in it.
 
I rowed a drift boat professionally for over 35 years. Anyone that struggles as much as you describe trailering one, has no business charging people money to be inside of it.
He only wrote “struggle.” I saw no elaboration about a 15 minute ordeal or asking his sport to give a boost. I don’t know, I guess I’m okay with heavy things being heavy, female guides, steep take-outs, etc. In any case—Cheers, past pro DB rower!
 
What if you brought a delaminating / failing boat to their attention? Friends have (guides, to give an idea of use), and they were also told to start using the damn boat properly. :giggle:
True delam is when layers of glass separate from the layer above or below, which can happen in chopper gun applications.
Clacks are built using handlaid glass which creates a monolithic structure, and dings into the the weave will not separate glass layers, only fray the edges of the ding at impact.
What Clack does with older boats brought in for a refresh, having toured their repair shop and viewed first hand, is fill all the dings, prep the hull and then apply a fresh gel coat = new boat.
As robust a material as tin is, and an excellent choice for river conditions like going through White Horse, there is no refreshing tin, there is only replacing it.
 
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He only wrote “struggle.” I saw no elaboration about a 15 minute ordeal or asking his sport to give a boost. I don’t know, I guess I’m okay with heavy things being heavy, female guides, steep take-outs, etc. In any case—Cheers, past pro DB rower!
So what's the problem then? Are you offended on their behalf? I didn't criticize him. I certainly didn't direct my comment to you. Same old wanking bs. Trailering the boat is by far the easiest part of a guides day. But you keep those keys warmed up. Smh.
 
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Line the bottom of the tin boat and it won't hang up on rocks anymore then the glass boat.
 
I can already say without even readin it look: your gonna wanna get a BIG MOTOR tue deal!!!! Get into a Heavey HORSEPOWER situation. Get going big suth a BIG HORSEPOWER BOAT
 
DB's are like cars, best to buy one to meet the driving needs.
If running technical water with lots of white water, drops into holes and rock consequences, tin would be preferred for both it's durability and greater bottom rocker = handle standing waves and hole drops better, pivot direction faster.
If primarily used in moderate white water and still water Clack hands down, as with it's lesser bottom rocker = easier to row, faster under electric power, flatter floor to stand on while stand-up casting.
Match the boat to the needs
 
DB's are like cars, best to buy one to meet the driving needs.
If running technical water with lots of white water, drops into holes and rock consequences, tin would be preferred for both it's durability and greater bottom rocker = handle standing waves and hole drops better, pivot direction faster.
If primarily used in moderate white water and still water Clack hands down, as with it's lesser bottom rocker = easier to row, faster under electric power, flatter floor to stand on while stand-up casting.
Match the boat to the needs


There’s a lot of variety in hull shapes in both aluminum and glass. It is best to row various boats, but lacking that option, buyers need to be observant.

For example, you mentioned Koffler earlier, they have one of the most aggressively rockered aluminum hulls, and Lavro glass hulls are fairly comparable. Willie’s aluminum hills are much less rockered, like Clackacrafts.

Flat floors are available in all makes (fore and aft) and feel sturdy, but when standing/casting from the rower’s position specifically, glass floors have more flex/give than aluminum.
 
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I really wanted to buy a drift boat for local rivers. But my wife refused to learn to row even though I pointed out what a good upper body workout it is.
hmmm. the full body workouts i have gotten with the DB is 25 mile days on a river with much against the wind.... ugh.
 
noting the straighter rocker and wide transom, looks like a pristine 14' Magnum first generation...rare gem
An older thread I posted about the Magnum.
 
An older thread I posted about the Magnum.
one of my fave boats, caught a lotta King's each year swinging flies in tidewater aboard my refurbished 16' Magnum.
If I had room for another boat I'd want that 14' to trick into a stillwater ride.
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