To Big Eddie or Not???

2

2MANY

Steelhead
Forum Supporter
Looking for a glass drift boat that can be used for fly fishing the bigger, gentler rivers in the Rocky's 6 months out of the year and then come home to fish the local western WA ditch for silvers/steelhead the other 6 months.
Not a big white water guy and don't plan to fish the peninsula, but I worry about the lack of sidewall height on the standard Eddie.

Looking for feedback on both.
Thoughts?
 
I'd say there's a good reason it's one of the most popular models out there. Hard to find fault in any part of its design. And Clack makes a very high quality boat.

No experience in the Rockies myself, but I'm sure the 16' model would work just about anywhere.
 
When I was still running a fave coastal river in my Clack WF during steelhead season, would occasionally see Marty from Clackacraft in his personal Big Eddy, and a couple of times after a chat we took the same line through what is a shallow corkscrew left, where my WF would consistently scrape at the stern making the turn while the wider stern of his BE did not...one of the reasons Marty claimed the BE to best of breed
 
Appreciate your guys feedback.

I kinda like the lower sided Eddie BUT I've heard it doesn't take much of a rapid to get water slapping over the side and in the boat.
They are perfect fly boats for Montana/Idaho but I worry about that in Western WA.

Supposedly the Big Eddie isn't nearly as susceptible to the side water entrance factor.?
 
If I was to buy a new DB it would be the Big Eddy, great boat and made for exactly what you are talking about!
 
I've had both a WF and a Big Eddy.

Liked the WF.

Loved the BE on both the Yakima and Forks area rivers (easier beats). Having a little extra margin on the gunwhales was great and didn't really feel the a big loss in wind. I ended up selling it after we bought a house on the OP as I was always in a raft due to where I was rowing and storage constraints. Still miss the BE, especially when the family wants to come along but aren't interested in a cramped, wet riding raft in colder weather.

I had the 360 interior with movable boxes fore and aft which worked great for us.

 
having rowed into a couple of flat water areas

on a couple of westside rivers during my days on the sticks where the hydraulics want to pull one side of driftboat under i prefer a high side boat. The mouth of the Suiattle claimed someone i met, his life and almost took a friends in the same way(both very experience Sauk runners). I knew to spin out of it as a side of my alumaweld dipped close to the water at the top of gunnel at the oarlock the week this happened. I dont know if the glass boats behave the same as the aluminum if you hit one of these spots. i do know that that they glide over rocks better, are quieter, and warmer to fish out of when it gets cold out of.
 
Fabulous input guys.
Thomas your feedback just about seals the deal for me.
I would be very interested in what factory things to add on a new one. Already planning the 360 part.
Thank you all.
 
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