Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Boat opinions

Hull shape has a huge impact on performance. Really long and narrow needs far less power.

Thats what the specs say.

Not saying this boat is a perfect choice, but there are plenty of advantages in having a lighter boat. They require less power, more fuel efficient, and much easier to get off a gravel bar. The rivets don't bother me. Nothing that new rivets and some 3M 5200 or other quality sealant can't fix.

The one thing I learned from my previous Alaska living experiences is one boat doesn't do everything. In a perfect world I would own a nice ocean boat, a quality rig for the Kenai, and a river sled with a 200-250 hp outboard jet on it. Then toss in a inflatable or two for other duties. Maybe add a canoe as well

A question on how "high" the side is... is that measured as a vertical compared to bottom height? Or is it measuring from the bottom at the chine, to the top of the gunwale? I suspect the latter and it is a significant difference.

Nice thing about the lunds is you can move them and use 25-30hp. Everyone loves a .25 bottom until you have to move it down the beach or crane it on the back of a Seiner.

The natives do a lot of weird things.
I had one row me down the Situk and it was actually beyond comical.
"My Dad taught me."
Good thing it's a gentle river.
They make do with what they have.

Rivet boats are lower cost and that's probably the main reason people end up with them.
No one, and I mean no one here in the PNW runs shallow water in rivet boats.
You'll see them in deep water but not running rivers.
Leaking rivets are always nagging at you. Grab the bail bucket or hit the bilge pump switch.
SmokerCraft tried to get into the river running business with their rivet boats but they're all gone now.

In a small freestone river (rare here) you could get away with using a rivet boat, but the solid basalt stuff will rip open a 1/4" bottom if you do the wrong thing.

Leaking rivets is not at all common or a real concern with a small boat, by the time rivets start leaking, the hull is probaly toast anyway.

I agree!

I installed a cheap toggle switch bilge pump in my '73 18' riveted boat (Lowe? MonARC maybe) ). acquired with remote cabin in 74 oe 75. Leaks like a sieve. Running it, currently, with an added console. Tillers, pull-start, and old don't play well together. Just sold the 2012 40/30 jet Yamaha (probably too cheap- it was gone in 30 min. - 89 hours). Current new 50 Yamaha just done with 2 hour break-in has both jet and prop lower units-and a tiller handle - probably will only run the jet, off the console. I don't do much with it- mostly just the 100 mile RT run to the Interior remote cabin off the Tanana from Manley once or twice a year. Always way over-loaded! .

Maybe once or twice a year when the wife wants to go Kenai River touring. Have used the boat with prop unit motors years ago on both Skilak and Tustemena Lakes- but no matter the unit, those lakes can kill you easily.

Would never consider another riveted boat, if I had more years ahead of me than I will be boating now. MY old, leaky Sneer will probably outlast my use.

Unless the price was really right!

Leaking rivets are a concern because you always have to bail it. You can't leave it moored for any length of time with leaking rivets unless you trust your automatic bilge pump.
Rivets can often start leaking before the hull is toast.

People get into them because they are lower cost. In areas where there is no year round boating, they are popular because folks don't want to invest a bunch in something that sits for half a year.
So you take your pick.

Yep, large loads of freight have been moved on northern rivers for over a hundred years now, using narrow/long boats. They get up on step at a slower speed too. Things can get cumbersome on tiny creeks, but still trudge along if you have the fkn skill.

The boat only weighs 450. It should run pretty good with a 50. Jet too. People have been using riveted boats for years. Lots of people run lowe boats in Arkansas and Missouri in rock bottom rivers. they will bounce off a rock without opening like a tin can. I traded in a riveted Grumman 4 years ago. It was used hard for 36 years. It hit more rocks and logs than I can remember and never opened up.

Own a 19 foot semi V Alumacraft T195 for my big boat down here. It is riveted. This is the 9th year I owned it and hull is as dry as a bone.
I wouldn't hesitate to own another riveted boat. Not everything needs to be a welded super duty to last 15-20 years.

Those were the days before they made big outboards!
Grins!

I have 27 foot ex military canoe/boat that I had hoped to fix and use. Alas its wood and time has taken a toll.

Thought you use to have a Wooldridge and a Seasport?

Holy sht! No way? There are very few of them around. Black rapids ran them all over. Always wanted to restore one or even build a mold off one. I have 40 gallons of mold resin and 10 gallons of tooling gelcoat.....

I did when we lived in Alaska
24 foot Sea Sport XL with a 496 inboard and duoprop
23 foot Alaskan with a 200 hp Optimax prop for the Koyukuk
Also owned a 25 foot Thunderjet inboard jet with a 496. Man that thing sucked up the gas. 1 mpg when loaded.

I bought it a few years ago from XXXX Pete (cant remember his handle).

It will take a lot more than 40 gallons of resin to bring er back LOL.

They were made in Delta, I think some where made in the 50's and another batch was made in the 70's by Frank Columbo.

I had big plans to make a Yukon Cruiser, still might but will have to start from scratch.

All nice boats, 1 MPG.... OMG... I could never make it to the Inoko with that! I guess that's what you had the Alaskan for.

People who knew more than me told me not to buy an inboard jet for our Koyukuk trips. I didn't listen. They were right and I was wrong. Even the Optimax was a bad choice. Had to carry way to much oil.
4 stroke prop is the way to go for the Yukon to Koyukuk to Huslia and beyond.

The Sea Sport? We loved it. Owned it 9 years before we decided to move out and never once thought it was a bad choice. It was a fantastic boat.

You going to need a lift to run jet or prop so skip the pods and get a longer boat stay narrow, I can't remember what year but I still think it works, a Suzuki 40 horse ..one 20$ part changes it to a 60 horse ...buy the 40 and you can turn it into a 60... just a heads up , info at The the hull truth..I believe

Long and narrow for the win, lots of math to get it rite..