Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Drift boats

Looking at buying my first drift boat, probably used. I will be using it to float rivers like the Big Horn and Yellowstone here in Montana, as well as a number of the small lakes in the northwest part of the state. I would like to be able to add an electric trolling motor and have enough room for my dog to get around as well as a couple of other fishermen. Those of you who own boats, what features are the most important to you, any brands that stand out, and what should I be on the lookout to avoid? It might be the only one I buy at my age so I'd like to make a good decision. Budget is probably in the 4-6 thousand range, possibly a little higher in the right situation. Thanks.

A little biased, but I prefer glass boats. Quieter, warmer, and one does not have to coat an aluminum bottom to prevent locking on to white water rocks. Some wood versions are beautiful, but are high on maintenance. If glass should ever get damaged, it's easy to patch up.

Get the biggest one you can afford, especially if one expects to do some camping. Can easily gear up with a week of supplies for three with my 16 footer. A driver and three adults makes for a heavy boat. Neighbor had a 19 footer and recently sold it out from under me. Really wanted that one.

There are several guide models with low sides making it easier for aged anglers to climb in and out mid-river. We do heavy water at times, and I prefer all the free board I can get.

Some incorporated dry boxes would be nice, but then they limit how one can place and stow other gear.

If fishing in lakes, two anchors are handy for holding a boat stationary. With a single point anchor they tend to swing side to side in the wind. A spare oar, and oar lock if one is doing rivers. I always carry those, but I've never needed them. Cover, inside storage, or turn over during winter months to prevent snow and ice damage.

Also, run some lines from oar locks or across the back and down to ones trailer frame to prevent bouncing on rough roads. Do stop and retighten after a bit as some lines are prone to stretch. If one is not experienced, a trip or two with a knowledgeable party would be beneficial if one expects to get into some class 3 or 4 water. If one does expect heavy seas, see if there are books available. We spend two or three weeks each year on Oregon's Deschutes supporting 95 miles of floatable water, and there's an excellent book telling one just how to line up and what marks to note where things get rough and tight. One sees lots of newbies running down with a book in hand. I'm intimate with the water now, and when I have difficulty falling asleep I mentally run the river as opposed to counting sheep.

If things get out of hand try to run up on obstacles with either the front or back. It's usually a gentle slide up and then off. Hitting things sideways can be a serious shock. Threw my 6- year old kid out once in a rapid. In heavy water don't dig deep with ones downstream oar. Should it hang in rock it may flip the boat or break the oar.

Last, if out with others in their boat and they offer to let you row, hit the first two rocks you see. They will take over, and you'll be able to fish all day.

They are amazing craft in heavy water.

Forty six year old Lavro that has been well worth the money. Bottom is about 1inch tick and warranted for life. Latest I heard though, kids took over the company and might be out of business now.





Envious of your location,

I’ve had three. All used, one hi side and two low profile. All three glass. For the Montana rivers I would opt for low profile because of the wind. Low profiles also work well for lakes. A sixteen foot boat should cover you. I like a bench rowers seat with storage under it and pedestal rowing seats front and back for fly fishing. If side drifting plugs a bench in the front would probably be better. The last boat was a Clackacraft with pedestal fishing seats that had storage under them as well.

A drift boat is one of the few things in life that gave so much enjoyment and still had pretty good resale when done. Not much for maintenance and not much to wear out. Good luck, you won’t regret it.

I think the glass boats are a good call - they're slippery in the rocks.

My personal DB is a very old Alumaweld guides model made by Willie when he was on Court Street and I was a teenager..... 16', thin bottom and Smoker oars (3). I use Slip Plate #1, paintable silicon graphite on the bottom instead of Glovit. It works like a charm and adds almost no weight what so ever.

The more crap you incorporate in the boat build, such as bow and stern sealed compartments, the heavier the the boat and the less responsive it will be. We use cargo nets to stash lottsa gear and dry bags.
Two passengers and a gear load will be a chore to maneuver...3 & gear will be a school bus!

I ran an old Alumaweld Standard, from the early 70's on the Nestucca the other day. 16', thin bottom and absolutely bare bones stock with smoker oars. It handled like a sports car! Less can be more!

Pick your fishing partners with care.... those that can and will row, are WAY more fun to fish with than those that can't!!

send me an email if interested, I have just decided to sell my RO drift skiff.
with an electric troller, it is 15 footer, little use, great condition. galvanized trailer.

look up RO Boats out of boseman. in your price range.
i am in north idaho just off I-90 by 5 miles.

send me message if interested.

Drift boats with a good person on the oars are great, they have so much rocker they can dip a gunnel and sink in a heartbeat so use caution esp when anchoring. Not much joy in owning the boat and spending all the time behind the oars. Put a bubble balance in front of passengers their job is to keep it level! Or have a good lab aboard to do that!

Miss the old days with my uncles and Grandpa running Oregon coastal rivers in homemade wooden 14 ft Mckinzie DB with a Formica bottom they built 7 or 8 one winter, don,t miss maintaining them!

Lots of good used Drift Boats in the PNW get one with a proper trailer. If you run a kicker raise it before you launch they are famous for breaking lower unit
as it launches. Kenai Merc dealer said he sells a bunch that way!

Owned/fished outta both, I prefer glass, current boat is glass.👍

I love willie's. Best rowing boat I ever tried. But agree, the glass ones are nice and warm.

A 17X60 would be my choice if you plan on 2 or 3 people. If you think you want to carry 4 then go with the 20ft.
Walk around rowers bench, level floors and god oars are a must. The rest is just fluff.
I like a front bench, but of you're gonna be side drifting or fly fishing, then movable seat boxes are the way to go.

[quote=jameister]send me an email if interested, I have just decided to sell my RO drift skiff.
with an electric troller, it is 15 footer, little use, great condition. galvanized trailer.

look up RO Boats out of boseman. in your price range.
i am in north idaho just off I-90 by 5 miles.

send me message if interested.

[/quote





pm sent

beautiful steelhead!

Buy a wood kit and build your own. You can one up snobby fly fisherman who build their own rods.

http://gregboats.com/pages/driftboats.html

I have a couple distant buddies that have taken that route. They picked up three, assembled and sold the first learning unit, and then put together the two keepers.

Still though, a lot of maintenance with a wood unit.

Brian, aka irfubar has a sexy svelte wood boat I think he built

I ran into a old gristle a couple years ago on the satsop fishin silvers, he had a homemade wood boat that was flat out amazing. If you could built one, it would be epic.👍

Supposedly if you sheath in fiberglass and use modern epoxy they are pretty durable. Coating the bottom with UHMW (ultra high molecular weight) plastic should also help.

A friend from high school makes them for a living(retirement) now and says they are really durable.

Agreed! My woodworking skills aren't so great so I don't get to be cool.

Bought half of a Lavro from my bud who cant row last winter. Has fish box, storage nice boat but will see how it rows. Needs new seat rope or can you convert to strap style? Nice to have a drift boat again for the Kenai. If you can row come up so I can fish!
Oregon boat he brought up years ago thats never been in Alaska waters

Any one know rope type and size aprox length to rerope seats?

I have a lot of experience rowing but would rather fish! Partner cant row he tried on the Situk was very interesting, which means I have to spend all the time on the sticks!
Is the Lavro a 16 or a 17?

sent a pm

I had to replace my seat line about 15 years back. Mine is a 16 ft BC version (before cup holders). Can't recall the footage, but it was an extremely long continuous length. Just used some skinny nylon clothesline type stuff. Take a section of ones old material along when purchasing to select an appropriate diameter. Count/measure the runs and add a bit for making the turns at each end. Wet the line when installing (allows some stretch) and use a golf tee or something similar to prevent stands from pulling back during assembly. They will then tighten considerably when dry, and will sag a bit when out in a soaking rain, but should still keep ones butt off the platform. A little help feeding and handling line is beneficial while one's in the boat rethreading.

As to rowing, look well ahead and watch the flow of surface bubbles well ahead of ones bow. That's the direction ones boat will go on its own. Try not to hit bottom or rocks when drifting sideways. Wish I was closer, but that's a bit of distance for a weekend run.


Again, from looking at the pics, I'd run a tight line across about half way between the oar locks and the stern and lash to the trailer frame on each side. Then a strand from one lock, behind the first line and back to the second lock to really cinch it down. Otherwise, ones boat will do a lot of bouncing on his trailer and he my find his anchor trailing behind on the highway.

Nice looking craft