Looking at my options on small 3 person drift boat
- This topic has 22 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated Mar 30, 2011 at 2:08 pm by
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Adipose Boatworks. Upstart company that is putting out some sweet boats. Got to see a proto last summer on the Mo’ and was really impressed with the open design. More than likely my next boat.
John
The skiff style of river boats will draft maybe two inches shallower that the standard driftboat designs. The reason is they have more surface area of the hull on the water due to the wider ends. The only drawback we are seeing is that they get the front seated person wet when dropping in a deep standing wave like those on some of our rivers.
There are some guys in Boone, NC building all welded skiffs, they are on Facebook as well as have a website, http://www.pescedriftboat.com/Ro Skiff:
I won’t enter the wood debate, but most of you know where I stand.
It is my material of choice.If you are a handy guy, you can build your own.
I am building almost what you are looking for, as a matter of fact.
As a matter of fact, I just came in the house from putting two hulls together.This is an 11-1/2″ skiff type boat made for exactly what you describe, except for a two person capacity. – flat water, slow moving rivers and stillwater.
John
Yes the skiffs readily accept trolling motors. Your best to get a short shaft motor when you get one.
John, no but with the generation you have to fish from Wilbur down to Hunter Bridge. It is fishing very well. We are getting them on everything. The weekends will let you fish the Caddis Riffle and I haven’t heard a report yet on that float. I have been doing the high water on both tailwaters.
If you are going to float shallow water I would go with a skiff. To build your own look at Montana Boat Builder’s kits. My friend built their skiff for the upper Delaware and we routinely get through 4 inches of water. RO makes a fantastic skiff. It draws little water, but can handle big water as well. I was on the South Fork of the Snake last June with a guide and we only had to high-side once.
Call Robert Eddens at RO and he can get you going. They also have a good used selection of RO skiffs and South Fork Skiffs. I had a South fork skiff with a honda 5hp and i got rid if it in lieu of a G3 jet because it did not perform well with the motor, nor has any driftboat that i have ridden in. they just arent designed to be motored and the result is a maximum speed of about 5mph and they steer terrible. There’s no “best for all” boat so you just have to evaluate what is more important to you and go from there.
After owning a similar raft to yours and then a skiff and now an aluminum jet, i will say that it is the most versatile by far.
I’m not sure if it will fit your purpose…but a river jon might work for you..They dont draft much water, work with a prop or jet, or oars…and they are very comfortable fishing platforms.
I’m not sure if it will fit your purpose…but a river jon might work for you..The dont draft much water, work with a prop or jet, or oars…and they are very comfortable fishing platforms.
You can’t beat em for tailwater fishing, or lakes, or wild Musky Rivers, or even the backcountry in the FL Keys. If there is one boat that can and has done everything for me this is it.
Tailwater
Lake
Keys.
(Bahia Honda)
(Flats)
Musky River
For you guys who own one of those river jons, in addition to John’s stability question, I would be curious as to how skinny they can float.
3-4 is accurate. you will slide over most of the time anyways. I wouldnt get carried away with draft, most modern drifters are 100% better than boats of old and besides you cant row in 3″ very well anyways
John and Jay mine will float/idle in 3″ if the bottom is clean and no grass, etc. Running the rule is if it isn’t sticking out of the water I can get over it. Alot of times I can ride the wake I’m pushing over stuff that can’t be 1″ deep. Can’t do that for long though. Has to just be a short bar or something. I also have Line-X on the bottom of mine so I can get a little crazier…
They are very stable. I was casting off the deck while in surf at Bahia. It’s also just as stable with three people in it as it is with one.
The biggest limitation I’ve found is running wide open in heavy chop. It’s a flat bottom boat so it’s rough. I don’t fish places where that’s an issue very often so it’s no big deal to me. When we need to run across the lake in April and May we’ll just take J’s Maverick.
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