Drift Boat vs. Raft Im going to list the things I consider to be the strong points and the weaknesses of each, and let the reader decide for themselves which rig is appropriate for their intended use. First up... DRIFT BOATS: Of course any hard hulled boat you can rig a set of oars to could be theoretically considered a drift boat but for this discussion we are talking about the mass produced variety that come ready to drop in the water. In most cases these will be fiberglass, sometimes aluminum, and yes some people still make drift boats out of wood. The good news is basically you order one from Hyde or Clackacraft, it gets delivered, and youre ready to hit the water, and almost everything in it, until you learn to row, but thats another article. You will have to do very little rigging or customizing to it. They are stable, aesthetically pleasing, and the interiors are very clean and snag free. They have rigid floors, at least in the angler compartments, and good solid stand up braces, a must for float fishing. Most will float in only a few inches of water given a reasonable load, and are very responsive to the oars, even when full of fishermen and gear. They track extremely well, and are able to move upstream against even a very strong current once you become proficient on the oars. You can rig them with trolling motors and small outboards to help in the slow sections basically by just mounting them to the solid transom. So, ok you say, I’m sold. What’s not to like? Well, plenty! For starters, someone has to row them. True of rafts also, so unless you plan to pull over and get out to fish each time, you will need someone dedicated to the oars and controlling the boat. Yes you can anchor in spots and fish but unless you are in a monster hatch, or over the stupidest fish on the planet, that will only work for a brief time, especially if you move around much in the boat. Which brings me to my second point, drift boats are noisy! If you drop a rod or reel they basically become a big floating percussion instrument. I know of one former guide who used to clean his pipe by rapping it on the side of the boat, you could hear it for a mile. You think the fish heard it? Yes. The answer is yes! And if the rivers you float are littered with shallow, boney water, you will hit things, rocks, ledges, and yes. The fish hear that too. And if those are the types of water you frequent, its a good idea to become familiar with fiberglass repair or be willing to fork out the cash to pay someone to do it every few years or so. Once the outside gel coat is breached, fiberglass will begin to absorb water. Weakening it even further and sooner or later you will have a hole, and once you have one, you will fight it the rest of the time you own the boat, ask me how I know! Also as stable as they are, drift boats are sensitive to anglers standing off center, not really a big problem unless you are a guide or spend a great deal of time in the rowers seat, But after a day or two on the water with an angler who likes to lean from one side to the other, or cast with their whole body instead of just their arm, your back will assume a nice S curve that will remind you of the trip for days. Dont know what I mean? Get one and you will! RAFTS: When I first got into guiding in 93, rafts were the craft of choice. Mainly because the cost to ship a drift boat was as costly as to buy it in the first place. They were mostly white water rafts with crudely fashioned fishing frames, generally out of two by fours or welded metal from a local shop. You stood on the spongy raft floor or sat on the tubes to fish, and having an inflated self-bailing floor wasnt much better. You had to wear waders or hope it was warm, because water would be lapping around your feet if you applied any pressure to the floor by standing up! Times have changed! Commercial raft companies and outfitters now make frames that are designed with float fishers in mind. They have solid floors and stand up braces that would rival the stability and comfort of any drift boat. They can be launched and recovered practically anywhere, even picked up and carried for pretty good distances. They can be dropped, dragged, and bounced off river obstacles without worry of damage or noise. Rafts are quiet, deadly quiet. If you hit that ledge or rock that is impossible to miss, just a little outside casting range of all those rising trout, they keep rising. You can almost come up and tap them on the shoulder! They carry more weight than drift boats and are almost impervious to where the angler chooses to stand because of much better side to side stability. Get caught in a rainstorm, so what, the self-bailing floor will get rid of the rain water in the boat, goodbye to bailing and hand operated pumps while the rain runs down your face. If you think thats not a big deal, try rowing a drift boat with a few hundred pounds of extra water in the floor. No fun! The new ones, especially PVC ones, can be pumped up very rigid, making them responsive and easy to row, and they track almost as well as hard hulled drift boats. They add an extra measure of safety in big or turbulent water because even if god forbid the boat is flipped, they will continue to float, not sink to the bottom only to be smashed or wrapped on the rocks like a drift boat. Everything has its tradeoffs and rafts are no different. First off, when you purchase your new raft/frame, your raft dealer will need some time to assemble the frame and rig it properly to the boat and assist you with all of your adjustments and give you sound and solid advice on your new rig, then you will need a few trips down the river to get it tweaked and rigged properly. Extra care must be taken to ensure straps, bolts and riggings do not snag fly lines, floors are straight and level, and you have ample room for gear and rods where they stay out of the way and safe while youre on the water, again look to your dealer for the assistance you need. Then you will have to have a good pump. In the summer you will need to air the raft down after you put it on the trailer to keep it from over inflating in the sun, and air it back up once you hit the river so its properly inflated and rigid. You should carry a patch kit and know how to use it. River rocks and ledges will not put a hole in a good boat, but a piece of unseen rebar just below a bridge might. Ive never put a hole in any of my rafts on a river, but Ive seen it happen. Better safe than sorry. You will also need a trailer, most drift boats come with a trailer to fit it as part of the package, you pay dearly for it of course, but it comes ready to go. In closing, the decision is up to you. Decide where and what types of water you will probably float, the available access points or lack thereof, and what features are most important to you. Right now Im using one of the new generations of rafts as my guide boat and I love it! I have to be able to go whenever and wherever regardless of water levels or access points to find good fishing and a raft fits the bill better than a drift boat Here are a few of the companies whose products I have owned and can recommend. • Aire Rafts. • Clackacraft Drift Boats. • Down River Equipment Rafts and Frames. • Hyde Drift Boats • Northwest River Supplies Rafts and Frames,
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 23:21:37 +0000
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