Drift Boat Newbie

[basket8]

Looking at purchasing my first drift boat. Its an older fiberglass, high side boat. Pros and cons to high side vs low side? anyone have experience with sanding/repainting a glass boat? any help or suggestions appreciated.

 

[Huntindog45]

high side catches more wind, can be tougher to manage. low side that is less an issue. high side can handle some bigger water. and less chance of old idiots like me falling out.. (yah ive done that)
i had a buddy who loved his big old willys boat. i hated it. it was a giant sail in windy conditions but it was also a battleship.

 

[BroodBuster]

Got a picture? My glass drifter has all sorts of battle scars that have zero effect on row ability or its integrity. They can withstand a LOT damage and abuse.

Rowing in the wind does suck but fishing in the wind also sucks so I just go beach combing or for a hike instead.

 

[Ferrulewax]

high side catches more wind, can be tougher to manage. low side that is less an issue. high side can handle some bigger water. and less chance of old idiots like me falling out.. (yah ive done that)
i had a buddy who loved his big old willys boat. i hated it. it was a giant sail in windy conditions but it was also a battleship.

Pretty much this. Seems like most guys are going for lowsiders these days unless doing pretty technical stuff. Still no problem with the older highsiders they just get blown around more.

The best drift boats are the ones your buddies own. I love rowing but you’ll definitely be guiding most days and not fishing unless you have buddies that row or you teach them to

 

[Howdy Partner]

Buy a dirt bike to get back to your truck.

 

[3forks]

I’ve owned numerous drift boats, and guided out of them for more than 20 years.

If you’re consistently floating a river with a lot of bigger wave trains, I’d buy a raft before I’d buy an older high side.

The width of a newer low profile drift boat is going to be wider than most older high side boats, so the lower profile boat will be more stable. Free board isn’t really a big issue on lower profile boats.

 

[MThuntr]

Get 3 or 4 friends that know how to row a boat and make sure they understand they will also be rowing otherwise you'll spend more time rowing than you will fishing...speaking from vast personal experience.

 

[3forks]

Pretty much this. Seems like most guys are going for lowsiders these days unless doing pretty technical stuff. Still no problem with the older highsiders they just get blown around more.

The best drift boats are the ones your buddies own. I love rowing but you’ll definitely be guiding most days and not fishing unless you have buddies that row or you teach them to

The comment about guiding your buddies is accurate.

Rowing constantly gets to be a drag after a while… Even if you try to teach someone how to row, it takes them a looooong time to learn to keep the boat a consistent distance off the bank.

Also, you’ll end up rowing a lot out frustration because it sucks to fish out of a boat that’s spinning in circles going down the river with a novice on the oars.

 

[Huntindog45]

standard joke out west.. if you want to go fishing buy a jet boat. if you want to take your friends fishing buy a drift boat.

 

[Ridge Ghost]

Get 3 or 4 friends that know how to row a boat and make sure they understand they will also be rowing otherwise you'll spend more time rowing than you will fishing...speaking from vast personal experience.

Been there, done that. "Yeah bro, you should take me. I totally know how to row". 20 minutes into the float with your friend on the oars, he's already hit several rocks and can't keep the boat in the fishy zone. You realize the only way any fish will come to the net is with you rowing the whole way.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Water class river are you drifting in?

 

[Oregon]

The best drift boats are the ones your buddies own. I love rowing but you’ll definitely be guiding most days and not fishing unless you have buddies that row or you teach them to

I've owned a drift for 34 years. My buddy just bought a beautiful 18' clackacraft 2 years ago. His first drift boat. When we fish together now we take his boat. Problem is, I still row! He just can't get it right on boat placement fishing a run. Well, he can't put the boat where I would put the boat! So....I row

 

[Ridge Ghost]

I had a high-side drift boat. I really liked the way it handled larger water and wave trains. I didn't like how it handled the wind. Low sides are better in the wind, easier to get in and out of, easier to net fish, etc. It really depends on what kind of water you think you'll mostly be fishing.

I see the OP is from Wyoming (wind). Get a nice low-side like an Adipose.

 

[UtahJimmy]

Buy a dirt bike to get back to your truck.

With a Versa-Haul

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

 

[MThuntr]

With a Versa-Haul

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

I have a Trail 90 that is getting fixed so I can do this. Saves a bunch of $ in shuttles.

 

[basket8]

Water class river are you drifting in?

mostly class 1 maybe some class 2. This boat I'm looking at is very cheap (2k) compared to some of the used low sides im finding online (7-8k+). Is it worth spending a few thousand more dollars on a low side or skiff?

 

[basket8]

Got a picture? My glass drifter has all sorts of battle scars that have zero effect on row ability or its integrity. They can withstand a LOT damage and abuse.

Rowing in the wind does suck but fishing in the wind also sucks so I just go beach combing or for a hike instead.

ill work on getting some pictures soon. Its mostly cosmetic on the inside that I was thinking about redoing, its just that old kind of rough/peeling fiberglass

 

[UtahJimmy]

Is it worth spending a few thousand more dollars on a low side or skiff?

Personally, I would wait if you can. Prices have already come down and if things get ugly you could probably scoop up a great boat for a smoking deal.

You could also buy the one for $2K, learn a new skill of re-glassing a boat, see what you like or don't like about the boat, and then decide what to do from there. If you don't know how to row, it's better to learn on a beat up boat vs. dropping a bunch of coin on a new one and ramming into rocks on your first trip!

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

 

[Where's Bruce?]

The water is usually more important than the wind IMHO. Buying a cheap boat that can handle the class and learn from just makes sense...in some places the wind is rarely a concern. Nothing wrong with beating up an old boat and experiencing firsthand the driftboat game and perhaps you'll meet someone (or several someones) with different boats that they'll let you jump on and row to see the difference. That way when you do make a final decision it is based on real life experience instead of internet opinion. 2k on a driftboat is chump change, get it. Name it Dingboat.

 

[basket8]

The water is usually more important than the wind IMHO. Buying a cheap boat that can handle the class and learn from just makes sense...in some places the wind is rarely a concern. Nothing wrong with beating up an old boat and experiencing firsthand the driftboat game and perhaps you'll meet someone (or several someones) with different boats that they'll let you jump on and row to see the difference. That way when you do make a final decision it is based on real life experience instead of internet opinion. 2k on a driftboat is chump change, get it. Name it Dingboat.

Good advice. Thanks