Wooden Boat People
By McKenzieDriftBoat.com
What size to build?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Christopher Bruttig on
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Hi Ethan,
I am also new to this topic and I am considering building a boat as well.
Lets try and reason your question out? Maybe we can get some input from those who have gone through the drill?
Material costs are going to run between $1,000 and $2,000. that includes quality marine plywood, stainless steel and or bronze boat fasteners, quality resins etc.
It really doesn't matter whether you build a 14' footer or a 17' footer.
So I assume you are going to trailer the boat. If that's the case then I believe it is reasonable to build a larger drift boat rather than a smaller one.
The next question is: What's the largest boat one can build that you can control relatively easily and will carry at least 3 people and necessary gear? 2 fly fisher person's and the "rower" plus extra gear if you plan more than one day floating the river.
So let's make some assumptions?
1 You plan to trailer the boat.
2 You are a weekend warrior and plan to drift some scenic rivers, doing a little fly fishing and maybe some beginner white water, just to build up a little skill and confidence?
My thought would be to go with a McKenzie style 17' x 54" in a plan with less rocker for more stability and tracking.
I would not go larger, because all of my research suggests it is harder to control a larger boat, especially for the weekend warrior. Since you are going to trailer the boat and your material costs are negligible, it does not make since to go much smaller than 16'
If I understand correctly, more rocker means easier control to change direction in tricky white water situations but less control in tracking such as rowing in a straight line in calm water or on a lake for example.
I hope this helps to get everything sorted out.
Looking forward to hearing others as well.
Regards,
Chris Bruttig
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Permalink Reply by Stephen Markley on
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Ethan...
Before you buy plans somewhere... grab this book from Roger Fletcher it is THE Bible on building driftboats and their history, he also has plans in the book...
Drift Boats and River Dories
http://www.riverstouch.com/Book.htm
plus he sells full size plans on his site.
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As mentioned, larger doesn't add too much to materials cost. Larger IS more difficult to handle alone, moving it around on shore.
Rowing without much experience? I think a smaller boat is harder to manage..Yes, it rows more easily but they get pushed around by eddies more easily, weight distribution is more critical, mistakes have quicker consequences and are more likely to end in a swamping..
I had a 14' Eastside copy that worked well. Two fishermen was workable, one + the rower was better. I could manage the loading and unloading alone. I also rowed a friend's giant Aluma-weld in the Madison River in Montana..and it was super easy to control compared to my 14' strip-planked Eastside shape...
Hope that helps you decide.
Don Hanson
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So Don,
Am I hearing you correctly? For the casual, fisherman/novice river runner type, the 16 foot is the best compromise? Do you have any suggestions on design? What designs are better for specific situations. Handling characteristics? What I am trying to say, is that there is no one perfect design of anything. For example, it would be a real disadvantage for me, as a weekend duffer to play with the same golf clubs that Tiger Woods uses or use fly rods or reels, built with nickel silver hardware in the Tropical Salt, not to mention stiffness, which is a premium concern for the Salt, but not so much for fresh water. So too with drift boats?
CBB
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Yes, I think you are right.."There is no perfect design..." Boats, especially, are a compromise of considerations..at best. For example, do you want the most effective for harvesting fish, or do you want a work of art that will draw Ooohs and ahhhs on the launch ramp? For that matter, do you really want a boat that needs a launch ramp, or do you just want to winch it up over the river bank like one of my Livingstone, Mt. guide acquaintances used to do with his boats?
One size fits all? Nope. It's kinda like someone asking..."What kinda sailboard do I want to have?" You will want to read and study up a bit and decide what you want the boat to be best at, and what you can live with for shortcomings...
I'd say for a first boat, yeah, maybe a 16' .... one of the more popular designs...choose what most others have found best...then later, if you find your needs are quite different, sell it. You will then (think you..) know more about what you actually want and need.
I've found that most 'normal' boats in the 16' range work pretty well on the rivers I have floated...the Snake, the Madison, Deschutes, Klickitat, South Fork, etc....moderate sized mountain rivers with the occasional easy white water, and through the Snake River canyon, etc...
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Don,
OK, that helps a lot.
Cn you give your thoughts on designs that work well, primarily for fly fishing?
Chris Bruttig
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I built a Tracy O'Brien 17 ft. has fished the BigHorn, Yellowstone, Deschutes,Klickitat and John Day with a fisherman fore and aft with no problems. Handles 4 just for floating etc. As previously suggested get Roger Fletchers book.
Good Luck
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Permalink Reply by lhedrick on
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I have built a few fishing boats and white water boats. I prefer a 16. I have built 14s and they handle day trips with 3 people just fine. I mostly do overnight trips, 2 people camping gear, coolers, dogs etc and the 14 is just too small for me.
No matter what you choose be sure to take a look at the Honkey Dory design at
montana-riverboats.com.
Unlike most it has a wider bottom which floats it a bit higher. The hull is built from 4 sheets of plywood. 2 sheets make the sides and 2 make the bottom. It's a stitch and glue epoxy/fiberglass covered hull. Very easy to build.
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Permalink Reply by Randy Dersham on
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Larry, I think you are talking abut a 14 and 16 as length over all. Some of the people in this thread are talking about a 16 as the length of the panel which would be a boat that is about 14 ft LOA.
Everyone, please be careful when talking about length of driftboats. The traditional measurements for drift boats, and still the advertised sizes on Northwest websites, are length of the gunnel at the shearline. Many people use the more correct Length Over All measured on the center from end to end.
In general terms a 14 LOA is a 16 traditional measurement, a 16 LOA is close to 18 traditional measurement.
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Far as I know, driftboats are the only boats that are sometimes described by the length of the side panels. I prefer to state the length overall, same as is done for other watercraft..
However, if I happen to be referring to a specific boat that the original builder called his "16' model"...then I'll say that..."a 16' Don Hill" for example, probably is closer to 14' (LOA) when measured like a normal boat..but most people who know these boats would know exactly what boat was being referred to when you say "Keith Steele 16" and know it is really pretty compact..if Steele even made any 16s...I dunno that much about the traditional boat vendors..
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So, in your opinion, what is a size that would handle 3 people and camping gear for an overnight fishing float trip? Also, to avoid confusion for us newbee's, maybe you could express size as LOA and traditional measurements so we get the concept.
Thanks.
CBB
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16' probably would be a good choice. Or, if you want to measure it around the gunwales that would probably measure to around 18'. If you hadn't said 'camping gear' and 'overnight fishing float' a 14-footer would work to float and fish two, besides the rower...but those are a bit small to carry enough for 3, overnight... and they really work better with just one fishing, one rowing..
Guiding with two active fly fishermen in the same boat is an art...It is a smart thing if the rower wears a wide brimmed cowboy hat or something to avoid losing an ear...grin.
You'd think "14'--- 16'.....not much difference" but there is significantly more 'volume' in a boat just a few feet larger, LOA .. In the Dory shape, a larger boat will sink into the river less.
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