Drift boat plans

Ok I'm getting more serious about building my drifter. After researching I'm trying to decide between a kit or buying plans and building off the plans. Anyone out there built off plans only? Ive looked at Don Hills website along with Montana boat builders and a couple of others n the web. I'm pretty handy with tools being in the construction trade for over 30 years with seven of them as a carpenter. I also build bamboo fly rods and have a workshop full of tools. So any thoughts out there concerning plans only vs a kit? All input appreciated.
Mark

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Permalink Reply by Jon Carter on March 13, 2009 at 5:42am
Don't know if you found and answer on the oar locks but if you didn't - go to: www.duckworksbbs.com/hardware.htm. They have pretty good stuff for a good price.
Permalink Reply by Mike Dearing on March 9, 2009 at 3:49pm
My two cents.

If you have medium to good woodworking skills you can easily build one from scratch. That said, I built mine from a kit which at the time cost me 1700. Reason being, where I live I would've had to order/ship all the wood I needed, so it was just easier to have someone (Tatman) do all the leg work for me.

If I ever build another one I'll have Roger draw me up some plans that mimic my aluminum 16x54 Willie boat. I love this boat design, and have yet to row another drift boat that handles better in the water it was made for, the Rogue, where I spend most of my time fishing. A wood boat designed like this would be nirvana IMHO.

Excellent advice from Dave about not rushing the construction, take your time, once its done, all the fun is over then its just kind of another tool to use fishing. Although it is nice to be the only guy on a stretch of water that everybody gives compliments to about your boat!

Enjoy,

Mike
Permalink Reply by Mark Heskett on March 9, 2009 at 4:31pm
Mike
I live on the middle Rogue by Griffin. My boat will be used mainly on the Rogue, but will hopefully see time on the other rivers in our state and some of Idaho, Utah and Montana.I love the warm look of wood and being a bamboo rod builder my drifter has to be a hand built wood boat.
Mark
Permalink Reply by Mike Dearing on March 9, 2009 at 5:57pm
Mark,

I completely understand, I just wish my wood boat was built the same shape, bottom width and style my Willie is. This boat is ideal for fishing and floating the Rogue, more particularly the section of Rogue I like the most, the canyon. Willie got it right when he designed/built this boat. It has enough elongated bottom width to float high with two passengers in front, but still tracks well. The flare and rocker are pretty extreme on this boat, but gives it a very dry rides and rolls up and over waves my wood boat tends to plow through.

The last thing that sold me on this boat is how many of them I see in the canyon itself used by guides. Take a trip down there in Oct when the water is low and tell me how many other types/brands of boats there are? I swear you'll see Willie's are 2 to 1 to all the other boat manufacturers combined, glass boats aren't even in the equation. The guides boats look like they've been to hell and back with the whole water line section of the boats scratched, gouged, dented in more was then you can imagine. There was a reason Willie wanted and finally built his own an aluminium driftboat for down there, cause that canyon run is very tough on boats. If you ever get a chance walk down the top of Mule creek canyon and watch a fishing party of driftboats go through the coffee pot, do it, you'll see a hell of a show. I don't care how good an oarsman you are, sometime on some trip you will make contact with the canyon wall, the swells and boils through there are never the same at different flows, and its never pretty. This is why I eventually bought an aluminum boat, I did not want to subject my wood boat to this kind of abuse.

Now on the other hand, if all your going to do is float mild rivers with class1-2 type water, like the upper middle Rogue, any style driftboat will do. It all depends on how much and where you are going to use your boat as to what kind of boat you may build/buy.

Good luck with whatever you choose. I am lucky enough to own many different types of boats for all river running and its like anything else its wonderful to have the right tool for the job.

SYOTR,
Mike
Permalink Reply by Mark Heskett on March 9, 2009 at 7:27pm
Mike
Thanks for the input. It gives me a lot to pour over on my drift boat selection. I have looked at the Wille drifters and they make a nice boat. But I think I'm locked in on a wood boat. Hey if it was good enough for Wooldridge, Pickett, and Holstrom it can't be a bad boat. I don't think I will float my drifter from Rainey to blossom and below, but you never know.If you have a copy of Steelhead Fly Fishing by Trey Combs read the Rouge river chapter about them floating the wild section in a wood boat. An eye opening trip. Also I liked reading The Doing Of The Thing by Brad Dimock. Bitchin book.
Mark
Permalink Reply by Jason Knight on March 10, 2009 at 5:05am
I just ordered that book a few days ago. Can't wait to read it.
Permalink Reply by Buster Ross on March 10, 2009 at 11:59am
I run my wood drift boat thru that river part of the river several times a year and it is still in fine shape the reason the guide boats look like crap is because the guys on the oars dont have to pay for the repairs so they dont care what it looks like
Permalink Reply by Buster Ross on March 10, 2009 at 11:53am
actually you should do your first boat from a kit , all the pieces will be cut to length and proper angles and it will look and function properly ..... then if your ready to build another one build it from scratch remember the old adage you get what you pay for not only are you paying for a kit but your also getting an education that will last a lifetime the tatman boats row the best ive ever tried
Permalink Reply by Mark Heskett on March 10, 2009 at 12:47pm
Buster
I'm really leaning to a kit boat after reading this thread. Everyone has been helpful with their insight. Much appreciated. The wealth of knowledge here is fantastic.
Permalink Reply by Mike Dearing on March 10, 2009 at 5:30pm
Mark,

I'm not trying to talk you or anyone else into an aluminum boat. I'm not the one making the decision here, I made my decision a long time ago and love them both for different reasons. Wood boats were great for the guys you mentioned (Wooldridge etc) because at the time they were floating wood was the only type of material they had to build out of. Times have changed, and so have the boats. Like I said before, when comparing aluminum vs. wood, IMO it comes down to the frequency and type of use you plan to use your boat for. Just consider all options hard before you pull the trigger, because no boat is cheap nowadays.

The greatest thing about an aluminum boat is you wont be constantly fixing/maintaining it like you do with a wood boat. My aluminum boat sits outside all year sans cover, through the full four seasons we get over here in Klamath, and is ready,raring to go any time anywhere.

I see you said you wont be using your boat in the canyon, well I used to think that too. But as time goes on and you get more oar time under your belt you'll want bigger challenges, at least I did. So don't rule this trip out, its the best the Rogue has to offer, as you probably know since you live over there.

I haven't read The Doing of the Thing yet, but will for sure. Another book to look for is A River to Run which is all about Wooldridge, another great read.

Buster,

I have to completely disagree with you on your assessment of why the guide boats look like they do.Try running your wood boat down through the canyon with the frequency these guys do and see what it looks like after a season or two. If all you do is float prime times of year when the flows are higher lots of the smaller rocks are covered making things easier. Late fall low water trips are very bony and consequently much harder on boats. I would say these guys boats see more damge and harder use in one season then an average guy would put on his in ten years. So, like I also posted above, look around next time you float down there and tell me what kind of driftboat you see most?

There are guys like Herb Jacobsen and the Helfrich's on this board that specialize in guided wood boat trips on the Rogue and Middle fork and love their wood boats and probably wouldn't row anything else but wood, BUT I would also venture a guess that these guys are also some of the best oarsman you will ever see on the water so they just don't hit near as many rocks as we average boaters do and can get away with running a wood boat all the time.,

Now I don't want anybody here to think I am some kind of wood boat hater, cause that couldn't be farther from the truth, I own one that I built and love it, but the bottom line is that if I could only own one type of driftboat for the water I float the most (Rogue) it would not be made of wood or glass.


Two more cents,

Mike
Permalink Reply by Jerry E Skinner on July 19, 2009 at 6:37am
Hi Mark. I have rib kits, some seats, misc. I have built many of these. The ribs have two coats epoxy,Three coats of varnish. Are ready to go. I'm not going to build anymore driftboats. I was just thinking of putting them on craigs list but wondered if anyone would know what they were. I have plans....(Don Hill) many pictures of assembly
Have one set for 16' and one set for17' drift boats. Any intrest.........contact
Jerry Skinner, Bend Oregon...541 306 6158
Permalink Reply by Mark Heskett on July 24, 2009 at 2:03pm
Jerry
Sounds interesting. I would be interested in a 16'. What have you got and how much are you asking. Possible to ship to Grants Pass?

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