Drift boat questions

[Birddogtwo]

I'm looking at drift boats. My original plan was to build a traditional boat over next winter. After looking at the conveniences and features in the high tech fiberglass and combination boats I think thats the way I'll go.
I like both the Clackacraft and Hydes boats. I think Clacka has a better hull design but Hyde has the ability to change the seating. I found someone that has a leftover 2005 Hyde I can get for $2200 less than a comp Clacka Those of you that have these boats what do you like about yours?
Thanks
Dave

[petegas]

i've guided with both of them, logging most of my time on a hyde. both have pluses and minuses. for the most part, hyde boats have the higher hull to handle more rapid water and from experience during my first few times rowing them, they can handle some touchy situations very nicely.
the clacka's have the lower profile and therefore can get really "sluggish" if you start to get some more water over the hull. however, clackas, to me, look a lot nicer. also they track excellently (ie stay pointed in the same direction when headed down stream- this is what i found was the biggest difference and the hardest thing to adjust when going from a hyde to a clacka) also, the lower hull profile in the clacka i found much better when i was actually able to get up and front (or back) and fish.

either way im envious you are getting one. at times, i've found rowing a drift boat (almost) as enjoyable as fishing from one.

if i promise to do some rowing, can i reserve a trip in the soon to be christened SS BD2? 8)

[Birddogtwo]

Petegas
Of course there will be room for you onboard the SS Divorce Court. If I do decide to ignore all objections from the CFO I'll let you know ( I usually do).
Dave

[lowwall]

I own a Hyde and have fished out of Hyde and Fishcraft. They both seem pretty comparable . If you are buying new the Fishcraft is about 1/2 price of a Hyde. There is a Dealer in Pulaski NY. I bought my Hyde directly from Hyde used they deliever anywhere for $450. All the other places I looked at Delievery was $1200 to NH. If I was to buy new I would order a fishcraft , pick it up in Pulaski and Hire a Guide up there to show you the ropes for the day. Fun way to get into a new boat. Steelhead will be running until May. Then there is trout and Smallies , then a summer run of Steel Skamani.
I went with a high side aluminum Hyde because I am running a motor on it to fish the Mack and some Ponds when i am not drifting in NY. I bought one with the fold down transon but ended up mounting a extension on the transom from Clackcraft. You need to get the motor up when launching or it really gets in the way.

Good Luck!

[mtnzone]

check out Hog Island Boats works... I will be a dealer for them....

[Jammin' Salmon]

I have rowed both boats and prefer the low profile Hyde. Having said that I must also say that there are few rivers in NH that you can use the drift boat on for the whole season due to flows. I also have used a raft with a fishing frame and found this to be a lot more forgiving but slightly more difficult to row, although the high floating Vanguards are pretty good! I will be using both this spring and summer, both here in NH and for 5 weeks out in Montana on the West Fork of the Bitteroot (where the raft is the only way to go!).

Rick

[Jim]

Last summer I used Mike Jones’s Clackacraft one day on the Androscoggin. Mike and his partner Bob operate Aardvark Outfitters in Farmington Maine and sell Clackacraft’s.
Both Clacka and Hyde keep developing new models with various profiles, the boats improve every year. Mike has a new boat every year or two. The boat he had last year was great, I couldn’t get over how easy it was to handle. There were three of us plus Mike’s dog, two coolers, a lot of gear and several rods. There was plenty of room and it was no problem when Bob & Mike switched places. Selling Clackacraft you’d expect him to have a preference, and he does. We’ve used Mike several times on the East Outlet where he spends a lot of time; it’s probably some of the toughest water in the area. My boat’s are wood which handle a little different; they are lighter and they don’t have the accessories, rod holder’s storage compartments etc. It depends on what you want to use a boat for. If it’s fishing with a friend it’s different than carrying two guiding. A smaller boat a 14-footer would be OK for two. They are a lot easier to handle and trailer. If you get a 16-footer there’s more room and it will hold three but only two will be fishing. If I’m fishing alone on a river I use a kayak, it’s a lot less work. It comes down to personal preference take your time and try out several boats. Figure out how many days you’re actually going to use it. Take a quarter or a third of that and if you’re lucky that’s the time you’ll be fishing. Anytime the boat is moving you’re not fishing, that’s a lot of time on any run. Dropping and pulling the anchor, loading and unload and shuttling they all subtract from fishing time.

[Birddogtwo]

ITS HEEERE!!
Hyde dropped off my 16.5 pro series drift boat yesterday. I'm going to try to use it before the weekend. Nice boat well thought out. I especially like the modular aspect of it. I can change the seating around as needed.
From a customer service service aspect they were super to work with. I would recommend that any one contemplating a purchase call Chris at the Newago MI store. He even called on his day off to make sure everything went smoothly.

I'm thinking for a maiden voyage I'll put in the Winni behind Franklin High School and head down the Merrimack to Boscawen. Is any one familiar with this stretch? Anything I need to watch out for? It's going to be a great spring

[HarryM]

Great News - May you have plenty of fun days with her. Please report back on how the trip down the Merrimack was.

[Steve H.]

Birddog2....congrats on the new driftboat. I'm sure that will bring you tremendous enjoyment.

I do have a general question though, to anyone who owns a driftboat for recreational purposes. How do you generally manage the logistical aspects of this type of fishing? Specifically I'm referring to the need to have a vehicle at both locations or some kind of shuttle arrangement.

I've drifted the upper CT in my 12' aluminum semi-V a few times. I would ditch my mountain bike beforehand at the pull-out and then after the float would pedal back to my truck & trailer at the put-in. Kind of a pain in the a** but put me on some nice trout that I wouldn't have otherwise had an opportunity to reach. (Thankfully I've never had my bike stolen by any listless Colebrook teens.)

Dritboats rock, no question about it....but I'm still not convinced it's worth the two-vehicle hassle, especially when the river is a 3+ hr drive.

[Jim]

The flow on the Pemi is good, around 1600. If you put in at the high school there are only a few riffs to the county farm take out in Boscawen, its class I water. There could be a few trees down from the floods over the winter. There’s an island near the Franklin treatment facility, stay to the left the channel on the right is usually blocked. Both the put in and take out ramps are good. It’s a pretty easy run. There’s a current which picks up at the riffs, some of them have rocks usually not a problem over 1000cfs. There are a couple of long flat sections that can have white caps if the winds coming up river, a little work on the oars. On shuttles, you can usually make arrangements with sporting goods stores or campgrounds if you call ahead.

[petegas]

Specifically I'm referring to the need to have a vehicle at both locations or some kind of shuttle arrangement.

by way of an anecdote, out west on the popular rivers they have shuttle companies that will move your car and trailer for you for about $20. the one we used to use on the yellowstone run out of livingston, mt is called "Hooters", not because of the ladies, but two of the most popular publically maintained pu- in and take-outs are called "Grey Owl" and "Mallard's Rest" :wink:

[Birddogtwo]

I took my boat out today for a couple of hours. What a blast. I took my son along to fish and my brittany to get him used to it. Had great time. It was windy but quite warm. The dog was great... After all he's the reason I got the boat so I can bring him fishing with me. The Hyde responds very well and is so stable. It's going to be a great spring. A lot of canoe outfitters run a shuttle service or if you go with friends you can get around the problems. So many rivers so little time.
Dave

[Jim]

In my previous post I wrote it was an easy run, which assumes some experience with white water in a canoe or kayak. Unfortunately that’s not always the case. Each year I see more anglers with pontoon boats on rivers, a lot of them look like they have never been on moving water before. The same can be said of canoes and kayaks on the Pemi, Merrimack, Saco and Androscoggin. The majority of them make it, in the summer it can be like bumper cars with boats going sideways, backwards and every which way. They have as much right to be on the water as anyone, but if they knew the basics it would be a lot easier for everyone. That’s how most people learn, every year there’s a few that end up pushing up daisies. For anyone using a canoe, kayak or pontoon boat that has not been on white water at a minimum they should go with someone who has experience, don’t go alone, and wear a life vest. It would good if they took a class at some place like Saco Bound but most don’t.
Understanding flows seems to be the hardest thing for people to comprehend, what can be an easy run can be extremely difficult or hazardous it the waters up, that’s where most people get into trouble. I talked to someone who was using a pontoon boat that got sweep into a run with a submerged tree capsized, and almost drown. It happens a lot quicker than people realize and in the spring with cold water it can be fatal. I’ve pulled a couple of anglers out that capsized and most likely would have drowned if someone wasn’t around.
A drift boat has more stability than a kayak; on the other hand it’s not as maneuverable and a lot wider. Runs you can drop through with a canoe or kayak are often two narrow for a drift boat so reading the water is important. I’ve been with guides that have almost rolled rafts and drift boats that have taken a lot of water; size can provide a false sense of security. I’ve never gone over with a guide but some have and boats have been totaled.
I canoed or kayaked NH rivers for years before using my drift boats. On rivers in Maine like the East Outlet which I had drifted with guides when I picked up my first boat I made a run with Mike Jones of Aardvark Outfitters in Farmington Maine, Mike spend a day showing me the river pointing out the runs and talking about different conditions. The East Outlet is one of the more challenging rivers; a lot of rivers can be depending on flow. Aardvark runs a drift boat class in the spring. Don’t know if there are any other classes in the east. Mike said the cost was very reasonable, think it was two days. It’s probably a good choice for anyone wanting to learn about handling a drift boat or thinking about buying one. The AMC River Guide is the best source of information when trying new water, don’t leave home without it.

[Birddogtwo]

Jim
Your right on all counts. I spoke with Mike @ aardvark and I think the class is @ $300 for a day. Money well spent I'm sure. Like anything else learninmg from a pro flattens the learning curve. It's going to be a great summer.

[s2ary]

Steve, What are the Hog Islands going for, and how does the BBQ breifcase work? :)

[mtnzone]

hahahaha... just saw your post... that barbecue thing is SWEET...Cool little item actually and perfect for the guide who wants to do a little shore cookout......

To early.