21 replies to this topic

[joebabino]

I had the great opportunity to go to school in the west, at The University of Montana, in Missoula. Drift boats are to Montana, as 14' aluminum boats are to Maine; there is one in every other driveway.

As stated earlier, I spent a lot of time in Montana, and got to experience the huge advantages a drift boat has to offer. Maine has numerous rivers that would be perfect for a drift boat yet you seldom see them, and they are usually owned by a guide.

Why don't more people own these wonderful boats in the Northeast? I built my own, and have found the design to be just as at home in the east as it is in it's native western origins.

I'm curious if any of you have any input as to why the drift boat has remained largely a western weapon. I appreciate and welcome all responses.... Im curious.

[Marley]

I have one and agree they're great but not many rivers are set up with put in/take outs here in Maine that suit db's. The kennebec, the andro, the wb.....not sure what else I'd add to that list (the Kenny Bingham and madison sections are less than perfect in this regard). Short answer is that the infrastructure is a limiting factor here which it rarely is out west.

[Kevin McKay]

my guess is cost and more work?

[Dave M]

Marley hit the nail on the head. The problem is infrastructure...it's just not here in Maine.
I've spent plenty of time on the sticks of both Hydes; Clacks; and home-grown stich and glue wooden drift boats. They're all good. There are put-ins and take-outs on almost all of the major (and most minor) rivers in the West......here the put-ins/take-outs are made for motorboats. Look at Bingham...just as a "for example". a 3.7 mile deadwater (1.2 mile at the lower end of the drift) and 2.5 mile lake to cross to the take-out. Does that ever happen on any drift on the Big Horn or Missouri or Madison/Henry's Fork? Never........

Irf the infra-structure was better here I'd invest in a DB.......but it juswt isn't here (yet)

Dave M

[nympho]

Can't some of these boats be set up with a small outboard motor though? I've been looking into a driftboat for a while now and hadn't even considered not being able to use one anywhere because I would have it equipped with a motor. Not only for deadwater stretches but won't always have the option of the two person put in, take out(solomissions) so I'd just motor back up. Can someone school me here? Drawbacks to a motor on a driftboat?

[joebabino]

I hear you on the challenge based on limited put in and take outs.. I have had to get pretty creative with some of my launches and boat retrievals. I have literally lowered my boat down over a 15 cliff using the winch on the trailer, I also put oversized tires on my trailer to allow me to launch in places that a normal trailer would never think of going.

Can't some of these boats be set up with a small outboard motor though?

I bought an 8hp long shaft for my drift boat, it makes it easy to fish our maine rivers with long stretches of dead water, and also allows you to motor back up stream to your launch site, which enables you to bring only one vehicle/ keeps you from leaving your boat while you hitchhike back up stream to your vehicle and trailer.

Drift boats have a place here in the north east, they are very adaptable, and can be used very effectively with a bit of creativity. I think we will see the infrastructure become more drift boat friendly in the future, especially with more and more dams being decommissioned and removed.

[Kevin McKay]

I have done the same with mine but again to much work for people

[PFFlyer]

most likely a drifter is next for me. gonna be a motor for sure, not sure if it will be well or aft, not sure if it will be glass or wood, no metal. I am looking at dories for plans, if Drummond was a drinker I would get him some beers, pick it up ready for next year. 17 or 18'ish.

[chadp]

I agree with the previous posts regarding access. I also have seen a decline in the quality of some of the driftable rivers - Andro and Kennebec - for numerous reasons. I own a drift boat and did many floats on both rivers. Prime time probably 10 years ago. If we had the same quality and access as out west, i probably would never do anything else.

[Terry M]

I've been looking for one for a while. Used ones are few and far between and very pricey around New England. Down here in Connecticut, they run them on the Housatonic quite a bit when the flows are up. Drift rafts are pretty popular too.

My next move may be to build a wood one. I have plans for a 14' full ribbed boat that will fit in the back of a pickup that may end up being a winter project this year.

[joebabino]

I like the stretch on the upper andro from Gilead into west bethel, but I primarily use mine on the lower andro from Durham to Lisbon.. Great smallmouth and pike fishing. The access to boat launches on that stretch are great, and so is the fishing!

[Title Guy]

I have a raft with a dropstitch, inflatable floor which performs on par with the drift boat- with the frame 165 lbs. I don't use it as much as I did the first two years, but it still gets out now and again. Rowing out Indian Pond sucks...

[PFFlyer]

john, how wet is your boat, is the floor ok for a dog, on big rows how bout a 2hp? pita? thought about you but really think it may be too sporty for us.

[AndrewJ]

I agree that the infrastructure is less than perfect on a lot of our rivers, but the lack of information on our current drift locations is even worse. Run a web search on drift boat launch sites for those western rivers and you'll get all kinds of information. Not just launch sites, but good flows, stopping spots for lunch/resting/fishing/camping, some sites will even give you estimates on how long it would take you to drift from site to site.

Kevin, this could be a good opportunity to add even more decent content to your website.

[brian foley]

Maine has 32,000 miles of flowing water - problem is that drift boats only make sense on about 1% of that water and on that 1% the fishing really doesn't warrant creating a " drift boat centric" infrastructure - of all the boat choices available to the anglers in Maine, drift boats make the least amount of sense - they're heavy, expensive, require trailers and ramps and aren't suited to Maine water - canoes have been the boat of choice here in Maine for 10,000 years for a good reason - check out oldtowncanoe.com - Tight Lines!

[Kevin McKay]

More content

[PFFlyer]

i love my canoe, solo, small water light to no wind, I like my pram better, it is just as slick in the water, big oars, stand and cast move around, just way more stable, but it will not slide down a skinny down east stream. for my wife myself and company, a drifter is going to be it. A bit of checking says most prefer outboard vs. a well motor so put ins and another cost to us being river access I could care less about, just somebody doing the hard work for you. as a mainer, bushwacking is normal, so should finding good water. I never really considered a good ramp vs. a bad ramp, a drifte is comfortable going over a rail 100' to the water, a bad ramp is just a beer stop. price is not a big deal @ 5 to 6 gs. gets you a pretty cool rig. for sale 1 grady overnight, 1 sailboat, 1 95 honda, 1 jeep. there that will clear out a spot for a new boat. I only know of 5 spots to float, all within 3 hours, should be enough.

[Steve D]

Drift boats nothing like them to fish out of

[blackghost]

Drift boats nothing like them to fish out of

Steve.....if I get a drift boat can you guaranty that I will catch fish like you?

[Steve D]

Ghost
I have seen your pics you own them Brookies, But ya sure