New drift boat ready to rock.

[Bodofish]

Now if I were to purchase a drifter it would probably be wood, purely for aesthetic purposes. If I were working out of the boat, no doubt it would be metal. My wood boat would of course be glass too, with Kevlar or Spectra on the bottom. An all glass boat, not really my cup of tea but that is just personal preference. Many companies make glass boats and most of them start out as a wood test bed. Make a bunch till you get the characteristics you like, then make a mold from it. After that it’s a slam dunk to splash a boat a day if orders are there. It's a great medium for fast production. Now before anyone presumes I don’t know about fiberglass, I worked for Uniflight in the 70s making boats, I'm well acquainted with glass and it's short comings. Glass boats are very nice to use but I'm not sold on them being any better on the water than a properly designed metal boat. All that said everyone has different criteria for what makes the perfect boat. If anyone want to debate materials strengths or weaknesses, I can till the end of time but have your ducks in a row. I'm going to say if it floats and you are happy that's the main criteria for a nice boat.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[Bodofish]

Almost forgot, how a boat rows, tracks and turns has nothing to do with the material it's made out of. It's purely a function of design and weight. Length, beam, rocker, side height and bow, stern curve, seat placement and balance are what determines how a boat rows. So for anyone to make the claim a boat rows better because it's made a specific material is just full of themselves. There are floating T-u-r-d-s made all three materials, wood included. Now the wood boat boys will flat out state that there is no reason to put oars on a glass or metal boat because real boats are made of wood. It's not the material, its the design.

[lost360]

Nice boat !

[MotoBoat]

Professional guides using glass boats means nothing other than they got a good deal from a glass boat mfg.

Based on that statement. Are either of you (Nate, or FF) receiving any type of "guide" discount for your boat purchases? I have been curious for a long time, about manufacturer/vendor discounts to guides. For fishing lures, rods, reels, boats.....ect.

Ranging from a percentage off discount, to free on pretty much anything fishing related. That guide, and his clients. Equates to free advertising for the vendor. To masses of people (clients), who would be influenced to buy the products used that day. Or speak of those products (good or bad) to others.

Does each vendor sticker, stuck to the side of a guide boat. Equate to some level of sponsorship? Isn't that the reason for all those stickers? Plus, that boat stands out as a guide boat, wherever it is seen. On the water, on the trailer, beached, when towed, parked at Cabelas or the local watering hole (tavern)......ect?

[natetreat]

Professional guides using glass boats means nothing other than they got a good deal from a glass boat mfg.

Based on that statement. Are either of you (Nate, or FF) receiving any type of "guide" discount for your boat purchases? I have been curious for a long time, about manufacturer/vendor discounts to guides. For fishing lures, rods, reels, boats.....ect.

Ranging from a percentage off discount, to free on pretty much anything fishing related. That guide, and his clients. Equates to free advertising for the vendor. To masses of people (clients), who would be influenced to buy the products used that day. Or speak of those products (good or bad) to others.

Does each vendor sticker, stuck to the side of a guide boat. Equate to some level of sponsorship? Isn't that the reason for all those stickers? Plus, that boat stands out as a guide boat, wherever it is seen. On the water, on the trailer, beached, when towed, parked at Cabelas or the local watering hole (tavern)......ect?

Yes, manufacturers want us guiding out of their boats so they provide incentives for us to form partnerships with them. Just like the stickers on a race car, the stickers on the boat are indicative of the deals we get on our tackle. We still have to pay for it, and if it's coming out of my pocket, I'm buying the best because I don't want to have to throw money in it.

[TheHunt]

I have been eyeing those boats since last year. But I want a $1,000 boat to learn to row on or wait to see how the Pavati boat reviews come out.

It is hard to get an honest review. Here is why,

1. Someone just dumps 15,000 dollars into a boat. Even if the boat rows poorly they will say it rows great because of what they paid for it.
2. Sorry but if a guide is given a smoken deal for a boat, the guide does not have any reason to provide a poor review when they just got a smoking deal.
3, What oar length is also an issue? If the guide or individual chose a 10.5 foot oar or if someone picked a 9 foot oar will that make a bad opinion?

I love in the internal layout of the boat. All flat floor. No benches period. Movable seats, lots of room

[sickbayer]

Actually he his great company and we always have a good time, what more can you ask of a fishing buddy. and for the record we talk smack about everything lol.

[Bodofish]

Yeah with fine cigars, great food and never a shabby to wash it all down with. It's really hard to have a bad day.

[Brat Bonker]

I have been eyeing those boats since last year. But I want a $1,000 boat to learn to row on or wait to see how the Pavati boat reviews come out.

craigslist is probally your best bet we found a hardly used alumaweld for $2000 had to fix it up a little and get new oars but it is a great little 15ft drift boat perfect for smaller rivers like the satsop and stuff but I don't know about $1000 there might be some but I suggest don't get a wood one as a first and the oars do make a difference when rowing.

[Bodofish]

I hae personally helped in two recoeries of guys , boats and gear this year, they were all okay, the only thing brusied was there ego.........
I recently gave a lesson to a couple of guys who had recently purchased one of my boats that I owned back in the 90's
the thing was at the end of the day the asked me how they did and how muany more lessons they needed, well in all honestly they did horribly, way to weak and no endurance.....Keep taking over because I was not going to join the local swim club..........long story short they went out on there own after I specifically told them not too and guess what.....
Yep trouble................anyways what I am saying is respect the power of mother nature, be prepared and hopefully you will keep your boat upright and not become a statistic...............
Peace
Fly

Best advice I've seen posted yet. Mom always wins.....

[natetreat]

Let's start over and look at the picture again, because it's going to be super neat.

[lost360]

That's a sweet boat nate

[RiverChromeGS]

Nate, i call first drift in your new boat with ya

[natetreat]

Nate, i call first drift in your new boat with ya

Hahaha, alright. What do you think, hit some white water? I'm stoked to try out the in floor fish box.

[racfish]

Maybe Mike and Aaron can make a list of when we as members want to use the boat. Its a beauty Nate. All the best for you in it. Back to being a part owner. I only can fish weekends so I'll use it on Sat and Sundays. Nate ? you can drive it for me. You can even fish the same days I do. I have no problems with that. All the rest can argue over the weekdays. If you need any curtains on it hit me up. On the serious side . Again Good Luck with it.Freak your dibs are poop. Im suggesting that we find you and kochmandoo in it and run over your lines. Muahahaha...

[natetreat]

Hahahahaha! We'll have to have a sign up sheet for that one. Or maybe a raffle, or a drawing or something. One thing that I will tell you is when I do get it, I'm not coming home from the river for a week! First up the Wynoochee, I love that river.

[Bodofish]

Fish box in the floor!!!!! Everything washes down real easy, It's about as swish as it gets! I know you'll try to stay out but I'll bet after a good day on the oars you'll be a tired guy look'in for that warm bed.

[RiverChromeGS]

Hahahahaha! We'll have to have a sign up sheet for that one. Or maybe a raffle, or a drawing or something. One thing that I will tell you is when I do get it, I'm not coming home from the river for a week! First up the Wynoochee, I love that river.

Yes sir! Ill take my boat down with ya! Double wide pulling plugs, back um down. Wham!

[natetreat]

Fish box in the floor!!!!! Everything washes down real easy, It's about as swish as it gets! I know you'll try to stay out but I'll bet after a good day on the oars you'll be a tired guy look'in for that warm bed.

Honestly, it's going to be a lot less work than I do now. Hiking from spot to spot, carrying all the gear, up hills, beating down brush, blazing trails to my secret spots. I'm in great shape, I think that bank guides are often under appreciated for how much work we actually do do. Rowing doesn't take all that much effort unless you're having to cross the frog water for miles with no flow. So yea, I'm looking forward to rowing and having the boat carry everything around. It's going to be a break! I'm not saying it won't be work but it will won't break me down. Ask Mike about how much we hiked and the work we did to get to my secret spots!

[Bodofish]

Fish box in the floor!!!!! Everything washes down real easy, It's about as swish as it gets! I know you'll try to stay out but I'll bet after a good day on the oars you'll be a tired guy look'in for that warm bed.

Honestly, it's going to be a lot less work than I do now. Hiking from spot to spot, carrying all the gear, up hills, beating down brush, blazing trails to my secret spots. I'm in great shape, I think that bank guides are often under appreciated for how much work we actually do do. Rowing doesn't take all that much effort unless you're having to cross the frog water for miles with no flow. So yea, I'm looking forward to rowing and having the boat carry everything around. It's going to be a break! I'm not saying it won't be work but it will won't break me down. Ask Mike about how much we hiked and the work we did to get to my secret spots!

No doubt about that! It's going t be that second swing through the hole that gets you. Going with the flow, no prob, back up stream......