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+--- Thread: New to me drift boat (/showthread.php?tid=890225)
New to me drift boat - submoa - 07-11-2014
I have a place in Manila, a buddy made me a sweet deal to go half on his drift boat providing we could keep it there. I went for it.
I'm looking for tips on rowing a drift boat, rowing a drift boat on the green specifically. I have a raft and have floated it a few times which I really enjoy. This is going to be a lot of fun, but I want to be as safe as possible so thought I'd drop a post asking for tips. I'm reporting it here as nobody responded on the boat thread. Any advice would be appreciated. I'll be following a friend in there drift boat on my maiden voyage which I'm sure will be of great help.
Thanks,
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Re: [submoa] New to me drift boat - remo_5_0 - 07-11-2014
No advice on rowing, sorry...but congrats on the boat!!!
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Re: [submoa] New to me drift boat - toadly - 07-11-2014
Since you have another freind to follow down the river you shouldnt have any problems so long as you stay online with there drift. Point your bow where you dont want to go and row. Stay away from the big rocks... Not much else to say . Good luck and have fun..[cool]
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Re: [submoa] New to me drift boat - Lundman - 07-11-2014
The only thing that I ever heard to watchout for in a drift boat is your anchor dropping as you go down rapids and then hanging and sucking your boat under from the rear - sounds ugly at best...
Good Luck - hope the Green River Gods are Smiling the day to go...
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Re: [Lundman] New to me drift boat - submoa - 07-11-2014
Thanks, I've heard that too. I'm mounting a seat belt cutter on my seat, in case that happens. I was going to float it tomorrow, unforeseen circumstances will push it back a week it looks like.
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Re: [submoa] New to me drift boat - kandersonSLC - 07-11-2014
I've got drift boat envy. [laugh] I picked up some books at Dutch John. A great one is by the late Dennis Breer that covers both fishing and floating the Green. Useful tips on safety and etiquette, something you really need when river is filled with recreational rafters and shore is lined with other fisher persons.
There is also a DVD on floating Green in a drift boat. I took a class last year at Wasatch Fly Tying Expo from Scott Barrus of Spinner Fall Guide. Great class but most of it common sense and how to avoid sinking your boat on the Green (apparently not all that uncommon).
As mentioned, snagging your anchor or broadsiding your boat against an exposed rock seemed to be the main causes of pulling the stern or side underwater and then it's all over.
Apparently there are guys that snorkel down the Green in the evening collecting all the dropped rods and gear and making a good living selling it on eBay (seems everyone uses their best gear on the Green). Would like to give that a try sometime.
Good luck and post some photos.
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Re: [kandersonSLC] New to me drift boat - submoa - 07-12-2014
Thanks for the info. I will look for the DVD and the book.
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Re: [submoa] New to me drift boat - Tarponjim - 07-12-2014
Google Clackacraft drift boat rowing, and youll get three 10-minute youtube videos that are helpful. They also used to have a free dvd. Youll probably find the drift boat easier to maneuver than the raft.
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Re: [Tarponjim] New to me drift boat - submoa - 07-12-2014
Thanks Jim, I just got done watching those coincidentally, they are very good videos.
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Re: [submoa] New to me drift boat - FOD - 07-14-2014
Returned your pm, just saw this thread. One thing I like to use to my advantage is getting to pull over and wade fish some of the better spots that are on the river that other wise would be a hell of a hike and sometes impossible to get to without floating. Lakes are the only place I or you or anybody should really ever use an anchor while fishing from a drift boat.
Im jealous buddy you'll have some good times
Do you still have your motor boat? Some good still water fishing lakes over there.
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Re: [FOD] New to me drift boat - submoa - 07-14-2014
I do have my other boat for sure. I will only sell that if I ever upgrade. Pretty hard to justify with the cost of new boats these days when mine is as reliable as it gets. I'd probably get 10K out of mine if I was lucky, and it would cost 50K to replace it. Will likely have it until I'm too old to use it ha ha.
Thanks for the tips on the drift boat.
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Re: [submoa] New to me drift boat - flygoddess - 07-14-2014
I too am new to the Drift Boat scene. I have rowed a Clacker before and feel Drift Boats are the easiest boat out there to row.
My new Drift boat is the NFO Drifter. I know, it looks like a rubber raft, but it is indeed everything a Drift Boat is, except it weighs about 89 lbs and fits in my car.
KAnderson, I would think your Dragonfly is a pretty close comparison to a drift boat. I can't wait for the frame so we can use the Carbon oars.
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Re: [flygoddess] New to me drift boat - submoa - 07-14-2014
Great Avatar!
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Re: [submoa] New to me drift boat - Troll - 07-19-2014
Lean downstream.
If you get into a bad place, like about to broadside a rock, lean downstream, towards the rock, not away as instinct will have you.
This lifts the upstream edge of the boat and allows the water to flow under it, in most cases the boat will pivot around the rock and drift on. If you lean away from the rock, the upstream edge of the boat will dip under water, the boat will fill and wrap around the rock, sometimes splitting the boat in half.
Keep centered up for a straight drift. If you lean to one side or the other, that edge will cause the boat to turn.
Lift the anchor up into the boat if you are not using it. No need to cut loose a $30 anchor, just let a little line out and set the anchor on the bottom of the boat until you are going to use it.
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Re: [FOD] New to me drift boat - humpy - 07-21-2014
I respectfully disagree with you. I use my anchor on the Green River a lot. It's not very feasible in the summer with all the rafts coming down bouncing of everything. Early in the morning or later in the evening it is a great way to stay in a hole or even get out of the boat and wade in the rifles right in the middle of the river. Before I got a boat I went with 2 different guides, they both did the same thing. I love to float the Green.
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Re: [submoa] New to me drift boat - CoyoteSpinner - 07-21-2014
wear a life jacket!
Done some rafting before, and I like Toadly's comment. Always seemed like - working a 45 away from a rock, then pointing the nose down after.
The other tips seem great too.
Should be a blast, have many a safe adventure.
I know we used to pull out before the bigger rapids, hike up the hill and look down - the guide would map out for us the strategy, what to watch for, what to avoid.
Never forget the train-hole. Spot where a freight car was underwater, and caused a deep pool - we were told the underwater eddy was so strong it could suck you down - and hold you under - even with a life jacket on. I ran that one with one of the smaller kayaks instead of the big boats. Ah those foolish youthful years!
Re: [humpy] New to me drift boat - Tarponjim - 07-22-2014
[quote humpy]I respectfully disagree with you. I use my anchor on the Green River a lot. It's not very feasible in the summer with all the rafts coming down bouncing of everything. Early in the morning or later in the evening it is a great way to stay in a hole or even get out of the boat and wade in the rifles right in the middle of the river. Before I got a boat I went with 2 different guides, they both did the same thing. I love to float the Green.[/quote]
This! You won't find a guide boat anywhere without an anchor system. And most private boats have and use them too. I even use one all the time on my pontoon. Just use responsibly, don't anchor in the middle of others' float paths and you'll be fine. Its the norm.
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Re: [submoa] New to me drift boat - submoa - 07-23-2014
Thanks for the tips everyone! I'm going to row it with a seasoned friend the first time I take it down. I was supposed to go two weekends ago but plans changed unfortunately.
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Re: [submoa] New to me drift boat - night_flyguy - 07-23-2014
Get some extra drain plugs for your boat, its amazing how those things get lost and even if you never lose one, you may well run into someone who needs one for their boat. Had that happen down at Browns Park and thankfully found some great guys with a couple spares to help out.
The 'greenriver crawl' as its called is a great way to keep the boat pointed downstream while basically shifting it sideways. I don't know if that was on the videos you saw and its hard to describe. Basically if I want to move my boat to the right, I will pull with my left arm and move the blade of the right oar right against the boat so I'm actually pushing that oar. You'll see guides do it regularly on the river.
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Re: [night_flyguy] New to me drift boat - flygoddess - 07-23-2014
[quote night_flyguy]Get some extra drain plugs for your boat, [/quote]
Great advise! Something I don't have to worry about with my new drifter but the other hard sided boats we had, plug was gold.
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