Re: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Drift Boats

Nick - 

There was a post a little while back where someone found one on Craigslist and sent it out to the group. The post itself was of course deleted, but Dan Davala's advice related to the boat still lives on. Here's what he wrote:

"There's a good reason most Upper Potomac guides use rafts instead of drift boats.  The rafts bounce off or flex over the big rocks that make up a lot of the Potomac bottom, especially through the sections with "rapids".  We just drifted through Seneca Breaks yesterday in our kayaks, and even with the River still a bit high I would not want to run that section in a hard-hull drift boat.  Additionally, when motoring in a drift boat, the front end pops a pretty significant "wheelie" making it pretty difficult to see rocks up ahead, so motoring up river in an unfamiliar section can be treacherous."

On Tue, Oct 8, 2013 at 9:50 AM, Nick F - Gaucho Fly <nfranzetti@gmail.com> wrote:

Sitting at home with too much time to think and not enough time to fish, my thoughts have turned toward what watercraft I should eventually buy to fish the upper potomac and nearby rivers.  After thinking about a canoe, kayak, pontoon or a raft, I am slowly convincing myself that what I really want is a drift boat.  I know that the general wisdom is that a raft (or a jet boat) is a much better choice for the upper potomac, but to me there is nothing quite as pretty and fun as rowing a drift boat down a big river, and I am willing to sacrifice a bit on versatility, even if it means that I can't float as many sections of the river and may have to take more care not to damage it. My conclusion (and hopefully not just wishful thinking) is that in the drift boat, I will be able to float the Upper Potomac when its a bit higher, and when its not, I can focus on certain deeper sections, lakes, trips to western MD, or of course, the lower Potomac.  I even saw a bunch of drift boats on the Susquehanna flats this Spring, so I know at least a few guys are using them within an hour or two drive.

 

With all that in mind, I am hoping that someone who has a drift boat or real exeperience in one around this area can either set me at ease or tell me if they think going this route will be a mistake, in either practical or safety terms.   

 

 

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