Re: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Drift Boat, Pontoon or Raft?

Andrew,

Buddy of mine owns one of the NRS drifters.  Loves it.  Downside is he lives in Cody, WY and I don’t get to fish with him much each year.

Unless you’re drifting long stretches and letting your guests out to fish, you don’t want 4 people in a drift boat.  Maybe if you’re fishing a steelhead or salmon river and fishing pool to pool, but 4 people just isn’t too feasible for fishing, unless you have 2 spin monkeys up front ;)

Buy boat of choice has always been Clack.  I borrow one each year I’m out floating the SF Snake in Idaho.  Although the 16’ WF is my boat of choice out west, the 15' LP and HHS are more suitable for Eastern rivers.  Everywhere except our area.  I’m wincing thinking about bouncing off all the rocks everywhere I’d fish it.

I’ll get in touch with my buddy and get any pros and cons for you and send them to you via direct message when he responds.

R

Richard Farino

District Angling | Washington, DC

(917)400-5375 | richard@districtangling.com

From: Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potomac-fly-rodders@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Andrew R <andrewreichardt88@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potomac-fly-rodders@googlegroups.com>
Date: Thursday, May 19, 2016 at 3:47 PM
To: Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potomac-fly-rodders@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Drift Boat, Pontoon or Raft?

So after mulling over the options as well as the feedback of the greater TPFR community (thanks everyone!), I asked myself the question typically posed by deep voiced narrators in luxury car commercials...why settle?

I realized I could have the best of both worlds and have decided to buy an NRS clearwater drifter.

With the ability to hit rocks at high speeds and drift in very shallow water like a raft, combined with the size, maneuvarability and feel of a drift boat, the NRS drifter seems to capture the best of both worlds. Not to mention the entire thing can be deflated and packed in the car rather than towed by trailer. The only downside is that rather than fitting four guys like some of the drift boats I looked at (the 18' clackamax remains my ultimate dream), it only fits three.

Now just to find a used one for a reasonable price...

On Friday, April 22, 2016 at 7:34:53 PM UTC-4, JT wrote:

Connor, ACE was my go-to for miscellaneous bolts, washers, nuts, etc.  I got the speed rail fittings online from Zoro Tools.  The 1-1/4" nominal fittings are the size you want if you're planning to use schedule 40 anodized aluminum pipe from NRS (which they will cut to length for you @ $6/foot).  You can also do what I did and use 1-5/8" outside diameter steel fence post (16 gauge, which you can get at Home Depot @ $2/foot). 

Be sure to get POSTS, rather than TOP-RAIL, which is not strong enough.  The set screws on the fittings even crush the posts a bit.  For additional strength, I ended up epoxying a 2 inch long piece of 1.5" OD wood dowel inside the ends of the fence posts, so I could torque the set screws down tighter without crushing the pipe.

The steel post + speed rail fittings route is cheaper than buying NRS pipe and Lopro fittings.  But there is no question that the NRS pipe and Lopros makes a stronger frame, if you are intending to float any serious whitewater.  What type of boat do you have?

On Friday, April 22, 2016 at 11:51:09 AM UTC-4, Connor Donovan wrote:

Sweet.  That's a fine turnout for DIY.  I've been contemplating going the speedrail and fence post route for reworking the front half of my frame.  Did you pick up the speed rail fittings online?  Or at ACE?  Because that would be a game changer if I could find those locally.

On Friday, April 22, 2016 at 11:01:53 AM UTC-4, JT wrote:

Connor, yes -- the frame is DIY.  I was inspired by this boat I came across, which uses NRS frame parts: http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4447&d=1332370863

My frame uses aluminum speed rail fittings (with set screws), 16 gauge steel fence post, 3/4" plywood, and tractor seats.  I became good friends with the store manager at Ace Hardware.  Aire sells a similar oar frame for the Traveler canoe called the "Traveler Rowing Frame," but it just has bench seats. 


On Thursday, April 21, 2016 at 11:22:22 AM UTC-4, Connor Donovan wrote:

JT - That aire canoe looks awesome.  That's a cool mini frame, did you DIY that?  I'm really, really digging it. 

On Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at 7:18:19 PM UTC-4, cg wrote:

Boulder boatworks makes a high density poly driftboat that can take rock strikes. It is a traditional design so is not rated for high hp motors but you can run a 2 to 5 hp.   Butch Murphy guides out of one and I think Matt Miles may drive one as well. 

Charlie

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 20, 2016, at 7:00 PM, Joe Mathews <joseph.t...@gmail.com> wrote:

Aire inflatable kayaks are great (PVC outer shell with urethane bladders).  I run a 15' Aire Traveler inflatable canoe with an oar frame; it's a great little boat for 2 people.

On Tuesday, April 19, 2016 at 9:34:53 PM UTC-4, arthur noglak wrote:

Anyone have any experience with inflatable kayaks?

Art

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