Boat Buying 101

Let's just preface this by saying this is my opinion based on my experience and what I look for in a boat. Specifically, I'm talking about non-motorized river boats. You can take it or leave it and I encourage anyone out there with an opinion on this to comment respectfully. I shouldn't have to say that but unfortunately, talking objectively about boats out here can be kind of touchy as egos and bravado rarely equate to objectivity and respect. I've read blogs about boats recently and I've been asked by a number of people what boats I prefer and why so here it goes:

First and foremost when beginning the process of buying a boat, you really need to know what you want to do with it. A hard boat such as a skiff or a drift boat are great for rivers like the Missouri however, later in the summer rivers such as the Blackfoot are out. If you're a weekend warrior who likes to explore, an inflateable raft is probably a better choice. They are much more versatile in that you can run them on any river although they are tough in the wind. When I do go to free-stone type rivers I find a raft. (The next boat I purchase will be a raft. With as much time as I spend on the water and explore other streams it's worth having both.)But let's say you do fish flat water a ton and you know you want a hard boat.

I fish the Mo around 150 days a year between guide trips and fun trips. As a guide it's definitely worth having a hard boat with a low-profile. The wind on the Mo can be brutal and some drift boats are a bit high-sided and act like a sail. Some guys row a little higher sided boat when home waters are a bit rougher. The issues here is wind versus water. I rowed a RO Guide Series boat for 4 years. It had it's advantages but it was a little high-sided and a little heavy with all the storage and furniture so last year I found a good deal on an LP Clack and jumped.

With wind being a huge factor out here, skiffs are becoming quite popular; especially with the guides. Honestly, I've never rowed a skiff so I can't say much about how they perform. From just about every guide I've talked to, the Adipose skiff is much easier to row than any of the traditional drift boats that are out there. I don't doubt that at all but I also take other things into account when making such a purchase.

Many of the guides out here like having their clients sitting while fishing. The advantage is a lower-profile in the wind and you can get closer to rising fish without being seen. For dudes that fish a lot, this works out well. I think for beginners, if they learn to fish sitting down it's not really an issue. However, if I'm going to be completely honest, I can't tell you how many people in the past few years have said how much they like being able to stand up while fishing after going from a skiff to a more traditional hard boat. For the guys out there that fish a lot and like to chase heads all day I think it's a no-brainer and the skiff is the way to go but in the end, most of my clients are beginners and like to stand.

There are some options for those who want to have the best of both worlds. Some skiffs are built with casting braces. However, you really need to research those braces and try them out. This is one reason I haven't really looked into buying a skiff because I haven't found one that has resolved this issue for my purposes. The question here becomes; are you buying a boat for the rower or the fisherman? Personally, I'm in the business of keeping my clients safe and comfortable as well as catching fish. For that reason, the brace has to be sturdy and wrap around the clients hips or thigh at least 270 degrees and maybe even more to keep them from rocking side to side or falling forward. If they fall back, they land in the seat. I take a lot of kids out who need to stand and they especially need that support. The flip side of this is having such large braces that they catch the wind just as much as a traditional drift boat so you're back to square one.

The other issue here when comparing boats is stability. My Ro was stable but had a very flexible bottom. The argument is that it was easier to draft over rocks and gravel bars. My Clack has a much stiffer bottom, which makes it more responsive. As for skiffs, the Adipose is probably even sturdier and more stable than most drift boats even. By all accounts, and again I have not rowed one, the Adipose hull is about as good as it gets. Just remember though; the more rigid the hull, the heavier it will be, which also contributes to rowability.

Storage is a huge thing to consider as well. Hard boats are fishing boats primarily and should have rod storage. Rod tubes are nice as they can save you money in the end by protecting your rods from damage. Skiffs often have other rod storage systems that also work well. Dry storage under seats, side compartments and hull storage are all things to consider. However, the more doors and the more compartments, the heavier the boat will be and the less open space there is to move around. The amount of storage comes down to personal preference.

Another thing I look for in this kind of a purchase is how willing the manufacture is in accommodating specific things I want. For example, most boats now-a-days have a center pull system for the anchor. I absolutely cannot stand this system so before purchasing my boat, I talked to Clack and asked if they had a side anchor system option. They did and I replaced the center pull with the side pull and cut the foot pedal off the floor. The advantages so out-way the disadvantages that I wouldn't buy a boat unless that was an option. There's more room without having the pedal there, the rope isn't wrapped around your feet all the time, you can reach in from outside the boat to release more line, the rope doesn't freeze up in the tube in cold conditions, and it's way easier to pull the anchor in this position than standing and pulling up from the bottom of the boat. Every once in a while a person's line does get caught in a pulley but very rarely. And as far as the boat going sideways while pulling; that's a myth and any engineer will tell you that as long as the pulley and brace are centered off the back of the boat, it will not spin the boat unless you are leaning heavy to one side.

Some manufactures are not as accommodating so I don't deal with them. When purchasing my first boat, I had a buddy who also guides helping me out. He told me specific things to look for such as rod storage, casting braces, etc. I told the sales person what I was looking for and a few days later he contacted me trying to sell me something that didn't have what I wanted. When I told him I wasn't interested, he lectured me about how he spent three days working on this deal and how unfair it was that now I'm bailing...well, I won't be buying from one of the prominent Idaho manufacturers anytime soon.

I also do believe in supporting local businesses and think that should factor in somewhat. Someday I hope the local boys have something that fits my needs and I will make the jump. Until then, I like my Clack and I look forward to spending another year on the water with it.

Keep 'em where they live...