Well, I had that talk with the wife...The "honey, I need a drift boat ASAP" talk. Long story short, it went well and the search is on. I found that I can finance one for a very affordable price but I feel like the better option would be to get into a good used boat from a private seller at a lower price since it will be the boat I learn the sticks in. My main question is why do you prefer aluminum over fiberglass or vice versa? It will get the most use on the snohomish system, but I would love to also float the cowlitz, nooch, humptulips, satsop, kalama, and of course the OP rivers, etc, etc...That being said and it being my first drift boat, an aluminum hulled boat is what I feel would be best for longevity and practicality. I was reading through some stuff I found off a google search and it seems like the people who prefer fiberglass boats like the idea of sliding over rocks instead of getting stuck on them. For me, the thought of fiberglass meeting a rock doesn't sound good.

If there is already a thread on here covering this please post a link. I did search but didn't find what I was looking for really so I figured I'd ask.

Drew

You are gonna hear both aluminum owners and fiberglass owners talk about how much better each one is then the other. I'd go with aluminum and by no means does it need to be fancy. You can grab a great aluminum drift boat on Craigslist for $2500. I bought a 1978 Alumaweld drift boat in 2003 for $1900. Came with oars, extra oars, anchor system, anchor, rod holders, front seat compartment, trailer...it worked great...after I purchased my sled and found out I had no room for it anymore at my house...I sold it for $2700...Aluminum holds it's value well if you don't put a hole in it.

But this one's better then any drift boat...

I'd wait until you can find an older tin boat with a decent trailer for about 1500-2000 bones. Go buy a Boat Trader.

Don't get in a hurry and spend too much to begin with. You can upgrade later. JMHO

Drew,

Used DB's in good condition maintain excellent resale value, so you can't make too big of a mistake there.
Don't buy new unless you know exactly what you want and why.
Never finance (OK, I threw that one in at no charge. )

When it comes to buying used, consider these things:

Rule #1 Buy the one with the best trailer.

Rule #2 Buy either Tin or Glass.

Rule #3 Pass on Wood.

Rule #4 Buy the one with the most blood stains.

In the meantime, keep ho'ing rides cause you're going to need the practice for when it comes to ho'ing turnarounds.

Yep...in most cases...drift boat wise...the trailer will cause you more headaches then the boat

Don't be afraid of glass. I have whacked some rocks pretty hard in my boat and it does chip but it's usually only cosmetic. I don't think you could go wrong with either.

I just went through this process myself, and here's what I learned:

-As others have said, there are glass guys and aluminum guys, and never the tween shall meet. Go with what makes you feel comfortable.
-You will hear a lot of people tell you that there are drift boats for sale "all the time" in the $2,000 range. This is true at times, but certainly not always.
-If you look at a boat you like for a little more than you want to pay and the guy's not willing to come down on his price at all, wait a week. The worst that will happen is that he will sell the boat to someone else, and more likely, he will end up calling or e-mailing you with a lower price. This happened to me, and the guy came down almost $1,000 on his price after getting several other offers that were less than he wanted.
-As John suggested, a drift boat is a great tool, but you might also want to look into pontoons and rafts. They are fishing machines and will keep you on the water when there's not enough water for the driftboats to be comfortable.
-Make sure you plan on spending at least $500 after your purchase price to cover the little things you will need to do to get your rig, storage space, etc. set up for your new boat. There are more than a few hidden expenses. Just one reason why they say BOAT stands for break out another thousand.

By the way, I still haven't bought my drifter/raft/pontoon. I ended up buying a used Livingston to take the family fishing on lakes, in the Sound, etc. I am still in the market for a river boat, but I am waiting until the right boat comes along at the right price to pull the trigger.

Have fun!!

I would highly recommend purchasing one with a UHMW bottom, a slick permanent material that glides smoothly over shallow spots & rocks. Also, think about past drift boat trips...what options did you like? Buying new, you could load up with options and spend $15k, when trying to work with a budget, consider what options are essential to your enjoyment: rear seat? storage options? level floors? As far as brand goes, you're going to get plenty of recommendations, I own a Willie. Good luck!

Buy a used boat, with a good trailer, I got a baker trailer and went 12yrs until I had to replace an axle, well worth the money, theres other great trailers out there. The reason I said buy a used boat is I've had friends buy new driftboats and after a couple of seasons they didnt like rowing, and got rid of them. A driftboat vs a pontoon most pontoons are 1 person maybe 2 where most DBs are can hold 3 people with the gas prices on the rise splitting costs can make trips more affordable especially going to the OP. also your first boat you will put a dent in it. big or small . Be patient that right boat will pop up. good luck

Just like the others said get one with a good trailer & look for storage. A low cost one would be best for your first boat in case you find out its not for you. Don't be discouraged if it takes you sometime to figure out how to catch fish from the boat, if your use to catching fish in hatchery zones then your numbers will go down at first. Also get use to watching your buddies catch fish while you row, really not that big of a deal though. Its all about the boat & the teams success.

First boat should be able to take dents and scratches. IMO, you should look for at least a 54" bottom boat even if it costs you any extra few bucks.

I'd look for what DanS.mentioned,only 54" bottom if possible.Try not to spend more then $2,500.00. & like mentioned above look into the best trailer also.Good luck,
SZ

Congrats Drew. From your first post I could tell you were infected! Like most have said. Find a used boat at a good price. It will take some hits to begin with. Aluminum or Glass is fine. My first boat was an old ply boat. Almost killed me on the OP. Next boat was a glass boat, which I still have. Great for low water conditions. Took it down most the rivers you mentioned. Needs some work, but would cut a good deal w/trailer. (Drop me a PM). 3rd drifter is a 14' alumaweld. Paid $1200 about 10 years ago. Still slaying fish with it. Considered upgrading, but why. My next purchase will probably be a raft or cat for low, technical water. Good trailer and good oars are a must!!!!!

1. Cheap and used. You'll want a different boat in a couple of years anyway and you'll be able to sell an old, used one for basically what you paid for it.

2. Don't be afraid of glass. That doesn't mean "buy glass" but there is absolutely NO reason to worry about the durability of fiberglass. At the point where you punch a whole in it, you're already fooked.

3. Get a boat with oars you want or plan on spending another $500 to get the oars you want.

I'll say it...buy a glass boat. You'll be happy you did.

Trailer? Like others said above...the boat is a pretty simple tool, the trailer is where half the money and 3/4 of your work will end up...always. Fuckin trailers.

Have a buddy who knows how to row...people who think they'll get to fish more now that they own a boat are fooling themselves...what you'll get to do is row more, fish less...having a buddy who can row, too, will ease the pain a bit.

Don't worry too hard about the raft/pontoon/drifter thoughts...whichever one you buy, if you like it, you'll end up buying one of the others within a few years, too...that's the way it goes.

Repeat after me: BOAT stands for "Bust out another Thousand"...and it doesn't have to be a motor boat for that to happen!

Good luck, and have fun.

Fish on...

Todd

Ask Bob about uhmw bottoms!!!

I'd recommend getting a glass boat also. It's a lot more forgiving in skinny water and will help build your confidence when learning new water. I have an aluminum boat but my next will be glass. If you think glass boats can't handle rocks check out the Lavro videos on their web site.

Also, I recommend keeping it simple. Less options equals less weight and less things to break. For example, I have a built in heater but never use it. If you need a heater, just get a portable coleman heater. One option I do like is level front and rear floors. If you decide on aluminum, get the diamond plate floors.

Another thing I recommend is to get to know and fish with other boat owners. You will learn a lot and can switch rowing duties.

Good luck in your search for your perfect boat!

Rowing is a blast, a different kind of adrenaline rush.

Good or bad?? I have a UHMW bottom but dread the day when it starts to peel off.

A glass boat is a great way to start. They are normally lighter and are easier to manage when starting out. I started in a old 16 ft lavro and it took some serious punishment over the years and never had any problems. Fiberglass is tougher than you think and it will slide through the tailouts where you will be pushing an aluminum boat. I sold mine a while back and will be buying a aluminum boat next but glad I started with the ol lavro.