Just bought a 1999 ThorBuilt Drift Boat.What an awesome boat ,but I have never heard of them before. Anyone know anything about them?Thanks,lester

Get hold of Jim Bain on this site. He use's a Thor for his guide service. I saw it a couple of weeks ago when he took his family out on just a boat ride.
Sure is a pretty sled he has, not a drift boat.

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elmtree (woody)

Jim is a pretty good guy. He helped me on some issues.

Chris

I usually hate to say too much negative about a local company, but anothe guide here on the Kasilof (also runs in Forks) bought one this spring and:

terrible design - not nearly enough rocker, he's always plowing water with the butt end while backtrolling or coming back upstream. Also seemed to be quite heavy and seat backs way too low on bench seat. This just from a quick glance.

poor materials - paint has pretty much already fallen off, another WA guide who rode in my boat up here recently said his did the same thing (in all fairness, they say they're going to fix it). Aluminum trailer is a piece of junk, the guide I mentioned has already had a ton of work done on it.

Can anyone say Wild Hair or Willies?

Really Big One,
That's interesting what the other guides said about Thor-Built Boats. I love my boat. It is extremely well made and the attention to detail is impressive.The paint on the exterior and interior is holding up well and the tempress seats are the same seats everyone else uses on their Drift Boats.My boat rows easily up stream and is easy to hold in the current. I have gotten lot's of complements from every other Boater on the river on what a beautiful boat the Thor-Built is,but I've really got a lot of attention on the all aluminum trailer it came on made by South.It is the most fantastic Drift Boat Trailer I have ever seen. I don't know what could possible go wrong with a trailer.lester

I would be concerned that they have no history of building drift boats. They have a used one down at Auburn sports and it is pretty but.............

All'n all, my Thor-Built is a pretty nice boat. I'm hoping to tweek my next years Thor-built just a little, as my current one needs just a little more rocker to get the ass-end out of the water. They did have some problems with the paint flaking off, as mine did it too, but from what I hear that has been taken care of. As far as the trailer goes, the trailer that came with mine is the nicest one I've ever seen under a driftboat and I haven't had any problems with it. The new owners down there are top notch and I think we'll see some nice boats coming out of their new shop this coming year.

Jigman,
I am the proud owner of that used boat from Auburn Sports and as my previous bulletin stated I couldn't be happier. I shopped around along time before I bought the Thor-Built comparing(Alumiweld,Willie,Hyde,Wild-hair,etc.)and the Thor-built is as nice a boat as any of the rest of them except maybe the Hyde. I see more Alumiwelds on the river than any other boat so it's kind of nice to have a boat most have never heard of before.This is like the age old Chevy vs. Ford debate and it all comes down to personal preference. I just wanted to let perspective boat buyer's know there is nothing wrong with the Thor-Built. By the way I drive a FORD!later lester

Now Lester....you asked for any information..so if you didn't want to hear a negative, you should so state. Just give me the good news!!! Being able to hand the good/bad is part of a good participant.

Congrats on your boat...I do not row a Thor drift boat but as elmtree said I do own one of their sleds in fact am in the process of buying a new one from them. I have owned alumawelds and woolridge and there is now comparison in the sleds from handling to fishability they are awesome. I can tell you that the guys that own Thor are yes in their infancy, but I am pretty sure all the aforementioned companies started at one time also. I also know that Mike one of the owners told me the other day that they are just buried with orders...all good news. As of right now, Thor-built is the only non-assembly line boats on the market...you want one you get exactly what you want and you can watch your boat be made. I will forward the complaints regarding the back end plowing to Mike when I see him tomorrow. I will let you know of his response.

Jim

If you bought that boat from Auburn sports I have a little history on that boat. That was the boat the indians used last season to poach natives from the Green. He got a little to much bad press so he traded it in for a sled.

Thor might make a nice sled but they are not the only one that doesn't use a assembly
line. I baught a new Willie and have been in their shop. They biuld several at 1 time but they are biult 1 at a time. just a few crews working on them. but still not asembly line boats. they are custom boats. I have seen Wild Hair boats and they also look like a nice boat.

I personally wouldn't buy a boat from some one that is new to biulding them untill they get a proven rap. in a few years see where Thor drift boats are.


I drive American made! I have a FORD, GMC
and Willie. Everything els is a wanna be.

dcrzfitter

Jigman,

Be careful when you talk about the Indians poaching on the green. The boat in question was used by Mike when fishing the green and yes they did keep some natives. They also pulled their nets before reaching the qouta and going to a hook and line. ( much better in my book) For those of you who did not know they ended up stopping about 50 fish short of what they were allowed.

We will be lots better off wortking with them than pissin and moaning anytime we don't like something. What are you doing to make things better?

Bob, I am sorry to here that you did not like Deans boat, That one was built by John, the former owner. It was his first big one. They how ever do make an outstanding boat and Mike and Dean have been doing it for along time. If anyone would like a demo trip or a price quote please feel free to contact me. I absoluteley love my new 16 ft guide model, it rows great and tracks better than any other boat made because of there new heavy duty concaved chine that they had designed. This will be my third thorbuilt drift boat. And this one is outstanding. I kept my old trailer with it because I liked how light it was and also how pretty it is. They still have aluminum trailers availible, but are out sourcing them because thwey do not have time to build trailers, they would rather build boats. Thanks Superfly

I have a brand new 2000 Thor with more added features than a fully-equipped Mercedes Benz. The guys at Thor made it with level floors front and rear(awesome and cozy for your clients), drop-down front bench, etc., etc., etc. The rear level floor allows me to stand up and run the electric motor with ease. I owned a Willie before and the Thor rows similar if not better(at times). My Willie tracked great pulling plugs and the Thor does too. Just balance your weight in the boat accordingly to compensate for any ass-end planing. The Thor doesn't seem to track as nice in slower water, however, it wants to slide around a little. Then again slow water is usually accompanied with an eddy or too so maybe its just me. Medium to medium-fast water it handles better than the Willie in my opinion. I don't plug the slow stuff as much anyway so more often than not it works in my favor. I bought the Thor because I thought the demo that I tried rowed nice and Parker hit a 20+er steelie within the first half hour of fishing. Pulling plugs through a fast tailout with a broken surface; in a small section of the Skykomis that requires some hard rowing and a boat that will track straight enough to keep your plugs just off that plug-eating tree. Parker knows what I mean and he's gonna learn to row by next spring.

Heck, after rowing Bob's White Beast up on the Kasilof, I'm looking forward to some oar time on the new Thor!

One more weekend of traveling and I can finally start to fish! Haven't hit the local waters since June!!!!

Can you say "Withdrawls"?

Parker

Takedown, they may very well have pulled their nets early on the Green for natives but did they do that in Elliot bay for the chinook? What happened to the early native run that would show up around thanksgiving? It was wiped out by the indians! What happened to the big hooknose silvers we use to catch in the Green? The only silvers left for the sport fisherman these days are trout size. Why are they netting summer steelhead? Did they net summer steelhead on the Green when the treaties were signed? You may be on their side but I'm not!

POSH II,
Have you ever heard of debate?!!!One person says something then someone else counters and so on so both people can express their feelings and thoughts.We are having a debate on Thor-Drift boats and I appreciate EVERYONE'S input except yours because you have added absolutely nothing to this debate so mind your own business.Whine on someone elses BB.The rest of you have added alot and I have learned alot of history about my boat and would like to hear more.As for the Really Big One I respect his opinion and I'm sure he has more Drift Boat experiance than me.I was just relaying what my seat of the pants impressions were. If you can dish it out,I assure you I can take it!lester

All the boats are slightly different but the great fishermen will still catch fish regardless of brand! You may have to row a bit harder but if your fishin' correctly the rod still doubles down! Just do what I did, let 1 or 2 good buddies get good on the sticks......we fight over who gets what holes now. Its similiar to fishing a crowded hole and the guy with the old glass fenny is schoolin' all the boys with the 400 dollar loomys. Remeber boats are tools and transportation! I know we always want the best though!
P.S. Nothin' like a fenny when pullin' plugs!

Can anyone say Koffler? Lester glad to hear you got a drift boat. I am sure you will learn to row the boat well. I just had to add my two cents worth. I had the luck of rowing afew before I bought one and chose the Koffler. If you like you can come row it some day. This way I will get a chance to fish out of it.
Keep the Rivers Clean!!!

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dank