# New Boat Advice - Drift vs Flat Bottom



## NWMichiganOutdoors (Aug 7, 2019)

If you’re only fishing big water, get a jet. I have a hyde because I mix things up between skinny water and big water. With the hyde I can do anything, just at a slower pace... still gets the job done though. I take my hyde below 6th street often and on the muskegon. Works fine. I even take it out of the big lake to jig salmon when the conditions are right. 

Learning to row is a learning curve but can easily be picked up. Try on a larger river to get the hang of it first. Best advice I can give is when in doubt, point the bow at what you’re about to hit and backrow! Always try to be courteous of other people if passing...try not to spook a hole that they are fishing.


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## bjm (Nov 25, 2003)

I remember that same advice as I started to learn to row my drift boat almost 20 years ago. I had spent about 500 hours building a wooden drift boat that looked like a piece of antique furniture when complete. Took the advice to learn rowing on a big river in a less busy time - the MO in the summer.

I ground to a stop on a rock just above the pine street launch with my new baby! After that experience I added laying fiberglass to my skill set, which I placed on the bottom of the wooden boat, and it has served me well over the years.

Long story short, learning to row a drift boat should be on the bucket list of any avid Michigan angler.



NWMichiganOutdoors said:


> If you’re only fishing big water, get a jet. I have a hyde because I mix things up between skinny water and big water. With the hyde I can do anything, just at a slower pace... still gets the job done though. I take my hyde below 6th street often and on the muskegon. Works fine. I even take it out of the big lake to jig salmon when the conditions are right.
> 
> Learning to row is a learning curve but can easily be picked up. Try on a larger river to get the hang of it first. Best advice I can give is when in doubt, point the bow at what you’re about to hit and backrow! Always try to be courteous of other people if passing...try not to spook a hole that they are fishing.
> 
> ...


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## Sewey (Jan 10, 2017)

Good stuff guys, I appreciate the advice and firsthand accounts. 

I primarily will be on the Joe and and other larger rivers in the SW area. After reading through the replies I think a jet boat would probably suit me best. A drift boat would be nice, but as others have said, there are other ways to float those skinny waters the few times we make the trip up there. 

I should’ve asked before, but feel free to post some pics of your river rigs! I’m going to try and look at a boat this weekend, I’d enjoy seeing how some of you have yours setup. I have some vacation time coming up over Christmas and would like to have a boat by then. Thanks again everyone!


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## DXT Deer Slayer (Nov 14, 2009)

Love my fiberglass jet sled, but i think ill be switching back to aluminum next year. Wooldridge.


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## brian0013 (Feb 11, 2011)

MI steelheader-Joe said:


> Please report
> 
> back on how it runs on big rivers, looking at getting a boat like that for dual purpose but am worried I’ll be compromising ability to run rapids and big Rivers effectively, had a friend recently go that route and said SC kinda embellished how fast they go and their ability to get on plane


With the 20 hp merc I originally was going to but on it would of had problems with more that two people I believe. The 25 Yamaha got me right on plane going up river I’d say 20 25 mph . You’ll want electric tilt n trim and keep in mind with that the motor won’t bounce up if you hit something so I added the cmc break away transom. Had no problem in 6inches of water with it trimmed up


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## brian0013 (Feb 11, 2011)




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## brian0013 (Feb 11, 2011)

Sewey said:


> Good stuff guys, I appreciate the advice and firsthand accounts.
> 
> I primarily will be on the Joe and and other larger rivers in the SW area. After reading through the replies I think a jet boat would probably suit me best. A drift boat would be nice, but as others have said, there are other ways to float those skinny waters the few times we make the trip up there.
> 
> I should’ve asked before, but feel free to post some pics of your river rigs! I’m going to try and look at a boat this weekend, I’d enjoy seeing how some of you have yours setup. I have some vacation time coming up over Christmas and would like to have a boat by then. Thanks again everyone!


Long list for new builds from SC but... there’s a use2014 pd I think for 20 grand at SC


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## Sewey (Jan 10, 2017)

Going to bump this thread to ask another question. 

I'm still in the hunt. Went and looked at a boat 2 weeks ago, made an offer and the sales rep doesn't want to move an inch. So, going to look at another boat this weekend. The boat this weekend has a jet motor on it. I don't know anything about jets, what should I look for or questions I should ask upon inspecting the boat? Appreciate any insight those of you who have or have had jets can provide. 

Thanks


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## Bob Hunter (Jan 19, 2016)

Sewey said:


> Going to bump this thread to ask another question.
> 
> I'm still in the hunt. Went and looked at a boat 2 weeks ago, made an offer and the sales rep doesn't want to move an inch. So, going to look at another boat this weekend. The boat this weekend has a jet motor on it. I don't know anything about jets, what should I look for or questions I should ask upon inspecting the boat? Appreciate any insight those of you who have or have had jets can provide.
> 
> Thanks


Make sure the hp is enough for the boat and for the load you intend to haul, such as number of occupants and gear. Is it used or new?


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## Sewey (Jan 10, 2017)

Bob Hunter said:


> Make sure the hp is enough for the boat and for the load you intend to haul, such as number of occupants and gear. Is it used or new?


It is used, finding out about the hours. But it's a 1760 roughneck with a 90/60 Evinrude jet.


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## Bob Hunter (Jan 19, 2016)

Sewey said:


> It is used, finding out about the hours. But it's a 1760 roughneck with a 90/60 Evinrude jet.


I’d check on the condition of the jet foot, grates,impeller, and sleeve and make sure they’re not all beat up. You should be able to check them out by looking up through the grates with a flashlight.


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## CrankyThunder (Feb 11, 2012)

I might be late to the party but I have some things that you might want to consider. 

I own a big old aluminum hyde drift boat, 16 foot I believe. 

Purchased it used a while ago with a 8 hp long shaft outboard. 

I use that boat all over the place. Matter of fact, I put a second outboard on it for dependability although the second outboard does not effect top speed. 

I take it on the Pere Marquette without the outboards, awesome! 

I take it out on Lake Michigan and Lake Erie, yeah a bit slow but awesome. 

The down side is that its top speed is 6 mph with the outboards. that is as fast as you are going to go. period. You have a five MPH current coming downstream, well, you are only going upstream 1 mph. The St Clair River has a current of about 4 or 5 mph at port huron and I have refrained from taking it up there because I might be going downstream and downstream only. 

While it might be slow, it can take some ruff water when you trim her right. I have been caught out a couple times and while I respect mother nature, I was impressed with the seaworthiness of my little driftboat. 

Inland lakes? no problem, it does catch some wind that slows you down but I have worked around it. 

Anchoring. I have a anchor at the front and an anchor at the back. Back anchor is a old navy type anchor that is self releasing with a spring that holds amazingly well in everything but rock. Get in a rock bottom river with any current, you need weight and lots of it. Front anchor is a heavy torpedo weight that is designed to minimize damage to the stream bottom and weighs about 25 pounds. It is a weight anchor and it works until it doesn't. Third anchor is a emergency anchor attached at the waterline at the bow. It is a claw anchor and when anchored this way the boat can take a incredible surf and stay dry. rather fun to sit in the surf this way. 

Rowing: Dont worry about rowing, you will learn it quickly no problem. 

If you do get a drift boat with a outboard, remember there is a top speed that is very slow with these boats. I have plenty of power and I cannot go over 6 mph period. that is the downside of having a awesome river boat for when you do not have the outboard on the back but that is what it is. I tend to use mine five times with the outboard for every time I use it with the oars but I still love taking it out.


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## jmaddog8807 (Oct 6, 2009)

Bob Hunter said:


> Make sure the hp is enough for the boat and for the load you intend to haul, such as number of occupants and gear. Is it used or new?


I can't stress this enough. Good advice here.


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

With the ST. Joe being home water, no way I'd go drift. IMHO.


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## jcc6 (Mar 17, 2013)

jmaddog8807 said:


> I can't stress this enough. Good advice here.


I have the exact


Sewey said:


> It is used, finding out about the hours. But it's a 1760 roughneck with a 90/60 Evinrude jet.


 I have the exact same boat with a 70 evinrude 4 stroke and I can run 17 to 23 MPH on the big M with 2 people and gear


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## Sewey (Jan 10, 2017)

Bob Hunter said:


> I’d check on the condition of the jet foot, grates,impeller, and sleeve and make sure they’re not all beat up. You should be able to check them out by looking up through the grates with a flashlight.


Thank you, I'll be sure to check those out and do a bit of research online beforehand to get familiar with those parts/components. 



Ranger Ray said:


> With the ST. Joe being home water, no way I'd go drift. IMHO.


Yeah, I've pretty well decided on sticking with a jon boat. 90% of the time I'll be down here or on larger rivers. For those few trips we do make on the PM we'll use the kayaks, canoe, or might invest in a raft at some point. 



jcc6 said:


> I have the exact
> 
> I have the exact same boat with a 70 evinrude 4 stroke and I can run 17 to 23 MPH on the big M with 2 people and gear


That's good to hear. The guy sent me a video of him running it up and down the river and it seemed to take quite a bit to get that boat on plane. However, I know jets are a bit louder and I'm not sure how much throttle he was giving it, but it got it moving just fine. I would have at max 3 people at any one time, don't try to keep a bunch of gear in the boat either, just the essentials for whatever we're targeting that day.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Bob Hunter said:


> Make sure the hp is enough for the boat and for the load you intend to haul, such as number of occupants and gear. Is it used or new?


In addition to this, you'll want to consider whether the jet is positioned on the transom in a way that causes it to not plane nicely, and if that is the case, bear in mind the cost of a jack plate.


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## jcc6 (Mar 17, 2013)

Lamarsh said:


> In addition to this, you'll want to consider whether the jet is positioned on the transom in a way that causes it to not plane nicely, and if that is the case, bear in mind the cost of a jack plate.


Forgot to mention mine is a jet 70/50 with a jack plate on tunnel haul and it jumps right up on plane. Like all ready said set is everything


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## Sewey (Jan 10, 2017)

jcc6 said:


> Forgot to mention mine is a jet 70/50 with a jack plate on tunnel haul and it jumps right up on plane. Like all ready said set is everything


So I gotta ask, again I’m new to boats and outboards, but was does the 50 stand for in the 70/50. Just like the seller I’m meeting with listed the motor as a 90/60. I tried google searching but couldn’t get an answer. 

I’ll have to look more into the jack plate as well and see if it’s something it already has or may need. Thanks


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## Mike (Nov 26, 2000)

Sewey said:


> So I gotta ask, again I’m new to boats and outboards, but was does the 50 stand for in the 70/50. Just like the seller I’m meeting with listed the motor as a 90/60. I tried google searching but couldn’t get an answer.
> 
> I’ll have to look more into the jack plate as well and see if it’s something it already has or may need. Thanks


HP loss due to the jet. The 90 HP jet is more like a 60 HP prop motor.


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