Spey Boats

Boats...

...one of my favorite subjects. I have a one-man pontoon, an inflatable kayak, a driftboat, and a jetsled. Here are my thoughts, coming from the viewpoint of using boats as transportation on rivers (not as fishing platforms).

Jetsled - people either love 'em or hate 'em. Usually it's the guy in the boat that loves it, and the person standing on the bank that hates it. For me jetsleds equal freedom - freedom to go fishing without having to depend on anyone else for shuttle purposes. Freedom to go back UPRIVER and fish pools and runs in the order that you want, and not as the direction of river flow dictates. Freedom to fish pools and runs that USED TO BE availible through ground/foot access, but are increasingly becoming "off-limits" due to the ever-continueing encroachment of civilisation onto our rivers. This last is the main reason why over a dozen years ago I plunked down a sizable lump of cash for a motor-propelled boat. Since I first started fishing the Puget Sound rivers in the '80's, better than half of the runs and pools that I used to walk into are now posted "No Trespassing". This is a trend that I don't see abating in any way in the future, in fact it's just going to get worse.

FLGATOR,
In response to your post a while back:
I first started driving sleds as a guide in Alaska in 1990. Since that time I have logged better than a thousand hours of driving sleds from 14' flat-bottomed jonboats to 21' high-powered semi-vee's, on waters as small as 200cfs to as large as 60,000cfs, from thin, pea-gravel riffles to boulder-studded class 3+ rapids. In my opinion, if you're going to get a sled with the main intent of using it as TRANSPORTATION, getting from point A to point B, then versatility in hull capability is the main feature to seek in the boat.

The most versatile hull design I have ever driven is the one that I now own - built by Al Buhr of all-welded aluminum and based on the original Rogue river design. Here is what this boat is about:
- slow "planing" speed - this boat is "on step" at about half the speed of the typical semi-vee, which makes for, and this is a "biggie", much more "relaxed", assured and confident, mistake-free driving through narrow, technical, tight spots, ESPECIALLY when going DOWNRIVER! I cannot stress how much nicer it is to be able to be able to "plane down" when going through boulder gardens or driving downstream with sun in your eyes and heavy glare on the water! A totally flat-bottom jonboat also has this ability.
- very low amount of forward "resistance" - standing in knee-deep water in a "typical" riffle, I can hold this boat in place with one hand - just about on par with the resistance of a driftboat! This means that this boat can be "surfed" up through a rapid at extremely slow speed, with uncanny control, rather than "crashing through" at white-knuckle highspeed, as would be the case with a semi-vee. A jonboat can also do this in small riffles, but in bigger stuff it's pretty scary.
- shallow draft - sitting empty this boat sits flat and level with a 5" draft. With me in it the draft increases an inch. I can IDLE this boat through 9" of water, and walk it through 6". A jonboat can also do this, but a semi-vee - NO WAY!
- good wave "character" - the flat-bottom, but very narrow profile of this boat allows it to perform with the shallow water characteristics of a flat-bottom jonboat, but gives it the ability to take on much bigger waves or rougher surface conditions. Jonboats SUCK in rough water or big waves. Semi-vee's have the best rough water ride.
- maneuverability - another "biggie" in my book, this boat turns on a dime. Very handy for getting one'sself out of "trouble". Even at idle speeds, this boat maintains steerage. It's amazing and exciting just how narrow a slot this boat can be driven through SAFELY. The only other boats I've experienced with this kind of maneuverability are propboats. Jonboats slide... badly. Semi-vee's also slide, some worse than others.

This boat drives like a surfboard with a motor on it. I wouldn't trade it for any other, except for maybe upgrading in size to one of Mike's 19 1/2 footers, for the increase in capacity. Mine is 18', great for me, or me and one other person. My boat will take myself and two other people, but at that "weight" the boat starts to lose some of its "nimbleness" - still handles well and safely - but is not quite as much fun to drive in this status.

My Fleet

I bought my sled (Alumaweld 17' SVLS) because I wanted primarily a river-runner but with the added open-water capabilities for heading out to Neah Bay or Seiku for silvers. This is what motivated me to get the 14degree ridemaster V bottom.

It did come with the compramises RA noted. Not nearly as maneuverable as his at slow speeds and needing more speed to get on plane. Can run in 1' of water at full plane, but would be sucking sand at anything less. Also harder to run it the "tight" spots because it's quite a bit wider than the Rogue River model of comparable length.

There are a couple additional disadvantages to the semi-v. It's also quite a bit heavier than RA's Rogue River model. Not only is this evident when towing, it's guessing it would also be especially noticable if you need to drag your boat off a gravel bar in the event someone upstream shuts off a couple generators and reduces the water flow about 3000cfs (water level drops 3' or so). :whoa: And I'm sure if we ran out boats equal amounts of time each season his gas bill would probably be several $$$ less.

I knew the tradeoffs I was accepting with this boat. The advantages include outstanding stability (85" beam) and a 14degree V that really help when the boat's on open/rough water. Plus I can ferry two other big guys in the boat from run to run with little loss of maneuverability or speed.

That being said, I also own a Watermaster and a Aire Puma 11'. Watermaster for just me, and the Puma for 1 other angler (two in a pinch) are both great whitewater-capablecraft, and with the increase in shuttle services I'm sure I'll be floating the upper reaches of the Pugetropolis rivers more this year.

One of the biggest advantages of the sleds IMO are access to the lower reaches of our rivers where floating is not an option (either because of distance between launchs or just the lower gradient of the river). These are often the worst areas for access.

All that being said, I'm still happiest when I can float down a river in the watermaster or puma. I feel more attuned to the river and less hurried.

Merry Christmas and all that jass,

Brian

Something I left out . . .

I thought that I'd get a pontoon boat to replace my Achilles LT-2. Pontoons are made deliberately for fishing, take heavy rapids, track and row easy, etc. I chose the Watermaster instead because it does everything the pontoon does except track as well, and it preserves the value I've associated with the LT-2 of being small and convenient to pack with me anytime and nearly anywhere I want to go fishing. Watermasters are about half the weight and bulk of a pontoon, and there is no frame to assemble, disassemble, store, and pack around.

I saw Waterstriders for the first time last week. A great concept boat also, but a couple hundred bucks more for a boat that otherwise seems identical to the WM.

I agree that jet boats are obnoxious and seriously detract from the aesthetics of fishing. Through careful analysis I was able to conclude, or perhaps rationalize, that my not having one was not causing their numbers to reduce on any of the rivers I like to fish. And like RA, I've seen my personal walk in access to rivers in the Puget Sound region steadily diminish year by year. It seems terrible to buy a jet boat to access a public resource, but life is full of compromises.

Dana, I think you have some thoughtful material to ponder as you decide how, or whether, to expand your personal fishing fleet.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

If for no other reason than that...

I don't have any other, I prefer my drift boat. 1975 vintage alumaweld that was/is in immaculate condition. The narrower 48" bottom at chines, as compared to the 54's you generally see now, hurts a bit in carrying capacity, but that being said, hasn't been a limitation for me. Like the more narrow beam, in that it seems more manueverable, but I'm guessing that's really just BS... this is the "early days" of heavier aluminum, am told they are more durable than some of the pop-can's that are being produced today. anyways, I prefer the silent drifting of runs on rivers. a better experience in all that is the steelheading adventure. That being said, shuttles can be a pain in the A$$ (particularly when you're shuttler drops the ball, and you've got an 8 mile hike back to your rig) and are time consuming and/or expensive, and yeah, you're only way is down, so you have less options on the holes, and WHEN you can fish them (early vs. late). are times i'm envious of the sledders, particularly on rivers like the skagit/sauk. But then again, I'm usually swearing at them when they go by... 4 cycle engines, guys, 4-CYCLES!!!
Vs. other drifting options such as rafts or catarafts, I like that a drift boat CAN be much drier, can take my dogs w/ me w/ less hassle, and seems easier to stow and transport gear, etc. But if it's raining, that comparison goes out the door, huh........
anyways, my .02...

nothing wrong with a `48

inch bottom,ask my wife:lildevl: ,,,they still build the RRiver special,it's a `48 and still fit to prowl the rivers of the northwest:smokin: ,,as for sledboats being bad=ptooie!,no worse than what shows up during the summer,rafts,jet-skis,ski boats.bayliners,,,on and on and on,~add naseum here~,i'm looking at older flatbottoms right now this morning in fact,,simply because the world shows up during the summer and thus,i am forced to either attend the show in full battle armor or not,,,,:roll: ,,,,i choose TO ATTEND,,,and not only will i be able to get away from the crowds i'll have the ability to cover more water,find the best gravel bars that just scream out for a speycaster to cover,~catch more fish~,i'll have plenty of room for my pals to wing a two-hander,wanna bet i have MORE pals after i get a sled or less?:hihi: ,,,,,,,,,,,especially if i migrate to gold beach,where sleds rule the roost,:saevilw: ,pontoons boats are fine,,,sledboats are fine,,drifters are fine,in their respective categorys much like two-handers

Gaining Experience

Yeah RA - that day was certainly an eye-opener. Parked in over 2' of water in a slow-moving pocket that suddenly became a gravel bar. That's a lesson I won't soon forget! Beware The Baker!!!

It's sad to say, but Sparkey's memory is failing - no doubt the effects of too many long cold days in the water on those fragile young brain cells.

The boat's only 17' long and it was his own superhuman strength (all steelhead flyfishing guides have this even if it's not overtly displayed) that aided me in getting it back in the water. Kush was still downriver fishing the tailout.

I've heard some nightmare stories from the Snake as well - campers who awoke the next morning to find their jetboats 20' up the beach!! Now ~that's~ high and dry.

There must be an adage in there somewhere - like motorcyclist's "Keep The Rubber Side Down"?? Maybe "Keep the Keel Wet"?

See ya out there,

Brian