Ok, I want your opinion. I have owned a wooden drift boat before, nice but -(whew) - what a maintenance nightmare!

Now I am looking to buy a 16' boat. I see benifits with both. It seems like glass may be faster and less wind resistant, whereas most aluminums are generally designed for bigger water - thus giving you more flexibility for what rivers you can go to.

Thanks for your advise.

Another thing to consider is the technicality of the rivers you most often frequent. If you know you will be making contact with alot of rocks, sticky rocks, lean toward glass. If you are constantly fishing in water that is not technical it doesn't matter as much. I have found that Aluminum tends to track better, which is important if you plan on pulling plugs alot. Heavy water can really boss a glass boat around. If you need to perform alot of technical manouevers glass is easier to control.

But I am sure it depends on who you ask...

I have aluminum...

Rowed several glass boats and just can't seem to hold their line as well, spend too much energy trying to stay straight vs. hold your river position...

...and the wind will ruin your whole day in a glass boat...

Hope this helps a little....

I wonder if that is true of the new Clackacrafts with the tunnel....I'm guessing the tunnel only helps when the boat's moving slower than the current, and isn't really designed to function as a keel in the wind. I've been thinking about a glass boat, but maybe not.

I don't plan on a lot of technical water (lower Sky, mostly), and I will want to plug quite a bit, at least until my wife and kids figure out casting. Hmmmmmmm.........

Our driftboat is glass and I think it is the hot ticket. I have oared several aluminums and I still think that way. The old Clackacrafts kinda sucked because they flexed so bad but the new ones might be alright.

I would pretty much agree with what H20 said thought about the difference. Wind will kill ya in a glass boat. But man.....aluminum is so friggin cold!!!

Crayfin out

Never rowed the tunnel hull design... my feelings about the wind are that the effect is so great because of its lightness. I am not convinced that the tunnel hull provides as stable a platform as the chines on a aluminum boat but I will reserve final judgement until I get a chance to try it out...I am curious too.

A good point Crayfin, and something else to consider...a Mr. Heater can damage a glass boat. I run Mr. Heaters when its cold; letting the surface of the fly deck get hot is a great way to alleviate the drawback of cold aluminum. You can't do this in a glass boat, at least you run the risk of damaging your boat if you do. Maybe there are solutions to this problem I have never heard of.

If the cold is the only thing that makes a glass boat better than a Alum boat you guys are are wusses. It does not even get get cold in WA.. ever at all. You freak out if it snows.... Thats a every day thing here and Alum rules. On the same ticket you think you have some white water... crap.. you got nothing....

I have never heard of a river that you had to draw a permit for in Washington... The Salmon river 300 miles + without a dam on it..ANY WAY ..
We can't believe the "cold" has anything to do with what drift boat you buy.

Oh, is that what you were finally getting around to? Geez, chill, wouldja? It's not like we're talking about putting cabins on them.

Did you guys ever get pavement on that stretch of I-90 through Kellog or is it still gravel?

Eaaaasy there B-Run! Have you ever oared a good glass boat, you rompin, stompin, cold bearing,
white water runnin He-Man? I said aluminum was friggin cold, I did not say it was unbearable!

Maybe someday I will grow some hair and my *ss and come up there and get a lesson on how to be a real man and fish in the "cold" with you (That is if you find me deserving) I promise not to cry like a small child if it starts to snow!

Crayfin

I've had a Lavro for about 5 years now and I really enjoy it.I fish the Sky alot, and the Skagit and Sauk. I havn't rowed a metal boat yet but a friend of mine has a Hyde combo, fiberglass and aluminum it weighs alot more and that means more rowing.I also run a Mr. Heater in my boat with no problems it's mostly for the people in the front seat, rowing usually keeps me warm enough.

I have a 1999 Clackacraft and I like it quite a bit. I've rowed both aluminum and glass boats, and can't really tell a big difference. The new Clacka's are nice because they are lower profile and thus the wind doesn't effect them as much. The downfall of this is that they probably shouldn't be taken on any bigger water. I also like the fact that a glass boat doesn't get stuck on rocks as easy as a aluminum boat.

I appreciate everyones advice!

I fish the Sky, Snohomish, Skagit and Stilly rivers most of the time. I am trying to find something for about $2,500 - which does not get you a Willie

It seems like there is more glass boats out out there in this price range - I may choose one because of that. For getting started - it does not sound like I can go wrong on these rivers with glass (except for wind).

I appreciate all the info! If you know of a boat in my price range - needdriftboat@yahoo.com

Bring on the Springers!!

Check out Three Rivers Marine website.
http://www.3riversmarine.com/boats/used-boats.htm
They have a '93 Clakacraft for $2700.

SA

There's a 1996 Clackacraft in the classified section of this web page for $2700.

Steel-addicted, T-bone

you are both speaking of the same boat it's a 1996 which I cam very very close to buying. Pintail that boat would be an exceptional choice it is in very good shape. and also it's pretty well equipped