Are there 60" wide drift boats out there? Has any body had the luxury of operating one? And could you compare it to a 54" wide.

Any info., links, etc. Much appreciated.

LB

I'm told that they're wider.

I'm told that they are wider. Welcome to the board.

Actually, there are quite a few 17 x 60 and 18 x 60 boats out there. They're a tad slower to manuever ... but surprising not much and they are very nice to cast out of they create a stable platform. They also tend to hadle to shallow riffles well as the surface area supports loads better.

Once you graduate to one of those , then you can do as we do in AK ... many have 19 x 66, and most 20 x 72 ... mine's 21 x 72 (second largest in servcie that I know of) and there's even one that is even a 24 foot Willie's(had to use two sheets of aluminum welded together) ... I don't know exact width on that boat.

My 16 x 54 feels like I'm rowing a pop can the first week back in service after rowing my big 'un all summer

Thanks for the reply, especially Bob.
I have one more question, directed more towards Bob, what would you prefer to be in a 54 or 60, from the stretch starting at the park boundary on the Hoh to Oxbow.

I have a 17'x60" Fish-Rite
the boat handles real well.. and once you fish out of a 60" you'll never go back..
so much ROOM! theyare very stable.

Thanks TH, that is what I want to hear.

I'm a big guy, 6'6" 280# ok maybe closer to 300#

the extra room and stability of the bigger boat is awesome...

and I have taken it doen through the wild and senic section of the Rogue three times...
it handlesgreat no problem...

Like I said, once you fish from a 60" the 54" seems small... you'll be happy!

Hey Lunch,

As in the famous movie Spinal Tap..."but, these go to eleven. They are one better."

A 60" boat would be my top choice there ... no water to worry much about, and I've taken the 72" boat through there with over 900 lbs. of passengers + gear without problem.

If I didn't run some nastier water under low flows, I'd always have a 60"