I finally took the plunge and ordered a new Driftboat. Soon I'll be the proud owner of a 17x54 Northriver. It has all the bells and whistles and is nearly ready to fish...

I want to install some rod holders to those sliding brackets that attatch to the gunnel/hand rail, the sliding type. Where can I find these? Cost?

Also I need to apply Gluv-It to the bottom. Is this availible at most marine supply shops? Cost? Tips for application?

Polishing of the exterior? Has anyone done this? Good idea or waste of time?

Electric motors? What shaft length? Thrust?

Any other tips or advice for a cracker drift boat owner?

I think you can get Glovit at Sportco. I am not sure but I think the rail mount rodholders that slide on the rail are a Willie item.

You need rubber trim on your rails for the slidder brackets , you can get the slidding brackets from 3 rivrs marine.

Congrats on your new boat! Call Rich , Rod or John @ 3 Rivers Marine 1.877.661.1575, Rod runs an awesome fab shop and they have almost any tricked up accessory for your drift boat that you want or he can custom make whatever you want to make fishing fun and hassle free for your boat.

When I put a new bottom coating on my '82 Fish-Rite,I used a product called Coat-it. It is similar to Glove-It but has Kevlar and graphite in it. It is also dark gray,almost black. it has held up very well. Check it out. It is about the same $.

I installed a 65# thrust MinnKota on the DB. They are great for boondoggin' and work well for plug pullin' too. It does take some practice. It has a 42" shaft which is about right,40' would be fine too,but not much less. My unit is a 24 volt which requires two batteries. I don't use full thrust much except for blasting thru frog water so the additional weight doesn't pay for itself. Two batteries gives you longer life but after a full day on the river, I rarely draw down more than 25% on each cell. If I did it again,I would get a 12 volt at around 45-50#.

I use coat-it on my DB as well. Clean the bottom really well before applying to make sure it adheres properly. It seems to set up better (or at least quicker) on a warm, sunny day too. I've patched some holes while my boat was in my garage during the winter, but it takes longer for it to set up. Good luck.