New boat question

[B-run]

I have an 8 horse honda classic, about 75 Lbs.
That I will be using on my 17' willie drift boat.
When drifting rivers with fair current would it be better to leave the motor off?
Drift boating is still fairly new to me, sorry if I sound like a dork.

[Silver Hilton]

If you have someone in the front seat, I suspect you'll be fine. Less weight is always better, of course, and having the weight all the way out on the end is going to make you a bit less maneuverable, but I doubt it will be too much to handle.

Since you're new to the boat, would probably make sense to go someplace safer to experiment, like the Sandy or the Willamette.

[B-run]

Thanks S.H.
Been since college drifting, will be a learning all over experience for me.

[greenbuttskunk]

I'd leave it off. In the possible event that you were to spin and hit something from behind or run through tight brush, the less you have exposed off the boat the better. An outboard can catch things and it would not be happy slamming into a rock either. Plus less weight is better for menuevering the boat. Leave that puppy behind.
Be safe out there,
GBS
PS. There's no such thing as a dumb question
on Ifish.

[KChookem]

You want the river to run UNDER your boat - not push the stern. Putting too much weight on the stern just pushes it down into the water. When that happens, you now have to work MUCH harder to slow and control the DB.

I would first get familiar with the boat and the water, and then take the motor.

[B-run]

Har har de har, thanks to the the above,
seriously thank you.
I am just a newbie to the driting scene, ran a sled and made a few drifts, but from a drift boat stance, I've drifted down the rivers, but not on my own.
I just want to approach it from a safe point of veiw.
I catchem a plenty from the bank, but this is all a new ride to me.

Thanks for the info.

NETONE,

The offer still stands, FEB somthing.
I'll let you row. Or you can use my jigs if you row!!!