Which is better Clacka Craft or Willie DB's

[Egg Flinger]

This is my first post on this great site and since my dad and I are interested in purchasing a Drift boat this fall I was wondering what you guys and gals prefer to row? I've looked at both Willie's and clacka Crafts and both look nice. The CLackcrafts have a new tunnel hull that is supposed to make them handle well for pulling plugs and sidedrifting. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
thanks

[Gun Rod Bow]

The one that's not made out of fiberglass IMO.

[Fish Hawg]

Never tried the New claka But the older ones are Great IMO

[freespool]

I've got an 82 Willie built Alumaweld that has been down the wild section of the Rogue River at least 80 times. Each trip was low flows and way overloaded. Many dents but no holes. My money would be on the Willie.


salmon hugger

[Salmonator]

Had aluminum, have Clackacraft and I'm happier :smile: It's a '95 and no tunnel, but the difference in tracking is nil. The clack behaves WAY better while hitting knarly hydraulics from the side, is warmer in the winter, slides effortlessly off of rocks and gravel, has give and flex in the floor when aluminum will usually dent and is quieter. This in my opinion far outweighs any tracking issues.

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

Use to own a Clackacraft & now I own a Willie...

Enough said... I love my Willie...

[Rakkasan]

I had a Willie. I would rather dent then have a hole.

[Egg Flinger]

Thanks for the tips, just wondering since this will be our first DB which one will be able to take more of a "beating" as we learn new rivers?

[Fish Hawg]

On dent V.S Hole Clackacraft use to shoot the bottom with a .357 mag and not go through it Try that with aluminum [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

[Rakkasan]

I was not carrying a 357 with me so I did not have to worry about it

[drhall99]

Egg Flinger,

I spent weeks researching both and the answer I came up with is YES. I ended up buying a Willie because I got a great deal on it but I would have bought a Clack just as quick. Both boats are super tough and both companies will bend over backwards to take care of you. One thing, the Clack has the best written warranty (100 years). If you are drifting low water alot, the Clack is the best but the Willie tracks better when backtrolling plugs. Send me a PM and I'll give you some more specifics. One more thing, you do NOT have to worry about putting a hole in a Clack bottom. Maybe the sides, but my Willie has a small hole in the side from banging a rock so it can happen to aluminum, too

Doug

[ 01-30-2004, 10:38 PM: Message edited by: drhall99 ]

[Flatfish]

Glass in the summer. Willie in the winter.

Mark and the doubt you could hole a Clackacraft without doing something really silly dog.

[Paddlefish]

Egg Flinger,

You may have started a L-O-N-G and very opinionated thread with that one! :shocked:

I have limited experience and have owned neither one. And in the seemingly endless debates held here previously, I don't think I've ever heard of a drift boat of either material actually being holed.

I'll tell you that I once experienced a midsummer thunderstorm on the North Santiam when there wasn't a cloud in the sky. :whazzup:

The puzzle was solved when a drift boat finally rounded the bend -- a boat made of KABOOMINUM.

Personally, I lean toward turning aluminum into beer cans and fiberglass into porta-potties.

Woodies -- that's the only way to go. The fish notice and appreciate the difference.

[Salmonator]

Originally posted by Kentucky Hog Hunter:
Use to own a Clackacraft & now I own a Willie...

Enough said... I love my Willie...

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Enough said? What does that say? How about your reasons?

[Reel Premier]

In dream land would love to own both. Have alumaweld and love it, comes down to what YOU believe in and I'm sure you will be happy with which ever you choose.

[Snapset]

Joe, what is the weight difference between your glass vs your previous aluminum boat? aack!

[Salmonator]

Ha ha, I like the aack. I wish I knew the difference. The Clack is a little more sluggish than the diamondback but reacts better than the alumaweld which was only 48" across so tough to compare. However it is bigger than both since it is actually measured end to end (16' as opposed to around the railcap and less than 15' like most aluminum 16 footers) and has a 57" bottom. It might weigh more but there's more boat to love :grin:

[ 01-30-2004, 11:16 PM: Message edited by: Salmonator ]

[FastAction]

Well I have a Clackacraft Pre tunnel hull, and an alumaweld, and a good friend with an 18' willie with a 60" bottom fully loaded, dual heaters and the works 2002 model. I can say this for a fact, what would put a good noticeable dent in an aluminum boat would put a skuff in the gelcoat of the clackacraft. As for rowing, I felt the clack held more steady in the current than the willie or alumaweld. But the boat only tracks as good as the oarsman rowing the boat. The luxury factor of the willie or alumaweld is unmatched. The new tunnel hulls are sweet, put after fishing in luxury the willie seems hard to beat. You cant go wrong with both! You can do just a bit more with the clackacraft! By the way mine might be for sale because I am out of work and need money and I love to bank fish!

[Livin the Dream]

I have an 01 Willie 16' that I really like. I have never rowed a glass boat but I like the way the Willie handles.
It was my first drift boat and I wouldnt have wanted to make some of those first mistakes in anything but the Willie :shocked: hardly a scratch on her.
I unfortunatly will be selling this boat and posting it here in a couple of weeks if you are interested.
Even if your not interested in buying it you can still get a hold of me and come check it out if you like.

AL

[cully]

wood. It's 36 year old, warm, rows well, pretty and still floats.....knock on wood.

[drhall99]

Wood's OK if you love doing maintenance. They're pretty but fragile. The Clack should be covered with a tarp if it's stored outside to avoid UV damage (takes a long time to do any real damage) but the Aluminum boats have to have the bottom recoated every now and again. The Clack is quieter and warmer feeling but then again, you can put a propane heater in an aluminum boat.
As far as weight, it's basically the same. Clacks have more room for their stated length but Willie does a better job at customizing the boat to fit your needs. I like the color scheme of the new Clacks better but it's easier to repaint hte Willie. As someone said earlier, I'd own both, if I could.

Doug

[cully]

yep, maintenance. I was just being a wise guy tossing in the wood factor, like a post earlier..Wood is a ton of labor. Right now my boat is stripped of all seating and other gear on the inside. I'm in the process of sanding and revarnishing. Not a project I wanted to tackle at all during the winter but some blistering of inside flooring meant that I act promptly to avoid any possable rot starting. I'm glad the rivers are running high because it took me off the river. If I can get the garage up to 50 degrees or higher I can be out fishing/drifting next week...knock on wood.

[Fishen Fool]

Hey Salmonater, I remember when a Dodge was the only rig to buy, but now you drive a Chevy. Also remember when a Diamond back was the far superior boat but now you have a glass one? Go figure! Go with a Willies, have you ever heard of a Willie owner say anything negitive about one.

[Salmonator]

My my Ben, you sure do have a way with putting somebody else's words together! My thoughts on Dodge were ALWAYS that you couldn't buy a better diesel engine and I still feel that way! Unfortunately my freindly neighborhood 5 star stealer near Autzen stadium turned out to be nothing more than a place where crooks hung out and sold lemons. And since my current is my third GM truck I didn't exactly hop on the bandwagon

As far as diamondback it was the best new aluminum boat buy at the time. Now that they're comparibly priced to the big boys I don't feel that way anymore.

So I suppose now you heard me say somewhere that bayliner is the most seaworthy ocean boat?

Got anymore Salmonator quotes? :tongue:

And yes, I have heard someone you know very well have some negative things to say about their willie boat but you don't want me to go there...

[Fishen Fool]

Joe, I do too. :shocked:

[NR Maverick]

Read alot of opinions about both, never owned a clack but fished with a friend that did. Didn't care for the constant movement of the floor. (know it needs to do that) I owned a Alumaweld several years ago and just bought a new drift boat last year. Looked again at alumawelds, willies, clackacraft and ended up buying a NORTH RIVER. They don't get any better !!!

[Beerbelly]

I like the clackacraft you can't hear them coming a mile away and neither can the fish.

[Egg Flinger]

Yah Maverick those North River DB's are sweet Looked at em at eh sportsmans show and they come fully loaded and have a sweet trailer I think it's a little out of our price range though

[crabbait]

NR Maverick - You wouldn't happen to work for North River, would you?

[NR Maverick]

No, I don't work for them, just thing they have excellent workmanship. :smile:

[Flatfish]

Willie or Clackacraft was the question.

Mark and the dog.

[ 01-31-2004, 07:22 PM: Message edited by: Flatfish ]

[MX man]

One vote for North River, Second to none..

My $0.02

[Twitchs_Tackle]

Clacka what?... j/k!

Willie! :grin:

my $.02