Boat advice, Opinions, Experience

[mitch184]

I've narrowed down my boat search to either a 20'6 x 84" Wooldridge Super Sport Drifter (10 degree w/ tunnel), 20' x 78" Willie Predator (5 degree w/ tunnel) or a 21' x 78" Willie Raptor (10 degree no tunnel). I'm using it mainly for rivers, Cowlitz, Lewis, Chehalis and some north end rivers, but am also going out in the Columbia with a few trips out to Bouy 10, Tillamook, Newhalem. Main concerns would be tracking, shallow draft, and the ability to handle the Columbia.

I was wondering if anyone has ridden in or owns a Wooldridge Super Sport Drifter as I haven't seen much about them. I like the idea of the tunnel and the 84" bottom. Seems like it will draft really shallow but still has 10 degree deadrise in back and 18 degree up front for rougher water.

I really like the Willie's as far as custom options are finish work, but I'm worried the Predator will be too rough in the Columbia and bigger water and the Raptor might not drift as shallow as I'd like in skinny water.

Any first hand experience or insight will be greatly appreciated! Picking a new boat is a lot harder than most people think.... but still fun.

[Flatfish]

A 10 degree with an 84" bottom will sit deeper in the water.

The Predator will draft the least.

It sounds like you are buying a trib boat. I would buy a hull for the vast majority of where you fish, and work with it's shortcomings in the elsewhere. There are no one size fits all boats. But a platform that will suit your needs best, and you will be happy.

Personally, I would get a tunnel for a trib boat.

[mitch184]

Flatfish, my thought was the wider bottom would draft less. Seems like a 10 degree 84" bottom w/ tunnel would have substantially less draft that say a 10 degree 78" bottom w/o a tunnel. Am I thinking wrong? I just didn't know how much more draft a 10 degree 84" bottom would be vs. a 5 degree 78" bottom? Maybe 1" or 2" deeper???

[fishkisser]

A tunnel hull will run the shallowest , a wide bottom will also get up on plane easier ... After looking at all the models you are considering I really is up to where you will be fishing the most ... For the way I fish , rivers , lakes , bays ... My choice would be the the Willy Raptor ...

[Flatfish]

Mitch,

unless it rides higher in the water than the simple geometry of the hull below the waterline(Doubtful), then the shallowest vee will ride shallowest(Is that even a word????Shallowest....) at rest.

If it sits higher in the water at rest, then onstep capabilities will be sacrificed.