Sled Advice

[JTF]

I am looking at several open shallow vee boats for sale. Use will be on rivers and big open water. Probably use a prop most of the time, but want to have the option of switching to a pump for the rivers. Are these two boats similar in construction and performance... 17ft shallow vee Rogue Marine or Fishrite?

Any suggestions?

[Flatfish]

Both should catch fish just fine.

Test drive them. The proof is in the puddin'.

Mark and the dog.

[Riverkeeper]

Maybe you can get one of those big fans and turn it into an air boat? :grin:

What do you fish for out of a river sled down there?

[slabhunter]

Need more information. What size motor? Two or four stroke? How many people (load?) Are fuel tanks portable, size, location? [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

[JTF]

Originally posted by slabhunter:
Need more information. What size motor? Two or four stroke? How many people (load?) Are fuel tanks portable, size, location? [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">

[Pickles]

for a 17 foot welded almuminum sled I would say go with a 115/90 hp outboard.

[JTF]

We are located in the mountains near VA, TN, and NC. We have many rivers, tailwaters and free flowing, that we float with drift boats. Those rivers offer healthy populations of brown and rainbow trout, muskies and smallmouth bass.

Down east on the ocean, we target striped bass, albacore, sea trout and drum. The seas are similar to yours with many miles of shallow back water and near shore fisheries. In the mountain waters, we have similar structure and flows to many of your inland streams.

(For those geographicaly challenged Ifish members, we have no alligators and air boats in this area of the south).

I row several drift boats, Koffler and Hyde. I am a TU volunteer and the NC state projects director for that conservation organization. Perhaps you viewed a recent show on TU-TV, the Watauga River, TN? I rowed the film crew for that segment.

I wish that posting photos was easier, I would be happy to share some recent stream and shore photos with the members.

My request is specific: I need a 17ft open boat. I will run a mid-range horse power motor, 2 or 4 stroke with 2 or 3 people. It may be a pump or prop. It will be used in lakes, streams, and near shore applications.

I am interested in comments concerning construction, duability,and handling of an all around boat. Regarding one boat never does it all. I have shipped 2 boats here in the past 3 years. This precludes an opportunity to test drive the boats.

There are no east coast manufactures offering a welded shallow vee hull. And there are many applications for such from Maine to Florida. Check out the dorys of the northeast and southern shores. (Very little difference in design from your metal boats).

Thanks to anyone familar with these two boats.

[Silver Hilton]

I haven't driven either of those boats, but have long believed that there aren't a lot of secrets in the jet boat building business these days. If they have a 6 to 10 degree vee, and have lifting/turning strakes on the bottom, they should ride shallow and turn well.

However, if you are going to put a prop on the boat, why bother with a sled hull at all? They are going to pound you a lot more than other boats, and with a prop, will not give much draft advantage over a normal flats boat, of which there all bazillions around where you live. These boats, even with the vee, ride hard. There don't have enough vee, and they don't have enough weight, to cut big chop.

Unless you need to run 6 inch water, I don't think these are likely the right choice. And if you do, that prop won't cut it.

A more practical solution might be a Lowe or similar jon-boat in 16 to 18 feet, with a 40-60 hp tiller driver pump. You see a lot of these in Alaska. They are a lot lighter than the full on sleds, though less durable as a result.

[JTF]

Right you are, just sold an 18/60 Wareagle. Had a hydraulic jack plate with prop and could run in very shallow conditions. It was a wet boat on open water and I had some warranty issues that the company would not cover.

I will be running in the rivers here...rocky and shallow. I can run a pump for that application. We all have UHMW shoes on our drift boats.

In the ocean, the oyster beds and poor launching areas make a shallow draft metal hull vessel attractive.

My option is to run my drift boat under power and buy an older bay boat and use it up. Or try and
find one cross-over boat that kind of does several things well.

[Birdnest]

I am looking at several open shallow vee boats for sale. Use will be on rivers and big open water.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">I supppose it depends on your definition of big open water and how well you enjoy getting pounded with a shallow deadrise.

My request is specific: I need a 17ft open boat. I will run a mid-range horse power motor, 2 or 4 stroke with 2 or 3 people. It may be a pump or prop. It will be used in lakes, streams, and near shore applications.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">You might check out Rouge Marine (can't post a link of a non sponsored boat mfg). Their "Stealth" model might be of interest to you. Good luck and welcome to Ifish.

Joe

PS Sorry, looks like you already found the Rouge Marine boat. :blush:

[ 01-06-2004, 09:09 PM: Message edited by: Birdnest ]

[Reel Fun Fish'n]

Debait my experience with Fishrite is or was one of their 22ft with a 78in floor. I own a 23ft Alumaweld super pro-vee.
I was impressed with the fishrite except the way it turned. Handled more like a flat bottom instead of a vee bottom. I think it needed to be wider. For a boat with a 10 degree hull it was way to squirrlly, (spelling)

[Snapshot]

Debait, I had a 17' Alumaweld Super Vee with a 115 Merc. Pump and it was underpowered out of the hole. It was a tiller model. Perhaps one that has a front steering and seating it would be adequate as the body weitht up front would change how quick it would get on plain. I had added two sand bags of about 100 lbs each to the bow and then it did get up quicker. I would think a prop would really make a 17' metal boat fly. 17' is great size boat for two but three is starting to crowd it up if everyone brings their tackle boxes.

I have since gone to a 19' North River Sportjet and would never go back. I can use it in the rivers or ocean and feel safe where ever I go.

If you think you will be happy with a 17 footer, go to the 19' boats and have one that you can use with confidence and everywhere you fish. These boats can even be set up with a front trolling motor for bass and lakes.

Good luck and be sure to look on the Ifish Boats and Tackle for Sale board. There are several that would work well for you.

*Fish only bite wet hooks*

[night stocker]

Snapshot is right on about the 115/80 motor.I have a 17 welded sled with a 115 pump.If I am by myself,it does well.If I have 1 other person with me, it does OK.With 2 other people,it struggles to plane.It will do it,but I wouldn't want to run the Clack or any river with good current with more than one other person on board.One of these days,when I get rich and famous,I will put a 200 on the back. :grin:

[RGB]

Yoy might want to look at Wooldridge boats. I recently read that they licensed PSI sales Inc. in Mobile, AL to manufacture and sell their boats back east. It's a little closer to home, and you might be able to set up a test drive.

[JTF]

Thanks to everyone for their advice. This has helped narrow the selection.

I think I will err on the side of a hull that is better suited for the rivers, we have 5 nearby. This will work well for our large lakes...and if the ocean isn't too windy. Usually there is only 2 of us fishing.

Question:I will use a prop to start. My local motor dealer has offered to sell me a pump foot later. He rigs his metal flat bottoms like this and then just changes out the foot when he's striper fishing in the rivers. Will the 10 degree or 12 degree hull work for either pump and prop?

Question:The entry line of the hull and water is different on many sleds. When the bow vee rises near or all the way to the gunnel as on the Rogue Marine and Koffler boats, how does that affect handling and dryness? Or does the low sheer line as in the Alumaweld LS or the Fishrite Rogue models stay drier? It seems either would take the rapids about the same.

On a side note, my fishing partner is origionally from Oregon and introduced me to Pacific City dories. We just surf fished for a week at Hatteras Island, NC. This time of year you can get lucky and have huge schools of sea run striper come ashore. This happened twice and we hooked and landed our limits of 36" hogs on metal! But, sometimes the fish hang just offshore past the breakers out of casting range. This is madning!

As the fish hung out of reach most of the week, I saw two different groups trailer their small metal flat bottoms onto the sand and launch them in the surf. It was kind of calm surf conditions. Never seen that done here before...they caught fish!


Thanks again!

JF

[ 01-10-2004, 07:25 AM: Message edited by: Debait ]

[Silver Hilton]

I don't think you'll see much difference between the 10 and 12 degree models with regards to the pump foot issue.

[FishinMission]

Well..If you ask me...Fish Rite builds a better boat..at least if they still build them like they did mine.

Love mine to death.

Mark

[JTF]

Mark,

Can you tell me a little about your boat. I am looking at the Fishrite(FR) Rogue model. It looks like the construction is very strong. What kind of hull design is your boat. Can you advise me on the dryness and handling of this particular hull design ?

Thanks,

James