golden beetle
Active member
I want a used drift boat.
Anybody have any leads?
I will not close the deal until March of next year at earliest.
Anybody have any leads?
I will not close the deal until March of next year at earliest.
Give us a try!
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Drift Boat
- Thread starter golden beetle
- Start date
golden beetle
Active member
Cabarle and Mac?
I would buy Cabarle's for 2K and Mac's for 3K, if he lets me use it for a year first to see if its seaworthy.
tkhour
Just finished a River Runs Through it!
MACFLY
Too many streams too little time
golden beetle
Active member
MACFLY
Too many streams too little time
Cabarles is worth the 2k. My boat however is worth 5k. Stop buying so many bamboo rods and you can buy it in Marxh...of next year...after the thaw...of your wallet
tkhour
Just finished a River Runs Through it!
I may look to sell mine. Let me know if you are interested.
MACFLY
Too many streams too little time
Do you accept small coffees as payment
CTobias
Professional BS'r
I sold my Riverwatch to pay for my jet pump. It was a no brainer since I fished that rod only a handful of times a year.
dcabarle
Administrator
I'm selling mine for $4200 but for you it's $5200 because you know YOU can catch fish while inside of it. Instead of buying your next bamboo rod, you can have a great boat. Hmmm.. Tell yah what... If you can pull out of the Hale Eddy ramp with the boat, I'll knock 700 off the price.
golden beetle
Active member
I am hoping to acquire a seaworthy vessel for less than 1000.
I found a wooden boat at the right price, but it has termites.
I like to look on craigslist. If you look for a while you will be able to spot a deal when it comes along and you'll know when someone is asking way too much.
I use Google and type the following into the search box:
"site:craigslist.org drift boat"
This limits the search for a "drift boat" to "craigslist.org". Of course you can replace "drift boat" with anything. I commonly search for "Hyde drift boat", "Clackacraft", etc... You can also use Google's search tools to limit the search to items posted in the last week or last month so you are only seeing newer posts. If you are willing to drive a little you should be able to find a deal. There was a Hyde high side, circa 98-02, for sale in Maine for $2500 last week. I think that was a steal. It's gone already.
You should be able to find a decent 10' - 12' like the older Hyde Sportsman's drifter for under $1000. A good deal on one would be in the $400-$600 range. Search "site:craigslist.org mini drifter".
You will also find a better deal at the end of the season, October/November. People don't want to store them and the demand is low. In March everyone will have cabin fever and their dreams of floating down the river amid a flurry of mayfly activity will have them paying top dollar for used boats.
Hope this helps.
I use Google and type the following into the search box:
"site:craigslist.org drift boat"
This limits the search for a "drift boat" to "craigslist.org". Of course you can replace "drift boat" with anything. I commonly search for "Hyde drift boat", "Clackacraft", etc... You can also use Google's search tools to limit the search to items posted in the last week or last month so you are only seeing newer posts. If you are willing to drive a little you should be able to find a deal. There was a Hyde high side, circa 98-02, for sale in Maine for $2500 last week. I think that was a steal. It's gone already.
You should be able to find a decent 10' - 12' like the older Hyde Sportsman's drifter for under $1000. A good deal on one would be in the $400-$600 range. Search "site:craigslist.org mini drifter".
You will also find a better deal at the end of the season, October/November. People don't want to store them and the demand is low. In March everyone will have cabin fever and their dreams of floating down the river amid a flurry of mayfly activity will have them paying top dollar for used boats.
Hope this helps.
Last edited:
golden beetle
Active member
This definitely helps.
I have some reservations with using Craigslist tho.
A good idea would be to compile a list of all drift boat listings from sites around the Internet, and post the listings here...
Trout Guy
Brookie's or Bust!
Were you banned from craigslist for soliciting sex to homosexuals in the costco bathroom?
Trout Nazi
And...Boom goes the dynamite.
This drift boat is going to cost you $30k. $5k for the boat, and another $25k to buy a reliable pre-owned vehicle with which to tow it (they don't make 2" hitches for a Corolla). Take that $30k and float 2-3 times a year with Joe D, or 1-2 times a year with moi, for the next 20 years. Your welcome.
golden beetle
Active member
Damn good reasoning.
But I already bought the car. A hyundai.
The corolla is gone.
The new hyundai can handle a drift boat.
I will continue to float with Joe D regardless.
golden beetle
Active member
One more point, TN... I'm not in the market yet as a serious buyer. I just don't think decisions like this should take very long, and anyone who wants a drift boat should be able to do their research and buy within a week or so.
I see myself buying a boat for my kids as they get older. So I may buy in 10 years, or sooner depending on their interest.
I see myself buying a boat for my kids as they get older. So I may buy in 10 years, or sooner depending on their interest.
JOE.T
Dry Flies Only
Unless your a guide - Use a shuttle service. and work out a deal with someone up there to keep the boat there.To much time wasted hauling the boat around , hitching, UN-hitching.
Drive to your put in (boat is there),FISH, hopefully you'll catch some fish,and at the take out your car is waiting there,than go home, oh forgot stop at McDonald's first, eat in the car on the way home.
P.M me if you want to look at a used Hyde.(Not mine)
golden beetle
Active member
Great reply.
I'm going to build one of these this winter: Spira International Inc - Mackinaw Drift Boat .
mob201
Joe's Hopper
I got my 17" Lavro off of Craigslist for 2K including the trailer. It won't win any beauty contests. Compared to contemporary glass boats it probably handles like a tank. But on the bright side, I bang the shit out of it with abandon knowing the gel coat went to shit in 1983. You can fit four adults, five kids, a case of beer and a hibachi in it. And it turns out that when you're casting to a rising fish, the last thing on your mind is how your boat looks.
Anyway, point is, there are deals to be had on Craigslist if you lurk long enough.
Anyway, point is, there are deals to be had on Craigslist if you lurk long enough.
MACFLY
Too many streams too little time
I hope your boat cracks and sinks and you lose all your beer
Lavro were a breed apart. Very well built boat
CTobias
Professional BS'r
I hope your boat cracks and sinks and you lose all your beer
Lavro were a breed apart. Very well built boat
Got that right. Lavro is the sturdiest and most reliable glass boat you can buy.
Beetle,
They sell them all day long in Alaska for your price. The problem is I charge $10k to ship them. Plus a 15% finders fee.
Rowing lessons are extra, and I get to use it as I fish my way across the country.
I can't go delivering a boat that doesn't catch fish or float.
I think this one fits the description of what you wanted. She's a beaut...
Get in your Hyundai, take a road trip and hit some PNW steelhead water.
14 1/2 ft fiberglass drift boat
Get in your Hyundai, take a road trip and hit some PNW steelhead water.
14 1/2 ft fiberglass drift boat
JOE.T
Dry Flies Only
Hey J
That's a fixer upper. Can a boat like that even be fixed ?
Fall Iso's and Olives are on the way.Did I say the ant's are marching home.
Joe, the ad says it floats, everything else is just a luxury item. Of course the ad also says "no oars". Even a cheap set of oars is going to set him back enough to go over budget. There's a tan and green Clacka parked at West Branch. Just take the oars out of that boat... the owner won't mind.
mob201
Joe's Hopper
That boat is basically my boat, plus some upgrades. Seriously. Even the ugly shade of blue and the rotting plywood transom are the same.
In my book, if a boat doesn't leak and won't put your kids out of a year of college, it's a winner. Save the money and buy a nice pair of counterbalanced oars and maybe a new set of tires for loose gravel boat ramps.
CTobias
Professional BS'r
And if you're luck you know someone who will hook you up on a killer deal for oars. Then you tell the wife you had to pay retail and buy yourself more gear.
