After the low water conditions on the Susquehanna west branch I am looking at drifting options. My buddy has a trailer that could work for a drift boat for takeout. I am currently looking at a 2008 Hyde Sportsman’s Drifter with Genesis trailer. Does not look abused from pictures two spots on both sides of boat chines from rocks. No bottom pictures, will ask on Monday, trailer looks new. I realize there are a lot of variables so am asking for general price ranges. Thanks
Drift Boat
- Thread starter Fuzzy
- Start date
Nocktavius
Well-known member
Best FF related purchase I’ve made. We’re dragging ours back out to Montana and Idaho this summer.
mt_flyfisher
Well-known member
Is this what’s called a Hyde Drifter? 😃
No, seriously, why not call Hyde directly and ask Lemoyne Hyde or one of the salesmen there what they think?
There are so many variable that effect price as I’m sure you know, however I think you’d want to get a better understanding of its condition, and the trailer’s condition, by inspecting it in person before making any value judgements. Without knowing any of that, I’d say $2,000, + or -. However, after previously owning a Hyde, without going into any details, I wouldn’t own another Hyde boat at any price. 👿
No, seriously, why not call Hyde directly and ask Lemoyne Hyde or one of the salesmen there what they think?
There are so many variable that effect price as I’m sure you know, however I think you’d want to get a better understanding of its condition, and the trailer’s condition, by inspecting it in person before making any value judgements. Without knowing any of that, I’d say $2,000, + or -. However, after previously owning a Hyde, without going into any details, I wouldn’t own another Hyde boat at any price. 👿
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bringthepain
Well-known member
I have a framed raft and i'm super jealous, i want to drag mine out there in the next couple years also
What were you using that failed you? Were you already attempting to float and fly fish from some other vessel? If so, what kind of boat were you using?
It’s about 7-8 hours away, taking the boat down to Charleston SC this month and will swing by and look. They are asking $5000.00 which seemed high to me. Not sure how on board my wife is, so playing it cool. Speaking of Montana, we were out there last year hunting, they don’t call it big sky country for nothing!
Well dang, that ain't no river boat.
I can't speak about personal experiences with drift boats, but I have used jet boats a lot in the Juniata. If I were looking for a boat to comfortably fish the J or Susky, I would buy the jet boat all day, every day.
CLSports
Well-known member
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- May 29, 2007
- Messages
- 1,163
Why not? I have a Clacka, but just curious why you say that?
Nocktavius
Well-known member
Yeah-IMO clacka is a better build, I love my Big Eddy (plenty of room for dogs, beer and gear). Somebody just sank a Hyde on the east branch this fall by just hitting a rock, plus they row like a damn bathtub.
PennKev
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- Sep 9, 2006
- Messages
- 3,395
Was that due to a hull failure? Any brand can go down from hitting a rock badly and being flipped or swamped. Happens all the time on rivers with plenty of boat traffic.
mt_flyfisher
Well-known member
CLSports - Pretty, isn’t it? This is one of the pictures of it that I took just before I sold it in 2018, after owning it for just 2 years. I had a 16’ LP Clackacraft with a bench rower’s seat prior to that, and I thought it would be nice to get a pedestal rower’s seat, to make it easier for everyone to walk through, rather than step over the bench seat. And it was. But that was the only thing, except looking nice, that that Hyde had going for it.
That boat didn’t handle worth a darn. You’d think that it would row and maneuver nicely with 9’ Sawyer square top shoal cut blade oars, wouldn’t you? Nope. Even those 9 1/2’ Sawyer’s that I had (that length recommended by Hyde) weren’t enough oar for it. It might turn it on a 1/4 mile track, but not on anyone’s proverbial dime.
And a bigger disappointment was that the boat couldn’t be anchored to stop, even in moderate current, using that 35# anchor, pictured, (and as sold by Hyde) and even when the entire anchor rope was out. I never weighed the boat, but maybe it was just too heavy.
After I sold it I went back to a Clackacraft, this time to the LP Clacka Eddy 360. And 9’ oars and a 30# anchor. Problems solved.
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I've rowed clacks, hydes and stealthcrafts. Each has their good points. I thought the clacka would back row up river like a bullet. I felt the hyde would turn on a dime. My current boat is a stealth. Fast? No. Easy to turn? No. Great to fish out of? Yep. I call it the minivan.
I think all 3 have gone through phases of bad build quality and bulletproof build quality.
That sportsman model is tiny. Can be carried around. If either of you are bigger....bad idea. It'll be running a waterline right below gunwales.
Here's a different way to look at it than most people..... Strongly consider a raft. Might not be quite as nice to fish out of but it also won't need $1500 in chine repairs and a new bottom every 3-5 years. As long as it's not sharp, a raft bounces off with little to no damage. This is very helpful for a new rower. A raft will get through some incredibly skinny water that a hard boat can't. You can also drag it in/out at places where hard boat launching is not possible.
Cheapest option to get you started, Dave Scadden's Dragonfly XTC2 Pro Guide. $2300
OR
Dave Scadden's Dragonfly XL3 HD. $3000. Looks like this one would need a NRS side anchor system.
I'd probably steer away from fly craft. I don't like how narrow they are.
Stealthcrafts makes a wider inflatable and some versions come with a trailer. Starting around $5500.
NRS slipstream might be the most complete setup. The 129 and 142 models. $5500-6500 depending on what you choose.
Currently have a 16' drift boat and a 13' raft. Each has it's purpose and I use both throughout the year. Get a year or two under your belt and see if it's for you. If it is, sell the raft and get a hard boat...the one you want at the price you want to pay. Best idea is to start looking for a boat in late September through mid November.
I think all 3 have gone through phases of bad build quality and bulletproof build quality.
That sportsman model is tiny. Can be carried around. If either of you are bigger....bad idea. It'll be running a waterline right below gunwales.
Here's a different way to look at it than most people..... Strongly consider a raft. Might not be quite as nice to fish out of but it also won't need $1500 in chine repairs and a new bottom every 3-5 years. As long as it's not sharp, a raft bounces off with little to no damage. This is very helpful for a new rower. A raft will get through some incredibly skinny water that a hard boat can't. You can also drag it in/out at places where hard boat launching is not possible.
Cheapest option to get you started, Dave Scadden's Dragonfly XTC2 Pro Guide. $2300
OR
Dave Scadden's Dragonfly XL3 HD. $3000. Looks like this one would need a NRS side anchor system.
I'd probably steer away from fly craft. I don't like how narrow they are.
Stealthcrafts makes a wider inflatable and some versions come with a trailer. Starting around $5500.
NRS slipstream might be the most complete setup. The 129 and 142 models. $5500-6500 depending on what you choose.
Currently have a 16' drift boat and a 13' raft. Each has it's purpose and I use both throughout the year. Get a year or two under your belt and see if it's for you. If it is, sell the raft and get a hard boat...the one you want at the price you want to pay. Best idea is to start looking for a boat in late September through mid November.
Go to the link below and look at all of the vendors that are supposed to be there.
flyfishingshow.com
Edison NJ | The Fly Fishing Show
flyfishingshow.com
falcon
Well-known member
Usually 3 or more. Some vendors such as Water Master have a special show price of 20% off or other incentives.
