Motor on a drift boat??

[J.R. Hubbard]

So I think I will end up settling on a drift bot after a lot of back and forths between that and a pontoon boat. Does anyone have any experience with a motor on a drift boat on lakes or anything like that? Just curious how well they run...

Thanks!

[JC Peterson]

JR

I have a small 12' fiberglass drift boat & use a 3hp Yamaha prop outboard at times on lakes & rivers in conjunction with drifting or rowing. It is my experience that drift boat flat bottom rocker configuration doesn't allow them to plane in the conventional sense. I guestimate that my boat has a top speed of somewhere between 10 & 15 mph. Works great on the Fall River!

John Peterson

[Paul A]

We often use an electric 36 lb. thrust for the bass lakes out at Rancho Murieta. It work great!

[andanb]

I use a 4 hp merc on my drift boat in conjunction with drifting rivers like the lower sac. I also use it on the delta and lakes. The motor has an integrated gas tank so I don't have to have an additional tank to get in the way...just a small gas can b/c I can go almost all day on the gas in the tank. I get enough power to move along at 7-8 mph maybe a little faster. I have not had trouble with power...yet. The motor only weighs 58 pounds. With on extra tank to get in the way its nice. Get a tiller extension handle.

[slimfishin's]

... to make sure that the boat has the best chance of running right. Like you said, the boat will not plane up at all.There are some things you can do the help that. One is to get as much weight into the front of the boat to balance the motor. For instance, I store the battery for the trolling motor in the front dry box and route a wiring harness and plug to the back seat. Not only balances the boat when I'm in the back operating the motor, you don't have a battery to tangle your line on when fishing back there.

Motor horsepower can be important, but mostly from a weight standpoint. A 10 or 15 Hp two stroke can be great power and pretty light weight. However, if you go 4-stroke, go with a pull-start 8hp.

Next, you will want a prop ring and even one of those planing fins. They look like a horizontal spoiler that mounts to the cavitation plate and will provide better lift for the boat. The tiller extension handle if very nice too, allowing you to pilot the boat from the rowers seat, again - moving weight into the front to balance. I'm running a 9.9 4-stroke electric start, which is probably a little too much motor. If the motor wasn't such a good deal, I would have bought something lighter and smaller.

I would also take carefull consideration to assess exactly where and how often you are going to use this motor on your driftboat. Make sure it is worth the investment of the motor, the added weight on the back, and then to get a CF number from DMV. If you buy a used 2-stroke motor, expect repairs and maintenance to get it running clean and reliable. This can make your drift boat fly through the frog water, but don't expect your boat to replace a powerboat for stripers, bass and lake fishing.

SF

[J.R. Hubbard]

Thanks for all the great advice!! I mostly fish the Yuba, and there are no motors there, but you can do the shuttle for $20. On the American, I see guys that put in, motor up a while and then drift back. I would want to do that and also fish some smaller lakes. You guys covered it all!!
Thanks again everyone!