Drift boat motor

**Rocksteady1** · 06-16-2016, 07:28 AM

Anyone had some good experiences using the tohatsu 3.5hp? My thoughts are to use it with a 16ft Hyde for redrifting certain runs on the sac and the yuba. When we fish both we like to rerun the same water a couple times. We would not be trying to go back up riffles or anything just mainly reversing in flatter water or speeding thru the frog stuff.

**Fly Right** · 06-16-2016, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by Rocksteady1

Anyone had some good experiences using the tohatsu 3.5hp? My thoughts are to use it with a 16ft Hyde for redrifting certain runs on the sac and the yuba. When we fish both we like to rerun the same water a couple times. We would not be trying to go back up riffles or anything just mainly reversing in flatter water or speeding thru the frog stuff.

Three thoughts
3.5hp is probably going to be on the small side if you want to effectively move a 16ft boat against the current
Without a keel drift boats do not track well with any kind of motor
Motors can be used on drift boats. You need to go slow to keep the boat under control

**Idadon** · 06-16-2016, 07:06 PM

Have you ever seen thos round boats with motors? You know, the ones at amusement parks. A drift boat with a little motor is only slightly better. I had a friend that locked his 2 horse in the straight ahead position and steered with the oars. I tried it once but it scared me. I mean, a good gust of wind and off you go at an angle not intended. IMO drift boats are ok with a motor in stillwater. Any significant current though and.....well they're just not designed for that.

Chiming in with SeanO. If you do want a motor get one that has the power to get the boat out of trouble quickly. 3.5 hp strikes me as just to small.

**SeanO** · 06-16-2016, 09:06 PM

An 8 hp motor opens up a lot of options for a drifter. That is pretty much the standard hp for dbs up in Oregon and Washington.

**Chris Gearhart** · 06-17-2016, 10:30 AM

I have run the Tohatsu 6hp on my boat for several years and I'm very happy with it. Only 50lbs. They now make the 6hp with internal tank. That said I use my motor very sparingly as most runs can be rowed to repeat. Some guys running motors don't have much etiquette.

**Hogan Brown** · 06-20-2016, 07:36 AM

remember there is no gas motors allowed on the Yuba above Daguerre Dam, only below.

**Rockman** · 06-20-2016, 08:27 AM

Hey Hogan,
I have a Suzuki 9 hp 4stroke on my Willie, planned on floating the Yuba. Is it against the law to drift without using the motor? I thought if this is unknown, I would remove the the fuel tank which is much easier then removing my motor which is "well mounted" by the original owner. No gas, no operation. I wonder how DFW would handle this.
Thanks for sharing that info, I did not know that.