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Hey guys, let's see your boats

4K views 20 replies 10 participants last post by  Steelheader69 
#1 ·
Figured if you have a picture, show it off. These are my two babies. Right now, both are going out the door for new. I have my 9' steelheader on the left. Just sold that one off. I'm in process of making the ultimate 1-2 man boat. Then, to left is my 16' Aire cataraft. I'm in process of selling the whole thing off to finish the building of my custom 16' 3-4 man fishing boat. I already have custom frame done. All I need to do is sell off and buy new tubes.

So, let's see your boats. Come one, come all.
 

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#2 · (Edited)
"The Insertion Boat"

Well, it is inflatable - but I'm sure that a number of you might not like seeing me come your way :devil:

As well as this beast I'm in the market for a pontoon boat as well - so maybe some of you will start talking to me again. :D
 
#3 ·
Motor??? Ah, how we've progressed over the years.

My 'first' drift boat was a 8 man inflat. 'war surplus' aircraft life raft with a few canoe paddles for the guys on the boat. One leg in, one out side trailing (bail out if Fred screwed up?.. don't go there .. only in a sweeper once :eyecrazy: New tree down so who would know?)

"Primitive," but the whole rig cost less than $200 when $200 was a lot of money. (Early 60's) Other option was a wood drift boat (usually made from a $20 pattern, guy still sells them) or beach it. Life was far more 'simple' then.

Interesting to see the new stuff.
fae
 
#4 ·
You payed too much...

My partner who I still fish with and communicate with regularly bought a surpluss military life raft from a young fellow in the USCG stationed in Port Angeles back in1962 for $15.00. We were too young to drive so we conned old guys (Kids in there 20s& 30s) to go fishing with us so we could get the raft to the river.
There were dam few steelhead fishers back then and only a mere handful that used any type of boat or rafts to float down the rivers. We had been told that if we could get out to the Sol Duc River west of Lake Crescent we would find plenty of fish and that the river was big enough to operate our raft in, sounded like a good plan to us!
We found a fellow with a vehicle and made the plan to float from the east Sappho bridge to Chuck & Marys Cafe that would be the last Highway 101 bridge near Forks.
We got going at first light and were all excited about our new adventure we were equipped with the two little tiny blue aluminum paddles that came with the raft and a couple of ropes for tying the raft on to the top of the old guys VW micro bus. We also of course had a couple of chocolate bars for breakfast and lunch and a fishing rod for each of us.
The river in retrospect must have been perfect for floating that day as the mere fact that my partner and I are still fishing together will atest. (if our mothers had known the dangers we were exposed to they would never have let us leave the yard.)
Our equipment as you may have noticed did not include mention of anchors or bailing buckets or hand pumps or life jackets or..... how about expierience.
Without the ability to slow down or stop it was a fast ride with alot of yahooing and many futile attempts to get the boat over to the side of the river to bail it out so we could have at least a minimal chance to steer or slow it down to "Fish".
Somehow at the head of a Rapid near Lake Creek I managed to hook a really snotty hen of about 12# and as luck would have it we got close enough to an overhanging Alder branch that was grabbed to hold us steady in the current long enough to play the darn thing. After about 10 minutes the fish was laying on its side ready to be landed and since I did not mention having a net we did not have one so I grabbed my leader and tryed to lift the fish into the raft this was my first ever "Release" of a wild OP native steelhead.
Somehow we managed to finish the float down to our takeout and and the old guy who had driven us out and rode down river with us was a bit of a wet blanket the first thing he wanted to do when we got the raft loaded was to go to forks and get the hook removed from the back of his head. Oh I failed too mention that The Old Guy got in the way of a errant back cast and got hit so hard it broke a 12# leader (I think he introduced us to a few niffty new cuss words.)
We were done with forks and there was plenty of daylight left so we were dropped of by The Old Guy and my partner and I launched at Leyendeckers County Park and made a float down the Quillayute to Lapush where he had friends and would pick us up at dusk. The flat water of the Q was pretty boring and went by very fast my partner managed to hook a beautiful chrome bright buck and the current was slow enough that I was able to get the boat over to the side of the river where some fellows were plunking. These guys had a net and were as excited to net the fish as we were to see it get netted. The operation was a winner and we floated on down to Lapush the tide was ebbing and we almost did not make it to the beach with our scrawny little toy paddles, but we did make it and we did learn from all this.
Today with how to books on everything from rock climbing rafting and of course fishing I sometimes wonder if "Kids" get to test there stupidity as well as we tested ours?
Well thats the short version of the first raft and the first trip using it. Wow that was 41 years ago no wonder my joints ache so much, there getting old.
 
#7 ·
Nothing wrong with that Kush

before I bought my sled, I had a chance to buy an attack boat used by the military. One of those inflatables, but pretty bullet proof. I'm not sure if it was factory or converted, but had a pump on it. I assume in military they would want max output from pump, but in same aspect they may want the lower draft a pump gives you. But nothing wrong with it. If I could find one in 21', I'd buy one. LOL. Instead, I'll be buying a Northriver. LOL

PM, those boats can fly. I wish I would've bought my buddies boat. It went 55mph (per depth finder guage) with two of us in the boat. That wasn't full power either. It was a wonderful boat, just came up with my sled alot cheaper. At times wish I would've bought the inflatable. Alot lighter then my reinforced aluminum sled.
 
#9 ·
A Screamer

Kush' boat, that is. Going that fast in something that small is a bit surreal. Tyler likes to use all 28 of the Yammie's HP. :D

Kerry - that's actually a spot on the other side and quite a bit below the Mixer.

Good Memories - that was a perfect day for fishing.

Ciao,

DS
 
#11 ·
Faber's ferry is what is used to be called. Across from where you are is Faber's hill.

Since I got us way off topic. Fished Faber's yesterday. Never liked it in the past. I think it fishes nice and might even hold a fish. Although I think you are more likely to time it right and get a fish in transit.
 
#12 ·
Just for that Kerry

YOU'RE OUTTA HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can't come back no more for throwing us off topic. :D :p

Nothing wrong with going off topic. I'm not going to :tsk_tsk: .

I found a couple more pics, thought I'd show off. This is a picture of my old whitewater frame converted to fish from. Has myself and my girlfriend taking off for a float on the Nooch. Gonna be selling this package as it is soon (minus the swivel cooler seat, was stolen, only have a new cooler w/o seat now). It's a great boat. But, have new frame now, and going to be buying new tubes with money I get from selling boat.
 

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#13 ·
Nothing against off topic posts but a little nervous over specific discussions of favorite runs. Next thing you know I will log on here and read that the seam is 75' out and there are two pockets one high and one at the bottom. Come on people :tsk_tsk:

Skagit Bad!
 
#15 · (Edited)
Sinktip,

I will gladly give you or anyone else the specifics on Faber's or any other run on the Skagit/Sauk. I only fish them 3 or 4 times a week. (hint of sarcasm here)

I don't think letting people know my opinion (again its just my opinion and I am certainly not the end authority here) of a very well known boat launch run is giving away specifics. Anyone who can read water even barely would be able to tell it probably doesn't hold steelhead. It fishes nice and I will stop there again. I would also fish it if it happens to be my take out as I am sure any one else would.

Do you want to know where if steelhead have been landed in the past 2 days? I can give you that information. I can tell you what flies they were caught with. I can tell you what sink tip was used. I can tell you where in the run they were caught. The top, the bottom, etc. Any one who is in the network of steelheaders on the Skagit/Sauk could also give you that info. There are not that many secrets out there. I don't post when and where fish are caught or what line was used or what fly or what cast was used, what run or where in the run. Nope, I don't do that. I rarely will post up the fact I have caught any fish at all. Nor do I post if any one else has caught fish.

My opinion of a very well known run just doesn't sound like much to worry about to me.
 
#18 ·
Hoping to go

Not sure if boat will be ready by then. Hoping to sell of my boat. In process of doing some retrofits to custom frame, then buy new tubes. It's a 16' boat now, but going to downsize to 14' tubes. Tubes I'm getting have same capacity. If I have will tow along. Would love to meet you. Also would love to improve my spey casting. I'm still in learning curve. Need all the help I can get.

 
#21 ·
Congrats on the boat

Glad you like it. In long run, if it's good for you, it's all that matters.

I'm in process of selling off my big boat and buying new Steelheader tubes for my custom frame. Then, probably buying my 12' Steelheader during late summer/early fall. Not sure if I'll buy whole package or custom build frame on the 12' yet.
 
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