Wood Drift Boat

I suppose this is a "vintage" photo of a Don Hill Riverboat. I built this one when I worked and guided with Don about 40 years ago when these photos were taken. This is not like the newer high/wide guides Model offered today, this boat is a standard drift-boat just like the originator Woody Hindman created. They were built like a fine piece of furniture with the best of materials and clear coated to shine.
Not to many of these left today, Don (and I) quit building drift-boats many years ago.

Forgot to label the photos. The top two are on the Deschutes River, the lower one taken on the McKenzie River.

Yep, that's me in the middle photo; flyfishing for steelhead. I was a bit younger and more stable back then.
Today I wade with a couple of wading staffs LOL.

  So RV  are you just showing us the pictures or are you trying to sell this DB ?

  Definitely a nice looking boat. What size is it ?

  I've been thinking of selling my little mini-drifter.I haven't used it for over 2 years. Maybe I'll dig it out of my shop, clean it up and post some photos later today.

 Here is an old shot.

Hi Mark,
No, not trying to sell the boat. She's been gone for a long time. Went to San Francisco for work for about 35 years and had no use for the drift boat. Bought a sailboat for the Bay and loved it.
The drift-boat is a 16' standard. Very light and agile compared to today's high wide versions. Turn the boat a little to the side and use one oar and wrist action to ferry from one side of the river to the other. These boats had a chine. Most glass and aluminum boats do not and are much harder to ferry.
Is your mini-drifter fiberglass? Is it a Don Hill boat? Those were made outside of Salem by a glass guy who built them for Don. Loved to flyfish from them with a small Minn-Kota for power.

     Hi Bill,

  As you can see my mini is all hand laid fiberglass. It's 12 ' long and 48" wide. Not a Don Hill model. Though I have talked to Don a few times at the Puyallup Sports show when I was building them and promoting them there. He had some very positive comments about my mini's.
  The one pictured is 150 lbs.It was number 13 out of 27 I built.Always a lucky number for me. Couldn't tell you how many fish I have caught out of that boat--but let's just say a boat load. It has been awesome for some of the smaller creeks on the Olympic peninsula. It did great on the Kenai River when I lived in Alaska. It was fun to have so many of the guides up there ask me where I got it and if I would make them one. I don't work fiberglass anymore-but it was a lot of fun for a few years.

The Don Hill mini-drifter boats were 10' and built in the Rapid Robert style i.e. no pointy ends.
Like the looks of your version, plenty of rocker to make it operate properly in fast waters.

Nice boat; too bad you're not using her. As always you won't know how much you liked her until she's gone, right?

  I've been thinking of selling my little mini-drifter.I haven't used it for over 2 years.

You know who to call, right?     I'll even grant you visitation rights!

-Allen

"
Like the looks of your version, plenty of rocker to make it operate properly in fast waters.

Nice boat; too bad you're not using her. As always you won't know how much you liked her until she's gone, right?"
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   Yes sir------I know exactly what you mean about boats and other toys as well. But it is time to pass it forward and hope someone else can get as much joy as I have from the mini-drifter.
  I'll throw out another shot of the interior I took today. Their is a little standing water that hadn't drained out yet in the floor but you can get a better idea of the layout. The overall width is 56" from oarlock to oarlock. The fish boxes on each side are 61 " long. It has a Dirks anchor arm that folds into the interior so it won't poke out the back window of your truck. I use a 15 lbs "coffe can" anchor that locks it down right now in all but the fastest water. It will come with 2 pair of oars that set into HMVW oarlocks for extra strength. 150 lbs total weight and I have loaded it into my pickup by myself many times. With 2 people it loads really easy. It fit into a small (think Toyota or Ranger) truck with room to spare so there is no need for a trailer .
  Yeah I have had many great times with the mini. But as I haven't used it since I got my Hobie....it is time to let someone else give it a shot, get the deck nice and bloodied up, and make their own memories with this little race car.
 
  Sorry if I got a little bit long winded .

                                                         Mark

I look at this mini-drifter and think about the times I used to sleep in my driftboat on guide trips on the Deschutes. Pull the front seat, put it on the bank and there is plenty of room. Nothing like being rocked to sleep with a little slap on the hull. I mention this because whomever gets your boat may have thoughts of removing that front seat, if out alone, and putting a full length pad in the bottom.

A word of caution, I always found it better to tie up to a tree instead of just throwing the anchor up on the bank. The first time I slept in the boat, I awoke in the middle of the night with thoughts of running class three or better whitewater while sleeping and tied her off. After that first night; I slept like a baby.

The metal plate is for an outboard I presume. Did you ever try one on the boat? I imagine it would be safe enough with a 100# or less outboard. Looks like it would take a 15" shaft.

There is another forum in the NW that you may already belong to @ http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/forum/index.php I would think when you get her ready with a price you'd like to ask, you may get a better response from those folks; could be worth a try. I'd advertise her here as well I'll guess there are lots who have or would love to have a smaller driftboat. Driftboats may not be as forgiving as a rubber boat (raft) but they can be used with much more technical grace.

My thoughts are; if Don Hill gave you Kudos on the boat, it's got to be of decent design. Don had his faults like the rest of us, but he knew driftboats and whitewater like no one else.

   Well........it appears that my Peninsula Boats Mini-drifter will be having a new owner soon.
  And I am so glad it will be going to a friend and someone who is very much a "water dog".

  It will be delivered at Chinook Bend during ORC and something tells me that the new owner wants to get it on the water ASAP. But that is just a guess.

  I have had many great days with this little boat and will miss it.......but it is time to pass it on. Looking forward to this boat bringing good times to the next owner.and son.......

 I just loaded up my Mini-Drifter in my pickup to see how well it and 2 Outbacks would fit in the back of a standard size bed. 

 They don't 

 But that's okay.....I got this shit........

 So ..... I will be delivering this new ( to someone ) boat to ORC. This might be my last chance to take her out on the water. (unless I want to go to San Jose,Cal.)(which I don't).

 And yes....I will miss this little gem. But I know that she is going to a good home and will have many more "fishy" days. So best of luck to the new owner........

  You're gonna love this craft.