shallow river boat

[Spavinaw11]

I'm looking at buying a boat for shallow rivers that is not jet driven. What I'm thinking about is an Alweld flat bottom 1648 DSLW, 25hp Evinrude 2 stroke etec with a Bob's machine shop hydraulic jack plate. Thanks for any input

 

[ondarvr]

How shallow? You can put a pump on it and not worry about shallow water.

 

[SeaDooSam]

You have the right idea. How come no jet? Jack plate is probably the way to go if you don't want a jet.

 

[jimbo_jwc]

Airboat ,Mud Motor ,or longtail boats .

 

[Spavinaw11]

How shallow? You can put a pump on it and not worry about shallow water.

Around 8"-10" for 20 yards +/- at a time. Forgive my ignorance, but what kind of a pump are you talking about?

 

[Spavinaw11]

You have the right idea. How come no jet? Jack plate is probably the way to go if you don't want a jet.

Guess I'm a little old school where jets are concerned. Plus I fish some trout waters below dams and am concerned the river moss will clog the intake or get damaged by the small gravel.

 

[Spavinaw11]

Airboat ,Mud Motor ,or longtail boats .

I was thinking about a longtail, but there are several areas of the rivers I fish that have tight turns and I'm not sure how well a longtail would work.

 

[Scott Danforth]

with a long tail you can turn the motor 90 degrees to the hull and push it sideways if you want.

I would go jet myself. yes, gravel is not good on longevity, however just like a prop can be replaced, so can the jet impeller and housing.

 

[jimbo_jwc]

with a long tail you can turn the motor 90 degrees to the hull and push it sideways if you want.

I would go jet myself. yes, gravel is not good on longevity, however just like a prop can be replaced, so can the jet impeller and housing.

Mud and pumps and gravel o my air boat have taught me how quick it will do a 180 as I unknowingly put cooler under my seat ,navigated shallow narrow rapids on plane to learn when I tried to slow down the cooler lid flipped up keeping throttle cable half WOT some wizard used barn hinge throttle n cable under there to make work simple da and it only steers real good under power from 500cui . Got stuck on river bisqet gravel bar n didn't want wiggle out and mar more of my heavy fiberglass bottom ,Couldn't hear my neighbor scream and was glad I had help so go by canoe or kayak
raft for easy access as I'm a blazen fool ,trails and loaded for bear ,beer ,4 wheeler ,cordless chainsaw ,and adding wench and still enjoy the simple old tractor inter tubes Haha and at 60 I enjoy challenges workn hobbies ,challenges and not so much the adrenalin rush .Haha .Let just spend 100 trillion just to get to mars and everybody knows what comes from Venus and its not geniuses .

 

[robert graham]

The boat you mentioned should be pretty good, but would be even better if it had a tunnel hull for about 3 more inches of clearance....

 

[ondarvr]

A pump and a jet are the same thing.

If you have 8-10" of water over gravel you won't have any problems with a jet, you can do that all day long and never suck any into the pump. Stopping and starting can be difficult in 10" of water though. Even if you do suck some gravel into the pump it's not that big of a deal.

Moss is rarely an issue, leaves in the fall can cover the intake, but you stop and brush them off, this only is a problem for a couple of days in the fall.

If you can set it up to run a prop you'll get better performance, but if you run in 8" of water very often you'll destroy some props and possibly lower units if you hit a rock.

 

[jimbo_jwc]

No Title

I was thinking about a longtail, but there are several areas of the rivers I fish that have tight turns and I'm not sure how well a longtail would work.

My next boat will be a mini air boat on my 12 john ,this is the power plant from first failed attempt as weight and horse power come into play

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I fish the Mississippi north of the Twin Cities, lots of rock and shallow. I run a 4814 jon boat with a tunnel hull. No jack plate and I can travel thru 12" of water with no worries.

 

[jimbo_jwc]

I fish the Mississippi north of the Twin Cities, lots of rock and shallow. I run a 4814 jon boat with a tunnel hull. No jack plate and I can travel thru 12" of water with no worries.

Don't even need water with mine ,had a 6 wheel amphibious but it wasn't a good boat or all terrain vehicle either .Just need gas tow vehicle and a better trailer .

 

[Scott Danforth]

the mississippi north of the twin cities is almost thick enough to plow (but not thin enough to drink). didnt think there was 12" of water up there.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Mud and pumps and gravel o my air boat have taught me how quick it will do a 180 as I unknowingly put cooler under my seat ,navigated shallow narrow rapids on plane to learn when I tried to slow down the cooler lid flipped up keeping throttle cable half WOT some wizard used barn hinge throttle n cable under there to make work simple da and it only steers real good under power from 500cui . Got stuck on river bisqet gravel bar n didn't want wiggle out and mar more of my heavy fiberglass bottom ,Couldn't hear my neighbor scream and was glad I had help so go by canoe or kayak
raft for easy access as I'm a blazen fool ,trails and loaded for bear ,beer ,4 wheeler ,cordless chainsaw ,and adding wench and still enjoy the simple old tractor inter tubes Haha and at 60 I enjoy challenges workn hobbies ,challenges and not so much the adrenalin rush .Haha .Let just spend 100 trillion just to get to mars and everybody knows what comes from Venus and its not geniuses .

2 countries separated by a common language. But I understood everything you wrote, I'm a Steelworker.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

the mississippi north of the twin cities is almost thick enough to plow (but not thin enough to drink). didnt think there was 12" of water up there.

There is plenty of 36" deep water if you know the route. Plenty of deep holes too.

 

[southkogs]

I must be WAY old school - 15' rowboat with a 15HP(ish) on it. For 20-ish yards, use a trolling motor or the oars.

If you're not trailering, some smaller pontoons will handle shallow water and still run the prop. Or a drift boat that's got a small outboard on it too. I see a lot of those on the rivers here in TN.

 

[Spavinaw11]

Thanks to everyone for their input. I may reconsider a jet and look closer at a tunnel hull. The current can be pretty fast in the shallow parts of the river/s I fish and it would be difficult to row or use a trolling motor when going up stream. Thanks again to everyone...great site!