Driftboat Info

My friend and I decided it would be really nice to have a drift boat after a trip out to Wyoming this summer.  However, the price of a drift boat quickly checked us back into reality.  After drooling over some pictures of some amazing wooden drift boats, I decided I was going to try and build one.  So I purchased a great book on the subject, Drift Boats and River Dories: Their History, Design, Construction, and Use by Roger Fletcher.

I've finally come up with somewhat of an idea of what I am wanting to build.

I want a two man boat that's small enough to fit in the back of a truck but yet still have the classic lines of a McKenzie drift boat.  Not finding exactly what I was looking for, I'm modifying the model known as the Trapper to fit what I'm looking for.  Although with all the changes, I don't think it will resemble a Trapper at all.  Since I'm modifying it so heavily, I'm going to build a strongback for this boat.  I think it's going to be the best way to make sure everything planes out and works well.  Stay tuned.....

Trapper pic

16' McKenzie with transom pic