Getting your Drift Boat Ready for Summer
The snow has finally melted in town. You take the old beat up tarp off the S.S. Cutthroat and take a big sigh. Why you ask? Well, if you are like me and lots of other drift boat fishermen, there is always a list of to-dos with the drift boat that seem to never get done, especially after a long winter. Kid, jobs, house chores, and all the different distractions of life always seem to take precedence over taking care of the ol' trusty drift boat. I know some guys obsess over theirs but, to me, the drift boat is a tool and needs to get used. Now, that is no excuse to not take care of it. I usually will dedicate a day or two in the spring, typically during runoff when fishing is not great and go through the boat.
Drift boats are a pretty simple boat. They are designed to be robust and tough. A ding or chip here or there is no big deal really. I actually like to remember those dings and chips as a reminder of a cool trip I took. The cosmetics of a drift boat are really secondary to the true necessities of what is in a drift boat or how functional your trailer is. Honestly, I'll put more emphasis on the trailer than the boat, itself. You can have the coolest boat on the planet but if your trailer is lacking good bearings, or trailer lights, or other essential items you are not going fishing. So, let's go over some of the drift boat basics that you should do to get your drift boat ready for the summer.
Floating the Smith this summer? Check out our Smith River guide before you go.
Drift Boat Trailer Checklist
The trailer is your means of getting to the river, so it is vital that you give it some love. Bearings are the #1 item you should concentrate on with the trailer. Most wheels will have bearing buddies on them. This makes the job of greasing the bearings much easier. If you don't have them, you should consider replacing the ones you have with them. They have a grease fitting on the bearing that you can attach your grease gun to and quickly lube your bearings. If the trailer is older and, let's say, you just purchased it, the first thing to do is to change the actual bearings out if they are needed. If you neglect this job, you could seize a bearing and be stranded somewhere. I've not had this happen, but a few friends have had this happen and it’s not a good thing. A good rule of thumb is that you should grease the fitting every 200 miles as typically recommended on most trailers.
Trailer lights would be second on the list. The is the bane of most boat owners. I've changed out countless sets of lights, and each time it is just as annoying as the last. My trailer has sealed type LED lights, and they are great. They seem to last a bit longer and are not susceptible to water. But, not all trailers have them. So, if you have an older type that is not sealed, I'd consider changing them out. Otherwise, you will be constantly having troubles with them. You’ll want to keep a spare bulb in the glove box and some fuses, as well, for your rig. Plus, having an inexpensive LED tester handy too will help to troubleshoot typical issues you may have with your lights. You may find these at most auto parts stores.
Most drift boat trailers have rollers on the frame. These are handy and if your trailer does not have them, I don't envy you. I've had some metal fabrication shops add them for very little money -very well worth the cost. Depending on the incline of the ramps where you fish, the rollers are super nice to have. Most newer trailers have them, but not all the older ones do. Mine has a rear one on the back and one in the middle and it seems to do the trick well.
Also, you’ll want to check the strap on your hand crank too. If it is getting worn, they are inexpensive to replace. Keep them flat when reeling back in and this will help extend the life of the strap. A safety hook is a smart idea as well. Most trailers have them but if yours does not you’ll for sure want to add one to it. A safety hook is a chain that is attached to the frame by the hand crank and simply clips onto the bow eye. This is a safety feature that will keep the boat attached to the trailer in the event that your hand crank fails, possibly allowing the boat to come off the trailer.
Next, having a lock for your latch on the tongue is a good idea too, or a coder pin, to keep it from coming loose in travel. And, a bow strap for the rear of the boat is a good idea as well. Again, it’s pretty inexpensive but it’s a good idea to have one. We have used an anchor rope for this, but that’s not always a great idea as it really wears out the rope quickly. A ratchet strap works well too. There are new quick straps called "boat buckles" that attach onto each side of the frame of the trailer and simply come up to the gunnel. A couple of clicks on the ratchet and presto! Your boat is secured and good to go.
So, for the most part, keeping air in your tires and your bearings greased you should not have to do too much maintenance on your trailer. In the end, taking the time to check these items before you go out it will pay dividends in the long run and keep you on the water.
What to Bring in a Drift Boat?
There are some essentials I think you should always have in your boat. My motto is to keep it simple, sometimes less is more. Overburdening your boat with extra gear adds weight and takes up space. So, decide what are really the most important items to you and keep it simple. Make sure to check your local laws and regulations in your state.
It is most likely a guarantee that you will need life jackets. Plus, make sure that they fit properly for the people you are taking for the day. It never hurts to have a few smaller and bigger sizes at home to accommodate different friends that you may take. A throwable seat cushion is good as well and sometimes required. And, a throw rope is a necessity as well. These are a smaller mesh bag with a good length of rope that you can throw to someone that has fallen out of the boat. The bag has a handle on it for the person in the water to grab on to, then you can pull the person to the boat or shoreline. Throw ropes can be a bit trickier to find at times. Usually, a rafting supplier will have them.
Need the right-sized life jacket? Order online here.
I also keep a small tool kit in the boat. I keep it stocked with some sockets, a wrench, a Leatherman, and some screwdrivers, and a small bottle of WD40. In addition to the tool kit, I'll have a spare long rope with some heavy-duty carabiners. You may lose an anchor and its rope, so it’s a good idea to have a backup. A spare anchor is good to have too, but I don't always keep one in the boat for weight. Instead, you can keep a heavy-duty bag in the boat and fill it full of rocks to use as an emergency anchor. But, if you are on the water a bunch, maybe consider keeping a back-up in your truck. It’s possible to have a friend run it down to you on the water if the scenario works out to do so.
Looking for a spare anchor? Check these out.
About Drift Boat Oars…
Next, having a good set of oars is such a treat. They can get pricey but, man, do they make life easier on the water. Keeping a spare breakdown oar is very prudent and sometimes required. If you have wooden oars, it's a good idea to inspect them each year. You’ll want to look for wear or cracks in the wood. Maybe consider re-wrapping the rope wrap every other season. Most composite oars come with sleeves, so this is not a big issue. Sanding down and refinishing a wood oar is not hard to do and will lengthen the life of the oar. There are some really killer oars out on the market right now that are already counterbalanced or made of super light carbon fiber. If you can swing getting the good ones, go for it! A spare set of oar locks are a good item to have as well.
You’ll also want to have a good supply of drain plugs in the boat. They can be somewhat hard to find at times. So, we carry a really cool style here at the fly shop. They are a half-dome shape with a wing nut and screw that goes through the middle of the plug. They don't stick out of the bottom of the boat like the other styles do, and they won’t hit any rocks. If you ever get in a pinch and forget a drain plug, a bottle of floatant wrapped in a plastic bag or some tape will suffice to get you off the water.
In addition to the drain plugs, you’ll also want to have a beach towel or an emergency blanket. If someone were to get signs of hypothermia, this is the first thing you will want to get to them. A first aid kit is a no-brainer too. There are many styles out there already put together. Just decide what one suits you best. Some Benadryl is always good to have for bee stings, poison ivy, etc.... Always, and I mean always, have extra water with you or at the very least a water filter. I keep spare bottles in one of my storage containers. Make sure you pack enough water for the day and for the weather you will encounter. Finally, a flashlight and spare batteries are a good idea too. I have two to three lights in my boat -one big one with high output, and a headlamp, plus a smaller one.
Why Yeti?
Next, consider keeping a couple of packable rain jackets and pants in the drift boat with you. The Frogg Toggs we carry fit this bill perfectly. I even go as far as to have a couple of spare polarized glasses in the boat for friends or clients to use. These can be a game changer for someone new to fly fishing and seeing their fish come to the fly. Consider a good cooler too. Yes, I know, you are probably going to sigh and say Yeti. I’m telling you Yeti is worth it. Yeti works as they say it will and nothing beats having a cold beverage on a hot summer day. When I was guiding, we'd go through ice like nobody's business. These coolers will keep ice in block form for a couple of days. I made the leap a couple of years ago and wish I had done so earlier. They are tough, rugged and come in a ton of different varieties with accessories too.
Rugged-tough and in a ton of varieties, browse our Yeti coolers online here.
Finally, don't forget the sunscreen either. I know I sound like your mom. But, seriously, I know a handful of guides and outdoor folks that have gone down the skin cancer road, and it's not a good one. I keep a least a couple of fresh big bottles of 50 SPF in the boat all summer. Man, I hate trying to get sunscreen off of my hands in the summer. Who wants flies with sunscreen on them? Not me!  So, I’ll have some heavy-duty blue shop paper towels handy.
I know the list is somewhat endless of everything you need to get your drift boat ready for summer but, trust me, these are the essentials. Spending a good day and going through your drift boat before the season will make for a more enjoyable summer.