Best boat

[RFowler]

Another thing, Mike. You were boasting about your boat being nowhere near $30,000. But you have 3, correct? I was under the impression that the topic starter was looking for a very versatile boat. Billy brought up the best answer with an aluminum prop jon, in my opinion. It's the most cost effective. If a man wants something more versatile then it's going to be a custom job that costs more money.

[Grumpy]

I thought he said a prop tunnel works great with a jet outboard :-/

Grumpy

[Mike_Anderson]

Well, the boat is a custom and it wasn't anywhere near $30, 000 and it is extremely versatile. My Stratos hasn't seen water since last spring and the aluminum hasn't been out since I got the Supreme. I have a sentimental attachment to the aluminum since it’s been so good to me for so long. The Stratos is strictly a Striper boat. The Supreme is a boat built for shallow river fly fishing or guiding. It does everything they told me it would and more. See if you can find a same size boat that will do what a Supreme will do for less then $3200. You won't.

BTW, I’ll be glad to carry on this conversation but I would appreciate it if we could do it in a more gentlemen like manner.

Thanks
Mike

[RFowler]

Well, the boat is a custom and it wasn't anywhere near $30, 000 and it is extremely versatile. My Stratos hasn't seen water since last spring and the aluminum hasn't been out since I got the Supreme. I have a sentimental attachment to the aluminum since it’s been so good to me for so long. The Stratos is strictly a Striper boat. The Supreme is a boat built for shallow river fly fishing or guiding. It does everything they told me it would and more. See if you can find a same size boat that will do what a Supreme will do for less then $3200. You won't.

BTW, I’ll be glad to carry on this conversation but I would appreciate it if we could do it in a more gentlemen like manner.

Such is the case on a lot of these forums. If someone doesn't agree with whats being said then that person is flamming the other. I'd tell you the same if I were standing right in front of you in LRO. That boat is probably a good one while there's water being generated but unless it's some kind of remote stretch of water on these rivers, then I suspect that boat would disturb someones wade/float fishing. That's the reason I didn't buy a skinny water boat. I wanted to be a gentleman to my fellow anglers. I don't think there would be one person on this forum that wouldn't agree with that. They're just not saying anything. IMHO, low water is quiet time.

Another thing I disagree with is that boat being versatile. It's not. It's made for shallow water, that's it. Think you could float that boat from Townsend to Maryville on the LR? How about the Hiwassee? Pigeon, Nolichucky, Nantahala? Heck, float that boat on the Clinch or Holston on low water. The whole point I was trying to make is a tunnel jon, or a regular jon, will do high water just as good as the Supreme. Probably better if it's thick aluminum. The boat I speak of will do all those things and do a lake or salt flat as well. It eliminates the need for multiple boats. That's why I said I thought $30,000 was cheap for such a boat.

How about a cataraft with a 15hp outboard? Anybody think that would be a versatile boat? It's not the boat I'm talking about but it's an inexpensive alternative to the boat I want.

[Mike_Anderson]

That’s cool, I’d like to see that boat sometime.

[RFowler]

Me too, Mike. Believe me, I've spent a lot of money on boats over the past 4 years. I was surprised that Jason said he could build such a thing. I would go into details but this boat would be the first of its kind (that I know of.) Unfortunately, I don't have the money to commission him at the time. If or when I can and I take delivery of this boat, you are welcome to join me, you seem very passionate about the same kind of fishing I enjoy myself.

[OLDBEAU]

HELLO FROM OLD BEAU IN KNOXVILLE.
I FISH THE CLINCH, HIWASSEE, CANEY, ETC. TOO MUCH OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS. MY SQUARE STERN GRUMMAN CANOE ISN'T AS STABLE AS IT ONCE WAS! I AM PRETTY SURE IT IS THE BOAT....NOT ME!!! I AM LOOKING FOR ANOTHER "WIDER" BOAT AND SAW THIS WEB SIGHT. I AM IMPRESSED... THANKS FOR HAVING ME...
I AM LOOKING @ A RIVER HAWK 13' OR 15'. THE SMALL 4 HP FROM THE CANOE MUST PUSH ME BACK UP THE CLINCH WITH BOTH GENERATORS....
HAS ANYONE HAD ANY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS NEW "CANOE/JON" BOAT BUILT IN GEORGIA?
WOULD THE TUNNEL HULL WORK BETTER WITH 1 GENERATOR? SURE HAVE TORN UP A FEW PROPS, BUT HAVE ENJOYED EVERY SECOND OF IT....
THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE.
OLDBEAU

[Mike_Anderson]

I've had a 13' Gheenoe and the Riverhawk B60 and they both are amazing boats. I would suggest you go with a larger motor however, at least a 10hp. The B60 is an extremely stable a platform as far as riverboats go. Two people can walk around with no problem. I used stand up and fish off the bow of mine. I’ve heard to stay away from the tunnel Hull due to performance issues.

Here is a pic of my old Riverhawk B60.

[OLDBEAU]

THANK YOU MIKE.
QUITE A SET UP THAT YOU HAVE.....
ALREADY HAVE THE 4HP JOHNSON AND TRAILER.....
DO YOU THINK THAT THE 13' RIVER HAWK WOULD WORK WITH THIS POWER?
I FISHED IT WITH A 16' SCANOE FOR YEARS ON THE CLINCH....SLOW BUT IT WOULD GET ME BACK UP..EVEN WITH FULL GENERATION...
LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO GET RID OF YOUR B-60
THANKING YOU AGAIN,
OLD BEAU

[billyspey]

i would think a 4 hp would be a struggle on most any boat against 2 generators or even one .i think you would need at least 9.9 to move at much of speed against any generation. a jet tunnel that most jon boat builders use is really to shallow for our rivers , the jet shoe is below the bottom of the boat where you can have damage running in our local rivers. a prop tunnels allows the motor to run 4 in or more above the bottom of the boat. a hydrolic plate on the motor allows movement of the motor up and down for better performance and protection these jet tunnels were not built for our type of low waters , most john boat builder are located in western arkansas or mo. they don,t have these rock infested rivers. if you were just fishing the cumberland where during low water, they have mostly gravel and sand bars a jet tunnel would be fine, the motor is the most expensive part it needs protecting. i am not saying [i am a know it all] just stating it works for me. not many boat dealers in our area know how or care to know how to do a proper setup. i have talked to all of them.