Dear Paul,Thank you for your interesting letter and for introducing me to drift boats. Although I had seen some on the water while driving alongside rivers during travels to the Pacific Northwest, I had no inkling of the tradition from which these pretty hulls are derived. Flare, sheer, and overhang, which they have in abundance, are the very characteristics that melt hearts in a beautiful design. From the tone of your correspondence, I gather that the Whitewater runs that I've watched online are not what you have in mind when you think of a nice afternoon on the water. Just as some small-boat sailors imagine great sailing adventures as long as they are within cell-phone range and can get to a hot shower and cold beer by 5 p.m., you are looking for the essence of the adventure, in palatable quantity. That makes total sense to me, and it is the direction that I'm going to take with this concept.The two types of drift boats you mention, the McKenzie and the Rogue River dories, show a few important distinctions. The McKenzie River drift boat is generally smaller, with less topside flare than its Rogue River cousin. The latter has a noticeable flat area on the bottom panel, which adds stability and makes it better suited to carry heavy loads, compared to the former, whose constant rocker makers it extremely nimble and maneuverable.
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