17.5×54 Tatman
Overview
This boat is the standard for plus sized quests making it very popular among guides that run big water and have room among the rocks for a bigger boat. It's shown here with a custom deck. That is now a shop option.
The 17 1/2-foot wide bottom (54") drift boat has become quite popular. It was designed for ease of operation under the heavier loading conditions found in typical guide applications. Though the boat weighs slightly over 300 lb., its large bottom area allows it to be one of our highest floating boats. This quality is very useful for carrying that fourth person. The smooth easy lines of its hull and the boat's longer hull length also gives it superior holding and tracking ability. Many experienced guides tell us that this boat is the best rowing boat they have ever rowed. (Rowing a boat full of fishing clients all day every day would make an oarsman appreciate its finer handling qualities.) Some customers report such good holding characteristics as "almost needing to row the boat down river". If you decide to row this boat, we recommend 9' oars.
Specifications
| Length Over All | Gunwail Length | Width at Bottom | Width at Oarlock | Height at Oarlock | Hull Weight | Capacity |
| 15 ft 8 in | 17 ft 6 in | 54 in | 77 in | 24 in | 320 lbs | 720 lbs |
| 15 ft 8 in | 17 ft 6 in | 54 in | 77 in | 26 in | 320 lbs | 900 lbs |
This boat can do everything except be small
It is amazing how much more boat you get for that extra half a foot on the gunwale. This is a high volume boat for big water and big loads. The high side version can carry a huge load while the flair on the sides keeps you from going too deep in the water. The detail numbers above are for the standard side on top and the high side on the bottom
The 17.5 used to be the biggest boat we make. It is right at the limit for everyday use and a fantastic size for big water with a deck. Big guys will like the extra leg room that he extra volume creates and the high side version can carry a big load.
