Our Boats
Drift Boat
FEATURES
Designed and hand-built by a team of fishing guides, every boat is made to exceed expectations for what a drift boat can be.
Hulls
Our hulls are built with a focus on rowing performance, lightweight materials and durability. The resin infusion process has been commonplace in the aerospace industry and in the high-end saltwater skiff production world for several decades and now we are proud to pioneer this process in the drift boat industry. Our hull design, dimensions and construction methods result in a boat that drafts incredibly little water, with the stability of a skiff and the maneuverability of a more traditional rockered Mckenzie style drifter.
Due to epoxy resin’s better mechanical properties, we have chosen to use it exclusively in all of our hulls and parts. Epoxy is superior to all other types of resin, offering a rock-solid chemical bond between layers, advanced adhesion, durability, and flex. All of our boat bottoms come standard, coated with a super slick epoxy compound that adds durability as well as glide over rocks and shallow spots.
ROWING
The incredible stiffness achieved by our hull construction is unmatched. When you pull on the oars, High Country Boats jump to it. With their skiff inspired footprint, our boats sit very high on the water, drafting little more than 3 inches, while still having enough rocker to handle big water and technical rowing situations.When we set out to design the perfect drift boat, we wanted a hull design that could really excel in any situation. After years of rowing and testing our design, guiding all over the country on many different rivers, the shape has evolved into what we feel is the perfect drift boat that performs incredibly well in all water conditions.
Need a low sided boat for windy wide open rivers one day, and enough rocker to make quick moves in a tight rock garden the next day? This boat has you covered. With a wave punching rockered bow, and a wide stable bottom that floats in three inches of water, our design leaves little to be desired.The unique footprint of our boats allows them to be super responsive and nimble, while maintaining unparalleled stability, and fishability while rowing or anchored. The side height and pointed bow are are low enough to survive brutal flat water wind gusts, but high enough to navigate big wave trains and high water conditions.
INTERIORS
The fit and finish of our interiors is what really sets them apart. The clean lines and intuitive layout options are second to none, and make them a pleasure to row and fish from. Clean, snag-free, and perfectly appointed, our interiors are reminiscent of a high end saltwater skiff, with everything you need, and nothing you don’t.
We have spent years designing and refining our interior options and layout features. Every boat starts with full length decks, and can be completely customized from there. From a stripped down super-light skiff, to a a decked out boat with all the bells and whistles, we can do it. All of our interiors are hand finished with our custom marine grade non skid paint, and outfitted with top of the line stainless steel and aluminum components. We offer infinite storage and seating options, with benches, boxes, and dry hatches all available. You design it, we build it. Period.
Hardware
Our boats are outfitted with top of the line marine grade stainless steel and aluminum components. From the nuts and bolts to the seats, we use only the best hardware available. We don’t cut any corners when it comes to outfitting our boat interiors.
We have tested every last thing on our interiors, and are confident in every piece. All of our anchor components come straight from Dierks Anchor Systems in Oregon. We use only waterproof Tempress All Weather seats, that are made to stand up to years of abuse. Our custom welded aluminum rower’s footbar is set into the floor with recessed threaded screws and can be easily adjusted.
Our box and bench lids come equipped with hydraulic shock arms and latches that are placed out of the way of wandering fly lines. Everything is tight and where it needs to be.
Braces
The custom molded thigh braces are the first thing most people notice on our boats. Snag-free, rock solid, and beautifully hand crafted, these braces provide a stable platform to lean into as well as additional storage space. We mold every piece of our thigh braces in-house, and paint each one by hand.
Our design allows for a completely free standing walk around brace that is capable of supporting the full weight of a large angler leaning or sitting on them. Permanently attached, our braces will never become wobbly with time. With recessed cup holders in the shade underneath the leg locks, and additional storage space for phones and rain jackets below, they are the perfect blend of function, durability, and craftsmanship.
storage
As guides, we know the importance of storage in a boat. We offer infinite storage options, and every boat is totally customizeable to the customer’s specifications.The storage options start underneath both full length decks. These large spaces can be left completely open, outfitted with dry hatches, or a combination of both.
Our walk around rower’s box is larger than most on the market, and can fit plenty of gear. For those who want even more dry storage, we offer a full length rower’s bench that ties in with dry storage underneath both decks. Additional storage space is available underneath both angler’s seats in the form of a box instead of pedestals.
drains
Nobody wants to tilt their boat and leave it propped up ever time it rains. We have solved this problem with our center drain plugs. Simple pop the plug and walk away. Wade fishing in and out of the boat all day, and getting a puddle in the bottom? Let it drain on the ride home. Our 3/4″ thick cored hull bottom allows us to install center drain plugs without fear of popping the plugs out on the river.
The plugs sit recessed up in the floor, and we have never had one pop unexpectedly on the water. As guides who live in wet climates, these center drains have been borderline life changing, and we can’t imagine ever going back to a boat without them. In addition to the center drains, our boats contain two drains in the standard spot at the stern of the boat that are great when rinsing the boat out with a pressure washer.
tie downs
Our tie down system eliminates awkward straps, and really streamlines the process at the boat ramp. When you’re tired at the end of the day, the little things matter. We have incorporated stainless steel U-bolts into our boat hulls that provide a rock solid connection point for boat buckles mounted on the trailer.
These U-bolts are reinforced with a metal plate that is fiberglassed into the inside of the boat hull. The tie down system takes about 5 seconds per side, and the ratchet system holds the boat tighter to the trailer than any strap ever could. In addition, this system eliminates the need for a strap across the top of the boat, saving a lot of wear and tear on the interior pieces.
Our Process
Constructed by Hand,
to our exact specifications
Our small batch production allows us to build every piece of every boat to our meticulous standards, resulting in what we feel is the highest quality drift boat on the planet. We have spent years guiding and fishing out of our boats, perfecting the layout and tweaking the hull design. This attention to detail can instantly be seen in our design and felt on the water, and translates to a next level craft that has set the new standard in drift boats.
Vacuum Infusion
Starting with our performance-driven hulls, each boat begins the same way, utilizing a high-grade foam core that is sandwiched between layers of epoxy resin and quadraxial fiberglass. Our vacuum infusion process allows us to build a boat that has the perfect ratio of fiberglass to epoxy resin, ensuring a hull that is lightweight and extremely durable. We have chosen to use epoxy resin over vinyl-ester or polyester because of its superior mechanical properties, including better strength, stiffness, adhesion, and resistance to water absorption.
Quieter & stiffer
Our cored and vacuum-infused construction process also creates a hull that is extremely quiet when sliding over rocks, and much stiffer than traditional molded and hand-laid drift boats. This build process is much more complicated and costly than spraying “chopper” fiberglass into a mold, but we can attest to the difference in quality, as we have rigorously tested our boats on the water and have been extremely impressed with the results.
CUSTOM interiors
Once each custom-colored hull has been popped from the mold, the layout, and interior features are completely up to each customer’s vision, from storage and seating options to custom logo colors.
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OUR Guarantee
WARrANTY
At High Country Boats, we value your business. We want every customer to be 100% happy with their boat.
If at any time, anything fails on one of our boats due to our workmanship, we will absolutely fix or replace it, no questions asked.
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Our hulls are guaranteed for the life of the boat against all punctures and leaks. If at any time repairs are needed, simply get the boat to us in Banner Elk, NC. We know fishing time is valuable and a livelihood for many, so we will work hard to get you back on the water fast. Repairs due to long term wear and tear, boating accidents, or negligent abuse ( re-painting, re-glassing chines, etc.) will be done at a reasonable charge. We will also gladly conduct repairs on any and all drift boats, regardless of make or model. We are one of the only outfits on the East Coast capable of completely re-doing all parts of a drift boat. Blown out chines, new paint jobs, fabricating interior parts, re-glassing hulls…. We can do it all. Get the boat to us, and we’ll do the rest.
TRADE-INS
As full time guides, we know how hard it is to come up with the full asking price of a brand new boat. We can work with you to assess your current boat, and come up with a fair trade-in value to get you in a brand new or used High Country Boat.
Our STory
High Country Boats was formed in 2012 by long time friends Matt Maness and Les Vance. Both growing up in North Carolina, Matt and Les first met fishing on the river as teenagers, and have been fishing buddies ever since.