Boulder Boat Works, Inc. is the first to pioneer the use of polymer hulls in drift boat construction. Boulder Boat Works’ hulls are made from a special Marine Grade, U.V. protected,VHMW-PE (Very High Molecular Weight, Polyethylene) plastic. We have combined the most innovative hull material (VHMW-PE) with classic drift boat designs to produce the world’s first and finest series of polymer hulled drift boats.

The Crew at Boulder Boat Works → Click here for photo gallery

Our polymer drift boats solve most, if not all, of the problems associated with fiberglass, aluminum and wooden drift boat hulls. They are easily the strongest and the lightest drift boat hulls on the market and the lowest maintenance hulls money can buy. That is a very rare trio of features – Strongest, Lightest, Low Maintenance. In addition to those major points, they are also extremely ‘slippery’ boats both through the water and, more importantly, they slide off rocks easily. They are quiet in the water, warm on cold days, and U.V. protected for life. The VHMW-PE material is solid color throughout which means there are no gel coats to repair, no chips to retouch, no painting or patching for the life of the boat. Say goodbye to chine repairs. Our boats come with a lifetime guarantee against bottom punctures and hull leaks.

2013 Convertible River Taxi (CRT) → Click here for details

Boulder Boat Works’ polymer drift boats have as many advantages for the Pro Guide/Outfitter as they do for the first-time drift boat owner. Both will appreciate all of the advantages of our Boulder Boat Works’ polymer hull. The Outfitter will appreciate the design, performance and low hull maintenance of these boats. The first-time owner will appreciate the strength and durability of the hull, especially in the first year on the river. Our ability to customize each drift boat to suit the individual is appreciated by all.

We have combined the latest technology in our hulls with classic wooden details and old world craftsmanship to produce a truly unique drift boat. These drift boats are rewriting the rule books for guides, outfitters and weekend warriors. No longer will you have to pump up the old raft in the middle of summer just to fish your favorite river because Boulder Boat Works’ hulls don’t have the same limitations as other drift boat hulls have. Low water? So what! Take the drift boat. It’s polymer! You can’t hurt it! When everyone else is in a raft because of the low water, you’ll be riding in high style and comfort in your Boulder Boat Works‘ drift boat.

Pro Guide with High Side Hull → Click here for details

These drift boats are the strongest, toughest, lowest maintenance drift boats on the market today. They are available in many different interior configurations, including full one-of-a-kind custom packages. So whether you choose one of our standard models or a full blown custom boat, it all adds up to the same result; the strongest, most innovative, and beautiful drift boat available today.

VHMW-PE is a high impact, flexible material that will withstand an enormous amount of abuse. Wood, aluminum, and fiberglass are materials that are rigid and thus suffer significant damage upon impact. Additionally and very important is the ‘slippery’ nature of this polymer (much like Teflon). These boats literally slide off the rocks. Wood, aluminum, and fiberglass all ‘gag’ on the rocks as the coefficient of friction dramatically increases with impact. Our material is quiet on the water and comfortable to the touch. There is no maintenance. Cleaning is easy with ordinary products. In fact, wiping down the boat with simply water removes 99% of the dirt.

Following the lead of modern, high performance kayaks (which use a similar polyethylene material), Boulder Boat Works’ hulls have an especially hard chine. When used with proper rowing techniques, this feature dramatically improves the spin rate. An increased ferry angle is also possible. "Setting" the downstream chine creates a keel effect driving the boat across the river. Both of these moves are critical to precise, professional drift boat maneuvering.

Some additional words about fiberglass, aluminum, and wooden drift boats:

Fiberglass is the cheapest material used in drift boat construction. Larger manufacturers use fiberglass not because it is the best material for drift boats, but because it can be easily used to mass-produce boats. This is the reason that you see so many fiberglass boats; not because they are better, but because they are easily mass-produced. The gel coating is weak, fragile and not well suited for rocky rivers. After as little as one day on the river, you may be doing repairs to the bottom or chine. After a modest season, you will be repairing the gel coat at minimum or you risk getting rot in between the fiberglass layers underneath.

Aluminum Boats are very durable, but they also have some disadvantages. First, they tend to be heavy boats compared to other boats. They are also very cold boats on colder days. When you hit rocks or other obstacles, everyone within a mile or so knows it… they are very loud! When hitting rocks the aluminum does not slide very easily over them. You could say that the aluminum tends to ‘stick’ on the rocks.

Wooden Boats bring comments like, "beautiful, gorgeous, or awesome" on the river. Most people only see the fun side of a wooden dory and not the maintenance side of a ‘woody.’ We would all like to own one, but only a small percentage of us have a wood shop and large garage space to work on our labor of love. Because wood and rocks are not a good mix, this boat is not a good choice for most people. They are not only expensive, but they are coupled with a lot of maintenance.