Our Story - A Passion for Fly Fishing

The Boulder Story

Hand Crafted - Hand Welded - Hand Built

Our drift boats combine tireless man-hours of woodworking love with the advanced technology of marine grade plastics and thermoplastic welding to create works of art that offer superior strength, durability, and are guaranteed for life.

Our skilled craftsmen cut, weld, and scrape our polymer hull by hand to produce one of the lightest, toughest, and best looking boats on the river. Almost all of the boat's components are sourced in the USA and made by hand right here at our shop in Carbondale, CO.

The result of our relentless attention to detail and 100+ labor hours is the world’s ultimate drift boat made to perform better than it looks.

The Boulder Boat Works Legacy:

The Story of The First Polymer Hull Drift Boat

Once upon a time, a master carpenter named Andy Toohey wanted a drift boat that would be lighter, quieter, more durable and last forever. He was audacious enough to defy convention and go where others couldn’t even dream of going. After crafting multiple prototypes, he created a company to bring his vision to anglers everywhere and Boulder Boat Works was born.

Today, Boulder Boat Works is still the first, and only company, to create a drift boat that delivers on the dream of a drifter that is better in every way. We believe in innovation and that’s what gives us purpose. Blending time-honored woodworking techniques with modern mechanics and advanced plastics that yield a drift boat that is nearly indestructible.

"The hull is as nimble and quick as your finest dry fly rod, and the wood trim is as beautiful as a fly perfectly presented."

"I Row A Boulder" Video Series

Watch Testimonial Videos

What the Pros Have to Say

1 5

Mike Shook-Carbondale, CO

"If you don’t own one, it’s because you haven’t rowed one! A well designed, indestructible boat that is quiet on the water, maintenance-free, and perfect for the shallow, technical rivers that I like to run. It handles great and the polymer hull literally slides over all but the biggest boulders in the river."

Taylor Edrington - Royal Gorge Anglers

"Guiding on the technical rivers of Central Colorado presents its challenges. Most of the boats you see on the Arkansas and Gunnison drainages are rubber. Dory’s are a distant afterthought and have never really been "run-able" on our rivers. Enter the Boulder Boat, a boat that is not only capable of running class III-V technical rapids, but outperforms a raft in every aspect. The 3 performance aspects of a Boulder that stand out for me are how smooth, light, and tight the boat is. The boat's tremendous chine platform and sharp lines cut the course like no other boat on the market, presenting not only a smooth run, but an efficient one. The boat is also smooth as silk sliding over rocks, no jolts or stops in bony water like a raft or fiberglass boat… making for a lot more efficient and enjoyable ride. The boat moves swiftly and quickly when you set its pace, and it saves you a “boatload" of strokes."

Frank Smethurst - Telluride Angler

"The quietest, lightest and most agile boat that I have ever seen or rowed. Add to that the incredible beauty and strength of the construction, not to mention the great pride… of workmanship and it was an easy choice."

Mal Burks - Alpine Angling

"Built with a slide rule efficiency and light weight materials, this vessel is a boater’s dream. A Boulder Boat Works drift boat is the epitome of refined simplicity. This boat is so light and agile you make three oar strokes the boat is hovering and the rest of the river is still flowing… Totally awesome."

Jason White - Crested Butte Angler

It is the finest piece of equipment I have ever owned! The Gunnison has a dramatic fluctuation in flows so being able to run a dory at 300 cfs has never been feasible before BBW. I can run lower flows than my cataraft. It “slithers” down the river in low water and powers thru big waves and holes during high water. My clients are most impressed by the comfort and beauty and I am impressed by the functionality. The rod storage has made me a better guide by having quick access to different rigs. The boat is light, quiet, and moves quickly.

The Boulder Anthem

"We build boats. But we’re really in the guide business. Guiding you to where you really want to be – on the water. To places and to fish that spark stories and bold-faced lies for generations.

We believe in the fruits of hard labor. We work tirelessly to build the ultimate drift boat 100% by hand, in a facility located feet from a river bank where finicky trout feed on airborne mayflies.

Details matter, and we believe in doing things like the old-timers did, with a purpose and a commitment to build a boat that’s damn near indestructible. Because rocks don’t care how long you’ve been rowing or how much you spent on those waders.

It’s not just about the fish. Our boats provide you a superior experience to reach those priceless moments in time. When the waters get shallower and connections with people and places get deeper. This is what fuels our passion, and we will never compromise."

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