Every year around this time anglers, us included, start spinning their wheels in anticipation of the up coming open water fishing season. Thoughts of new rods, reels, flies, and, for many, a new or upgraded boat. Judging from the number of telephone calls and emails we are receiving the “get ready for ice off” frenzy has truly begun! We also see it on the fishing forums and social media pages where posts asking for opinions on everything fishing related are popping up almost daily.
With respect to Journey Boats, one of the most common questions we get is on how it compares to the Spratley … which is understandable as it is the only other, as far as we know, .080 welded aluminum flat bottom boat readily available in our area. Now we certainly don’t mind the telephone calls and the emails so please keep them coming, but we thought we’d provide a bit of a comparison chart to help answer some of the basic similarities and difference between the two crafts.
This is not a “which boat is better” chart but simply a specs chart to help anglers visualize a packet of comparable information all in one place. As you can see the boats are quite similar with respect to build materials …
*The information contained in this chart was taken from a social media fishing page with permission from the original poster. The details were checked against the two websites sited and found to be accurate at that time. Please note that the information is subject to change at any time solely at the discretion of the originating parties and is therefore in no way a guarantee of price or build specs going forward.
With the “what it’s made of” out of the way let’s talk a bit about the “how & where” of it all …
Layout: With the back bench almost all the way back, and the front bench right up against the bow, fishing real estate is maximized! I have never measured it but I’m certain if I did the usable footage in the 9’6″ Journey would top usable footage in most 12′ V hauls! Another great feature for fly fishers is the open back bench which allows for the gas tank/battery to be tucked out of the way. Couple all that with 3 benches and a 100% completely flat floor and it’s a winning combination!
External Keels: And speaking of the completely flat floor, we are able to do this is because the keels are not pressed into it but instead welded to the outside. In addition to contributing to the flat floor, this feature also adds a layer of protection between the floor of the boat and the lake bottom.
Build to order with a TON of flexible options: And finally, like no other boat that we are aware of, Journeys are built to your specific needs with a ton of flexible options. YOU choose not only what you want, but where you want it!
Made right here in beautiful British Columbia: And best of all, it’s all done right here in trout central Kamloops BC, by local workers utilizing local products!
Life is a Journey … get out there and enjoy it! 🙂