white water boat

Drift boat width

The measurement of a drift boat perpendicular to the length, also called Beam.

Advantages of more width Disadvantages of more width
More side to side primary stability More effort to hold water
Heavier load with less draft Additional overall weight
More lift when backing out of eddies

It is wise to calculate the width of the beam at the handrail by first deciding the bottom width and the desired flair for your application. The bottom width and flair have more influence on boat performance when it's on the water than the beam at the handrail.