From thick heat-treated aluminum, Willie welded together a prototype white-water boat so light that two men could carry it, eliminating the need for a launch ramp. This boat was impervious to water and bounced off rocks that would have sunk the plywood model. Once guides saw this boat in action, they wanted one. Demand was up. Six years later he sold the mass production business known as Alumaweld and signed a non-competition contract. At the expiration of the contract he was ready to begin again, but with a focus on customization. Seven or eight variations and a year later the Willie Boat was born.

When I talked to Willie he told me that the boat is an ever evolving concept. He has spent hours on the water testing out new ideas and keeps an ear open to any feedback he gets from guides that own his boats. "When one person makes a comment it's one thing, but when I hear the same thing again it's time to do some rethinking." Dynamics are the key. "All boats may float, but it's the handling that makes the difference." Leaning back in this chair, Willie smiles and tells me "I'm basically lazy and avoid work, so I want a boat that rows with a minimum of effort and a maximum of efficiency." The Willie boat rides higher in the water and is easier to handle due to its sharper rake, upswept bottom fore and aft, its flair, and the wider slant of its sides. A slight perpendicular curve in the point of the bow and fine tuning of the bottom means while plunging through rapids the water rolls away and less water flies into the boat.

Willie Boats incorporate the basic design concepts with the customizing of accessories for each client. Each boat is manufactured to the customers specifications and needs. Especially for guides who spend hours working in their boats, accessories make the craft work for them and with them, providing the client with the best fishing experience. Willie has expanded his designs to include jet boat construction as well.

My husband purchased his first Willie Boat twenty years ago. A couple of fellow guides were working out of two boats stacked on one trailer. (the boat is also designed to be stackable for transportation). After only about 6 trips down the Southfork of the American River, one of the partners needed to sell his boat. Dan bought it and had a trailer built for it. He ran the 16+4 guide model down the same white water that the Olympic Kayak Team trained on outside of Coloma, and it proved itself day after day. Tales of wild rides and big browns are associated with this time in the drifters life. These clients were true adventurers.

My first trip in the drifter was right after I met my husband. He told me about lowering the boat down cliffs on a rope to put in and I was relieved to find us launching at the Rossmore ramp on the American River instead. I hooked and landed my first salmon below the Ansel-Hoffman golf course bluff on a K15 Kwikfish (silver and chartreuse) and my knees were knocking. People up above us were applauding and I was in heaven. When we took out at Grist Mill I couldn't wait to go again.

Grist Mill was also the site of another first for me. I had bought a $60.00 fly rod and reel combo at K-Mart so Dan could teach me to fly fish. One cloudy day, surrounded by bankies, I hooked my first steelhead on a purple Woolly Bugger. Everyone reeled in and waited. With no drag system on the reel, almost no experience stripping, and Dan yelling instructions behind me, I brought the fish to the boat three times. Each time he bolted and Dan was getting nervous. Finally Dan jumped into the water with the net and said "This is it, turn him and pray". What seemed like hours later the fish lay in the boat and the fly fell out of his mouth. He was 34 1/2 inches long and I was stunned. Dan kidded me, informing me that I was "ruined" and had no where to go but downhill from there. Years later, I understand what he meant. A fish like that is a real treasure.

New Years Day 1998 I would hook up once again with a memory to last a lifetime. I side-drifted a piece of row in front of a rock on the Smith River and the fight was on. When the fish finally tailwalked for us we could see he was a huge steelie. 45 minutes later, after plunging through white water and sink holes, we stared at him laying in the drifter. He was 22 pounds. "Burt" now resides on the wall between the front windows of our new house in Hiouchi where we can look out and see the river that has captured our hearts and from whence he came.

My biggest and best catch in the Willie was Dan. When we decided that we would get married we were discussing where and when. I said, "since we have spent most of our lives together in the drifter, why not get married in her", and we did. On July 13th, 1996 we stood together with our minister in the bow of the "old girl" and said our vows. Not a bad way to "launch" a life together.

For most people, the history of their lives is usually told around which car they owned at a particular time. For fishermen, the most precious memories and the biggest fish stories (lies???) involve what they caught them on, where they were, and which of their many boats they were fishing out of. My Dad owned the fastest Chris Craft inboard on Clearlake in 1944, then he bought the Little LuLu when he married my Mom (Louise), and he finished out his days in the boat we all learned to ski and fish out of that we affectionately called the Green Monster. Funny we have never given a name to the drifter. Being the romantic I am, I think of her as the Love Boat. Two people who love each other, enjoy a sport they love, on rivers that they love, catching fish that they love and respect, in a boat that is filled with loving memories. We have painted her, put a new floor in her, and coated her bottom. Through white water, rain so hard we have lost sight of the river, and rocks covered with less than an inch of water she has safely brought us to the take out. Years of happy clients have worn out her seats, and when we were in Medford picking up some new ones I told Willie about the enjoyment we have had in her. He seemed pleased that his creation has been such an important part of our lives.

We are now embarking on building the Willie drifter to end all drifters. We guide many more fly fishermen on the Smith now, and we need to accommodate them. But it was hard to think about selling the "Old Girl", she rows so sweet. But it took one phone call to one of our dearest friends to make sure she went to someone who loved her as much as we do. He had been approached by at fisherman at a takeout a while back about selling his boat but he wasn't interested in selling. After buying our boat, darned if he didn't go down to the Outhouse hole and run into the same guy (the only other truck on the gravel bar) and the guy asked him if he still had his boat and they struck a deal. Guess it's that old karma thing again.

Dan has put hours into the extras on this boat so our clients will have a number one fishing experience. The only things it doesn't have are a galley (but you can heat a burrito or left over pizza under the front deck) or a head (got a coffee can). The fly fishing braces, hardware placement, floor, rain top, and heating system are all custom designed for efficiency and comfort for every style of fishing. The team at Willie boats, from Willie on down, have spent hours of their time making sure that every detail of this boat is perfect. Their input, combined with Dan's, has brought together years of experience. They have transformed Dan's needs into practical solutions. I'm sure Dan dreams of her every night. It will be tense around our house til she is safely moored in our garage, and we will look forward to creating a whole new set of memories in the "New Girl". Thanks Willie, for the memories and all your assistance.

Columnist Joan Carter co-owns, with her husband, Dan Carter's Guide Service.