Jun 24, 2025

What to Look for in a 3 Person Fishing Boat

Introduction: Why 3-Man Fly Fishing Boats Matter

When it comes to fly fishing, the right boat can transform your entire experience on the water. For fishermen who love to share the river with friends or family, a 3-man fly fishing boat is an excellent choice. These boats are designed to offer hours of enjoyment, letting you navigate rivers and streams with ease while providing the durability needed to handle changing conditions. Their versatility means you can fish a variety of waters, from wide rivers to smaller streams, and still find the stability and comfort you need for a successful day.

In this guide, we’ll help you find the best option for your next adventure and show you how the right boat can make every fly fishing trip more memorable.

Types of Fishing Boats: Where 3-Man Models Fit In

The market offers a wide variety of options, each tailored to different fishing styles and water conditions.

Drift boats are a popular choice among fly fishing enthusiasts, prized for their roomy nature and iconic style.
Rafts and pontoon boats add another layer of versatility, making them excellent for anglers who want to explore a range of rivers and streams.

When it comes to 3-man fly fishing boats, it’s important to look for models that are equipped with features designed for fishing with a group —think ample storage, comfortable seating, and lightweight construction for ease of rowing.

The Problem

The market is packed with options when it comes to 3-man inflatable fly fishing boats. At first glance, many look similar — same general length, same number of seats — but subtle differences, like being 45” wide vs. 65”, can make or break your experience on the water. Careful consideration of these differences is essential before making a purchase, as the right features can greatly impact your comfort and success in any fishing area. And those differences often become painfully clear when you’re halfway down a float, frustrated with a boat that’s too cramped, too tippy, or just plain hard to fish from.

We put this guide together to help fly anglers make a confident, informed decision when shopping for a true 3-man fishing raft. To identify the best choice for your specific fishing needs and environments, it's important to evaluate how each boat matches your preferred water type, fishing style, and the area you plan to fish. That approach leads to a whole list of issues: poor balance, tight quarters, cluttered gear, rear anglers getting shortchanged, and a constant sense that your boat is working against you.

Let’s break down the most common problems with these boats — and how Ridgeline Rafts was built to fix them. The right boat design can be matched to the specific area or water conditions where you plan to fish, ensuring a better overall experience.

Problem 1: It’s Not Really Built for Three People

Most 3-person inflatable boats are, frankly, just longer 2-man setups with another seat added in. That makes the boat feel cramped, imbalanced, and uncomfortable when fully loaded. Casting lanes overlap, gear is underfoot, and every angler has to compromise on space or stability.

A true 3-man raft must be designed from day one to accommodate three full-grown anglers — all standing, casting, and moving around without getting in each other’s way. That means:

Dedicated casting areas in the bow and stern
Thoughtful seat spacing to allow movement and clean casting lanes
Open floor space for standing, netting (with enough room to use your net effectively when landing fish), or quick transitions between fishing and rowing

A well-designed boat should also be light enough to carry by hand when needed, making transport to and from the water simple and convenient.

In the right boat, you don’t even think about the raft — it disappears beneath you. In the wrong one, you feel every inch of what’s missing.

Problem 2: The Rear Angler Gets the Worst Seat in the House

In many rafts, the person in the back might as well be cargo. They’re wedged in without legroom, sitting low and far from the action, and often lack any stable platform to stand or cast from.

This isn’t just a comfort issue — it limits your crew’s ability to rotate roles throughout the course of the day. The best boats treat all three anglers equally. That means:

Equal legroom across all seats
True casting platforms in the bow and stern
Visibility and access so everyone can fish, row, and contribute

If you're sharing the river with buddies or family, everyone should get the full experience — not just the front two seats.

Problem 3: Gear Storage Is a Mess

With three anglers comes triple the gear — waders, rods, nets, fly boxes, rain jackets, dry bags, coolers. In many boats, there just isn't ample space for it all. Gear ends up scattered across the floor or, more commonly, overloaded onto a rear gear rack, throwing off the boat’s trim and making rowing a nightmare.

This makes rafts do a wheelie, which is more than just annoying — it makes your raft harder to handle and less safe in technical water. A well-designed fishing raft should:

Keep gear accessible but out of the way
Distribute weight evenly to maintain trim and control
Offer flexible storage solutions that adapt to your setup, not force you into theirs

Problem 4: The Boat Feels Unstable with Three People

The more anglers in the boat, the more the raft’s design gets tested. Poor width-to-length ratios create boats that feel twitchy and unbalanced, especially when multiple people are standing, casting, or landing fish.

Your raft should feel like a solid, stable platform — not something you tiptoe across. The best designs:

Maintain a wide footprint (Ridgeline’s 65” width is the sweet spot for balance and agility)
Spread weight evenly, without backloading

Durable boats are essential for maintaining stability and performance in challenging water conditions!

While wider boats offer more stability, some models can be heavy and difficult to maneuver or transport. The right design balances the durability of the boat with manageable weight for practical use.

The result? Confidence. You can focus on the fish, not your footing.

Problem 5: You Have to Pull Over Just to Switch Rowers

If your boat requires pulling to shore every time someone wants to switch from fishing to rowing, it kills your rhythm and eats into your fishing time.

Too many boats are simply too narrow, tippy, or cluttered for an easy mid-float seat swap. A better boat:

Has a stable footprint and logical seat layout
Lets you move around safely and quickly
Supports fluid rotation between anglers without stopping the float

This flexibility is what keeps the day flowing — and fun.

Problem 6: Non-Modular Frames Limit Your Options

Many boats use sleek, proprietary frames that look great in a showroom — but they box you in once you're on the water. Want to adjust your seat position? Tweak your oar tower height? Stash a full-size cooler? Tough luck.

At Ridgeline, we use fully modular frames that adapt to your gear, height, and fishing style. That means:

Custom seat spacing (raise or lower, move fore or aft)
Infinite oar tower adjustments for your arm length and comfort
Cooler placement flexibility, including tucking a full-size cooler under the rower’s seat to maximize floor space

We use Riversmith SwiftCast holders — full-length, enclosed rod tubes that protect from tip to reel, whether you’re bouncing through rapids or a dog’s hopping in the boat.

Problem 7: Undersized Oars Make Rowing a Chore

A full-size boat needs full size oars. Tiny oars that belong on personal pontoon or a kick boat are substantially under gunned for rowing a full size 3 man raft. These boats are primarily propelled by oars, so selecting the proper oar is critical for smooth effective movement and safety.

Being underpowered when you’re rowing isn’t just inefficient — it’s dangerous. Proper shaft diameter and oar length ensures control and helps propel the boat efficiently through various water conditions, regardless if you’re going through class III whitewater, shallow water, or a technical boulder garden.

To give you a visual: If you had to move a large boulder with a single piece of wood - would you want a 1” diameter broom handle or a 2"x4"? These smaller shafts also have smaller oar blades as well which is really inefficient for trying to move these larger rafts. So if you see a class III rating, that is realistically for the raft - not the oars. Not to mention these smaller oars make rowing a bigger boat a lot hard which your body will pay the price for by the time you get to the boat ramp.

Tip: Cataract KBOs and Sawyer SSTs should not be used for larger 3 man fishing boats (you could get by using one as a spare, but even that is a stretch).

A full size oar shaft is roughly 2” in diameter (without a rope wrap)
A smaller oar is 1 3/8” in diameter (without a rope wrap)

The Benefits of Choosing the Right 3-Man Fly Fishing Boat

Selecting the right 3-man fly fishing boat can make a big difference in how much you enjoy your time on the water. With a well-designed boat, you gain the advantage to navigate rivers smoothly, cast with confidence, and spend hours fishing without feeling cramped or unstable. A stable platform means you can stand and cast freely, while a durable build ensures your investment will last for years—saving you money and hassle in the long run. The right boat also offers versatility, allowing you to fish a variety of areas and adapt to changing conditions with ease. Ample storage and comfortable seating add to the experience, making it easy to bring along everything you need for a full day on the water. Most importantly, a great 3-man fly fishing boat helps you create memories with friends and family that will last a lifetime, turning every trip into a story worth telling.

By focusing on durability, stability, and thoughtful design, you’ll find a boat that lets you fish harder, safer, and more enjoyably every time you hit the river.

Final Considerations for Your Next Fishing Trip

As you plan your next adventure, it’s important to choose a 3-man fly fishing boat that truly meets your needs. Start by considering the type of fishing you’ll be doing, the number of people in your group, and the amount of gear you’ll need to transport. Durability and reliability should be at the top of your list—look for boats that are built to last and can handle the demands of frequent use. A stable platform and user-friendly features will make your time on the water safer and more enjoyable, while a reliable motor can add an extra layer of convenience for longer trips. Additionally, think about the boat’s versatility and ease of transport, especially if you plan to fish a variety of locations. Take the time to research and compare different models, paying close attention to safety features and overall value. By making an informed choice, you’ll find a boat that not only fits your budget but also enhances every aspect of your fly fishing experience. With the right preparation and the best boat for your needs, you’ll be ready to create lasting memories on the water with friends and family.

Ridgeline - The Best Fishing Boat

At Ridgeline, we didn’t just tweak an existing design — we built our 3-man inflatable fishing raft from scratch to do one thing: fish better.

From a 65” wide, ultra-stable platform to our fully adjustable frame, every detail is engineered for real-world performance. The Ridgeline raft fulfills the desire of anglers seeking the ultimate fishing experience, offering a boat that stands out for those who want more from their time on the water. Equal comfort for all three anglers. Thoughtful gear storage. Mid-float seat swaps. Real oars. Real stability. Real solutions.

Whether you’re chasing trout with buddies, floating a technical stretch solo, or bringing your kids on their first trip, the Ridgeline 3-man raft is the tool you need to fish harder, safer, and more enjoyably. With the Ridgeline, you can focus on the fish, not your footing (there’s nothing like the excitement when a fish is caught and finally makes it to the net).

Investing in a Ridgeline raft provides an escape (access where drift boats and other boats can't go), ample storage space, unmatched durability, and performance for a lifetime of hunting, not hoping, for big fish.

Shop Ridgeline. Fish better.