# Gheenoe vs. River hawk boats



## big buck down

What do yall think is the best.  I have been looking at both but can't put a finger on witch one i like best.  Does anyone have any personal experience with them.  I like the b-52 and 60 river hawk.  What do yall think.


----------



## MudDucker

I own 3 riverhawks, primarily because that is what is readily available around here.  Ghenoes are fine boats.  Usually they are more expensive.


----------



## LeverAction

*Both are great*

I have owned two Gheenoes and two Riverhawks since 1988. The last was a Riverhawk B52. All four have been great boats. Here are some photos of the B52. I did some customizations to make it work better for me. I sold it only because my son is rapidly growing up and I needed more room. I ended up with a 14' G3 aluminum boat which I also highly recommend.


----------



## redneckacorn

Unless your going to be staying on small rivers and creeks I'd get a john boat, especially if you have young ones and a wife going with you. A few years ago when we had one we lost it in the flint river one cool spring afternoon when we went down the river. Thats not all we almost lost to, if my wife and son wouldn't have had their life jackets on I would have lost them also. I figured out then we weren't indians and we might need a real boat. Now don't get me wrong, I still have a canoe (not a gheenoe) but we only go with it on small waters to small for the john boat, mostly I use it for hunting when I need to cross a creek or something. Get you a john boat , you will be glad you did.


----------



## LeverAction

*Agreed*



redneckacorn said:


> Unless your going to be staying on small rivers and creeks I'd get a john boat, especially if you have young ones and a wife going with you. A few years ago when we had one we lost it in the flint river one cool spring afternoon when we went down the river. Thats not all we almost lost to, if my wife and son wouldn't have had their life jackets on I would have lost them also. I figured out then we weren't indians and we might need a real boat. Now don't get me wrong, I still have a canoe (not a gheenoe) but we only go with it on small waters to small for the john boat, mostly I use it for hunting when I need to cross a creek or something. Get you a john boat , you will be glad you did.



I agree. In the 15 years I owned one, I never flipped it or even came close but I was never in a rapidly flowing river. The issue I would point out is that they are relatively hard to flip but it is somewhat easy for you to flip out of it because it is so low to the water.


----------



## OldGuyAl

Love 'em both!  Got one of each.
But, I use them exclusively for pond fishing.  In bigger, faster, and more dangerous waters, I use a bigger boat.


----------



## big buck down

I just want it for small lake and getting up the rivers and creeks that feed in to the lakes.  The fastest river i can think of taking it on would be the  Etowah River here in N Ga.  i stick the the back of the coves on Lanier and some of the Ga power lakes.


----------



## Randy

I am actually thinking about selling my Bass Boat and getting a Gheenoe.


----------



## big buck down

Randy said:


> I am actually thinking about selling my Bass Boat and getting a Gheenoe.



Are you going to be up at outdoor world doing any seminars this weekend?


----------



## Randy

big buck down said:


> Are you going to be up at outdoor world doing any seminars this weekend?



The Outside World in Dawsonville.


----------



## LanceAH22

i have a b-60 river hawk and love it. we put decks in it and carpet. we also put a floor in the bottom with carpet. its the best small boat there is. i would recommend a riverhawk over an aluminum jon boat. a jon boat is VERY unstable compared to the river hawk. two grown adults can stand on the side of the river hawk and jump up and down and it wont budge. if you do that with an aluminum jon boat you'll flip it. people look at the river hawk and dont think much of it. until they get in it and fish out of it they cant knock it. the very best and most stable small boat there is. we even put it in lanier (of course in the north end) and do just fine. we run around in sardis creek and ada creek and have no problems what so ever. i highly recommend it.


----------



## Mossy0ak270

LanceAH22 said:


> i have a b-60 river hawk and love it. we put decks in it and carpet. we also put a floor in the bottom with carpet. its the best small boat there is. i would recommend a riverhawk over an aluminum jon boat. a jon boat is VERY unstable compared to the river hawk. two grown adults can stand on the side of the river hawk and jump up and down and it wont budge. if you do that with an aluminum jon boat you'll flip it. people look at the river hawk and dont think much of it. until they get in it and fish out of it they cant knock it. the very best and most stable small boat there is. we even put it in lanier (of course in the north end) and do just fine. we run around in sardis creek and ada creek and have no problems what so ever. i highly recommend it.



X2.. You absolutely can not beat the stability of a riverhawk. They also plane out very quick. They don't "slide" across the water like a jon boat nor tip.They are an awesome boat.


----------



## LeverAction

*Depends on the boat*



LanceAH22 said:


> i would recommend a riverhawk over an aluminum jon boat. a jon boat is VERY unstable compared to the river hawk. two grown adults can stand on the side of the river hawk and jump up and down and it wont budge. if you do that with an aluminum jon boat you'll flip it.



Not necessarily true and it depends on the jon boat. My 14' G3 1448  is much more stable than my riverhawk B52 was. It is a v-hull as opposed to a flat bottom jon boat which makes a difference but there is really no place I wouldn't take my jon boat as opposed to several places I would never take my riverhawk. One other thing to consider is the "wave" factor. You can and will get hammered by the waves from boat traffic in the Riverhawk. It actually feels good to get wet in the summer so I never complained but during the Winter it can be quite cold


----------



## JohnK

I had a river hawk for a few years and much prefer it to a similar priced aluminum boat.  
It really is not much more to get a good used aluminum bass boat and it may save your life if you go to big lakes or night fish. The b-60 won't tip but these clowns will run you over, for real.
However, I believe I ran about 20 mph with no chop and 3 gallons of gas lasted all weekend. Good Luck


----------



## Cletus T.

I know that Money Man has a river hawk and I have fished with him in it and I loved it.  It was very stable and I tend to get carried away with my hook set sometimes and really bring the pain and the boat never tipped or anything!  I really liked fishing out of that river hawk!

Good luck on whatever choice you make!!!!!


----------



## fishdog

I owned a B-60 for several years. They are MORE stable then a jon boat of the same size. No question about it, they are rock solid. 

The mold for the riverhawk is the same as the geenoe, if you call riverhawk they will tell you that.

I fish alot, more then once or twice a month for sure. I pulled that boat from the lakes in north ga to the salt marshes in south ga. I did wind up cracking the transome one time, the boat was about ten years old and riverhawk fixed it for free. They may have charged me a little, maybe $25.

 I would own one again based on the costomer service alone. As far as them being safe on a river, I ran the hootch a lot of times and never had any problems...at all. The creeks in the salt marsh are harder then any river in Ga. that I have ever been on and the B-60 never missed a beat.

The only problem with them is getting wet while running big water.


----------



## MD746

I think the RiverHawk is a great boat but Before you buy one check out customgheenoe.com if you want to customize your boat the Gheenoe is the ticket IMO.


----------

