Free: Contests & Raffles.
I have a 19' Stryker inboard 2.5 Merc jet. As has been said the flat bottom pounds in waves. I like the tall gunnels, and the dog house is actually handy to lean against or sit on when I am fishing. Lots of storage. Draft would be about 12" off plane, 4" on plane. I have been high centered a couple times (sand/soft mud) but have 'walked it off' pretty easily. "When in doubt, throttle out." Plenty of power. Tops out mid 40's in MPH. It will plug with seaweed/seagrass when going slow at the dock if there is a lot of seagrass out. I will use the oar to move it away if there is a lot around the boat. I have not had to clear it by hand, but have shut it off to let the grass purge itself/float out, which usually works. I like the boat overall but the weird way steering works on an inboard jet (steers swiveling around the center of the boat, reverse steering is backwards) can make dock handling in heavy currents and wind frustrating.
I had a 19" stryker with windshield years ago as well.. I fished Tacoma area, south sound, buoy 10 and up cowlitz, lewis, nisqually several times.. it drafted about 4-6" on plane with 4 in the boat.. I will say as has already been said, you can fish buoy 10 and sound no problem but it's a bumpy ride making runs in and out.I don't know that I'd try to run a "sportsman" style boat up the rivers you mentioned without significant experience and knowledge of the rivers. Guys running bigger boats with high power jets is not nearby type of operating.You'll be able to find something that does both but if you want a river boat for skinny water I'd make sure it's the right boat for that and just deal with the downside of getting beat up a bit in bigger water. If going windshield, get some air rides seatsSent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
I may be mistaken but I see you mentioned that this boat may have either a prop or jet? I imagine draft is irrelevant if you be running a prop. Jet, you'll need less than 6° at the transom which will eliminate some wessels. Hull shape may be a better spec to search
Some manufacturers do a delta pad bottom to run a jet. The boat we are waiting to look at has 14 degree V with a delta pad. I'm guessing it will draft 12- 14 inches just sitting.