When you grow up around aluminum jet boats in the Lewiston–Clarkston area, you develop a pretty good sense of what a hull should feel like on the water.
For Scott Thomanson, originally from Idaho, that experience shaped everything about his boat-buying decision.
“I’ve ridden on a lot of jet boats in rivers,” Scott says. “And I know how painful that can be.”
Anyone who has spent time running rivers knows exactly what he means. Aluminum boats are incredibly capable — but ride quality can vary dramatically depending on hull design. That difference becomes even more noticeable when you move from rivers into ocean swells and heavy wakes.
After riding in multiple brands over the years, Scott kept coming back to one thing: the way a North River rides.
“None of them are as soft,” he explains. “Especially in the ocean and just in wakes in general.”
Scott didn’t make a quick decision. He did his research. He compared brands. He paid attention to the details.
He even admits to stopping by local dealers just to study the boats.
“I used to go by Clemens over here on the Columbia and just stare at boats for a while — just look at welds,” he says. “I’m not a very good welder… and you guys are.”
That craftsmanship stood out immediately.
But it wasn’t just the welds. It was the hull design.
“The hull design on the North River is just far and away the best.”
That design translates directly to what matters most offshore: confidence.
Scott regularly hears it from others, too.
“I’ll get people that own other brands that get on my boat going out in the ocean, and they’re like, ‘Oh man, this thing rides so nice.’”
That’s not marketing language. That’s real-world feedback from experienced boaters.
Scott runs a 25’ Hard Top — a model perfectly suited for the Pacific Northwest.
“I love the hardtop. I mean, we’re in Oregon, and we fish the Oregon Coast, so a lot of really crappy days.”
Anyone who fishes the Oregon Coast knows it demands protection, stability, and strength. The Hard Top provides coverage from wind and weather without sacrificing fishability.
But what really sets Scott’s boat apart is its versatility.
“A couple of weekends ago, I was in Washington with my kids, kokanee fishing. And then I can go out in the ocean with these guys, and we go on tuna trips. We do it all in this boat.”
From inland lakes to bluewater tuna runs, the 25’ Hard Top transitions seamlessly.
“This thing’s just a beast.”
Every boat owner eventually faces a moment that defines their trust in their equipment.
For Scott, that moment came on his first tuna trip.
“We were trying to find a buddy boat… like the perfect scenario where someone else is going out too. It never happened. So we just went for it.”
They ran 60 miles offshore.
“And I felt completely safe,” he says. “And it wasn’t even that great of an ocean.”
That’s the kind of statement that carries weight. Offshore, you don’t gamble on equipment. You don’t hope it’s good enough. You know — or you don’t go.
“I wouldn’t be doing that with these guys — especially, it’s my responsibility to keep us alive.”
That responsibility is something every captain understands.
“I worry more about the people on the boat than the boat itself.”
That says everything.
At the end of the day, performance isn’t just about speed or horsepower. It’s about ride quality. It’s about construction. It’s about knowing that when conditions shift — and they will — your boat can handle it.
Scott sums it up simply:
“I feel very confident in this thing.”
For a 25’ Hard Top running the Oregon Coast, inland fisheries, and 60-mile offshore tuna trips, that confidence is earned, not assumed.
And that’s what North River builds into every hull.
Strength. Craftsmanship. Ride quality. And the kind of confidence that lets you focus on the adventure, not the boat beneath you.