ID Help. Double ender sneak boat.

[Riley Oakes]

Wondering if I could get some help with ID of a sneak boat. I only have a few pictures of it currently. It has been in the family for over 50 years.

 

[Carl]

Do you think it was purchased or home-made?
Could also be a kit boat.
Neat looking old hull!
How's the condition?

 

[Eric Patterson]

Riley

It's hard ID the maker for a vintage boat of that design. Maybe someone here recognizes it but it is also it is quite possible it was built by an individual. Regardless, it is a nice looking boat that I'd be happy to have in my stable.

Eric

 

[Steve Sanford]

Good morning, Riley~


Sweet little vessel! When I see double-enders like that I think of the gunning skiffs made in the Midwest. I need to search some of my old books and Herter's catalogs. Herter's sold plans for boats like it.


It looks like it's all traditional planking, i.e., no plywood. Correct?



Stay tuned!


SJS

 

[Richard Lathrop]

The boat looks like a railbird skiff to me. I can't tell if the rear deck is flat or crowned like the front of the boat.

Rick

 

[Steve Sanford]

Riley~


Can you share the LOA and beam? (pretty sure the draft is "almost nothing" or "heavy dew)....)


All the best,


SJS

 

[SJ Fairbank]

[quote Richard Lathrop]The boat looks like a railbird skiff to me. I can't tell if the rear deck is flat or crowned like the front of the boat.

Rick[/quote]

That was my first thought. Of course, rail skiffs look very similar to many of the midwest skiffs. Both types designed and built for one purpose, skinny water.

 

[Steve Sanford]

Riley~


Here are some scans from the 1959-60 Herter's catalog. This was well into the era of plywood and even fiberglass - but the plans would work for conventional planking.







This has the decks at either end and the narrow side decks (aka "washboards") like yours.








If you've got 50 cents to invest.....






Pretty similar to your vessel ?







All the best,


SJS

 

[jode hillman]

What is your location? And is the boat original to your area?

It has many features of a rail skiff, and also a Midwest rice boat.

Location could help determine maker / time frame

 

[Riley Oakes]

Good morning, Riley~


Sweet little vessel! When I see double-enders like that I think of the gunning skiffs made in the Midwest. I need to search some of my old books and Herter's catalogs. Herter's sold plans for boats like it.


It looks like it's all traditional planking, i.e., no plywood. Correct?



Stay tuned!


SJS

Correct, appears to have planking.

 

[Riley Oakes]

What is your location? And is the boat original to your area?

It has many features of a rail skiff, and also a Midwest rice boat.

Location could help determine maker / time frame

Northwest Washington. My in-law side bought the family “duck shack” and it came with two sneak boats (both of those are gone) and this double ender. No one has information on what model or when it was made.

 

[Riley Oakes]

Riley~


Can you share the LOA and beam? (pretty sure the draft is "almost nothing" or "heavy dew)....)


All the best,


SJS

just over 13’ in overall length. Bottom is 38” wide.

 

[Riley Oakes]

Couple more photos now that I have it in my possession.

 

[Neal Haarberg]

Seeing that you are in Washington and the only duck shacks that I am aware of are down at the mouth of the Columbia. It does looks a bit like these. https://bergman-decoys.com/skiffs.htm No idea who would have made it.

 

[Riley Oakes]

Seeing that you are in Washington and the only duck shacks that I am aware of are down at the mouth of the Columbia. It does looks a bit like these. https://bergman-decoys.com/skiffs.htm No idea who would have made it.

Skagit area. The ends don't bow like in those photos but does seem very similar.

 

[Scott Farris]

Outdoor Life's book "Sportsman's Encyclopedia" copyright 1947, revised 1956 has an article on a DIY planked Versatile Sneak Skiff. Always thought it would be fun to make, but an all aluminum version would be a lot more fun to own.





Ever wonder how these old skiffs were sealed?


Six pages of instructions and figures, if anyone wants to give it a try I'd be glad to share, just promise to post pictures.

Scott

 

[Richard Lathrop]

Outdoor Life's book "Sportsman's Encyclopedia" copyright 1947, revised 1956 has an article on a DIY planked Versatile Sneak Skiff. Always thought it would be fun to make, but an all aluminum version would be a lot more fun to own.



View attachment 55554View attachment 55555

Ever wonder how these old skiffs were sealed?
View attachment 55556

Six pages of instructions and figures, if anyone wants to give it a try I'd be glad to share, just promise to post pictures.

Scott

Scott,

Could you add to the Resources section for future reference? Looks to be a pirouge style boat. The old boatbuilding boats usually reference heavy paint. I have never seen a explanation of what heavy paint was exactly. Was it a thickened paint?

Rick

 

[bob welsh]

Hard to tell but the bottom planking is running the length of the boat, common in dory construction. That way the seams are always wet and swelled up.

 

[Scott Farris]

Rick,

PM sent. My best guess on the paint: They were using lead and linseed oil based paint so I believe "thick" was describing both the non-thinned state right out of the can and as thick a coating depth as can be applied. The opposite of multiple thin coats. The flannelette absorbing paint from the thick coating below and the additional coat applied on top of it for a paint soaked homemade slightly flexible gasket.

 

[Richard Lathrop]

Scott,

Thanks, I have used cotton cording layed in Dolphinite for similar results when bottom planking my garvey.

Rick Lathrop