1960 Van Sant Pond Box

[CaptBobKeeney]

This is one of my favorite pond box’s it is a 1960 Van Sant out of Atlantic City NJ. Van Sant was known for their beautiful feather edge sneakboxs but built pond box’s as well. This one is 8ft long 44 inches wide the sides and transom are 5/8 cedar and the topside and hull are 1/4 in marine plywood. She was built it two foldable oar lock roe rowing and a transom oar lock for sculling. When grassed up she disappears in the salt hay. In my opinion it’s a true pond box since you can tow it, row it, scull it & layout in it. Hope everyone enjoys the pictures. It is a great box and a great piece of south jersey gunning history.

 

[roy brewington]

Love the little boats of that type. Any idea how heavy it is?

 

[Douglas Petro]

That is a sweet boat, what does it weigh? Similar to the Zack Taylor one in Successful Waterfowling.

 

[CaptBobKeeney]

Love the little boats of that type. Any idea how heavy i

Love the little boats of that type. Any idea how heavy it is?

Hey Roy, the box is about 60 lbs

 

[CaptBobKeeney]

That is a sweet boat, what does it weigh? Similar to the Zack Taylor one in Successful Waterfowling.

Hey Douglas, thank you the box weighs about 60lbs

 

[Eric Patterson]

Bobby

I can see that box not only being handy in the Meadowlands, but also in many different gunning environments across the four flyways. In fact, I'd say the duckboat market has a bit of a void right now in availability of such nifty little boats. In the past there were a few companies that offered them in fiberglass but I can't think of any making them today. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if someone recognized the void and added it to their line-up.

Excellent photos and info. Thanks for posting.

 

[Richard Lathrop]

This is one of my favorite pond box’s it is a 1960 Van Sant out of Atlantic City NJ. Van Sant was known for their beautiful feather edge sneakboxs but built pond box’s as well. This one is 8ft long 44 inches wide the sides and transom are 5/8 cedar and the topside and hull are 1/4 in marine plywood. She was built it two foldable oar lock roe rowing and a transom oar lock for sculling. When grassed up she disappears in the salt hay. In my opinion it’s a true pond box since you can tow it, row it, scull it & layout in it. Hope everyone enjoys the pictures. It is a great box and a great piece of south jersey gunning history.

Excellent photos. Looks like you were hunting near Tuckerton from the plant water tower in the background. You can see where Harry got the inspiration for his pond box in Successful Waterfowling.

Rick Lathrop

 

[Ed L.]

This is one of my favorite pond box’s it is a 1960 Van Sant out of Atlantic City NJ. Van Sant was known for their beautiful feather edge sneakboxs but built pond box’s as well. This one is 8ft long 44 inches wide the sides and transom are 5/8 cedar and the topside and hull are 1/4 in marine plywood. She was built it two foldable oar lock roe rowing and a transom oar lock for sculling. When grassed up she disappears in the salt hay. In my opinion it’s a true pond box since you can tow it, row it, scull it & layout in it. Hope everyone enjoys the pictures. It is a great box and a great piece of south jersey gunning history.

Would love to find some plans for this. I have a perfect spot for a craft like this I can't get my big boat into. I used a large Otter sled once but it's a lot of work. This little box and my long kayak paddle or a small 2hp motor might just be the ticket.

 

[Douglas Petro]

Would love to find some plans for this. I have a perfect spot for a craft like this I can't get my big boat into. I used a large Otter sled once but it's a lot of work. This little box and my long kayak paddle or a small 2hp motor might just be the ticket.

Zack Taylor's book Successful Waterfowling has plans for a very similar one. Also this https://www.shortypen.com/boats/mouse/about/ could be adapted to a pondbox.

 

[CaptBobKeeney]

Would love to find some plans for this. I have a perfect spot for a craft like this I can't get my big boat into. I used a large Otter sled once but it's a lot of work. This little box and my long kayak paddle or a small 2hp motor might just be the ticket.

Ed, I will draw a crude blueprint for you if that helps

 

[CaptBobKeeney]

Excellent photos. Looks like you were hunting near Tuckerton from the plant water tower in the background. You can see where Harry got the inspiration for his pond box in Successful Waterfowling.

Rick Lathrop

Thank you yes I’m born and raised in Tuckerton and gun and take gunning parties for the area !

 

[Ed L.]

Ed, I will draw a crude blueprint for you if that helps

Thanks Capt. I'd like that.

 

[Richard Lathrop]

Would love to find some plans for this. I have a perfect spot for a craft like this I can't get my big boat into. I used a large Otter sled once but it's a lot of work. This little box and my long kayak paddle or a small 2hp motor might just be the ticket.

Whistler pond box plans are in the resources section.

Whistler

Whistler from Sports Afield Boatbuilding Annual, 1962. Submitted by @Richard Lathrop. Click the orange "Download" button to save the plans in their entirety in pdf format along with high resolution images of the drawings. This boat is the same as...

duckboats.net

 

[Ed L.]

Whistler pond box plans are in the resources section.

Whistler

Whistler from Sports Afield Boatbuilding Annual, 1962. Submitted by @Richard Lathrop. Click the orange "Download" button to save the plans in their entirety in pdf format along with high resolution images of the drawings. This boat is the same as...

duckboats.net

Thanks Richard. I have the plans in the Successful Waterfowling book. As is it's too big to get into my 16' boat. I thought about reducing the size but I'm thinking a stitch and glue my be easier to build. Found this one online and have been laying something out in cardboard but I'm just guessing at dimensions. Actual dimensions from the Van Zant box will go a long way for me.