Searching for a new Boat Design

K

Kurt

New member
Hi, I'm located on the Northeast Coast and mainly hunt with my father (soon to be 60) in coastal salt marshes.

I am hoping to break into a new marsh (about 1200 acres). The marsh is a small sandbar away from the Atlantic and surrounded by deep channels. My hope is buy or build a new boat to drive through the main channel, find a nice curve or narrower creek, drop some decoys, position the boat in the reeds and use it as a blind for at least 2 people.

The black ducks and other puddle ducks that hangout in this marsh are pretty spooky, and the reeds arn't very tall so limited natural cover... For this reason, we've had the most success hunting local areas out of a hybrid NL we built a number of years ago. The problem with this boat is that it doesnt track well, making paddeling difficult, and its too small to fit more than one person and a bag of decoys.

As my father gets older, I am predicting a time he will no longer be able to pop-up from a milk crate or easily get in and out of a layout.

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Essentially, I am hoping for a boat design that fits the following criteria:

- Able to securly travel through minor wind and current (if its too windy I can hunt somewhere more protected... but dont want to get caught with my pants down if the wind picks up)
- Stable enough for me to climb in and out of with waders in a few feet of water
- Maneuverable enough to navagate narrow curving shallow creeks
- Hidden enough for 2-3 people to hunt out of (considering at least one being 60+)


Maybe there is a marsh boat that can be used as a two person layout or be easily adapted to hunt with a blind for 3? I have seen a few sailboat conversions, a sneakbox with an easily removable blind on top, and even mod-v Jon boats with a sneakbox conversion that might fit the description... Any advice is greatly appreciated.
 
Depth is a little tricky, we have 8-12ft tides on average...

The deep channel probably ranges from 3-8ft at low tide to 15-20ft at high tide, meanwhile the inlets of the main channel (where I would normally position the boat when hunting) are mainly sandbar at low tide and 10ft at high tide... To answer what I think what you are getting at, the boat would ideally only draw a few inches of water so I can move it around when the tide drops.

Maximum wave height shouldnt be much, probably 1ft or less.

I'd like to be able to paddle or push pole the boat at times, but would have a small outboard or trolling motor. I'm not very familiar with longtail or surface drive motors... but the bottom of the marsh is mainly sand, not mud, so I dont know if I would get the most out of one?

I dont have a trailer currently but I could buy a small one.


Does that answer your questions?
 
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Kurt,
Have you looked at the Devlin Poleboat 13? It would only accommodate 2 hunters at most. It is meant to be rowed or poled but I've heard of forum members in the past who have put a small outboard on it. You have to dig around on Devlin's website to find it as it curiously is not listed under duck boats. Richard Poleboat.jpg
 
I've been going through a similar search (with some different priorities). Bottom line, I think you can keep it small, self-propelled, and easily hideable for 1-2 people... get to three and using it as a blind and you're getting into a little more boat - and needing more propulsion and giving up some hideability.

Devlin's Bluebill would get 2 of you there in a rowable platform or with a small outboard. The Black Brant III is a bit bigger and would give more space, but needs a bit more power. Both are very low and hideable.

For 3, I think you need to go up to Snow Goose size, which is what I'm getting ready to build. Still a small boat, but everyone says it really needs 40hp. I have a couple threads here - initial new build search thread and SG thread - that several have chimed in on so you may find some good ideas there.
 
HenryHawthorne said:
I've been going through a similar search (with some different priorities). Bottom line, I think you can keep it small, self-propelled, and easily hideable for 1-2 people... get to three and using it as a blind and you're getting into a little more boat - and needing more propulsion and giving up some hideability.

Devlin's Bluebill would get 2 of you there in a rowable platform or with a small outboard. The Black Brant III is a bit bigger and would give more space, but needs a bit more power. Both are very low and hideable.

For 3, I think you need to go up to Snow Goose size, which is what I'm getting ready to build. Still a small boat, but everyone says it really needs 40hp. I have a couple threads here - initial new build search thread and SG thread - that several have chimed in on so you may find some good ideas there.
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Thank you! Good advice.

Out of curiosity what made you chose the Snow Goose over the Scaup 16?
 
RM Anderson said:
Kurt,
Have you looked at the Devlin Poleboat 13? It would only accommodate 2 hunters at most. It is meant to be rowed or poled but I've heard of forum members in the past who have put a small outboard on it. You have to dig around on Devlin's website to find it as it curiously is not listed under duck boats. Richard View attachment 63853
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Thank you Richard,

I like the simplicity of this boat... able to fit on the roof, light enough for one person to drag or carry, no need for motor, etc.

Is that your boat in the photo? What does the typical hunt look like when you use this boat? (distance traveled, wind, hidability, ease of use, etc.)?

Kurt
 
Kurt,
No that is not my boat though I did build that exact same model, just not in time for hunting season. My travel distance is likely shorter than yours, although like I mentioned, others have attached small outboards. As far as hideability, that is up to the individual. I am in the process of bending 3/4" aluminum tubing for a carriage style dodger and flapper doors that will be brushed in. Minnesota ducks are far and too few between and are extremely wary. Ease of use I anticipate will be exceptional. Many of our best hunting opportunities are limited to no motors and no boat launch. A lightweight boat you can drag is a necessity. My apologies for the older photo. As of today it is completely painted with a seadek EVA foam floor. Much of my time recently has been spent ice spearing. Richard 20241022_102517.jpg
 
Kurt said:
Thank you! Good advice.

Out of curiosity what made you chose the Snow Goose over the Scaup 16?
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I prefer the shape of the Scaup and was leaning that way before I noticed the SG actually drafts a couple inches less. I also started really looking closely at pictures of these boats with people in them, and realized how small/low in the water they really are. Though the Scaup and Black Brant are clearly more hideable than the SG, SG is still a pretty low boat - plenty low for our higher marshes. And in my coastal area, if you get caught with the wind blowing up and against a running tide, things can get a little nasty quickly. So, more freeboard and less draft settled it for me.

If I find there are some places I can't get into (and I enjoy the build), I may follow up with a Broadbill or Bluebill.
 
RM Anderson said:
Kurt,
No that is not my boat though I did build that exact same model, just not in time for hunting season. My travel distance is likely shorter than yours, although like I mentioned, others have attached small outboards. As far as hideability, that is up to the individual. I am in the process of bending 3/4" aluminum tubing for a carriage style dodger and flapper doors that will be brushed in. Minnesota ducks are far and too few between and are extremely wary. Ease of use I anticipate will be exceptional. Many of our best hunting opportunities are limited to no motors and no boat launch. A lightweight boat you can drag is a necessity. My apologies for the older photo. As of today it is completely painted with a seadek EVA foam floor. Much of my time recently has been spent ice spearing. Richard View attachment 63857
Click to expand...
Congrats! It looks like a beautiful boat. Thank you for putting it on my radar and best of luck hunting in it next season.

Kurt
 
HenryHawthorne said:
I prefer the shape of the Scaup and was leaning that way before I noticed the SG actually drafts a couple inches less. I also started really looking closely at pictures of these boats with people in them, and realized how small/low in the water they really are. Though the Scaup and Black Brant are clearly more hideable than the SG, SG is still a pretty low boat - plenty low for our higher marshes. And in my coastal area, if you get caught with the wind blowing up and against a running tide, things can get a little nasty quickly. So, more freeboard and less draft settled it for me.

If I find there are some places I can't get into (and I enjoy the build), I may follow up with a Broadbill or Bluebill.
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That makes good sense. Post some progress pictures on duckboats.net when you find the time to start the build
 
Just incase anyone finds this thread and is looking for a boat to hunt similar conditions... I posted the same question on the Duck Hunters Refuge Forum, this is the list of recommendations I gathered from both sites:

Devlin's Boats:
Poleboat 13
Bluebill
Black Brant III
Cackler
Scaup 16
Snow Goose

Roy Schellinger high boat

Others:
Duck Invader 13
Dave Clark Estuary II
15-17' TDB
1756 or 1860 jon

Based on the conditions I hunt and my own research of these boats, I'll keep my eye out for a used boat but will probably end up building one of the following:

Pole boat 13 - simple, lightweight, ease of use... very hideable, 5.5" Draft, 98 lbs?
Black Brant III - Large enough to comfortably fit and hide 2... very hideable, 225 lbs, 7.5″ Draft
Scaup 16 - Large enough to comfortably fit and hide 3 but large, heavy, and cant go shallow... 285 lbs, 9.75" Draft
Roy Shellinger High Boat - Maybe can find the plans for this? Sneak box 12 -14 ft, adapted for jersey salt marsh hunting, large enough for two with flapper boards or similar.



 
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You're not going to find plans for a high box, they're a backyard built homemade rig. The general idea of them can be replicated, lower profile boat with flapper boards. There's a lot of mystique around the high boxes primarily because of lack of availability and a certain someone's social media posts (me). Great for those who own them and want to sell for a massive return on investment, not so good for those who want to buy them.

At the end of the day every boat has its limitations, the Roy boats are no exception to this. You can get something very similar in a duck invader/boss 13, an estuary II or III, or really any lower profile side shooter setup with flappers and grassed well.
 
Coming from an old fart thats hunted some small boats your father is going to struggle hunting from those smaller boats sitting low even on cushioned seats. Your better getting into something allowing for more upright seating such as a boat blind on a jon style or TDB style hull. I love the small easily concealed boats myself but have aged out of them when it comes to comfortable hunting at 70.
 
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