Converting existing hulls into sneak boats

[Ronald Bock]

I built a nice sneak boat when I was younger. It started as plans for a nice little skiff. It morphed into having a top with splash rails, hatches, etc. It putted around using a 5hp Sea King motor ( getting idea of age?). Simple little boat that I killed hundreds of ducks out of.
I just ended up with a nice jon boat in fantastic shape in exchange for snow plowing. I'm seriously thinking about removing most of the center seat and building a cockpit in it. Once that is in place I'd put 1/4" plywood over the rest of the top and gluing/screwing it down to the gunwales all the way around.
Essentially taking a squarish jon and putting a top on it with a cockpit. Anybody seen such an abomination or tried it?
It's either that or a tube frame and camo netting.

 

[Carl]

Yep, it’s been done by past or current site members!
Long time members: Who was the guy out west that had a boat like this? I think his name was Dave. Had a creek on his property he hunted. I sold him beaver traps 10+ years ago.
Also, didn’t Scott Farris do this with a semi V?

 

[Eric Patterson]

Use the Search function and the word conversion. That ought to keep you busy.

 

[Carl]

Yep, reach out to Scott Farris.

 

[Steve Sanford]

I built a nice sneak boat when I was younger. It started as plans for a nice little skiff. It morphed into having a top with splash rails, hatches, etc. It putted around using a 5hp Sea King motor ( getting idea of age?). Simple little boat that I killed hundreds of ducks out of.
I just ended up with a nice jon boat in fantastic shape in exchange for snow plowing. I'm seriously thinking about removing most of the center seat and building a cockpit in it. Once that is in place I'd put 1/4" plywood over the rest of the top and gluing/screwing it down to the gunwales all the way around.
Essentially taking a squarish jon and putting a top on it with a cockpit. Anybody seen such an abomination or tried it?
It's either that or a tube frame and camo netting.

Ronald~

I have converted a number of hulls into gunning boats over the years (decades, actually). Although this one is a 2-man Scooter (layout elsewhere in North America), the framing and decking process may be helpful:

https://stevenjaysanford.com/white-wing-2-man-scooter/

This one is a Sunfish conversion. If I did one again, I would tear off the decks and replace with 1/4-inch plywood with more crown.

https://stevenjaysanford.com/gilgo-gunboat-sunfish-conversion-to-layout-boat/

If you have LOTs of time, search here for my restoration of my Sneakbox Red-Leg (circa 2016 I think). It'll give you lots of how-to detail - and also some features I like in a gunning vessel.

Hope this helps!

SJS

 

[Scott Farris]

I've decked over three different V & semi-V 14 -ft aluminum boats using wood, welded aluminum & solid rivet aluminum decks. No John boats - I'm not sure if they have enough free-board to be worth it. Photos to stimulate ideas and discussions.

60's wolverine w/ wood deck:





Starcraft aluminum welded







Sears w/ jet outboard - riveted aluminum

 

[Ronald Bock]

That Sears with the jet drive is precisely what I have in mind. On a jon boat with a 55lb thrust trolling motor. I'll have to remove/ modify the center seat. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[Paul Mc]

I've always said "digging clams from a boat, doesn't make it a clam boat"
For what it's worth. That being said, I've seen some sweet conversions. But the "Frankenboats" certainly outweigh them.

 

[Scott Farris]

That Sears with the jet drive is precisely what I have in mind. On a jon boat with a 55lb thrust trolling motor. I'll have to remove/ modify the center seat. Thanks for the pictures.

Ronald, The link will take you to the full write-up I did when I decked over the the jet drive boat for more in depth details.

 

[william bowman]

have you ever tried a j16 carolina skiff

 

[Clinton John]

I built a nice sneak boat when I was younger. It started as plans for a nice little skiff. It morphed into having a top with splash rails, hatches, etc. It putted around using a 5hp Sea King motor ( getting idea of age?). Simple little boat that I killed hundreds of ducks out of.
I just ended up with a nice jon boat in fantastic shape in exchange for snow plowing. I'm seriously thinking about removing most of the center seat and building a cockpit in it. Once that is in place I'd put 1/4" plywood over the rest of the top and gluing/screwing it down to the gunwales all the way around.
Essentially taking a squarish jon and putting a top on it with a cockpit. Anybody seen such an abomination or tried it?
It's either that or a tube frame and camo netting.

Take it to a welding shop and have it skinned in .80 aluminum. It will be lighter weight and come out better. Then doing it out of wood.

Also have the seat replaced with a brace, seats and decks in aluminum jon boats are structrual pieces.

Hope this helps.

 

[roy brewington]

have you ever tried a j16 carolina skiff

The J16 makes a good stand up & shoot Boat blind rig. Only problem is the hull doesn't like much rough water. Just to low sided & will wet you bad in a light chop. I've done a boat blind on a J14 years ago. Just wide enough when you stand to shoot down center line of boat hull doesn't rock. And it only draws 4" water. Outlaw boats did a Fiberglass clam shell style blind on a very similar hull although it was deeper sided. More like The D series hull. There was some issues with them flipping in heavy seas.

 

[roy brewington]

I built a nice sneak boat when I was younger. It started as plans for a nice little skiff. It morphed into having a top with splash rails, hatches, etc. It putted around using a 5hp Sea King motor ( getting idea of age?). Simple little boat that I killed hundreds of ducks out of.
I just ended up with a nice jon boat in fantastic shape in exchange for snow plowing. I'm seriously thinking about removing most of the center seat and building a cockpit in it. Once that is in place I'd put 1/4" plywood over the rest of the top and gluing/screwing it down to the gunwales all the way around.
Essentially taking a squarish jon and putting a top on it with a cockpit. Anybody seen such an abomination or tried it?
It's either that or a tube frame and camo netting.

Cut down a 1236 jon that had a crushed transom years ago. Made it 10' and framed in a cockpit and front and rear decks with crown to them. Ribs & cockpit combing made from 3/4" marine plywood sign board that I had access to. Decked with 1/4" Fir Plywood. I did remove seats as they were riveted in. Also put in new Transom from that 3/4" Signboard . Used that little boat for several years in a marsh where it was left year round. If I were to do it again i,d do every thing in aluminum, no wood.

 

[Capt Rich Geminski]

Years ago I worked with a guy from great south bay. He had a duck boat made from a old speed boat hull. Called it a pow pow, from a free salvaged hull. Took the top deck off, cut the gunnel down [ lower profile ] and redecked it to look like a sneakboat. Looked as good as any factory gunner.

 

[bob welsh]

Years ago I worked with a guy from great south bay. He had a duck boat made from an old speed boat hull. Called it a pow pow, from a free salvaged hull. Took the top deck off, cut the gunnel down [ lower profile ] and redecked it to look like a sneakboat. Looked as good as any factory gunner.

Here's a pic from Zack Taylor's book Customizing Small Boats . I believe it's been published in some of his other books and magazine articles. I've always wanted to experiment with this and a sawsall! Anyway I would get the free 14 ft boat and load it or overload it with the approximate weight during normal operation. Mark the waterline and cut away what you don't need.

 

[bob welsh]

from Zack Taylor's book Customizing Small Boats

 

[RM Anderson]

I just happen to be reading another of his books.

 

[roy brewington]

from Zack Taylor's book Customizing Small Boats

Never knew that book existed. Read & reread successful water fowling years ago and still have a printed copy of his little boats similar to pond bxs.

 

[Steve Sanford]

Years ago I worked with a guy from great south bay. He had a duck boat made from a old speed boat hull. Called it a pow pow, from a free salvaged hull. Took the top deck off, cut the gunnel down [ lower profile ] and redecked it to look like a sneakboat. Looked as good as any factory gunner.

Rich~

It was bud Corwin who developed the "pow-pow" for use at Pattersquash. Many have been made (cut down) under his guidance - and often with his help. The 2 "pows" in the name reflect the 2-gunner capacity. Here is one from last year's LIDCA Show - the Pattersquash Centennial:



Dick Richardson had his for sale at our Show a couple of weeks ago.

I built mine from an old Herter's cartopper. I replaced the transom and slit the bow stem so I could splay it out to 5-foot+ beam. Note the thatched-up lap canvas.



The key is to find the right hull. Too-much deadrise (vee) up forward means she'll draw too much even when cut down. The hull should be dead-flat across the stern.

BTW: Looks like In need to hunt for Zack Taylor's "other book". I have 2 copies of Successful Waterfowling on my shelf - and re-read the boat chapters routinely.

All the best,

SJS

 

[bob welsh]

this is what i have