Setting up a sneakbox

S

Scott Gilliland

Active member
I purchased a sneak box last fall hoping to hunt it and I ended up doing a rebuilt with lots of help from forum members. There is a fairly long thread on that process over here: https://duckboats.net/community/threads/advice-on-sneakbox-aa-broadbill-or-mlb-wigeon.354922/. I hope to finish painting the bottom this weekend. Then I just need to turn it over, add back some flotation and register it before I can put it on the water. This is my first sneak box style boat and I'm wondering what people do for seating. I mostly drive standing up, but it is nice to sit down every once ion a while. I've seen seats used for hunting, but have not seen much for seating when running the boat. For now I will use a couple of milk crates, but hoping someone might provide a few examples of your setup.

Thanks
Scott
 
In your rig I would think a seat/board configured to sit across gunnel combing would get you high enough to see over a dodger in up position. Thats assuming that area will hold the weight. I used a plastic milk crate with a fitted Plywood top and a throwable seat cushion on top in my Blackjack. We have a regulation that a throwable as well as preserver needs to on board vessel. Also stored a Mushroom Anchor & line in there. I had enough room to move crate down to stern when laying out a still have room for legs. Momarsh back rest for laying out. Its Possible you could configure your seat as a backboard also when laying out with some added cushioning if you use one that sits across combing.
 
Thanks Roy. The combings are substantial - 3/4" white oak and I've been thinking about sometime that could be temporarily mounted across them. I was thinking about a couple milk crates with seats - as you mention they are great storage for lines. We also require some sort of heaving line.

Cheers
Scott
 
Scott Gilliland said:
Thanks Roy. The combings are substantial - 3/4" white oak and I've been thinking about sometime that could be temporarily mounted across them. I was thinking about a couple milk crates with seats - as you mention they are great storage for lines. We also require some sort of heaving line.

Cheers
Scott
Click to expand...
I use a small camo boat seat on a milk crate. Mount it to the open end and it doubles as a storage locker for odds can's ends
 
Scott

You mentioned standing to drive. Do you have a means to stabilize yourself? My solution to that problem is a hard dodger. The links below are for the one I built back in 2019 and one @ChadW built this past year. As for sitting when hunting I prop a board against the front cockpit opening and recline against it. It is padded with foam to improve comfort.

Eric Patterson

Thread 'Sneakbox Hard Dodger '

For quite some time I've been trying to do some work on my Devlin Broadbill, including making a hard dodger. By hard dodger I mean one made from wood and fiberglass as opposed to the typical canvas over metal frame. So after twenty seasons of use the boat is getting a fresh coat of paint job, rewiring, modification to the motor bracket to make it a little taller, and the hard dodger. Duck season is about a month away so it will be a race to get it done and have the paint hard enough to put in the water but I'm going to do my best.

With that said, today was a good day for progress...

C

Thread 'Copycat'

I'm a copycat. The moment I saw Mr. Patterson's glass dodger, I knew I had to have one. I trailer anywhere from an hour to four hours to get to the hunting waters. One thing I hated was raising, lowering and strapping the canvas dodger every time I left the house. The glass dodger solves this issue.

I went about construction a bit differently than Eric, in that I made a pattern from a sheet of FRP. The FRP is flimsy, and it took two of us to position and attach the pattern to the boat. Taping the pattern in place did stiffen it up a lot and laying the glass over it was not too difficult...
  • Like
  • Love
 
Scott Gilliland said:
I've seen seats used for hunting, but have not seen much for seating when running the boat.
Click to expand...
Hunting from a smaller sneak box I usually just reclined on a back board. Sat on a board across the gunnels or stood to drive, while holding onto the frame edge of the erect dodger.
This seat may be too tall for your hull. Wise Outdoors 5613-246 Super Sport Boat Seat I use this seat in my Black Brant. Use it for driving, hunting and fishing. Three things I like; (A) portable, I can position it anywhere within the cockpit, (B) has a backrest, (C) storage under my seat. $76.00 at Walmart
1743774617385.png
 
Last edited:
Scott, I don't have a design fully worked out yet, but for the boat I'm building I'm thinking more of a leaning post type idea. I'm thinking something that rests on or against the back edge of the cockpit that adds enough height so the top effectively hits the back of my upper hamstrings. The upper 6 or so inches to be cushioned in some way, and covered in burlap or something neutral in color. If the final design is a board that rests on the sole and engages the rear of the cockpit with a notch, perhaps a higher notch would allow it to double as an angled back-rest against the front of the cockpit for layout hunting. If, in final design, it just sits on the rear of the cockpit then it may just be stowed when hunting. It's an idea I'll play with once I get decking on, in a few months, but maybe that will spark an idea for you.
 
Eric - I saw the posts on the hard dodger. I like the idea, but I'm thinking about try it on open water and I think I'd with a very low dodger for that, maybe a larger one for most use - so it would need to be removable. I think I will built a canvas one for now - when I get some time the boat I'll think about a hard one.

Henry - I think I can picture what you are thing of. I have a 21' Maine Freighter and I run it on a tiller extension standing up. At times it would be nice to have support and I've thought about adding a hand rest -- you see on a lot of mud boats. I'll see if I need one once I have a not of time on the boat - please post pictures when get around to working on it,
 
Scott Gilliland said:
Eric - I saw the posts on the hard dodger. I like the idea, but I'm thinking about try it on open water and I think I'd with a very low dodger for that, maybe a larger one for most use - so it would need to be removable. I think I will built a canvas one for now - when I get some time the boat I'll think about a hard one.

Henry - I think I can picture what you are thing of. I have a 21' Maine Freighter and I run it on a tiller extension standing up. At times it would be nice to have support and I've thought about adding a hand rest -- you see on a lot of mud boats. I'll see if I need one once I have a not of time on the boat - please post pictures when get around to working on it,
Click to expand...
Leaning posts are fairly common these days around here for center console boats. Most of us prefer standing to sitting when driving a boat, but having something just below ass-height when standing so you have something to lean on makes a long ride comfortable (and isn't in the way when standing, like seats can be). You can certainly sit on a leaning post, but it puts you a good bit away from the wheel. But for tiller boats like ours, it may get you in great position for simply cruising (slightly closer to the engine).

Here is a Google pic of a simple one - obviously floor mounted. The one floating around in my mind isn't on a post, but more likely either a box that sits on and engages with the rear of the cockpit horizontal face... or a flat board vertical from the floor, against the vertical back edge of the cockpit, and with a cushioned "expansion" at the right height. Probably not making sense, maybe I'll sketch it out... but the pic below might help.
Screenshot_20250404_161152_Chrome.jpg
 
I made a mahogany seat for my boat that spans the coamings. I use the throw cushion for a bit of comfort and it works great. Simple, cheap annd light weight.. the first couple of years the seat doubled as a backrest when shooting over the transom.

Last year, I bought a dedicated Avery "hide n seat" layout seat that made a world of difference in comfort.. much better than sitting on the floor leaned up against the mahogany seat.

As far as the glass dodger..easily the best "mod" so far. I absolutely love it. It's a total game changer when it comes to quick set up and travel. I simply hook up and go, with zero worries about losing the dodger going down the highway.

Pic of wooden seat..
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6080.jpeg
    IMG_6080.jpeg
    591.3 KB · Views: 22
Scott Gilliland said:
I purchased a sneak box last fall hoping to hunt it and I ended up doing a rebuilt with lots of help from forum members. There is a fairly long thread on that process over here: https://duckboats.net/community/threads/advice-on-sneakbox-aa-broadbill-or-mlb-wigeon.354922/. I hope to finish painting the bottom this weekend. Then I just need to turn it over, add back some flotation and register it before I can put it on the water. This is my first sneak box style boat and I'm wondering what people do for seating. I mostly drive standing up, but it is nice to sit down every once ion a while. I've seen seats used for hunting, but have not seen much for seating when running the boat. For now I will use a couple of milk crates, but hoping someone might provide a few examples of your setup.

Thanks
Scott
Click to expand...
 
ChadW said:
I made a mahogany seat for my boat that spans the coamings. I use the throw cushion for a bit of comfort and it works great. Simple, cheap annd light weight.. the first couple of years the seat doubled as a backrest when shooting over the transom.

Last year, I bought a dedicated Avery "hide n seat" layout seat that made a world of difference in comfort.. much better than sitting on the floor leaned up against the mahogany seat.

As far as the glass dodger..easily the best "mod" so far. I absolutely love it. It's a total game changer when it comes to quick set up and travel. I simply hook up and go, with zero worries about losing the dodger going down the highway.

Pic of wooden seat..
Click to expand...
Very nice rig - is your dodger removable?
 
ChadW said:
Yes sir. The dodger has a mounting flange that is conformed to the boat's deck. I added some nutserts to the deck and through bolt the dodger using thumb screws. It works great.
Click to expand...
Chad,
How much did your glass dodger weigh? I think Eric Patterson said his added 50lbs. Definitely safer than canvas if you are holding on to its trailing edge. Richard
 
Well, I think Eric and Chad have convinced me to make a dodger from fibreglass. I enough leftover fiberglass and resin for the project - maybe I will leave it for later this summer. Another order of Wetlander paint is in its way.

I will say I'm impressed with the service at Wetlander. Scott Hogan is very helpful, and the packaging is great. My last order was in winter and the paint is not suppose to freeze. Despite crossing the border, it was shipped very fast, and came in an insulated package with heat packs and was still warm a couple of days after it arrived.
 
RM Anderson said:
Chad,
How much did your glass dodger weigh? I think Eric Patterson said his added 50lbs. Definitely safer than canvas if you are holding on to its trailing edge. Richard
Click to expand...

Mine weighs around 48lbs. I added another 15lbs or so in blindgrass. The grab handle is one of my favorite parts. I made a grab handle from 3/4" black pipe and through bolted it to the fiberglass dodger. After using it all season, I can attest to its stability when running standing up. I also use the grab handle to attach a short dock line and clip Texas Rigged decoys to it when picking up the spread.

I have a hundred uses in mind for the hard cover that I haven't tried yet..interior lights, running lights, interior cargo storage netting, light pole storage mounts, snack box, shot shell holders, etc.. the sky is the limit.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6117.jpeg
    IMG_6117.jpeg
    738.1 KB · Views: 12
  • IMG_6114.jpeg
    IMG_6114.jpeg
    344 KB · Views: 12
Last edited:
Boom Baby! Love UHMW. Did you bed them in G-Flex epoxy or just screw them down? I've used UHMW for many purposes. Most recently I made wear strips for my snowblower using scrap material leftover from my Siglin sled build.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top