The Modern Solo-Diver Hunting Rig By Duck Water Boats

[Anthony Babich]

One of the latest additions to the fleet here on Long Island, NY is the Duckwater 11' All-Aluminum Welded Solo Layout / Sneakboat Rig.
This boat is 100% maintenance free and the transom allows for a smaller gas or electric powered motor to scoot out to the rig / retrieve downed birds.
Lightweight and easily towable this setup will be used this coming season inside the bay for those solo trips or to capture the action on the open bay of the marshland action... VIDEO: Duckwater 11' Towable Layout / Sneakbox

Yesterday I took the boat out for a water test and it did exceptional with a 6.0hp, plenty stable and maneuverable. Although the boat is not contoured much like a typical layout style it does handle some chop quite well.

Will post up some updates during the season!

 

[Douglas Petro]

Would you say how much the boat costs and how much it weighs?

 

[Anthony Babich]

Would you say how much the boat costs and how much it weighs?

It's a prototype but retail would be around $3,000 depending on options + pickup in Ohio. Weight is around 180 but solid as a rock

 

[Carl]

I like it. Does the spray shield flip over to the bow when running?

 

[Eric Patterson]

Anthony

I think you've got a real winner there.

 

[Anthony Babich]

I like it. Does the spray shield flip over to the bow when running?

That is a good idea... this rear spray shield is temporary however

 

[Steve Sanford]

One of the latest additions to the fleet here on Long Island, NY is the Duckwater 11' All-Aluminum Welded Solo Layout / Sneakboat Rig.
This boat is 100% maintenance free and the transom allows for a smaller gas or electric powered motor to scoot out to the rig / retrieve downed birds.
Lightweight and easily towable this setup will be used this coming season inside the bay for those solo trips or to capture the action on the open bay of the marshland action... VIDEO: Duckwater 11' Towable Layout / Sneakbox

Yesterday I took the boat out for a water test and it did exceptional with a 6.0hp, plenty stable and maneuverable. Although the boat is not contoured much like a typical layout style it does handle some chop quite well.

Will post up some updates during the season!


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Good morning, Anthony~

Sweet little vessel!

But....I'm a bit perplexed about the "layout-sneakboat" designation....

Background: Growing up on Great South Bay - and learning to hunt in the 1960s - we never used the term "layout". A gunning boat hunted in the open bay - usually for Broadbill - was called a Scooter (whether or not it had ice runners like traditional Scooters...) I heard the Layout" beginning in the late1970s or 80s - for open bay boats - and more recently have heard it used for gunning coffins and all manner of craft. The common thread seems to be that the gunner lays on his/her back whilst hiding - and then sits up to shoot.

Being a terminology stickler/fussbudget (as you know!), the "sneakboat" term is equally perplexing. In my world, a "sneakboat" is a vessel in which one sneaks up on rafted birds - traditionally with a canvas curtain or brush up forward to hide the gunner as he paddles slowly and silently toward unsuspecting fowl.



The term "sneakbox" may be most apt. Based on the Barnegat Bay Sneakbox, such a gunning boat: is typically designed for one gunner; is decked over with a cockpit; has the gunner laying on his/her back when hiding and sitting up to shoot. On Long Island, we called such vessels simply "grassboats" - because they were intended to hunt in saltmarsh and almost always had thatch rails to secure Salt Hay to the boat for camouflage. Hull design and construction varied - but always included very shallow draft and low silhouette.

I mention all that because the new boat is painted for open waters. My concern there is the lack of hide. As you know, it is important to have the chines down at or near the water - as in this Dodge & Krowl Scooter from the 1920s or 30s:



This Scooter - built by Alton Westbrook for Brud Skidmore - has a nice fantail stern that it awash to incoming birds:



Your new boat reminds me most of my first build. I call it Grassboat #1 (This was long before I began naming my gunning boats...). It was marine plywood over oak frames. It was 11'6" LOA with a 4-foot beam and drew about 3 inches. It was a planing hull and did very nicely with a 9.9 Johnson. (Had I kept it, I would have added a spray dodger. The stool rack was first located on the stern - as with a traditional Barnegat - but the stool were in the way of the outboard tiller. So, I moved it to the foredeck. The 3 pieces stowed below whilst gunning.




Here she is in gunning mode. She was a nice little rig. I sold her only so I could build a 2-man - and I often wonder if she is still around. Maybe you will come across her someday.....



In any event, I am sure your new boat will prove very handy. I especially appreciate the light weight - when the tide runs out and you need to horse her into navigable water. I envision her with a covering of Salt Hay - maybe a removable cover of plastic netting with bundles of Hay lashed on - and a lap cover to hide more of the gunner.

All the best,

SJS

 

[Anthony Babich]

Hey Steve!
Fantastic info, as you know with all our "Modern-Day" synthetics this boat will be transformed with ease using lightweight grassing matts that will allow use for the marshland concealment! Here's a look at the material





Also With These!

 

[Clinton John]

One of the latest additions to the fleet here on Long Island, NY is the Duckwater 11' All-Aluminum Welded Solo Layout / Sneakboat Rig.
This boat is 100% maintenance free and the transom allows for a smaller gas or electric powered motor to scoot out to the rig / retrieve downed birds.
Lightweight and easily towable this setup will be used this coming season inside the bay for those solo trips or to capture the action on the open bay of the marshland action... VIDEO: Duckwater 11' Towable Layout / Sneakbox

Yesterday I took the boat out for a water test and it did exceptional with a 6.0hp, plenty stable and maneuverable. Although the boat is not contoured much like a typical layout style it does handle some chop quite well.

Will post up some updates during the season!


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Any way we can get some pics of the bottom of the hull?

Like to see what the running surface looks like.

A few modifications and that thing would be a SWEEEET lil boat for Southern marsh's with either a long tail or smaller hp copperhead surface drive.

 

[Anthony Babich]

Any way we can get some pics of the bottom of the hull?

Like to see what the running surface looks like.

A few modifications and that thing would be a SWEEEET lil boat for Southern marsh's with either a long tail or smaller hp copperhead surface drive.

Here’s some for ya, made with runners for ice & additional eye hooks for a davit crane or pull ramp up into a tender boat if so needed

 

[Clinton John]

Here’s some for ya, made with runners for ice & additional eye hooks for a davit crane or pull ramp up into a tender boat if so needed

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Thank you.

Man a couple of modifications to that hull design and it would killer for us down here in the marsh.

 

[Anthony Babich]

Thank you.

Man a couple of modifications to that hull design and it would killer for us down here in the marsh.

Reach out to Steve Hoover (330) 401-1701 he can make you anything you want!

https://duckwaterboats.com

 

[Clinton John]

Reach out to Steve Hoover (330) 401-1701 he can make you anything you want!

https://duckwaterboats.com

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Might just do that.

I had looked on that website earlier but didn't see the model of boat in this thread figured it must be a prototype.

 

[Anthony Babich]

Might just do that.

I had looked on that website earlier but didn't see the model of boat in this thread figured it must be a prototype.

This is 1 of 1 but in the past few days he's taken on a few new orders for these.... plus he updates his website every 5 years too!

 

[Steve Sanford]

Here’s some for ya, made with runners for ice & additional eye hooks for a davit crane or pull ramp up into a tender boat if so needed

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Good morning, Anthony~

Those Raffia mats look very handy. Just a little 10-10-10 fertilizer each Spring?

The eye hooks on the bottom are a great idea. They remind me of the early (1960s) Boston Whaler sales brochures. Because they were famously unsinkable ( a new idea at the time) - some "wag" allegedly suggested that BW put handles on the bottoms - so survivors had something to hang onto whilst awaiting rescue.

All the best,

SJS

 

[Dani]

That is a cool little boat.

Perhaps it is just too early in the morning for my brain, but if the eye hooks are on the bottom and the boat is in the water, how do you attach any lines/cable to pull the boat in with a crane or lift? The bow eye hook seems easy enough to reach, but what about the ones close to the stern?

 

[Douglas Petro]

That is a cool little boat.

Perhaps it is just too early in the morning for my brain, but if the eye hooks are on the bottom and the boat is in the water, how do you attach any lines/cable to pull the boat in with a crane or lift? The bow eye hook seems easy enough to reach, but what about the ones close to the stern?

A harness rope goes between the eyes and that is what the anchor line attaches to with a float. It's a standard layout boat set up. Then you just hook the anchor line/float disconnect and haul it up on the tender, either by hand or winch.

 

[Dani]

Gotcha....thanks

 

[Anthony Babich]

A harness rope goes between the eyes and that is what the anchor line attaches to with a float. It's a standard layout boat set up. Then you just hook the anchor line/float disconnect and haul it up on the tender, either by hand or winch.

This exactly! We have a Davit crane on another Duckwater 28'