18 ft Military boat

J

Joe Brewer

Active member
Does anyone have any knowledge of the old Military deep v. I am looking at one now. It is built like a tank and I know of guys using these as duck boats. It is very deep and wide. I just don't know anything about these boats. Any info is appreciated thanks
 
Is it one of the patrol boats used in Nam? MARK II PBR ... no I guess that isn't what you are talking about since they are 32 feet.... but I think that would be a great duck boat none the less.

DO you have picks of what you are talking about?
 
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Posted for Joe Brewer
 
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hmmm.. I would think no.. .but how thick is the hull... does it include the trailer? ...

if it is a dry hull.. and .125"+ with the trailer... it may be worth it... Is that a 20" transom?
 
Someone had a couple of those in Spokane for sale several years ago. They looked just like it. The price was like $2500 firm each. I passed. It seemed like too much money for a beat up military boat. I thought military surplus was suposed to be cheaper, not more expensive?
 
I think it would be a great tender with cc ,but you would have some work and money ahead of you. Do you have a motor big enough or would you have to buy one, trailer looks a little dinky for it also. If it is a built like tank(weight?) plus mods and gear could add up pound wise for the trailer. Transom, I would guess it is for long shaft bet the transom just has highside around it? If your just looking for a jon boat/blind/motor combo there are bunches for sale on craigslist. I don't know what your hunting conditions are or where you hunt. Oh, and although it may seem like tank, I'd want to float it to make sure it don't leak like a seive. All in all it would be a fun boat build but questions I'd ask myself.

Gene R
 
I think those were used originally as temporary bridge floats
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Yes, they were. They were designed as bridging pontoon barges. The bow was intended to point upstream in current, to lessen their drag. I think they are actually 20' long, at least all I've seen were. They are very heavily built, all riveted, and all aluminum, with tracks for wood flooring to accept ballast or support structure as needed. That's about all I recall, and mostly second-hand from older salts.
 
There was a guide here in Southern Maine that ran those boats for sea ducking trips and striper fishing. Extremely tough hulls, would nose those boats into the jetty's to load and unload clients and also beach them on shoals as well. If you have some talent and the hull is all good I wouldn't hesitate to by a boat like that. The potential is limitless. See if you can get the price down, but if not...you still have a solid boat to start with and IMO a lot better hull than some of todays brands, unless you have 20K for a DuckWater Boat. Good luck.
 
I know a fellow who took one and installed a floor and a got a Carolina Skiff console for it. He has a 88 evinrude on it .It runs great and hold plenty of decoys and takes rough water well.You can't hurt them.It would make a great tender boat also.
 
Guys I greatly appreciate the input. I will be water testing it this thing this weekend hopefully. For what it is and how it is built I don't think I can go wrong for the price. Now I'm comparing to say a 20 ft grizzly or something similar at 4000 just for the hull. If it is water tight she will be coming home with me. Though advertised an 18 ft er when I first saw it I swore she was atleast 20 ft. Thanks again and I will keep you guys posted
 
They're a great hull for sure.

I have one that I ran in the Chesapeake before getting a new boat. It is now living in North Dakota and get's plenty of use all over out there.

I had a platform welded in the bow and the stern to strengthen it up, and put an aluminum floor in it. The NoDak boys put foam in the floor and a center console. It's now powered with a 70 Yamaha 2 stroke and get about 45mph if I'm not mistaken.

The hull is pretty darn flat, but the big bow does a good job of shedding waves and with a little know how, it'll make a great duckin rig.

Let me know if I can be of any assistance to you.

$1500 is about what I've seen them go for in the past, but I've also heard of guys paying as little as $200 or as much as $2500.

If I'm not mistaken, the scrap value alone is about half of the current asking price.

-D

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