1910 Hulse Sneakbox

[CaptBobKeeney]

One of the oldest sneakboxs I ever owned it was a 1910 Hulse sneakbox built in Bricktown on the end of Hopper Ave. a tell tale of a northern ocean county sneakboxs is the main hull plank that is almost a V style still a displacement hull but faster for sailing. Most common style of the northern ocean county sneakboxs are built by Dave Beaton and sons in Mantaloking, NJ. I enjoyed this boat but gave it to the great grandson on the Hulse builder and please to say the boat is in great hands.

 

[HenryHawthorne]

Very cool boat!

 

[Steve Sanford]

One of the oldest sneakboxs I ever owned it was a 1910 Hulse sneakbox built in Bricktown on the end of Hopper Ave. a tell tale of a northern ocean county sneakboxs is the main hull plank that is almost a V style still a displacement hull but faster for sailing. Most common style of the northern ocean county sneakboxs are built by Dave Beaton and sons in Mantaloking, NJ. I enjoyed this boat but gave it to the great grandson on the Hulse builder and please to say the boat is in great hands.

Good morning, Bob~

I really enjoy ALL of your posts! Great to see yet another sweet vessel from your fleet.

I'm always hungry for the history - and for "sources" like yourself who have the knowledge and expertise. As a Long Island boy, my knowledge of Jersey craft is sketchy at best.

My antennae went up at your mention of Dave Beaton. The Sneakbox I hope to bring to Tuckerton next year (2026) is this one given to me by Josh Schwenger in 2019. Her bottom has been 'glassed and is in excellent shape; I plan to re-deck her and put her back in ready-to-hunt condition. When at the Show in 2019, I asked everyone I could find who they thought the builder might have been. Most had no certain ideas but the name Beaton was suggested. So, here are a few photos from 2019. She was been moth-balled since - awaiting my attention sometime next year. (I am trying to complete 4 different gunning boats right now.....)

Here she is in Josh's yard. I guessed at the bottom shape - and used the chock I had made for a VanSant.



I brought some nice Atlantic White Cedar home from Tuckerton for her new decks.



Her profile....



Her hull sections....



And just a nice portrait... I have lots of other photos - and will be posting her step-by-step restoration when I get around to it. One feature unusual to me is a brass band - like a stem band on a canoe - all around her feather edge.



So, any opinion - or outright guess - you care to share about her origins would be greatly appreciated. Right now, I have her filed as the "Model 19" - because I got her 6 years ago.

All the best,

SJS

 

[CaptBobKeeney]

Good morning, Bob~

I really enjoy ALL of your posts! Great to see yet another sweet vessel from your fleet.

I'm always hungry for the history - and for "sources" like yourself who have the knowledge and expertise. As a Long Island boy, my knowledge of Jersey craft is sketchy at best.

My antennae went up at your mention of Dave Beaton. The Sneakbox I hope to bring to Tuckerton next year (2026) is this one given to me by Josh Schwenger in 2019. Her bottom has been 'glassed and is in excellent shape; I plan to re-deck her and put her back in ready-to-hunt condition. When at the Show in 2019, I asked everyone I could find who they thought the builder might have been. Most had no certain ideas but the name Beaton was suggested. So, here are a few photos from 2019. She was been moth-balled since - awaiting my attention sometime next year. (I am trying to complete 4 different gunning boats right now.....)

Here she is in Josh's yard. I guessed at the bottom shape - and used the chock I had made for a VanSant.

View attachment 68695

I brought some nice Atlantic White Cedar home from Tuckerton for her new decks.

View attachment 68696

Her profile....

View attachment 68697

Her hull sections....

View attachment 68698

And just a nice portrait... I have lots of other photos - and will be posting her step-by-step restoration when I get around to it. One feature unusual to me is a brass band - like a stem band on a canoe - all around her feather edge.

View attachment 68699

So, any opinion - or outright guess - you care to share about her origins would be greatly appreciated. Right now, I have her filed as the "Model 19" - because I got her 6 years ago.

All the best,

SJS

Steve, that is a beautiful boat if you remember does the boat have a full harping? It really is giving me two style vibes and they are VanSant Atlantic City or Andrew Kilpatrick Barnegat but both early boats. But without being up close it’s hard to tell! Can’t wait to meet you in person at the deck show in a few weeks!

 

[Steve Sanford]

Bob~

She's buttoned up tight right now - but some photos from 2019 show a couple of key features.

1) Not a full harping.

2) Gussets look like solid lumber - not plywood.



Another neat feature - rivets and roves....



View forward....



View aft. Who know when the (very nice) board was added......


Top

Removable floorboards (duckboards).



See you soon!

SJS

 

[CaptBobKeeney]

Bob~

She's buttoned up tight right now - but some photos from 2019 show a couple of key features.

1) Not a full harping.

2) Gussets look like solid lumber - not plywood.

View attachment 68705

Another neat feature - rivets and roves....

View attachment 68706

View forward....

View attachment 68707

View aft. Who know when the (very nice) board was added......

View attachment 68708
Top

Removable floorboards (duckboards).

View attachment 68709

See you soon!

SJS

Steve, with no harping and it being Rivets this is a old boat 1900s to 1920 and I believe it could be a Andrew Kilpatrick from Barnegat I owned a 1920 Kilpatrick

 

[Richard Lathrop]

Steve, with no harping and it being Rivets this is a old boat 1900s to 1920 and I believe it could be a Andrew Kilpatrick from Barnegat I owned a 1920 Kilpatrick

Those are some serious angle iron oarlocks. When did outboard motors become so prevalent that sailing features were omitted? I thought post WW2 but seems like earlier.

Rick Lathrop

 

[CaptBobKeeney]

Those are some serious angle iron oarlocks. When did outboard motors become so prevalent that sailing features were omitted? I thought post WW2 but seems like earlier.

Rick Lathrop

Rick,
In the barnegat bay area i would say the outboard became prevalent after ww2 but most sneakbox builders built for sailing but most never sailed them most rowed them and towed them. They would use the centerboard trunk with at larger dagger board to stick in the mud to hold boat steady when setting decoys. But some boats were built just for rowing and towing so didn’t have the centerboard or mast step. Attached is a sneakbox with a centerboard trunk and dagger board but mast step just rowing

 

[Lou Ureneck]

I'm now the owner of Steve's sneakbox, above. It's my summer and fall project. Here are some photos of work in progress -- stripping fiberglass, removing bad planks, repairing the frame. These photos of the boat at this stage might help others in identifying its history. I'd enjoy hearing your thoughts.

 

[Eric Patterson]

Lou

Looks like you are off to a good start. It appears a large section of the harpin degraded and you removed it. I'm curious to see how you replace it.

 

[Lou Ureneck]

Lou

Looks like you are off to a good start. It appears a large section of the harpin degraded and you removed it. I'm curious to see how you replace it.

I haven't replaced anything yet. I'm still inspecting and removing the bad ribs and planks. Do you have any suggestions on the harpin?

 

[Lou Ureneck]

Rick,
In the barnegat bay area i would say the outboard became prevalent after ww2 but most sneakbox builders built for sailing but most never sailed them most rowed them and towed them. They would use the centerboard trunk with at larger dagger board to stick in the mud to hold boat steady when setting decoys. But some boats were built just for rowing and towing so didn’t have the centerboard or mast step. Attached is a sneakbox with a centerboard trunk and dagger board but mast step just rowing

What is that board leaning right in the photo?

 

[Eric Patterson]

Lou

I don't. @CaptBobKeeney, @Steve Sanford, and @jode hillman can probably help.

 

[SJ Fairbank]

What is that board leaning right in the photo?

It's a daggerboard/jabboard, it's angle pointed on the "dagger" end. They are typically 1" x 4"-6" stock. It extends through the keel well and is used to keep the boat in position in shallow water. The one in the photo is a relatively long one, most are 5-8' depending on local conditions where the boat was built.

 

[SJ Fairbank]

Just noticed that the box you're working on isn't a sailing box, hence no keel/daggerboard well. Some BBSB are built or retrofitted with a 1" or so pipe in lieu of the well, then a small diameter pipe can be driven as a stake.

 

[Richard Lathrop]

Just noticed that the box you're working on isn't a sailing box, hence no keel/daggerboard well. Some BBSB are built or retrofitted with a 1" or so pipe in lieu of the well, then a small diameter pipe can be driven as a stake.

SJ,

I noticed that as well. In 1910 I guessing this was rowed only or a prior restoration removed the sailing bits.

Rick

 

[SJ Fairbank]

SJ,

I noticed that as well. In 1910 I guessing this was rowed only or a prior restoration removed the sailing bits.

Rick

While most BBSB are a joy to row, in 1910 you might expect that it would have been built to sail. Beautiful boat in any case. I hope it can be restored.

 

[Lou Ureneck]

It's a daggerboard/jabboard, it's angle pointed on the "dagger" end. They are typically 1" x 4"-6" stock. It extends through the keel well and is used to keep the boat in position in shallow water. The one in the photo is a relatively long one, most are 5-8' depending on local conditions where the boat was built.

I didn't realize they could be this long.

 

[SJ Fairbank]

I didn't realize they could be this long.

It does appear to be quite long, but we can't know how deep the water is. Mine were never too long to stow with the oars. I found recently that the roughly 3/4" composite poles used on my mud boat work in a BBSB. They just don't look as cool.