contactvan
New member
As of the time of this posting, bidding has only progressed to $1824:
(click link below to view)
BEAUTIFUL 1870 Duckboat - $1800- Bidding ends Sunday
- Thread starter contactvan
- Start date
Lou Tisch
Well-known member
That's typical with eBay. Don't expect much movement anymore until the last half hour.
btw: nice boat. I've met a couple of the "old world" boat builders who worked at Chris Craft up in Algonac. Miles Smith was one of my favorite. Unfortunately, I missed picking up on the great deals when they closed the factory here back in the early 70's. My buddy got some stuff from there.
That CC book is awesome........bought it when it first came out.
Any idea just WHO built this boat that you're selling? You link it primarily to Chris but it wasn't built by him.
Later,
Lou
www.lockstockbarrell.com
btw: nice boat. I've met a couple of the "old world" boat builders who worked at Chris Craft up in Algonac. Miles Smith was one of my favorite. Unfortunately, I missed picking up on the great deals when they closed the factory here back in the early 70's. My buddy got some stuff from there.
That CC book is awesome........bought it when it first came out.
Any idea just WHO built this boat that you're selling? You link it primarily to Chris but it wasn't built by him.
Later,
Lou
www.lockstockbarrell.com
contactvan
New member
Hi Lou,
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I visited your website and think it's very nice (excellent first photo, against the snowy backdrop, very striking), not to mention the styling and construction of your boats.
I have absolutely no idea who built the duckboat and there are no markings of any kind on it. The planking is so perfectly shaped that the builder must have built many boats, but the boat is so ancient that I think my only hope of ever discovering its builder's identity is to somehow luck into someone who has another surviving example. Though it was built by someone in the area just a few years before Chris Smith began building his duckboats, I wonder if Chris' earliest designs shared many similarities.
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I visited your website and think it's very nice (excellent first photo, against the snowy backdrop, very striking), not to mention the styling and construction of your boats.
I have absolutely no idea who built the duckboat and there are no markings of any kind on it. The planking is so perfectly shaped that the builder must have built many boats, but the boat is so ancient that I think my only hope of ever discovering its builder's identity is to somehow luck into someone who has another surviving example. Though it was built by someone in the area just a few years before Chris Smith began building his duckboats, I wonder if Chris' earliest designs shared many similarities.
Lou Tisch
Well-known member
Van,
Interestingly.......I have a fella living in Indianapolis who I'm building a sculler for right now. Small world. He had one of our Brant II's and I'm now building him the Brant II-X.
There are several fellas in our area (I hunt the algonac area as well as the rest of Lake St. Clair, Anchor Bay & The Flats) who are familiar with much of the history of the boat builders here...i.e. Miles Smith, Pecor Fox & others.
I'll see if I can get ahold of them with a heads-up on this.
Lou
Interestingly.......I have a fella living in Indianapolis who I'm building a sculler for right now. Small world. He had one of our Brant II's and I'm now building him the Brant II-X.
There are several fellas in our area (I hunt the algonac area as well as the rest of Lake St. Clair, Anchor Bay & The Flats) who are familiar with much of the history of the boat builders here...i.e. Miles Smith, Pecor Fox & others.
I'll see if I can get ahold of them with a heads-up on this.
Lou
Steve Sutton
Well-known member
Lou.....sssshhhhh.....quit, or don't start, telling people about this boat...I WANT IT.....looks like a wooden version of the Hoefgen Canoe and is a dead ringer for the boat in Chuck Huff's avatar.....the boat SCREAMS Duck Boat and oooozesssss sex appeal.......
I've always wanted a Hoefgen Canoe...might just have to skip the new gun this year and go for a boat.....
Anyone want to bring it to me? I'll treat you to a week of Duck and Upland Hunting......
Steve
I've always wanted a Hoefgen Canoe...might just have to skip the new gun this year and go for a boat.....
Anyone want to bring it to me? I'll treat you to a week of Duck and Upland Hunting......
Steve
Gorgeous piece of woodwork.
contactvan
New member
Lou,
It would be just absolutely amazing if somehow your contacts resulted in a positive builder ID; I've been wondering about the subject for years. Thank you. Though I remain clueless, I can't help but feel true admiration for the old guys who had the skills to design and build these boats so long ago.
Your Brant II-X looks comfortable, functional, and fast to me.
Van
It would be just absolutely amazing if somehow your contacts resulted in a positive builder ID; I've been wondering about the subject for years. Thank you. Though I remain clueless, I can't help but feel true admiration for the old guys who had the skills to design and build these boats so long ago.
Your Brant II-X looks comfortable, functional, and fast to me.
Van
contactvan
New member
It DOES look just like the boat in Chuck Huff's avatar! That image shows a design with more striking similarities than any I've seen. I wonder where he obtained the image. I would love to come to the Great Northwest.
The weight of the duck boat is somewhere in the neighborhood of 85 lbs.
The weight of the duck boat is somewhere in the neighborhood of 85 lbs.
Last edited:
Steve Sutton
Well-known member
I have seen of the double ended skiffs that were so common in the shallow lakes of Wisconsin, (Butte des Mortes, Winnebago, Poygan). Ron Koch, author of WHISPERING WINGS AND WOODEN BLOCKS talks about a fiberglass boat that was taken from a wood strip boat make by Gust Nelow, (better known for his decoys than his boats).
When I got Koch's book about 10 years ago I contacted him and asked him where I might get one of the boats, (his were fiberglass), that he showed in his book. Koch's boats, which bear a striking resemblance to your boat, albeit without the sexy upswept bow and stern were no longer made but that he felt the Hoefgen Canoe most closely mirrored the original model for his boat, (the Nelow strip boat). He was kind enough to send me a picture of an original Nelow boat but I cannot locate it right now. I would have thought that it would have been inside the book but its not there so its sitting in a safe, and unknown, spot. Impossible, of course, to swear that the Nelow boat and your's are "damn near twins", but that was my original thought when I saw the pictures of your boat.
If the 1870's age of your boat is corrent then Nelow could have built it as he was just a baby in the 1870's, (born 1874), and didn't start building boats until 1924 but I'm guessing that he was building from a common design of the marshes around the Oshkosh area.
Check out the Hoefgen Canoe, (I thinkin its hoefegen.com but you can google it if it doesn't), and see if you don't think that boat and yours bear some very striking resemblances.
Anyway thats what I know, which obviously isn't much, but might possibly be a place to start.
Steve
When I got Koch's book about 10 years ago I contacted him and asked him where I might get one of the boats, (his were fiberglass), that he showed in his book. Koch's boats, which bear a striking resemblance to your boat, albeit without the sexy upswept bow and stern were no longer made but that he felt the Hoefgen Canoe most closely mirrored the original model for his boat, (the Nelow strip boat). He was kind enough to send me a picture of an original Nelow boat but I cannot locate it right now. I would have thought that it would have been inside the book but its not there so its sitting in a safe, and unknown, spot. Impossible, of course, to swear that the Nelow boat and your's are "damn near twins", but that was my original thought when I saw the pictures of your boat.
If the 1870's age of your boat is corrent then Nelow could have built it as he was just a baby in the 1870's, (born 1874), and didn't start building boats until 1924 but I'm guessing that he was building from a common design of the marshes around the Oshkosh area.
Check out the Hoefgen Canoe, (I thinkin its hoefegen.com but you can google it if it doesn't), and see if you don't think that boat and yours bear some very striking resemblances.
Anyway thats what I know, which obviously isn't much, but might possibly be a place to start.
Steve
MLBob Furia
Well-known member
Steve & Van,
My bet would be Wisconsin if you think he boat is the one in the avatar Chuck uses. The painting is called "Damn the Wind" and it was painted by the late Bill Koelpin who also did the picture of Buckeye Joe that hangs in our family room. Bill Koelpin also did the original bronze that is the masthead logo of this website. Bill Koelpin (William J. Koelpin)was from..........Wisconsin
My bet would be Wisconsin if you think he boat is the one in the avatar Chuck uses. The painting is called "Damn the Wind" and it was painted by the late Bill Koelpin who also did the picture of Buckeye Joe that hangs in our family room. Bill Koelpin also did the original bronze that is the masthead logo of this website. Bill Koelpin (William J. Koelpin)was from..........Wisconsin
Last edited:
contactvan
New member
Steve,
I really appreciate your input about this boat. I've owned it for a long time and I remain interested in the history of the boat despite the fact that I put it up for sale. Last month I delivered a dugout canoe to the Indiana State Museum and they have tentatively identified it as having been built around 1680 by French trappers near Vincennes, Indiana, pending research. Though I parted with that unbelievably historic canoe, I intend to follow the museum's progress as they identify the wood species, perform C-14 dating, and so on, in preparation for placing the canoe on display in the museum's entrance. I'm happy that it went to them; the canoe belongs in the hands of responsible individuals.
I wasn't able to locate any information about Nelow, but I was very interested to see the Hoefgen duckboat. It does indeed bear a very striking resemblance to the 1870 model, particularly from the top view.
I really appreciate your input about this boat. I've owned it for a long time and I remain interested in the history of the boat despite the fact that I put it up for sale. Last month I delivered a dugout canoe to the Indiana State Museum and they have tentatively identified it as having been built around 1680 by French trappers near Vincennes, Indiana, pending research. Though I parted with that unbelievably historic canoe, I intend to follow the museum's progress as they identify the wood species, perform C-14 dating, and so on, in preparation for placing the canoe on display in the museum's entrance. I'm happy that it went to them; the canoe belongs in the hands of responsible individuals.
I wasn't able to locate any information about Nelow, but I was very interested to see the Hoefgen duckboat. It does indeed bear a very striking resemblance to the 1870 model, particularly from the top view.
Lee Harker
Well-known member
Looks like there was a bit of bidding at the last minute...wonder if Sutton is "goozergirl"
Steve Sutton
Well-known member
whaaahahahahahahahha, (maniacle laughter)......
"Goozergirl" is Debby's E-Bay name......
Bires will pick it up next week...I hadn't realized how close he was to St.Louis....if it works out I might have to get him to move it over to Ira's so I can Rail hunt out of it this September...then take it from there to Cd. for a Can hunt, then back home.
Neat boat...can't wait to hunt out of it.....
Steve
"Goozergirl" is Debby's E-Bay name......
Bires will pick it up next week...I hadn't realized how close he was to St.Louis....if it works out I might have to get him to move it over to Ira's so I can Rail hunt out of it this September...then take it from there to Cd. for a Can hunt, then back home.
Neat boat...can't wait to hunt out of it.....
Steve
Lee Harker
Well-known member
Cool! Ya gonna paint it FME marsh brown?
Steve Sutton
Well-known member
Debby could never understand it when I painted my Barnegat.....she's already said "don't paint this one DUMBASS"....and when "SHE WHO CONTROLS THE MOON AND TIDES" speaks I have learnedits best to listen....
Steve
Steve
Lee Harker
Well-known member
It would make a neat coffee table in your living room...or a cool mobile in your front entry. When I first saw the pic of it..it reminded me of a Long Point Skiff. Downtown Port Rowan, there is a little hardware store that is owned by the neatest little old man...he has probably 300 decoys on a shelf that goes around the inside of the store and a skiff up on top of a shelving gondola that has dekes in it..it looks a LOT like this boat only it is drab green. I spend about an hour in there everytime I go up. Ky got him going one year when he was showing us pics of his "good" dekes...asked him if he had any Harkers in his collection..If he is still around next time I go up there, I think I'll give him one.
Steve Sutton
Well-known member
a neat "coffee table" in the living room....Its a bit long for that at 14' but if I can find someone that can make me a nice cradle for it I wouldn't be unhappy with it as a show piece...heck at darn near 150 years old it deserves to be "pretty" for awhile.....
A nice peice of bevelled glass over the cockpit.....Poygan gunning box in the cockpit with a 97 in the cradle, a couple of old decoys and some brass shells....sounds good to me.....
I'll have to send Ky some pictures of the boat....my guess is that he'll know something about it....
Steve
A nice peice of bevelled glass over the cockpit.....Poygan gunning box in the cockpit with a 97 in the cradle, a couple of old decoys and some brass shells....sounds good to me.....
I'll have to send Ky some pictures of the boat....my guess is that he'll know something about it....
Steve
