I was just wondering if anyone owns any of the Carstens boats ( I was looking at theBluebill in paricular). Just wondering what people think of these boats or some pros/cons from owners would be of great help. I ultimately want to build my own boat but with the current state of the economy I am spending much of my spare time at work getting any overtime that I can so I will have to save that project for another time.
Carstens Boats
- Thread starter Pete Racz
- Start date
Pete,
I use a Carstens Canvasback quite successfully.
I use this boat on smaller lakes and rivers and have always felt safe using it for those conditions. I hunt solo but with my dog. This model conceals very well when grassed up. I normally run a 6.5 hp mud motor but have used a 9.9 outboard on occasion.
Best choice of boat model within the Cartsen line would depend on how you wanted to hunt out of the boat. ie; number of hunters? dog? low profile or upright? open water or protected?
I use a Carstens Canvasback quite successfully.
I use this boat on smaller lakes and rivers and have always felt safe using it for those conditions. I hunt solo but with my dog. This model conceals very well when grassed up. I normally run a 6.5 hp mud motor but have used a 9.9 outboard on occasion.
Best choice of boat model within the Cartsen line would depend on how you wanted to hunt out of the boat. ie; number of hunters? dog? low profile or upright? open water or protected?
John L
Well-known member
I had a Carstens Canvasback used it for a month then sold it.
The pros- It has a nice size cockpit so you can hunt 2 guys and a dog.
It is very light and transports easily
Would be a nice boat if you were only hunting small inland ponds or lakes that don't get much chop
Cons- Priced good
It is a very light boat and the floor flexes easily due to being so thin. Does not feel very sturdy under your feet.
With the narrow beam for the length of the boat you feel like your in a large canoe.
Can not handle any chop. Would not recommend using in open bays where you can get caught in some wind driven chop.
The gelcoat is so smooth that my dog had a hard time getting in the boat and needed some assistance being pulled back in.
I hunt Long Island, NY where we have allot of open water that this boat is not well suited for. If your looking for a boat to use in protected marshes, swamps or small ponds or lakes it may be a good choice for you. I had never been on one before purchasing this boat and was disappointed as a result. I did get some positive feedback from some other guys but most of them were from the midwest and didn't hunt in open water bays.
The pros- It has a nice size cockpit so you can hunt 2 guys and a dog.
It is very light and transports easily
Would be a nice boat if you were only hunting small inland ponds or lakes that don't get much chop
Cons- Priced good
It is a very light boat and the floor flexes easily due to being so thin. Does not feel very sturdy under your feet.
With the narrow beam for the length of the boat you feel like your in a large canoe.
Can not handle any chop. Would not recommend using in open bays where you can get caught in some wind driven chop.
The gelcoat is so smooth that my dog had a hard time getting in the boat and needed some assistance being pulled back in.
I hunt Long Island, NY where we have allot of open water that this boat is not well suited for. If your looking for a boat to use in protected marshes, swamps or small ponds or lakes it may be a good choice for you. I had never been on one before purchasing this boat and was disappointed as a result. I did get some positive feedback from some other guys but most of them were from the midwest and didn't hunt in open water bays.
The cockpit on the Canvasback is only 24 inches wide and 8 feet long. When I'm laying down in that space, with me and the dog, we take up about six feet of that. I can't imagine hunting two hunters and a dog out of this boat if you are using it as a sneakboat. It is definitely too narrow to stand up and shoot from unless it is beached at the time. It is designed for a mud motor which would indicate that it is intended to be used in a shallow marshy environment and it handles that task quite well. My boat is a 2000 model year and I've had it for fours years. I've broken a lot of late season ice with it and have had no issues with the sturdiness of the build. It may be possible that newer models are being built with thinner hulls but mine has held up fine.
Carstens makes a bigger model for bigger waters but I have no experience with it.
Carstens makes a bigger model for bigger waters but I have no experience with it.
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John L
Well-known member
Dave,
I had a 2007 hull. I'm not sure if it's any thinner than the older models or not. I also spoke to the manufacturer and checked their website before I purchased the boat. They do advertise it as a 2 man boat + dog and gear and it is set up for outboard motor or mud motor. I'm not knocking the boat, like I said depending on what it will be used for, it has it's place, just not in my back yard. I'm just trying to offer up an honest opinion so someone can make an educated decision as to what will serve their needs best.
I had a 2007 hull. I'm not sure if it's any thinner than the older models or not. I also spoke to the manufacturer and checked their website before I purchased the boat. They do advertise it as a 2 man boat + dog and gear and it is set up for outboard motor or mud motor. I'm not knocking the boat, like I said depending on what it will be used for, it has it's place, just not in my back yard. I'm just trying to offer up an honest opinion so someone can make an educated decision as to what will serve their needs best.
Andy Grant
Well-known member
Open bay you definitely need something else like a sneakbox.
Doug Bowman
Well-known member
I use a Pintail and love it, Carsten boats are well made and what ever one you buy its well worth the price
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noweil Mike
Well-known member
The Bluebill has molded in seats so you loose open space in the cockpit and can not layout in the boat. I owned a Carstens Mallard that was a good boat. Most little marsh boats (12' boats) are 1 man and a dog operations, in my experience.
I had one last year. I sold it after about 5-6 times of use. Not very good on open water. You will get wet. I never could get mine to plane and I had a 8hp Yamaha two stroke on it. I tried hunting with me and my son and dog.. Way too much for that small of a boat. I also had trouble with this black molding piece that goes around the top molding of the boat. Keep coming off, when the boat would try to plane the water would catch the edge and pull it off. I would not recommend one.