decoy bag brainstorm on a marsh skiff any ideas?

BillS

BillS

Well-known member
First I will apologize for the poor artwork that I included but may give a better idea what I am thinking. I picked up a used Hoefgen skiff this spring and I am looking for thoughts, ideas on decoy placement on the boat. The caveat is I hunt with cork/wood decoys so I am looking to have individual slotted bags. I am in the process of carving a rig of balsa birds to be used specifcally with this boat to reduce weight. The boat is only going to be used in this application to haul me, dog, gear and 2 dozen decoys to a spot then hunt from shore. But I think I would prefer to have more room inside the boat for dog and gear so this is what I thought up.

Cockpit is 84" long, the distance from chime to top of combing is 9".

Have a single row of slotted bags either side on the outside of the boat, the bottom of the bag would be at the chime line, the bags will be made shorter than normal at 12" tall leaving an overhang of 3" into the cockpit and place the divers in the bags where I will be paddling to create less overhang. Instead of Nylon webbing shoulder straps have it sewn top to bottom of the bag to be used as a attaching point for a large strap that would wrap around entire combing. I could undo the large strap and remove bags.

My concerns would this make the boat to top heavy and tippy? Would it severly impede my paddling? Anyone try anything like this? Any and all thoughts would be appreciated except my drawing skills. :-)

View attachment bags1.jpg

View attachment bags2.jpg
 
Bill,
Just to put another idea in your head. I have a friend that has a similar skiff. He runs long lines out of it at times and carries the decoys bunged to the back deck on the skiff. Then takes the bags one at a time and deploys the decoys from it. Folds the bag and tucks it under the deck. It might be worth considering if that would work for you that way you don't need to worry about the impeding of the paddle by the bags.
 
My guess is tippy maybe, you couldn't paddle effectively and they would drag despite your best efforts. Puting the decoys fore and aft are better options as well as considering the safe carrying capacity of the boat.
 
Is it possible to wrap the bow and stern ends of your cockpit, making a u-shape with decoy bags? This would leave a break along the sides for rowing. Just a thought.
 
I use to hunt out of a kayak and learned the hard way about how changes in centers of gravity can impact the stability of a boat. Let's just say rolling a kayak at o-dark-30 is a real bummer. I eventually went to a decoy sled that towed behind the kayak. I never had to go far so that worked for me. Maybe it'll work for you? if not, I tend to like the idea of slinging them low to the water, either side of the cockpit as you've drawn it.

cheers
Jamus
 
While I was on R&R in May, My wife and I bought Hobie Outback Kayaks. I do plan on hunting with/from mine as well. I actually think I'll go the sled route, but I dought I'll carry more that a dozen dekes. The dog will take up the back storage compartment in the back.

Mike
 
That hull looks a lot like a decked canoe. I would think the bags would, if nothing else, drive you nuts while paddling. If you are going to make these bags, I'd recomend bow and stern bags, It looks like they could actually be bigger than your flank bag design and would help in trimming the boat and increasing stability.

Ron
 
Hey Bill -

Being an owner of a Hoefgen for many years, my opinion is that the bags you propose will certainly get in the way of paddling. When I paddle, I do so in one of two positions - sitting on the back deck with feet in the boat, or on my knees sitting as far back as I can in the cockpit. It is already difficult without the right paddle to paddle this boat as the width of the boat requires a longer kayak paddle.

What I have done is strap the decoy bag to the front of the boat and go from there. I have not once felt tippy with this set up. If I ever feel "iffy" I just sit in the bottom of the boat and paddle away.

When I need more decoys, I strap a bag on the front and back.

Please note that I do not take the care of my plastic dekes as you do with yours so in a bag they go, all together, and the bag gets bungeed to the deck.

also, I think your bag concept might cause hang up on anything you are paddling through such as weeds, tree overhangs, etc.....

For what it is worth.

Mark W
 
Thank you everyone, I will have to keep thinking. I will have to try it out first with my current bags and see where I will sit to paddle.
 
Bring one of those boat cushions with you and place it on the back deck. It elevates you just enough so the cockpit cowling doesn't dig into the backs of you legs and it provides a nice cushy place to park your rear end. I even bolted some pad eyes with bungee between and bungee the pad to the rear deck so it never wants to slide anywhere other than right underneath me.

Mark W
 
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