Hi all, new to this forum but have been reading for a while. Anyway, after much flip flopping about what to do about a duck boat, I think I have decided I would like to build one of Devlin's models. I really like the look of the Snowgoose and was wandering what your guys thoughts were on this. Anyone out there ever complete one of these, and how to you like it. I would like to use it for fishing, crabbing, and duck hunting in the NJ bays and backwaters. I am a full time finish carpenter/cabinetmaker, so I feel as though I have the skills and equipment to finish one of these, but I want to make sure I am not wasting my time and money before I dive into this head on. Thanks!
Devlin Snowgoose
- Thread starter Bret
- Start date
CraigS
Well-known member
Well I have not built the snow goose but it will be my next one.
I have built the Black brant III and can't say enough good things about it. I just want a bigger boat now.
Try the search function on the top and you should be able to find several old post about the Snow goose.
I have built the Black brant III and can't say enough good things about it. I just want a bigger boat now.
Try the search function on the top and you should be able to find several old post about the Snow goose.
Dave M
Well-known member
Bret ,
Congrats on your decision , i do not have the Snow goose but my partner Andrew bult one about 7 years ago and i will tell youit is an awesome boat for what you want to do with it , i built the cackler and use it for the fisihng as well as hunting but if i did it again i would go the next size up to the Snow goose , Type in Snow goose blog i beleive it will take you to his blog showing his build . Good Luck !!
Dave M
Congrats on your decision , i do not have the Snow goose but my partner Andrew bult one about 7 years ago and i will tell youit is an awesome boat for what you want to do with it , i built the cackler and use it for the fisihng as well as hunting but if i did it again i would go the next size up to the Snow goose , Type in Snow goose blog i beleive it will take you to his blog showing his build . Good Luck !!
Dave M
Phil Nowack
Well-known member
Not the snowgoose... but I made the Honker.. actually modified the length/beam/freeboard and deck..... I love it. It hands big water and waves well... I think it handles well.... and a 60 hp Yamaha 2stroke will push it 30mph.
John Robinson
Well-known member
This is my buddy Neil's Snow Goose that we built around 2003. It has been a great boat and would do everything you talked about fine.
Year before last I ordered plans for a Cackler, then decided I liked Neil's boat so much I modified my Cackler plans to pretty much the same length and beam as the Snow Goose by adding a foot to the length and four inches to the beam.
I love my boat and it would do all you ask as well. You can see the design difference in rocker between the two boats, with the Cackler's upswept foredeck.
Andrew who knows more about Devlin designs than I do, he says there is a difference in rocker between the Snow Goose and Cackler-Honker designs. I don't know if our how this affects performance, but I believe Andrew has an opinion which I hope he will share when he reads this.
All I know is both Neil's Snow Goose and my modified Cackler perform as well as I could have imagined. Good luck, you really can't go wrong with any of Devlin's Garvies as far as I'm concerned.
John
Year before last I ordered plans for a Cackler, then decided I liked Neil's boat so much I modified my Cackler plans to pretty much the same length and beam as the Snow Goose by adding a foot to the length and four inches to the beam.
I love my boat and it would do all you ask as well. You can see the design difference in rocker between the two boats, with the Cackler's upswept foredeck.
Andrew who knows more about Devlin designs than I do, he says there is a difference in rocker between the Snow Goose and Cackler-Honker designs. I don't know if our how this affects performance, but I believe Andrew has an opinion which I hope he will share when he reads this.
All I know is both Neil's Snow Goose and my modified Cackler perform as well as I could have imagined. Good luck, you really can't go wrong with any of Devlin's Garvies as far as I'm concerned.
John
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Dave M
Well-known member
Bret ,
I have the Cackler modified from the original plan by replacing the motor well with a traditional transom which allows me more room in the cockpit , i stole the Snow Goose deck over hang idea and added it to my cackler i would highly recommend that over hand either way for thos days the water is pushing you it flares thsoe swells that are spaced just right that you drop into there trough , I run a 30 Honda 4 stroke one guy and some gear GPSed at 30 flat seas . it is kind of a wet boat where the Snow Goose will pop up faster and ride high over the swells due to it's rocker . Andrew will be a great contact for any questions he has researched it to no end and has built one of the best boats i have seen !!
Dave M
I have the Cackler modified from the original plan by replacing the motor well with a traditional transom which allows me more room in the cockpit , i stole the Snow Goose deck over hang idea and added it to my cackler i would highly recommend that over hand either way for thos days the water is pushing you it flares thsoe swells that are spaced just right that you drop into there trough , I run a 30 Honda 4 stroke one guy and some gear GPSed at 30 flat seas . it is kind of a wet boat where the Snow Goose will pop up faster and ride high over the swells due to it's rocker . Andrew will be a great contact for any questions he has researched it to no end and has built one of the best boats i have seen !!
Dave M
Bret, I should fully disclose that Robinson, Morton and I do earn a commission if you decide to order Snowgoose plans from Devlin... ; )
Fortunately Dave and I have a lot of experience together in the same conditions... our conditions are very similar to what you experience in NJ... I have hunted Tuckerton (out to the old cannery), etc... and the Delaware River... both remind me of RI's bay.
Both boats perform similarly, yet their hull designs are different. Take a look at the Devlin page and study the hulls... Dave's Cackler is almost 2 feet shorter than mine, but both boats handle similarly... the two differences are speed (his a 30, mine a 40hp), mine is a smidge faster, but I ascribe that to Dave eating too many donuts and having more ducks on the floor, Dave is a much better shot than I...
2) my boat pops out of the water faster, but that is due to the hull design, the boats front end gets up and out quickly. Dave did not build to the original Cacler design, he moved his well back, which I thought was smart as he purchased way more usable space... Dave seems to go out front more often in rough weather because I'm a woos, ditto for shallow water running in rocky areas...
Seriously, one cool feature of the Snow Goose, and this happened just the other day, in really shallow water, the hull scrapes bottom/rock B4 the engine will... it gives one a split second warning to throw the engine in neutral or kick the motor up another degree...
Dave's boat is lighter and therefore slightly easier to load/unload and to maneuver around the weeds... however, if either boat is high and dry, they both are high and dry. Can't drag either like a BBSB.
When underway, your feet placement is right at the pivot point, i.e. when you go into and out of the trough of a 4 footer, you aren't slammed at all, in fact you don't even have to hang on... it's weird...
BTW, the Scaup and Snowgoose have the same hull. The major difference is the height of the freeboard, the Scaup's less with greater hideability. I feel more comfortable with more freeboard where we hunt.
Good luck and ask a million questions, that's the fun of building a duck boat... this site has a lot of experienced great guys. Tod has a Snowgoose, and he has developed some very cool hunting mods you may want to check out.
Fortunately Dave and I have a lot of experience together in the same conditions... our conditions are very similar to what you experience in NJ... I have hunted Tuckerton (out to the old cannery), etc... and the Delaware River... both remind me of RI's bay.
Both boats perform similarly, yet their hull designs are different. Take a look at the Devlin page and study the hulls... Dave's Cackler is almost 2 feet shorter than mine, but both boats handle similarly... the two differences are speed (his a 30, mine a 40hp), mine is a smidge faster, but I ascribe that to Dave eating too many donuts and having more ducks on the floor, Dave is a much better shot than I...
2) my boat pops out of the water faster, but that is due to the hull design, the boats front end gets up and out quickly. Dave did not build to the original Cacler design, he moved his well back, which I thought was smart as he purchased way more usable space... Dave seems to go out front more often in rough weather because I'm a woos, ditto for shallow water running in rocky areas...
Seriously, one cool feature of the Snow Goose, and this happened just the other day, in really shallow water, the hull scrapes bottom/rock B4 the engine will... it gives one a split second warning to throw the engine in neutral or kick the motor up another degree...
Dave's boat is lighter and therefore slightly easier to load/unload and to maneuver around the weeds... however, if either boat is high and dry, they both are high and dry. Can't drag either like a BBSB.
When underway, your feet placement is right at the pivot point, i.e. when you go into and out of the trough of a 4 footer, you aren't slammed at all, in fact you don't even have to hang on... it's weird...
BTW, the Scaup and Snowgoose have the same hull. The major difference is the height of the freeboard, the Scaup's less with greater hideability. I feel more comfortable with more freeboard where we hunt.
Good luck and ask a million questions, that's the fun of building a duck boat... this site has a lot of experienced great guys. Tod has a Snowgoose, and he has developed some very cool hunting mods you may want to check out.
Phil Nowack
Well-known member
ANDREW!!!!! I am working on the commission to bump him to a Honker....... 
Phil, the Honker is the ultimate boat, especially if there is a lot of coastal fishing, etc.
I think you deserve the commission.
Bret, try to see all in person and the guys in this string are all very generous with their time... Devlin boats are a blast to build and own and it's no wonder why people get so passionate about their boats...
I think you deserve the commission.
Bret, try to see all in person and the guys in this string are all very generous with their time... Devlin boats are a blast to build and own and it's no wonder why people get so passionate about their boats...
John Robinson
Well-known member
I think they are both good in rough water as is the much bigger Honker. I put a 1985 50hp merc on mine because I got a killer deal from a local guy. I called sam Devlin to get his blessing before I committed to the motor. Like Dave and Andrew, I talked to those guys a lot before and during my build, I filled in the transom and moved the motor all the way aft. That really gives you a lot of room in the boat.
My buddy also has a 50 hp on his Snow Goose. My boat is a little lighter as I was carefull to squeegy out excessive resin and I don't have the big console he has. I think my set up is a little faster than his, but mine takes more power to get up on a plane, he seems to be able to cruise along on a plane at slower speed than I can.
Heres a pick of the cockpit with the transom mount motor and my minimal steering side console. It's awkward for me to stand up and steer, but it leaves a lot more room in the boat.
Please note Andrew's patented a$$ shelf, very handy design right there.
John
Dave M
Well-known member
John ,
This is the 1st picture i have seen of your boat , it looks awesome ! I love the console idea do you have more pics of that ? I was considering one for the cackler but i do not think i want to loose the room inside yours is alot bigger inside than the standard cackler . Again nice work on that
Dave M
This is the 1st picture i have seen of your boat , it looks awesome ! I love the console idea do you have more pics of that ? I was considering one for the cackler but i do not think i want to loose the room inside yours is alot bigger inside than the standard cackler . Again nice work on that
Dave M
John Robinson
Well-known member
Thanks Dave, If it wasn't for the help you guys provided, especially you, Andrew and Dave Clark, I would never have completed such a cool boat. Here are some more pictures for you guys...
Dave M
Well-known member
John ,
That is the best thing about this site , being able to pass ideas to others and get ideas from others , very nice job on the boat the console is exactly what i was thinking about doing on mine , it will wait until spring if it happens at all , what did you do for steering ? Teleflex Hydraulic ? That is my only concern is there will not be enough room for all the steering Mech. in my well , Andrew modifed his well to accept the Hydraulic steering it worked out well for him . Thanks for posting those pics up have a great and safe season out there in Montana
Dave M
That is the best thing about this site , being able to pass ideas to others and get ideas from others , very nice job on the boat the console is exactly what i was thinking about doing on mine , it will wait until spring if it happens at all , what did you do for steering ? Teleflex Hydraulic ? That is my only concern is there will not be enough room for all the steering Mech. in my well , Andrew modifed his well to accept the Hydraulic steering it worked out well for him . Thanks for posting those pics up have a great and safe season out there in Montana
Dave M
Very nice boat John. I bet i can be very rewarding hunting out of something that you have built yourself. that design looks very familiar to the Chincoteague Scow that we use on the Chesapeake Bay. I have a 10hp motor, and ive been debating hull designs for a while now. I want to use that motor (it was my late grandfathers), but still be able to load it with 2 men in and out of the back of the truck or on a utility trailer. I already have a 22ft CC, an enclosed trailer, and a 16ft utility trailer. My wife will kill me if i bring something else into the drive.
I think im going to keep sketching and take all the best features from the rigs i see. make my own custom design (or an odd mut) we shall see.
I think im going to keep sketching and take all the best features from the rigs i see. make my own custom design (or an odd mut) we shall see.
Dave... I have the teleflex parts to convert your motor to console if you want them... about $200 worth, just gathering dust and taking up room... take em.
I had to go the more expensive hydraulic route due to the lack or room re the small area... live and learn.
John, very nice fit and finish, world class work.
I had to go the more expensive hydraulic route due to the lack or room re the small area... live and learn.
John, very nice fit and finish, world class work.