Duck Boat Transoms

B

bill godwin

New member
Evening all. I'm Bill. I build things and this winter I'm building a boat from my service manager. I'm getting one designed as I write but I still have only one main question. With space already at a premium inside the working area of a duck boat, why are almost all of them(home made and wood) a well design?
 
I don't know if or what it does for the design or if it helps do anything as far as performance but the motor well will hide the motor better then just one hanging off the back.
 
When he asked me that was the ONLY answer that I could come up with as well. I will probably make a boat similar the Devlin's Scaup but with a panel on frame design rather than stitch and glue. Thanks for the reply!!
 
If I recall my physics right and understand what you are asking, this is what I offer: if you add flotation aft of the transom, you in sense move the transom forward. If we view the transom as the fulcrum of a lever, you have now changed the type of lever the boat is. By having additional flotation aft of the fulcrum, you have added an additional upward force behind the fulcrum which lifts the boat out of the water. This basically translates to less draft and being able to run in shallower water. Hope that makes sense.
 
as said, less draft, but also with that as you move toward the transom to hang over it, their is more flotation/displacement so the righting moment does not move as much so there is less chance to "dip" too low and catch a wave.

concealment is a bonus.

now I am assuming you mean full pods with the motor inbetween, because there are some dories and other east coast boats that have the motor truly in a motor well that is well inside of a transom. Answer there is as above, but also in a following sea, they have better wave handling characteristics.

that said, none of my boats have a well.
 
CAnderson is exactly right. I actually added sponsons to a AA Broadbill and reduced draft .
It also helped the boat get on plane quicker. John
 
In duck boats, the transom like the rest of the boat is low profile. It is vulnerable to a wave coming over the stern and filling the boat. With the well design, the chance of a wave coming over the back and doing anything of consequence is lessened. Ask Jeff Dye what happens when, motoring along in a calm little bayou, a little wave comes over the transom and fills the boat on a cold day during duck season.

Ed.
 
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A lot of these boats get build to fit the need for a boat that will fill the hunter's main use. Do a search on this site for Devlin Scaup and you will find a lot of pictures of this boat in use or completed construction. This may help with the type of boat you want build or buy.

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A lot of these boats get build to fit the need for a boat that will fill the hunter's main use. Do a search on this site for Devlin Scaup and you will find a lot of pictures of this boat in use or completed construction. This may help with the type of boat you want build or buy.
Click to expand...
Devlin's Scaup is the plan for a wide variety of boats I see. I enjoy Jeff Spira's Boats so well I had him design me a larger version of his 13' Marshrat to be started soon.
 
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