Estuary owners and other suggestions

D

Dick Sargeant

Well-known member
I am beginning to research a new craft to gain a little more room and safety. Currently run a 12' BBSB ( Don Warren ) that I have added flotation etc. In speaking with David ( Estuary Boats ) he said there are a couple of owners here in New England who might be willing to show their boat so that I can see this model. Am looking for 13 - 14 ' sneakboat style with glass or at least a glass hull.

Any other boat suggestions greatly appreciated. The last few seasons I have had to run over some less protected water to get to the marshes that I hunt and I think I need more hull. It would also be nice to have enough baot to gun the sea ducks once in a while but still be low enough to grass and hide in the marsh.

thanks for any help !

sarge
 
I don't have the Estuary yet, just put my order in the end of December. When it does come in your more than welcome to check it out. I live in Swansea. The way you describe the area you be hunting is very similar to what I hunt and is why I chose the Estuary.
 
Sarge,

I have an Estuary. I bought it for the aforementioned safety and size because I hunt sea ducks out of it. I bought it from David this summer but didn't get much use this year due to my own and my fathers illness. Would be glad to show it to you. Just put it away for the season today, so it is still easily accessed. I am in Manchester NH. Call me @ (603) 629-9377.

Bill
 
Estuary is as good as it gets for a big water sneakbox. I had mine in some of the worst that the Chesapeake and the coastal bays here can offer and was very pleased.

-D
 
Phil and Dave thanks for your info. Bill I will give you a ring.

BTW - anyone have a south bay scooter at this time ???

thanks - sarge
 
Chris, The boats are made to order, with your own specs. I'm pretty sure Dave's operation is a one man show also.
 
Dick, I have a friend that used to ahve a south bay scooter and there is no comparison. I know both boats and I wold get Dave's for where you are and what you are doing. If you are hunting the Great Marsh and then want to slip outside a little to shoot some of the scoters and eider I would go with Dave's boat. HHG
 
Hi Hank - Thanks for your info on this. Actually I did make an error regarding the South Bay Duck Boat which is not called a scooter. You can view it on duckboat.com. It is built down in LI and I am trying to check it out as I have heard some good reports.

thanks again -
sarge
 
Dick that is what I assumed you were talking about the south bay duck boat. I know the boat well and spent a lot of time hunting in one years ago. They are great boats but they are not the same as Dave's boat. I would still go with Dave's boat. The South Bay boat is good for the marsh but it does not have any rocker to it like Dave's and once you hit some rough water it does not handle it as well. The construction of both boats are very good. HHG
 
I had a southbay in between sneakboxes. They are one of the better two person and a dog boats for hunting the salt in my opinion, but yes, they are flat bottomed so you have to watch the rough stuff.

P2100080.jpg


You can see the flat bottom, which is good for speed and skinny water, but you have to watch the weather if you have to run big water. All that aside, they were designed for hunting on Long Island, NY and are the perfect boat for the salt hay marshes out there. Again, completely different from an Estuary.
 
Hi Craig -

Thanks very much for your info. Just out of curiosity what type of boat do you gun with now and how does it perform ?
 
I hunt out of a Bob Fricke all cedar sneakbox. I love it, but I am very partial to Bob's boats since my father had one when I was growing up. Once I got older the sneakbox was too small for the two of us so we went to the southbay you see above. Once I 'grew up' I bought my own sneakbox and my father went back to a sneakbox as well. He has two, a fiberglass 'Highlands' sneakbox, and a 1950s-60s era Heinrichs that he restored.

PC230058.jpg


This is my Fricke, which I have posted on here before (I really need to take some new pictures). Of course, Dave's Estuary is a great boat and I think you'd be happy with one since they were designed to hunt up in Mass.
 
Thanks Craig - that is a very nice looking sneak boat and I'll bet it hides very well. For my purposes I need a glass hull and it seems like the choice is down to the estuary, south bay or larger 14' bbsb. Everything is a trade off or compromise with boats. The estuary looks like the best for roughwater but might be a little harder to hide. The south bay should hide very well but I have heard conflicting reports about how it handles rough water with the flat bottom. The 14' bbsb is the same as my current boat ( 12' bbsb ) and should handle a little more water but I have not been able to get much info on it as yet.

Thanks again to all for providing your info.

sarge
 
If your hunting shallow water it would be hard to beat a south bay. If you have any kind of chop they you will know your in a south bay.
Today we wanted to cross a flat, my barnget was rubbing on the bottom with about 6" of water and the southbay was floating with water to spare.
Crossing the bay with a chop my barnaget will cross very dry and easy, my southbay I will take a beaten and get wet even with the spray dodger and flap boats. Both boats will take some ruff bay conditions.
 
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