Grumman/DuraNautic Boats?

Carl

Carl

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Staff member
Came across yet another boat manufacturer in my quest to find a boat to buy next year.
Anybody have any experience with the Grumman/DuraNautic hulls?
Specifically, the Grumman Cayuga Split/DuraNautic DSSNT, they appear to be the same hulls except the DuraNautic is painted green.
Nice looking boats, open floor plan, nice storage/livewell setup, come with lights, etc...

http://www.marathonboat.com/dnsst.asp


View attachment GrummanCayugaSplit1.jpg

View attachment GrummanCayugaSplit2.jpg

View attachment dnsst_16a.jpg
 
Carl,

Can't really speak to anything current but the older (early "70's) Grumman products were built like tanks, very solid construction. I know this doesn't help much.
 
Still built like tanks....I used a 16' for sea duck hunting for years without one problem.Took some real rough water too.

Best
Bob
 
I have a 1975 Duranautic model offshore 16' that my dad bought new in the fall of 1974. It's still serving as our primary hunting and fishing boat. They are well built and can take some decent water for a small boat. My dad's original intent for this boat was sea ducking ledges. After 35 years it still doesn't leak a drop of water. If the new ones are built like the old ones I'd say go for it. A lot of lodges use Duranautic and Grumman boats becuase they are very durable and are light enough that you can away with using a smaller motor and still be able to scoot along.
 
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Can't speak for the boats Carl but they made one of the best aluminum canoes. I spent four days in one on the upper reaches of the Wisconsin river.
 
Carl,

I have a '78 15-foot DuraNautic that I use for fishing and duck hunting on Lake Champlain. The rivets are still tight and don't leak a drop. The last owner used it in coastal MA and the saltwater exposure did cause the transom bolts to corrode (crevice corrosion?). I replaced the transom 2 seasons ago so there are no more problems like that.

It rides well and is dry. It moves along with a 25-hp Johnson. Performance does suffer because of the heavily rounded chines at the transom. A mod-v jon boat would outrun it.


A buddy of mine just upgraded from a '76 DuraNautic similar to mine. His boat had seen HEAVY use and a dozen or so rivets were leaking. He ended up replacing it with a 14-foot Lund SSV. For him, the Lund offered simplicity and quality for a good price.

The split seating is mandatory in my opinion. There is no way I would purchase another boat with a middle bench.

Have you looked at the DuroBoats? They don't have rivets or welds. Rather, they use some other mechanical fastening system. Another friend of mine has one of the 16-footers with split seating and a flat floor. I've hunted out of it a couple of times in some snotty weather and it performed very well. He has a 40-hp Tohatsu on it and it screams.
 
Carl,

I hunted a Grumman Rough Neck for near 12 years before I sold the boat...It was had a slight V, also known as a river bow, 17 footer, 60 inches wide...I hunted the backwaters of the Ohio and Mississippi River...It was an all weld construction...The boat was built like a tank...It was built in the late 80s...My stepfather owned the boat and I ended up buying off him in the late 90s...All we did was hunt out the boat for the last 6 years...It absolutely took a beating hunting the backwaters but never looked like it spent but a couple of years in the water...I actually wish I had the boat still...I had a 40 Tahatsu on the back trim and tilt...The boat would plain even fully loaded...I recommend the name...

Regards,

Kristan
 
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