Hudson River Duck Skiff - RESTORATION - Floorboards, Cockpit Hatch, Decks...

She finished out beautifully Steve. Nice work. I did ask around about the possible professional boat builders who could have made her, but to no avail. More likely it was just a good ole boy who liked to hunt ducks and build his own boats. Probably had a beautiful rig of his own decoys to go with his boat back in the day. Glad you saved her.

Zane
 
Steve

What a neat gunning boat. I don't think anyone could do a better job restoring it. The care and attention to detail speaks of someone who knows gunning boats and wanted this boat to survive another 100 years while looking good doing it.

Have you ever thought or been approached about publishing an article in WoodenBoat? Something to consider.

Thanks for showing us your latest project. So many ideas in it we can borrow from.

Eric
 
Another fine job. Looks ready for a museum, or a hunt.

I was pondering if I would be a waterfowler in the days before outboards. I so love my outboard propulsion. I guess I would know no other way and paddle out, or find a partner who liked to paddle. Lol [sly]
 
Good morning, Eric~


Thanks for the kind words.


I approached WoodenBoat several years ago when I restored my Dad's Great South Bay Ice Scooter. I thought they might be interested because it was a "pedigreed" vessel of a recognized, historical type - but knew from subscribing for over 30 years that WB had featured almost no gunning boats - Sneakboxes and Delaware Duckers et cetera being presented as sailing or rowing craft.



I did not draft an article for WB - put sent along the link to my website:


https://stevenjaysanford.com/great-south-bay-scooter/



They passed on an article but did post the photo in their Re-launchings section. I also got a nice turquoise cap with the WoodenBoat logo.


All the best,


SJS

 
Good morning, Mike~


When I lived on the coast, I, too, thoroughly appreciated the wonders of my 15-horse Johnson. However, I also wished I lived on a Great South Bay where one could still row or sail or pole to and from good gunning. I have always thought that coming home from a day's hunt under sail, with a following breeze, would be a sublime experience.


Living in dairy country now, the closest thing is paddling with the current on one of our rivers.


All the best,


SJS

 
Good morning, Rick~


I wish I knew more about gunning on the Lower Hudson River. I know that ice boating was common back before ice breakers and tankers ran up and down to Albany as they do now - but that was for yachting under sail. I do not know if waterfowl were pursued over or amongst the ice.



The construction of this vessel - vertical keel "backbone, plumb stem, bent frames (ribs), riveted carvel planking - is typical of many late 19th/early 20th century small craft. It is built similar to Whitehalls and such, more sophisticated than the more commonplace cross-planked skiffs and punts. I think it would be difficult to break more than just skim ice under oars - but the Hudson is both tidal and salty down that way, so maybe gunners simply needed to wend their way through floes. At some point, I will contact the marine museums down that way - with photos of this boat - and see if I can dig up any more leads.


All the best,


SJS

 
[size 4] This whole series on your restoration leaves me speechless. What a masterful job, coming from decades of knowledge, skills , and experience earned "the old fashioned way" !! Wonderful.
 
Thanks for the kind words, Bob~


I must say, I thoroughly enjoy my work on boats - especially the older ones. As you have observed, I put to use the skills and problem-solving learned over a lifetime, beginning in my earliest days at my Dad's elbow. And, I am still learning - often from other greybeards - here on duckboats.net, at Tuckerton, and other rich places.


All the best,


SJS

 
I was taught to refer to them as duckboards, not floorboards, Steve. By any moniker, you are the only duckhunter/craftsman that could turn a piece of wood meant to keep your butt out of the bilge into something that has both purpose AND visual appeal; your reasoning makes perfect sense as well in crafting it to readily identify which end is the bow end, too! Beautiful work! I also need to find out where you buy pine that is that clear!!!

As I watch the snowfall build outside to near blizzard levels, I have a warm cup of coffee and this thread for entertainment! Thank you!
 
Rick~


My local lumber yard - a family-owned business - stocks nice clear Pine - it's usually either Western White Pine or Sugar Pine - in inch, 5/4 and the nice half-inch I used for the duckboards.


A beautiful snowfall began yesterday. 18 inches and counting - making me really appreciate my snowblower.


View attachment sm 04 Snowfall 08.JPG



I also cherish the Defiant wood stove in my shop - keeping everything nice and cozy....



View attachment sm 06 Snowfall 15 - Wildfowler Black Duck on east window sill.JPG



All the best,


SJS

 
Good morning, All~


Well, she has finally gotten wet. I delivered the skiff to the lower Hudson Valley a week ago.


The last task was installing a padded backrest on the aft coaming.


View attachment 01 Tierney - backrest FULL.jpg



Although the original had been cotton canvas stuffed with horsehair, the owner wanted modern materials - Sunbrella over closed-cell foam. I did attach it, though, with traditional square cut copper tacks.


View attachment 02 Tierney - backrest closeup.jpg



I then made a storage cradle. I had made the chocks early in the restoration to keep her level on the horses, so I fastened them to a frame. The "feet" on the 2x4 frame are treated lumber so they can rest on bare ground if needed. I used only the fitted forward chock so the boat could be slid through the aft chock and then snugged up forward.



View attachment 03 Tierney - cradle.JPG



The forward chock is padded with pool noodles and Sunbrella.


View attachment 04 Tierney - chock padding.jpg



I next made a storage frame - to support a fitted tarp. The A-frames were sawn from 1/2-inch AC plywood.


View attachment 05 Tierney - A-frames.JPG



Each bearing surface was wrapped with heavy Gorilla Tape to protect the decks.


View attachment 06 Tierney - frame Gorilla tape.jpg



I taped pipe insulation to the ridge-pole to prevent chafe on the tarp.


View attachment 07 Tierney - bare storage frame.jpg



I neglected to photograph the installed tarp - and the lashing down for the 125-mile journey south.


I sew up - and install grommets in heavy duty poly tarps - but they are good for 2 or maybe 3 years outside. I advised the owner to have one sewn of canvas (cotton canvas, Sunbrella or such) for the long haul. My quick-and-dirty cover could serve as a template.


Continued in next post....


SJS





















 
All unwrapped....


BTW: She traveled southward on my 4x10 flatbed trailer. The cradle was screwed (long deck screws) directly to the plywood floor of my trailer. Ratchet straps kept the boat held down snugly to the cradle and trailer. She arrived in fine fettle,clean, dry and no chafe.


We carried her down to the lakeside dock and set her on her cradle.


View attachment 08 Tierney Skiff - on dock in cradle.JPG



Here she is afloat for the first time in many decades - maybe since before WW II ?


View attachment 09 Tierney - on water 01.JPG



Stool in the stool rack....


View attachment 10 Tierney - on water 02.JPG



Under power - of the trolling motor.


View attachment 11 Tierney - on water 03.JPG



I drove back north into light snow - but with another vessel on the trailer....


View attachment Double-ender - bedtime 1.JPG



More about the "new" boat in a future post.


All the best,


SJS













 
Steve they need to make a tv show with these restorations, I might actually watch HGTV if they showed this instead of all house remodeling. Great work Steve.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top