Looking for a pond box plan

[CK Jackson]

I'm finally getting organized after a move into south-central-west Missouri. My plan now is to build a pond box that has three requirements: I must be able to lift it out of my big boat that will be used to transport it to the hunting area; it must be large/safe enough to house my 250-pound self; it must be a boat I can fish out of in the strip pits around here.

I saw the garvey-style pond box in the classifieds, and that looks to be the type of boat I'd like to build. The primary propulsion would be rowing, but I may well put a small electric motor on it.

I plan on building it using stitch-and-glue techniques. Is there a source of plans out there?

Thanks.

 

[Steve Sanford]

CK~

Here is some Pond Box info from Zack Taylor's SUCCESSFUL WATERFOWLING - one of my favorite books. It can give you a starting point for your stitch-n-glue design.

Note that the beam is only 36 inches. I would use the whole 48 inches of any plywood - especially for such a short vessel.

Another idea - especially if you plan to occasionally fish out of it: Find an old Sunfish (or - even better - a Minifish) hull and lop the ends off - then add a high-crowned deck with cockpit. The deadrise in the hull is not so much that it wouldn't hunt from up on the marsh but would help lots when rowing or paddling (or towing).

MOST IMPORTANT: Let me know where you find the plywood for $8.50 per sheet......

Hope this helps!

SJS

 

[roy brewington]

That little Garvey style in the classifieds has beautiful lines. I,ve seen somewhere plans for that exact style. They,re out there or at least use to be. Built one myself several years ago from a 1436 jon boat hull that transome had been crushed on . Shortened it to 8' and built combed decks and replaced transom. Worked good for a number of years so thats another option for you if inclined.

 

[bob welsh]

That Zack Taylor design was the first boat I built in 1974.

 

[Paul Meisenheimer]

Yukon Mike showed me a little boat he built when I was up in the Yukon. It reminded me of the rowing pram I grew up with except with a deck.

https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31...=1af01553f6bbb86b4a364101b0f6b22d&oe=59190F5B

I keep telling myself I am going to build one of these with a deck. I figure with a couple of small tweaks (no sails, daggerboard and cut the seats down to become frames) and the deck I should be able to leave out the middle and back seats.

http://bateau.com/free/D4.pdf

 

[roy brewington]

Google Hybrd Boats. Lots of good designs on there.

 

[Bill Abbate]

What ever happened to Yukon Mike ? He had great pictures and stories.

 

[Paul Meisenheimer]

Yulon Mike is on here once in a while. Busy living life in the wild.

 

[Ben M]

Here's an interesting one:

http://www.butlerprojects.com/boats/duckboat/index.htm

 

[Ben M]

Looks like you could easily shorten it up or otherwise modify it to suit...

 

[CK Jackson]

Thans for all the responses; I appreciate the feedback and assistance.

I thought seriously about Zack Taylor's Pond Box, but I'm thinking it might be too cranky to row. The strip pits around here are mostly long and narrow, and non-cranky rowing is desirable. I did look at his gunning jon boat, but it is bigger than the 10 to 12 feet I'm limited to. It might be the best approach if I scale it down lengthwise and increase the freeboard.

I've pretty much scoured the web, and nothing really trips the trigger--with the exception of the pond box in the classifieds and Yukon Mike's boat image. Butler's Montana Guide boat is very close except that the bottom is completely flat.

And I've been looking for a sunfish or other small sailboat, but the only ones I've found in the area are in good shape and priced beyond my budget for this.

I've got about a month before I can build (because of temps), but I'll need to be ready to build fast and quick before the bluegills start biting.

Thanks again,

Keith

 

[patrick mccarthy]

This one is in the duckboat specs
http://duckboats.net.nmsrv.com/specs/images/hybridcomp.jpg

Or maybe this decked
http://www.clarkcraft.com/cgi-local/shop_new.pl?cart_id=84e96eb933154d9772693c7f8631f499&type=item&categ=016&item=942411810

 

[patrick mccarthy]

One more that looks interesting
http://www.clarkcraft.com/cgi-local/shop_new.pl?cart_id=84e96eb933154d9772693c7f8631f499&type=item&categ=016&item=942403794

 

[OliverNJ]

Mr. Sanford, Would your Gunning/Coffin Box be buoyant/stable enough to be used in this application in shallow, calm water?

 

[Steve Sanford]

Good morning, Oliver~

My box is definitely NOT designed to float a gunner. It should be supported by bog or mud or sand or wter 2 or 3 inches deep.

They are fine for towing a load of decoys, et cetera - but should be longer and wider to float a gunner.

Hope this helps!

SJS

 

[CK Jackson]

I appreciate all the suggestions. Thanks!

However, I'm beginning to think I need to bite the bullet and build two boats: one for fishing and a pond box similar to Zack Taylor's for hunting. Given that I only have three boats at the moment, the navy is a bit on the slim side.

But I'm still thinking of Michalak's Piccup Squared, a pretty straight little garvey-style sailboat. With the ends boxed in, the cockpit area is devoid of thwarts, which should make lying down fairly easy. Obviously, I would ignore the sailing option, and it would be feasible to build a removable seat for rowing.

Another option is a Puddleduck Racer. With the side tank version, I think it could be rowed fairly well. The only problem is that the resulting boats are ugly--to my eye, anyway. The open cockpit, again, makes it easy to hunker down. At 6'5", hunkering in a boat can be tough...