More Model 72 Broadbill - repair, burlap & paint

Steve Sanford

Steve Sanford

Well-known member
I just finished these 36 Drakes for delivery to Long Island on Monday. These will be part of the rig Craig Kessler and I are putting together - with the Cassiopeia (mother ship) , Broadbill (stool boat) and White-Wing (gunning scooter).


I did my usual repairs to "exfoliating keels" and swiveling heads. Every head gets locked in position with 2 strips of 6-ounce 'glass cloth and epoxy. The heads get the epoxy + fine sawdust treatment. Then the bodies get ceramic tile mastic + burlap.

Here are the 36 ready for burlap.

BB%20-%20ready%20for%20burlap_zpstnomvsl8.jpg


Here they are burlapped and with Grey Primer on bottoms, backs and bills. Burlapping makes the birds very durable - but is one job I do NOT enjoy at all.....

I hang them to cure with the stove cranked up - for at least 48 hours.


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This is part of a 104-bird fleet. I did 35 Hens awhile back and still have 4 more Drakes to burlap. So, there will be 75 trawled Broadbill for this December on Great South Bay. There are another 9 Original Recipe (flat bottoms, brass screw eyes) birds that will get done as singles - with just the epoxy + sawdust skin - over the next couple of weeks. There are still 20 more in another barn - for my attentions next Spring.....


Here are some of the 35 Hens (actually, I think I painted a few as Redheads - just for the fun of it....)


sm%202%20-%20Burlapped%20Hens_zpsyoywegdt.jpg



Here is the first half of the Drakes - with just Grey (Behr Elephant Skin) and White on the backs.

First%2018_zpsahwqugcj.jpg



I decided they were a bit too bright - and added some Black to both darken the backs and suggest the vermiculation a bit better. Notice, too, how the back fades to dark as you go aft onto the tertials - not an abrupt edge.



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Here are all 36 - showing the darker backs.



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Here they are head-on.



CWKs%2036%20-%20front_zpsk4ixfk6k.jpg



I have covered the step-by-step rehab and painting previously on my site:

http://stevenjaysanford.com/re-painting-broadbill-decoys/

All the best,

SJS
 
Excellent work as usual Steve, now we just have to hope for a good broadbill season.
I sure miss the bonus seasons of years ago
 
Here are the last of the 2015 batch - the Lucky Thirteen.

Lucky%2013_zpscfvomak0.jpg


The 4 Drakes with the keels will be added to the trawls - for a total of 75. All of the trawled birds have been burlaped - because they are likely to get bumped around quite a bit in and out of the stool boat compartments.

The 9 older, flat-bottomed birds will be individually anchored "singles" - on 15-foot lines - set to fatten the head of the rig. They are not burlaped - just coated with epoxy + sawdust. They will be stored in a leaf bag.

Happily - when on Long Island earlier this week - I saw a nice big bunch of Broadbill.

All the best,

SJS
 
Hey that's an album from my favorite artist! Your Lucky Thirteen look great! Why no keel on the singles? Were the original Herters like that?

Saw tons of broadbill today, unfortunately they didn't want to come near shore. Tried to find a partner to tow the layout boat trailer today. That would have been nice!

So when is the maiden voyage?
 
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