More Pond Box Pictures...
- Thread starter Ed L.
- Start date
That would make a dandy child's bed. The boat bed I made for Thomas is similar in size and shape. I wonder if a twin mattress would drop in one of those pond boxes.
Ed L.
Well-known member
Al...with a cockpit opening of 17.5" and 68.5" long I can only imagine you may be a little cramped!....lol. John Hall says the weight is approx 80lbs. You could throw it up on top of the 4x4 and pull Chili, Habi and your decoys around like Dani does her black dog....hahahaha!
Eric,
I remember the bed. I thought that was so cool! I imagine Thomas has long since grown out of the bed.
Dave Diefenderfer
Well-known member
Al, what is pictured is a pondbox, not a boat. It is intended to be towed or pulled into the shallows and used as a dry layout. It can float, and can be used to fix a decoy, or retrieve a bird in flat calm water, but usually used to add another person to the hunting party without adding another sneakbox. However, i believe Ed is enlarging this for his use as a boat.... these are basically garveys, just sized for purpose.
Ed L.
Well-known member
Yep...I've got the component parts laid out in CAD and I'll be printing out templates this weekend and building my balsa model. Hopefully my radii are right and it comes together. Bending balsa is a heck of a lot easier than bending 3/8" ply. Some places I will be using the boat has stumps so 3/8" ply for the bottom and 1/4" ply for the rest of the boat and covered with 6oz fiberglass.
uncle mike pierce
Active member
If I really wanted a pond boat of smaller dimensions, the price for the one displayed seems really fair, and I'd buy it versus building one.
I prefer the larger dimensions of the one Ed is designing, but I'd want to make it light enough to pull of a simple trailer by myself and capable of being dragged across a mud flat if needed.
I'm currently looking at old jon boats of 10 foot or so to see if I could cut one down to use the bottom half of the hull for the starting point and then just deck it over. Would have to design ribbing/bulkheads to replace the stiffening furnished by the seats in cheapie jon boats, but that would not be too difficult since I'd design the lines of the deck and its supports anyway...
Should be lighter, more durable, and a quicker build....
What do you think Ed, a possibility (cutting down an old Jon boat)?
I prefer the larger dimensions of the one Ed is designing, but I'd want to make it light enough to pull of a simple trailer by myself and capable of being dragged across a mud flat if needed.
I'm currently looking at old jon boats of 10 foot or so to see if I could cut one down to use the bottom half of the hull for the starting point and then just deck it over. Would have to design ribbing/bulkheads to replace the stiffening furnished by the seats in cheapie jon boats, but that would not be too difficult since I'd design the lines of the deck and its supports anyway...
Should be lighter, more durable, and a quicker build....
What do you think Ed, a possibility (cutting down an old Jon boat)?
Ed L.
Well-known member
Mike,
There is a member named Dave Parks that decked over a small flat bottom like you mention.
View attachment bbsbjon.jpg
There is a member named Dave Parks that decked over a small flat bottom like you mention.
View attachment bbsbjon.jpg
uncle mike pierce
Active member
thanks ed, for setting me to the right post and information.
If I do it, I'll do it a little differently that that, cutting the sides lower, just above the stiffener/spray rail, and removing all the seats.
But his approach also gives me a thought of maybe building a self supporting coaming that could go on my 14 ft Lowe, wide Jon, during the duck season, then be taken off during fly fishing season...............
Thanks!
Mike
If I do it, I'll do it a little differently that that, cutting the sides lower, just above the stiffener/spray rail, and removing all the seats.
But his approach also gives me a thought of maybe building a self supporting coaming that could go on my 14 ft Lowe, wide Jon, during the duck season, then be taken off during fly fishing season...............
Thanks!
Mike
Ed L.
Well-known member
Mike,
Here are some other ideas for a pond box.
View attachment pondbbsb_1%20(450%20x%20600).jpg View attachment pondbbsb_2%20(450%20x%20600).jpg
As a facter of fact Steve Sanford (Sanfordbox) is a new memeber here.
http://www.njwa.org/Old/gunningboxplans.htm
http://duckboats.net.nmsrv.com/specs/images/sanfordbox.jpg
http://duckboats.net.nmsrv.com/specs/images/pondbox.jpg
Heres another idea. Last year I bought a camo Shappell ice sled. Model Jet Sled XL - ATC (66" x 31" x 12") and a matching cover.
http://www.shappell.com/sleds.html (scroll about half way down the page the page)
Now I don't know how tall you are but I'm 5'-8" and 230lbs. I can lay down in this sled on a layout seat and it's mighty comfy. I didn't get it done because the water I wanted to use it in dryed up and I was working on another boat getting it ready for the season but hopefully things will change this year. I'm going to a have a seamtress at a local canvas shop modify the camo cover into something along the lines of the covers in the attachments. I'm going to build a bimini type top that I can pull over my head.
Here are some other ideas for a pond box.
View attachment pondbbsb_1%20(450%20x%20600).jpg View attachment pondbbsb_2%20(450%20x%20600).jpg
As a facter of fact Steve Sanford (Sanfordbox) is a new memeber here.
http://www.njwa.org/Old/gunningboxplans.htm
http://duckboats.net.nmsrv.com/specs/images/sanfordbox.jpg
http://duckboats.net.nmsrv.com/specs/images/pondbox.jpg
Heres another idea. Last year I bought a camo Shappell ice sled. Model Jet Sled XL - ATC (66" x 31" x 12") and a matching cover.
http://www.shappell.com/sleds.html (scroll about half way down the page the page)
Now I don't know how tall you are but I'm 5'-8" and 230lbs. I can lay down in this sled on a layout seat and it's mighty comfy. I didn't get it done because the water I wanted to use it in dryed up and I was working on another boat getting it ready for the season but hopefully things will change this year. I'm going to a have a seamtress at a local canvas shop modify the camo cover into something along the lines of the covers in the attachments. I'm going to build a bimini type top that I can pull over my head.
mike braden
Well-known member
In the 5 pic down there is an added piece of wood on the transom for support? Looks like someone is already fixing to put a motor on it.
As Dave already stated - it's a pond box NOT a boat. Bad things happen when you try to put a motor on a pond box.
As Dave already stated - it's a pond box NOT a boat. Bad things happen when you try to put a motor on a pond box.
John H. Hall IV
Member
In the summer, I do a lot of freshwater fishing. I will be using a trolling motor on this pond box. The ponds I fish are very shallow.
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Ed, Mike et al
Interesting discussion. I would agree that a Pond Box is a different animal from a coffin/gunning box/meadow box. My box is intended to drag and tow like a boat hull - but not to float a gunner, under any circumstances. They can definitely float stool and other gear but they are meant to be used as a blind, resting on some kind of land, usually saltmeadow (or cornfield) but just mud, too. With a gunner in one, it does not trim well when afloat (not designed to....).
View attachment Coffin Box - vs.jpg View attachment Coffin Box with Corn - vs.jpg
A Pond Box is more of a true boat - mostly towed to bring along a second gunner (as a coffin can be used) or dragged into or left in a good spot. I think a Pond Box could be built the same way. I think an 8' LOA could work but I would make it close to 48" beam and move the gunner as far aft as possible - so it trims. I think this length might work only because we have built layout boats as short as 8 feet.
Also, as a boatbuilder friend has suggested, a small boat like this could be easily built with the stitch & glue method.
BTW: I'll be building 2 more coffins later this year and will supplement the building instructions with step-by-step images.
All the best,
SJS
Interesting discussion. I would agree that a Pond Box is a different animal from a coffin/gunning box/meadow box. My box is intended to drag and tow like a boat hull - but not to float a gunner, under any circumstances. They can definitely float stool and other gear but they are meant to be used as a blind, resting on some kind of land, usually saltmeadow (or cornfield) but just mud, too. With a gunner in one, it does not trim well when afloat (not designed to....).
View attachment Coffin Box - vs.jpg View attachment Coffin Box with Corn - vs.jpg
A Pond Box is more of a true boat - mostly towed to bring along a second gunner (as a coffin can be used) or dragged into or left in a good spot. I think a Pond Box could be built the same way. I think an 8' LOA could work but I would make it close to 48" beam and move the gunner as far aft as possible - so it trims. I think this length might work only because we have built layout boats as short as 8 feet.
Also, as a boatbuilder friend has suggested, a small boat like this could be easily built with the stitch & glue method.
BTW: I'll be building 2 more coffins later this year and will supplement the building instructions with step-by-step images.
All the best,
SJS
Craig F
Well-known member
Many of us Jersey/East Coast guys grew up hunting out of pond boxes until we got old enough to run our own sneakbox. I know I did. We used to tow it or put it on the bow of the sneakbox. We used an all glass higbee and that would float you if need be. Not designed to be powered though.
Like this:
Like this:
Wispete
Well-known member
Duckworks - BackPacker and BackPacker Plus
This boat is a interesting design The thing I like besides being light is that it is unsinkable side air pockets. Any duck boat should have this as number one criteria. You can lay down and be covered up with a low profile. I don't like the wheels just get hung up on weeds. Ed with your CAD program you should design it with only using two sheets of ply, or cut tag board to scale. Could be fun.
Duckworks Boatbuilders Supply This is based on a old design the sneak boat but is simpler construction. The plans can be found in your local library. Chappelle "American Small Sailing Craft"
This boat is a interesting design The thing I like besides being light is that it is unsinkable side air pockets. Any duck boat should have this as number one criteria. You can lay down and be covered up with a low profile. I don't like the wheels just get hung up on weeds. Ed with your CAD program you should design it with only using two sheets of ply, or cut tag board to scale. Could be fun.
Duckworks Boatbuilders Supply This is based on a old design the sneak boat but is simpler construction. The plans can be found in your local library. Chappelle "American Small Sailing Craft"
Ed L.
Well-known member
Pete,
In order to have less scrape/money I've decided to go 1/4" ply. Glassing inside and out on the bottom along with the ribs should give me some strength to bounce off should I hit an inanimate object. This way I can I can get the whole boat out of two sheets of ply scarfed together.
Interesting vessel, the back packer. Looks like a mini drift boat.
In order to have less scrape/money I've decided to go 1/4" ply. Glassing inside and out on the bottom along with the ribs should give me some strength to bounce off should I hit an inanimate object. This way I can I can get the whole boat out of two sheets of ply scarfed together.
Interesting vessel, the back packer. Looks like a mini drift boat.