New Schellinger project
- Thread starter John Thomas
- Start date
Capt. John O
Well-known member
Details are on the main page
Ken Miller
Member
The way I understand it: the coast guard reg requires a boat float upright at the gunnels when inundated with water. What good is that? I have hit the water when it was frozen over (trapping) it takes away your breathe and some of your reason.
All the flotation does is save your equipment. I have flotation in my low boat and on my person; I don't think that would save me in delaware bay or jenkins sound; neither would my g3 1548. Its up to me to navigate where, when, and how safely.
How many of you critics of the roy boat have ever gone down in one or even been in one? I did the above quote so that those of you that didn't read it before might read it now!
John, you have a great boat for running the Dleaware Bay creeks and also to run down the bayside if you are so inclined. I have used these a few times, I know several people that have them, and it is a good boat. It is designed to do certain things well, like every boat ever built. I hunt the same general areas and I like being able to go 15-20 as I often have 2-3 miles of running through creeks and cuts to get where I am going. A displacement boat would just take too long for me. If I was hunting on the bay, it would be a different story.
I have met Roy Schellinger several times, he sometimes uses the same ramp that I do, and he is quite a character. But it is always to fun to run into him and jawbone. There is a reason that there are a lot of his boats around, and it is because they work well in the local conditions. Most of the negative comments you have seen are from people that I don't believe are hunting the same area, and they are probably correct for what they like to do. But not for tidal creeks along Delaware Bay.
I have met Roy Schellinger several times, he sometimes uses the same ramp that I do, and he is quite a character. But it is always to fun to run into him and jawbone. There is a reason that there are a lot of his boats around, and it is because they work well in the local conditions. Most of the negative comments you have seen are from people that I don't believe are hunting the same area, and they are probably correct for what they like to do. But not for tidal creeks along Delaware Bay.
John L
Well-known member
The idea behind the USCG requiring a boat manufacturer to have floatation is to give you something to cling to in the event your boat does take on water, swamps or starts to sink. It's a lot easier to find someone who is clinging to a boat, even a capsized boat or a boat sunk up to the gunwales then trying to find someone just floating on the water. A person floating by themselves can be very hard to spot, even harder if they are wearing camo. This is why it is strongly recommended not to leave the boat, even it if is barely floating.
I spoke to Roy a few years back about his boats but never got around to seeing one in person until this year. They appear to be well built but do lack some things that the USCG would require from a boat manufacturer. Mainly, floatation and certification.
For me, I will not purchase a boat that is not up to USCG standards. Too much liability on my end if I put clients in it.
As a boat owner, my question would be why would you choose not to have floatation in a boat that is so easy to have it added. I know Roy offers floatation. Is the extra decoy storage worth not having floatation? I find it very easy to tie a sack of decoys up on the bow if I run out of room.
This is not a dig against Roy boats. He can build them and sell them any way he wants. Floatation or no floatation, the choice is yours.
I spoke to Roy a few years back about his boats but never got around to seeing one in person until this year. They appear to be well built but do lack some things that the USCG would require from a boat manufacturer. Mainly, floatation and certification.
For me, I will not purchase a boat that is not up to USCG standards. Too much liability on my end if I put clients in it.
As a boat owner, my question would be why would you choose not to have floatation in a boat that is so easy to have it added. I know Roy offers floatation. Is the extra decoy storage worth not having floatation? I find it very easy to tie a sack of decoys up on the bow if I run out of room.
This is not a dig against Roy boats. He can build them and sell them any way he wants. Floatation or no floatation, the choice is yours.
Dave Hughes
Active member
If I had an 11 or 12 foot schellinger and the boat sank...where it is designed to be used the water probably wouldn't get into my waders and I could walk to shore. They are made for creeks, ditches, etc in the marsh....these aren't big bay, big river, ocean boats. Read Greg Setters post again. He stated it perfectly. People don't really have an idea what it is to hunt South Jersey marshes I guess.
Seems to be a lot of "that can't happen to me" mindedness in this post. Many years ago myself and another party rescued a pair of hunters whose boat sank to the bottom. Inadequate flotation nearly cost him and his partner their lives. We heard and saw one of them kicking and screaming and rushed to relaunch our boat to get to him. His boat went down and he was treading water. When pulled from the water one of the hunters was going under, maybe his last breath. His partner grabbed a decoy sack and it saved his life. Flotation keeps a boat from going down and gives a hunter, at the very least, something to grab on. No flotation is an uneccesary gamble.
Last edited:
Thanks Ryan for your points, you are right on. The safety basics should be considered every time a new boat is bought and refit. The fact that most commercial boats conform to a standard in production means that it is usually a no brainer when someone buys a boat it has flotation. There have been many dozens (hundreds?) of instances here over the years where flotation was discussed here - where people wanted to add flotation to replace what was removed by a previous owner, in building or designing a new boat, where someone wanted to alter the boat in a way that would reduce floatation, or the flotation foam was waterlogged... This isn't a Roy boat issue, other than the boat has no flotation as sold (as I understand it) and a guy when refitting a boat should consider the safety basics.
As long as I am here (along with others here too) there are some basic issues that won't get a pass - lack of flotation in boats is one of them. I'll always bring it up if I think someone can consider it and it may increase the safety of their boat.
T
Tod, Lets not confuse people. I know you didnt mean it that way but your comment about commercial boats needs clarification. I understand it meant in general a boat manufacturer but that word commercial means much more in the boat manufacturing business and its generally not a good thing with USCG safety in mind.
Commercial boat builders do NOT generally adhere to the USCG standards are ussually are only rated commercial because the builders are cutting corners and saving money and do this because of some loop hole that allows them to do so without adhering to USCG standards currently. This is changing the USCG recently contacted state officials to ask them not to register boats that are commercial and do not have the proper HIN on them. A sure way to determine a commercial built boat it it cannot have a HIN on the transom of it by law and your basically buying a boat that for some reason the builder doesnt want to follow USCG standards for what ever reason that may be. Generally its the foam issue. Duck hunters want as much space as they can possibly get and they dont even think about safety when buying these boats.
A recreational boat is one build by a manufacturer that follows USCG standards are has a HIN on it and is tested to meet these standards and will HAVE floatation in them. THe only exception is canoes and kayaks for some reason i am not sure why. They will sink just as easy as any other boat without foam.
Something I want to add wooden boats have bouyancy and this may be why boats 100yrs ago didnt need foam. they were wood and would float all alone without it.
Here is a very very good video about this whole situation currently with the USCG and the Commercial boat issues we all face today. So if you see a boat being called a commercial boat. My suggestion unless you dont want a boat that meets USCG standards and is ussually over rated for HP is to run not walk away.
Check this video out for even greater detail as I am no master on this whole mess. Just what pieces and parts I can fit together. I can tell you a commercial boat is BS unless its truely a commercial fishing vessel. And all other boats should adhere to USCG standards. PERIOD. Any manufacturer who does not is doing so for a reason. Simple as that. And that reason is generally because they cant get enough floatation in the boat for persons capacity or HP ratings to make the boats something people will buy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbaTyDqitSM
Commercial boat builders do NOT generally adhere to the USCG standards are ussually are only rated commercial because the builders are cutting corners and saving money and do this because of some loop hole that allows them to do so without adhering to USCG standards currently. This is changing the USCG recently contacted state officials to ask them not to register boats that are commercial and do not have the proper HIN on them. A sure way to determine a commercial built boat it it cannot have a HIN on the transom of it by law and your basically buying a boat that for some reason the builder doesnt want to follow USCG standards for what ever reason that may be. Generally its the foam issue. Duck hunters want as much space as they can possibly get and they dont even think about safety when buying these boats.
A recreational boat is one build by a manufacturer that follows USCG standards are has a HIN on it and is tested to meet these standards and will HAVE floatation in them. THe only exception is canoes and kayaks for some reason i am not sure why. They will sink just as easy as any other boat without foam.
Something I want to add wooden boats have bouyancy and this may be why boats 100yrs ago didnt need foam. they were wood and would float all alone without it.
Here is a very very good video about this whole situation currently with the USCG and the Commercial boat issues we all face today. So if you see a boat being called a commercial boat. My suggestion unless you dont want a boat that meets USCG standards and is ussually over rated for HP is to run not walk away.
Check this video out for even greater detail as I am no master on this whole mess. Just what pieces and parts I can fit together. I can tell you a commercial boat is BS unless its truely a commercial fishing vessel. And all other boats should adhere to USCG standards. PERIOD. Any manufacturer who does not is doing so for a reason. Simple as that. And that reason is generally because they cant get enough floatation in the boat for persons capacity or HP ratings to make the boats something people will buy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbaTyDqitSM
Last edited:
Bob M
Well-known member
So know we have the "Foam Police" on the site.Congrats.
T-Please stop the BS.You have bashed these boats from day one.Do a search.I have no dog in this fight and I'm bored with this now.
Click it or Ticket....you guys kill me.I guess you don't go over the speed limit either LOL
T-Please stop the BS.You have bashed these boats from day one.Do a search.I have no dog in this fight and I'm bored with this now.
Click it or Ticket....you guys kill me.I guess you don't go over the speed limit either LOL
Guys, it doesnt matter what kind of boat you have. whether it has flotation and meets coast guard spec or if it doesnt. Its the owner\operator that matters most. Wear your PFD's. Make sure you have a whistle and flares. Keep some tools and spark plugs with you. I bring a can of ether and a spare hull plug. Make sure you leave a plan for a friend or family that way they know where you would be in case of an emergency. Bottom line (and i am not against flotation in the boat) The boat flotation will not do a darn thing for me if i fall out of my boat. Which is something that is way more probable than me sinking my roy boat. I am not saying that it cannot happen either so please dont think i am so narrow minded that i think i am invincible. Ive been around boats my entire life and i understand the danger involved. Make sure you have a backup plan. go with a friend. Make sure you have a PFD that can hold you and your gear which would probably be water logged anyway. Be safe and have fun. No matter what type of boat you have.
Agreed if the conditions you describe where the only conditions that the boats were ever used in, but I've seen lots of pics of the boats in open and bigger water - usually going very fast. How do you go 30 mph in a ditch? Do users never cross large water to get to ditches?
I understand that you might never use yours under condition other than you describe, but it seems that others do.
Dave Hughes
Active member
idiots will do what idiots will do. Operator error has more to do with accidents than the boats. You have to know your limitations and the boats limitations and know when to head for the ramp or when to not put in to begin with. I would rather drive an hour home from the ramp without putting in than risking my life for a duck....I've learned when I hunt the bay to watch the direction and the speed of the wind before trying to cross..knowing whether its going to get snottier or calm down while I am hunting. Always one eye on the weather...and wear a life jacket while under way and putting out and picking up decoys at all times. I am not concerned when hunting marshes and rivers at all because we don't get waves that are life threatening on these bodies of water in South Jersey. You put in in the ditches and run in the ditches rarely do you cross big water while hunting marshes and they have so many twists and turns that waves do not build on them.
