New guy here from central Maine. I've slowly resurrected an old gunning float and it's almost ready but I need to put a hole through the stern for my oar and I don't know where it goes. The old stern didn't have a hole in it and it's hard to find many pics of these boats on the net much less any info on the sculling hole. Can anyone help?
Newbie- mmbgf question
- Thread starter Mike L
- Start date
Capt Rich Geminski
Well-known member
I'd recommend above the water line. Try Lou Tisch for a good answer...
Good Morning Mike,
Perhaps I can help
From the book "Building Classic Small Craft" by John Gardner on the chapter entitled "Merrymeeting Bay Duckboat" there are nice drawings that show the placement of the hole for the sculling oar. The drawings are on page 334.
Gardner's drawings are for a 15 foot duck float.
In that drawing, Gardner draws a straight line across the sheer of the stern and a straight line down the center of the stern. From where these two lines bisect, the plans measure 7 inches along the sheer line toward port.
At the 7 inch mark on the sheer line, the plans measure 2 3/4 inches toward the keel. This becomes the center of the hole for the sculling oar.
The plans call for a center hole with a 7/8th inch radius.
Your local library may have a copy of Gardern's book.
I have a copy of his chapter on the Merrymeeting Bay Duckboat but I do not know if we are allowed to reproduce copies on this forum and it has been some time since I have up-loaded pictures.
I hope this helps you. Good Luck!
Regards,
Werner
Perhaps I can help
From the book "Building Classic Small Craft" by John Gardner on the chapter entitled "Merrymeeting Bay Duckboat" there are nice drawings that show the placement of the hole for the sculling oar. The drawings are on page 334.
Gardner's drawings are for a 15 foot duck float.
In that drawing, Gardner draws a straight line across the sheer of the stern and a straight line down the center of the stern. From where these two lines bisect, the plans measure 7 inches along the sheer line toward port.
At the 7 inch mark on the sheer line, the plans measure 2 3/4 inches toward the keel. This becomes the center of the hole for the sculling oar.
The plans call for a center hole with a 7/8th inch radius.
Your local library may have a copy of Gardern's book.
I have a copy of his chapter on the Merrymeeting Bay Duckboat but I do not know if we are allowed to reproduce copies on this forum and it has been some time since I have up-loaded pictures.
I hope this helps you. Good Luck!
Regards,
Werner
Mike,
A couple of other points to consider. Gardner's measurements are for his boat. You will need to consider beam, freeboard, and draft of your boat. Like Capt Richie said, make sure the hole is above the water-line.
I will try to measure my stern and sculling oar hole to help.
Cheers on your boat.
Werner
A couple of other points to consider. Gardner's measurements are for his boat. You will need to consider beam, freeboard, and draft of your boat. Like Capt Richie said, make sure the hole is above the water-line.
I will try to measure my stern and sculling oar hole to help.
Cheers on your boat.
Werner
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Good morning, Mike, Rich & Werner~
You beat me to it, Werner.
Here are some pages from John Gardner's More Building Classic Small Craft. (International Marine Publishing Company, 1984, 1990). I believe posting published pages here is OK - as we are not making money AND I always give attribution. In this case, I think every gunner should own both Gardner volumes (Building Classic Small Craft and More....) I believe they are now in a single volume. There's a Barnegat Bay Sneakbox in the first book. And, Gardner gives lot of useful info on how to build boats throughout his works.
from Chapter 3 - (pp 36 - 42) Merrymeeting Bay Duckboat:
And, I agree with Rich that Lou Tisch would be a source of real expertise.
All the best,
SJS
You beat me to it, Werner.
Here are some pages from John Gardner's More Building Classic Small Craft. (International Marine Publishing Company, 1984, 1990). I believe posting published pages here is OK - as we are not making money AND I always give attribution. In this case, I think every gunner should own both Gardner volumes (Building Classic Small Craft and More....) I believe they are now in a single volume. There's a Barnegat Bay Sneakbox in the first book. And, Gardner gives lot of useful info on how to build boats throughout his works.
from Chapter 3 - (pp 36 - 42) Merrymeeting Bay Duckboat:
And, I agree with Rich that Lou Tisch would be a source of real expertise.
All the best,
SJS
frank middleton
Active member
Mike congratulations, I'm a real fan of the mmbgf. I'll post pics tomorrow of my new boat. I have just done this. I broke down and bought buster prouts most recent boat.... He helped me lay out the port. The boat is built... A real work of art, but I still have to remove the rubrails and add a skeg and drill for the scull port whichrockport marine fabricated for me to buster's specs. He was very specific about the placement. He has built 17 boats plus the one he guided in from the 60's. All that said these boats differ quite a bit from John Gardener's. All respect to John G, but he didn't pick the best boat to write up. And didn't make good note of the many subtle but imortant differences that exist in many of these boats. I'll spend some time tomorrow and get some photos and dimensions up.
Frank
Frank
Scott Farris
Well-known member
In the hope that these photos help:
My Merry Meeting:
View attachment sternR.jpg
The Great Bay:
View attachment from the rear topped.jpg
And an original Whitney - not mine
View attachment JWHITNEY2.JPG
My Merry Meeting:
View attachment sternR.jpg
The Great Bay:
View attachment from the rear topped.jpg
And an original Whitney - not mine
View attachment JWHITNEY2.JPG
Mike: Congratulations on the boat. Sounds like we might be neighbors. I'm in Manchester.
Frank: Congratulations on the boat. This is the year we hunt together. Maybe I'll run over to the part of the Bay you hunt and we can compare new vs. old and upper vs. lower Bay styles.
Mike L,
The first photograph is a head-on picture of the stern of a Merrymeeting Bay Gunning Float.
The second photograph shows the sheer measured to 36 inches. Notice that on this boat, the scull port bisects the sheer line. This is different than John Gardner's boat.
The third photograph shows that the stern measures 12 inches from its top to its bottom at the keel.
The fourth photograph shows where the sheer line and freeboard line bisect at the center of the stern. Notice where the sculling port is in relation to the bisecting lines on this boat.
Also, there is a plastic inserted in the stern that houses a stopper to keep water out when the scull oar is not in use.
The fifth photograph shows the sculling port from inside the boat with the stopper removed. Notice the sculling seat in relation to the sculling port.
My hope is two fold: (a) that these pictures may help you think about placing your scull port in relationship to your boat and (b) to compare these pictures with the drawings Steve Sanford provided you above.
I have additional photographs of the measurements taken of the scull port itself in relation to the stern if you think they will help you in measuring your scull port.
Please just let me know if you would like to see those photos.
Cheers!
The first photograph is a head-on picture of the stern of a Merrymeeting Bay Gunning Float.
The second photograph shows the sheer measured to 36 inches. Notice that on this boat, the scull port bisects the sheer line. This is different than John Gardner's boat.
The third photograph shows that the stern measures 12 inches from its top to its bottom at the keel.
The fourth photograph shows where the sheer line and freeboard line bisect at the center of the stern. Notice where the sculling port is in relation to the bisecting lines on this boat.
Also, there is a plastic inserted in the stern that houses a stopper to keep water out when the scull oar is not in use.
The fifth photograph shows the sculling port from inside the boat with the stopper removed. Notice the sculling seat in relation to the sculling port.
My hope is two fold: (a) that these pictures may help you think about placing your scull port in relationship to your boat and (b) to compare these pictures with the drawings Steve Sanford provided you above.
I have additional photographs of the measurements taken of the scull port itself in relation to the stern if you think they will help you in measuring your scull port.
Please just let me know if you would like to see those photos.
Cheers!
Scott Farris
Well-known member
A couple of more shots from the DHBP history pages.
Bill Wasson's float at a NH Ducker's Day over a decade ago being checked out by Charlie and his dad Paul.
View attachment Billsmerry.jpg
Damn if I can remember names, hopefully someone can help out. This was taken at the 2001 Lobsterfest, this is a good shot on the water showing the relative hole location to the waterline. In both of these shots, as well as on my float earlier, Mr Werner's observation "[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]the scull port bisects the sheer line" holds true.
View attachment motorswitch.jpg
[/font]
Scott
Bill Wasson's float at a NH Ducker's Day over a decade ago being checked out by Charlie and his dad Paul.
View attachment Billsmerry.jpg
Damn if I can remember names, hopefully someone can help out. This was taken at the 2001 Lobsterfest, this is a good shot on the water showing the relative hole location to the waterline. In both of these shots, as well as on my float earlier, Mr Werner's observation "[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]the scull port bisects the sheer line" holds true.
View attachment motorswitch.jpg
[/font]
Scott
frank middleton
Active member
Jeff, that all sounds good. I'm super excited about this boat. Just ordered supplies to work on it, mostly epoxy for the cloth and parker paint.
This photo shows what Buster meticulously laid out. I tried to show how much his boat rises from where the skeg runs flat to the bottom of the transom. Otherwise this looks to be very low. His preference is to have the oar penetrating the hull as close to the waterline as possible. It reduces the angle therefore making it easier to keep your hands below the coaming( and in doing so hide that motion).
With that thought in mind he knows his waterline and so once you do, then you could cut the hole with confidence. The amount of centerline offset is less crucial. Too much and you are banging your knuckles and too little your body is cramped and your engine bracket might have interference with the hole while running or sculling( Sometimes I scull with the motor kicked up and not taken off and stowed.) View attachment image.jpeg
Frank
This photo shows what Buster meticulously laid out. I tried to show how much his boat rises from where the skeg runs flat to the bottom of the transom. Otherwise this looks to be very low. His preference is to have the oar penetrating the hull as close to the waterline as possible. It reduces the angle therefore making it easier to keep your hands below the coaming( and in doing so hide that motion).
With that thought in mind he knows his waterline and so once you do, then you could cut the hole with confidence. The amount of centerline offset is less crucial. Too much and you are banging your knuckles and too little your body is cramped and your engine bracket might have interference with the hole while running or sculling( Sometimes I scull with the motor kicked up and not taken off and stowed.) View attachment image.jpeg
Frank
All these pictures are great! Not only do I get the answer to my question, I get to see everyone's mmbgf. I was told that my float was built by buster prout or Ronnie Burrell in the 70s. I'll have to measure my stern because it's not original and I'm not sure if the height has been changed. Frank I'd love to see more pictures of a brand new float. Is that a brass insert for the sculling hole? I thought I'd read somewhere that people used to wrap the oar in leather. If anyone else has pictures please post them up. As soon as I figure out how to resize pictures on my iPad I'll post some of mine.
Scott Farris
Well-known member
I can't find the name of it but Lou Tish recommends a flared brass toilet fitting that works great. I used one for my Great Bay float. When I'm back in the office Friday I'll see if I can dig up the details.
Frank, nice looking boat. How many of Buster's boats are on the Bay now? I fell in love with one of his boats at a Merrymeeting DU event 5 or 6 years ago. All the great photos in "Confluence" made it worse--sort of like if Charlie Brown had to get the SI Swimsuit Edition filled with photos of the Little Red-haired Girl.
frank middleton
Active member
Jeff, this boat is seventeen that he built by solo. He mentions a time when he built some with someone else. I know Ronnie Burrell borrowed the molds from time to time. I have just finished classing and filling the weave. She be in service soon!