Kris Schaumburg
Well-known member
What are the pros cons of the original as compared to the DP? Specifically interested in tracking under pole or paddle power, and ability to hunt in 2-3 foot deep protected water. thanks
Original Fatboy?
- Thread starter Kris Schaumburg
- Start date
ira
Active member
Kris here are a couple of general comments on the boats. The original is smaller and carries less of a load than the DP. However, it is lighter. It has a built in transom whereas the DP's is removeable. That is a nice option to have when you dont need a motor- it gives a nicer tapered profile to waterline. The DP handles mudmotors better.
Opinions are mixed on what paddles/ poles better- it is a tossup.
They will hunt the same out of 2-3 foot water depth. DP has more leg room if you use the short door system than the original does.
If you havent, look through the photo galleries and video gallery on the website. Those might help to answer some of your questions. If you have other specific questions, email me and I will do my best to answer them.
Thanks!
Opinions are mixed on what paddles/ poles better- it is a tossup.
They will hunt the same out of 2-3 foot water depth. DP has more leg room if you use the short door system than the original does.
If you havent, look through the photo galleries and video gallery on the website. Those might help to answer some of your questions. If you have other specific questions, email me and I will do my best to answer them.
Thanks!
Steve Sutton
Well-known member
If I use a motor I take the "original"....(thats an outboard...I don't own a mud motor so my choice might change to the DP if I did)....
I PERSONALLY think the Fat Boy poles better but its flat bow profile means that unless you have enlugh weight in the stern to lift the bow high enough to ride over any vegetation it will "hang" in vegetation more than the DP which has enogh rocker so that the bow is out of the water when you pole...
I also personally think the Original tracks better when paddled.....design of the boat dictates that a flat bottomed boat whose entire surface is in contact with the surface of the water will track straighter than a boat with rocker....if you dobt that look at canoe style....touring canoes have flat botttoms while white water canoes have lots of rocker, (like the DP).....falt bottomed equals better tracking....rocker equals manueverability but sacrafices tracking....
For the same reasons the original, with the same load, drafts less water....
The DP is more "stable" than the FatBoy....that said both are very stable.....
The FatBoy, in my experience, has been more "friendly" to first time polers....the DP, for experienced polers who can pole from the rear platform will find the DP better with a pole but they'll have "issues" getting used to it....
IMO both have plenty of room for a single hunter, a dog and a decent load of decoys......
If I was floating creeks and needed a motor to return to the put in I'd pick the original...if I was going to pick up at a shuttle drop I'd take the DP....
Hope this helps...
Steve
I PERSONALLY think the Fat Boy poles better but its flat bow profile means that unless you have enlugh weight in the stern to lift the bow high enough to ride over any vegetation it will "hang" in vegetation more than the DP which has enogh rocker so that the bow is out of the water when you pole...
I also personally think the Original tracks better when paddled.....design of the boat dictates that a flat bottomed boat whose entire surface is in contact with the surface of the water will track straighter than a boat with rocker....if you dobt that look at canoe style....touring canoes have flat botttoms while white water canoes have lots of rocker, (like the DP).....falt bottomed equals better tracking....rocker equals manueverability but sacrafices tracking....
For the same reasons the original, with the same load, drafts less water....
The DP is more "stable" than the FatBoy....that said both are very stable.....
The FatBoy, in my experience, has been more "friendly" to first time polers....the DP, for experienced polers who can pole from the rear platform will find the DP better with a pole but they'll have "issues" getting used to it....
IMO both have plenty of room for a single hunter, a dog and a decent load of decoys......
If I was floating creeks and needed a motor to return to the put in I'd pick the original...if I was going to pick up at a shuttle drop I'd take the DP....
Hope this helps...
Steve
Steve Sutton
Well-known member
fast water, lots of "stuff", like emergent vegetation, logs down etc. I'd go with the DP because its quicker to respond to the paddle plus the raised bow lets it ride up over stuff in the water.....if the water was quiet and clean and stealth was the most important thing I'd pick the original....that low bow in the water makes this boat look like skull boat when you look at it head on....no bow slpa, no shadow under a lifted bow, just a log, or a big old gator, drifting lazily towards you.....
Here's a hint...if you order an original do not, I repeat, DO NOT, go with an undermounted eye in the hull....looks good on paper, which is why I had one put on mine, but in actual useage that thing will hang on everything from vegetation to ice and if you are like me you'll ultimately find yourself attacking the sumbitch with a hacksaw to remove it.....I'd leave it off the DP's too for the same reason although its not nearly as bothersome on that boat....
Steve
Here's a hint...if you order an original do not, I repeat, DO NOT, go with an undermounted eye in the hull....looks good on paper, which is why I had one put on mine, but in actual useage that thing will hang on everything from vegetation to ice and if you are like me you'll ultimately find yourself attacking the sumbitch with a hacksaw to remove it.....I'd leave it off the DP's too for the same reason although its not nearly as bothersome on that boat....
Steve
ira
Active member
Maybe I should put this onthe website.
Tow ring- $35
"AKA" weed snagger, ice catcher, plow when boat dragged backwards!
It is a real bonus for pulling boats behind 4 wheelers and other boats. However, it has damn near caused heart attacks when poling through heavy vegetation in the early season...
Deramaxx is on the way, BTW.
Tow ring- $35
"AKA" weed snagger, ice catcher, plow when boat dragged backwards!
It is a real bonus for pulling boats behind 4 wheelers and other boats. However, it has damn near caused heart attacks when poling through heavy vegetation in the early season...
Deramaxx is on the way, BTW.
Steve Sutton
Well-known member
on the drugs......as does Buddy......sorry I missed you that day...we need to catch up.....
I didn't mention that in my posts that if youare TOWING a boat the DP is the better of the two...last season I towed both the DP's behind the big boat at over 40 knots....they were steady as a rock.....couldn't have done that I don't suspect with out the underbow eye but thats the only time I like them....
Steve
I didn't mention that in my posts that if youare TOWING a boat the DP is the better of the two...last season I towed both the DP's behind the big boat at over 40 knots....they were steady as a rock.....couldn't have done that I don't suspect with out the underbow eye but thats the only time I like them....
Steve
LI-Jack
Active member
Steve,
Good catch, because I liked that tow eye. I had a gotten out a few time this season in the DP, and when I towed her she skipped perfectly. Such a nice boat but I couldn't compare like you can since you have both models. I was also able to use both the Sneakbox and the DP on several occasions when a guest would join me. I took the DP, he took the Sneak, guess you were right I really like the DP!
The only drawback (this if for Ira) is staying awake! My buddy who is 6' 3" laid down in her and in 10 minutes he was snoring. A pair of mallards landed about 10 yards from him, no shots, until they jumped. I missed, and he jumped up like he didn't know where the hell he was; he forgot he was hunting- can you say comfortable.
I had so many folks checkout the DP this season, while I paddle and poled the smaller tribs that I hunt, and all were impressed.
The only bad thing that happened is that I did do some damage to the edge (a 1/4" chunk/ding). Also, right after I made the point that I lost 10 pounds this season from hunting, I broke the cross member where the door flaps ancor too-- I know it's not a seat.
Great boat for my purposes, might need another in the near future......
I should have taken a picture of the boat stacked with well over the recommended capacity of decoys. We hunted a walk up point, and used the DP as the hauler of decoys, sash weights and whatever else we didn't want to carry 200 yds. The bottom was hard and the tide was shallow.
-Jack
Good catch, because I liked that tow eye. I had a gotten out a few time this season in the DP, and when I towed her she skipped perfectly. Such a nice boat but I couldn't compare like you can since you have both models. I was also able to use both the Sneakbox and the DP on several occasions when a guest would join me. I took the DP, he took the Sneak, guess you were right I really like the DP!
The only drawback (this if for Ira) is staying awake! My buddy who is 6' 3" laid down in her and in 10 minutes he was snoring. A pair of mallards landed about 10 yards from him, no shots, until they jumped. I missed, and he jumped up like he didn't know where the hell he was; he forgot he was hunting- can you say comfortable.
I had so many folks checkout the DP this season, while I paddle and poled the smaller tribs that I hunt, and all were impressed.
The only bad thing that happened is that I did do some damage to the edge (a 1/4" chunk/ding). Also, right after I made the point that I lost 10 pounds this season from hunting, I broke the cross member where the door flaps ancor too-- I know it's not a seat.
Great boat for my purposes, might need another in the near future......
I should have taken a picture of the boat stacked with well over the recommended capacity of decoys. We hunted a walk up point, and used the DP as the hauler of decoys, sash weights and whatever else we didn't want to carry 200 yds. The bottom was hard and the tide was shallow.
-Jack
Sam
Active member
Thanks again for all the info. One more quention, and apologies for the hijack.
Steve,
Since you have both Fatboys and a barnegat, can you compare when you use a Fatboy versus a BBSB.
I have a BBSB and am considering a DP for creeks and such, but wondering how much overlap there will be in terms of usage.
sam
Steve,
Since you have both Fatboys and a barnegat, can you compare when you use a Fatboy versus a BBSB.
I have a BBSB and am considering a DP for creeks and such, but wondering how much overlap there will be in terms of usage.
sam
Steve Sutton
Well-known member
weather there is an actual ramp at the site where I'm launching....my BBSB's are cedar boats and very light but even so I'm not going to be dragging them anywhere because of potential damage.....so if I'm accessing water somewhere where there is no ramp and where a "grunt" is in store I'll use, one of the FatBoys.....
The other consideration would be what kind of water I' have to cross to get to where I'm going to gun.....If I can launch the FatBoy close to where I'm going to gun and not have to run any "open" water, and if the number of decoys I wanted to use wasn't an issue, (all of my decoys are cork so wt. becomes an issue), then I'd likely use the FatBoy or the DP.....if I had to run open water, or a long distance then I'd pick the Barnegat.....
"Never Say Never" they say but except when traveling by air I NEVER hunt without a dog so him, my fat ass, the fact that I can, for some reason not leave the trailer without what seems to be a case of ammo and a weeks worth of food, plus even when less than a dozen decoys would suffice I need MORE, and the FatBoy doesn't get first call alot of times if the area is huntable with the Banegat even when the FatBoy would more than fill the need...
I do use the DP as a decoy sled behind the Barnegat a lot and often will tow a second person in that to the gunning spot....
Simple answer, if you have "rough" access to water that isn't "open" to the wind and you don't need a large number of decoys either of the FatBoy boats would be a great choice....
Steve
The other consideration would be what kind of water I' have to cross to get to where I'm going to gun.....If I can launch the FatBoy close to where I'm going to gun and not have to run any "open" water, and if the number of decoys I wanted to use wasn't an issue, (all of my decoys are cork so wt. becomes an issue), then I'd likely use the FatBoy or the DP.....if I had to run open water, or a long distance then I'd pick the Barnegat.....
"Never Say Never" they say but except when traveling by air I NEVER hunt without a dog so him, my fat ass, the fact that I can, for some reason not leave the trailer without what seems to be a case of ammo and a weeks worth of food, plus even when less than a dozen decoys would suffice I need MORE, and the FatBoy doesn't get first call alot of times if the area is huntable with the Banegat even when the FatBoy would more than fill the need...
I do use the DP as a decoy sled behind the Barnegat a lot and often will tow a second person in that to the gunning spot....
Simple answer, if you have "rough" access to water that isn't "open" to the wind and you don't need a large number of decoys either of the FatBoy boats would be a great choice....
Steve
Sam
Active member
Thanks. I cant carry my BBSB either but often launch out of the truck bed.
Portability was the main reason for considering a fatboy now. I guess I was wondering if my second boat in the fleet would be too similar to the first.
But I guess you aren't the guy to ask about that since you have a fleet of like 19 boats.
Thanks.
Portability was the main reason for considering a fatboy now. I guess I was wondering if my second boat in the fleet would be too similar to the first.
But I guess you aren't the guy to ask about that since you have a fleet of like 19 boats.
Thanks.
Kevin Martin
New member
All,
Does anyone have any experience with mounting/using oars with a DP?? Lacking the $$ to purchase a mudmotor this year...rowing is probably the best way to get upstream against moderate shallow river current with a load.
Thanks
Kevin
Does anyone have any experience with mounting/using oars with a DP?? Lacking the $$ to purchase a mudmotor this year...rowing is probably the best way to get upstream against moderate shallow river current with a load.
Thanks
Kevin