Papa's Shell Lake Mallard Queen

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Eric Hedstrom

New member
Hi,
New member and first time poster here. I first came across this site in an attempt to help my grandpa (Papa) find out more about having his Shell Lake Mallard Queen boat re-canvased. After joining and posting (Jim Isaacson, titled: Shell Lake Mallard Queen), the great members here helped direct him to an outfit that he eventually had re-canvas the boat. Sadly, he would never see the completed work, as he passed away unexpectedly on a duck hunting trip with my brother and I January of this year. While I'll never get the chance to hunt with him in his boat, I was blessed to spend countless hours with him in a duck blind over the course of 16 seasons - including his last hunt (at age 85!) days before his passing. I will be forever grateful for that.


As the current caretaker of the boat (now owned by my grandma), I'm hoping to get some help in learning more about it. I've done some searching on this site and gleaned some information from the other mallard queen posts (awesome restorations, by the way). Here are some pictures that might help start the conversation:


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Serial number (122 827)?
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Fresh canvas, primed and ready to paint


Please let me know if you have any thoughts or information to pass along.
Thanks!
Eric
 
What a wonderful write up, Eric. Thanks for this post. I'll bet your father had some wonderful hunts with you and your brother. Sorry for your loss but then I think he had a life just they way he wanted it. To be able to hunt right up until the end is very special.

That boat looks like it is almost ready. It looks like it is stored with many memories.

Welcome aboard this great site.
Al
 
great story, great boat

i love the lines on those- seems the midwesterners kept them for themselves

I think you'll feel him right there with you on every hunt in it
 
The boat looks like it is in good hands. I restored one a couple years ago that was a pile of sticks when I got it. Your canvas job looks good. You can get historical info from the washburn county(WI) historicaal society. I believe they have some build records.
 
Must be the day for cool stories about honoring old gear and the old timers that made it special!
Sorry about the loss of your Papa, but you will honor his memory every time you put the boat in the water. Have fun with it.
 
This is a great story Eric. I love the boat and the fact that your grandfather was still in to it.
 
Al, Thanks for the warm welcome and for the sentiments. We most certainly did have some wonderful hunts with him over the years. Not only was hunting right up to the end special and how he would've wanted it, his last hunt was in Arkansas - a trip he had been dreaming of going on for many years. While the success of that hunt certainly wasn't measured in the number of birds we shot, we had a good day. Papa even shot a bird or two himself.


The boat is close to being ready, but does need a good coat of paint. Any suggestions on what brand/type to use? I think my first choice color-wise would be to match the original dead grass color as best as I can.


Eric
 
Call Lou Tisch from Lock Stock and Barrel he can help you with color and products...likely use flat marine enamel. Really durable and the sheen is perfect for hunting.
 
Eric,
I am the last guy in the world to ask for paint colors because of being red/green/brown colorblind. Shawn has a good reply for your question.
Al
 
Rick - I really like the design as well. I'm a hobby woodworker, so I really appreciate the fine craftsmanship it took to make it. He will definitely be felt if/when I'm able to hunt out of it.


Bob - thanks for the tip. I'll definitely look into that. I think I saw somewhere here that there's a good book on the Shell Lake Boat Company as well that I'm going to have to check out.


Carl - he definitely made hunting special for me. I learned so many things from him about hunting responsibly, taking care of the land and respecting/appreciating the natural resources.


Greg - while physically it was getting harder for him to get out, he rarely ever mentioned it. I was more than happy to carry the heavy loads and do the grunt work, if it meant making it easier for him to go. It was the least I could do for him for all he did for me.


Thanks,
Eric
 
Shawn - Ok. I appreciate the tip.
Unfortunately, I don't know what the fate of this boat will be as it will ultimately need to be determined what's fair to my grandma and the family. The cost to have it re-canvased was pretty high (at least to me) and I'm not in a position to outright buy it. There has been talk of just selling it - and whether or not it would be worth it to paint it to do so. From what I can tell, it will already be tough to recoup the full cost of what's been put into it - but then again that was never the intent of my grandpa. As one of only two hunters in the family, I easily have the most interest in it, which my family recognizes, but I don't expect it or the many other hunting related items to be just given to me.


Any thoughts on the value in painting it, should the family decide to sell it, would be appreciated.


Thanks,
Eric
 
I'm no boat salesman, but I think the market for that boat is going to be among folks who collect traditional boats and/or historic duck hunting gear. Either way, I suspect they'll prefer it painted as near original specs as possible.

I don't know your area or that boat, but I bet you are correct that a flat dead grass paint would have been original, so that's how I'd go. The suggestion of Lou Tisch's FME is a good one, and he can help with colors. There is also flat dead grass paint from several other reputable suppliers, though they are less likely to get on the phone with you and help.

I would not put on a fancy camo job--keep it plain.

As for selling vs. keeping, you are probably right that you won't recover the restoration costs in a sale, but you'd certainly get that much value out of using the boat. If you can afford to do so, keep it. If not, take pride in having restored your Papa's boat, and make sure whomever you sell it to knows what they're getting.

Great boat, and great first post!
 
Very nice boat, I also have a Mallard Queen, I restored it and re-canvased the hull and decks. It is built just like a canoe. Cedar ribs and cedar planks.
Re-canvas was a big job. Very cute boat 12-1/2 feet long
 
Jeff, I agree that going the original color route is the way to go for the most appeal, as you mentioned, but also because it fits with the original condition re-canvasing that's been done. Papa had talked at times about fiber glassing the hull, but in the end decided to keep it true to the original design. I realize that's not always possible or practical in some restoration situations, however.


I'm not sure how readable this is, but here's an ad I found online:
View attachment Mallard Queen.jpg




As for selling it, I think Papa would be pleased if I was able to keep it, but would also practically thinking not want me to try to keep it if I couldn't afford it. I will certainly pass along the boat's history should that happen.


Thanks for your thoughts.




Eric
 
Thanks MLBob. I'm glad to have found this site and the helpful members here!


Jim & Bob, do you hunt out of your mallard queen? Not being familiar with canvassed covered boats, I've wondered about the durability of it. I'm ok with being careful with it if needed, but as you know that can be pretty tough in some duck hunting situations. Would even something like my lab getting in and out be rough on the canvas?


Also, if you have hunted out of yours, would you have any concerns with two guys, two dogs and decoys, etc. going out in it? That would certainly push the "well over 500 lb" carrying capacity the ad I posted above mentions.


Eric
 
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I have not hunted out of my Mallard Queen, It is only 12-1/2 ft long
too small for me to hunt two guys and two dogs, way to small
I would hunt 1 guy and maybe 1 dog
The canvas is pretty tough, It is just like the old wooden canoes. it has the same canvas sealer. I bought the canvas and sealer from the North Woods Canoe Co.
in Maine.
 
As Jim points out, wood/canvas boats can definitely be used. I've never seen a Shell Lake Mallard Queen except in your photos, but I know lots of people who hunt and fish out of wood/canvas canoes, including many professional fishing guides who use their boats hard. So long as it's maintained and not abused, it will serve very well.
 
Thanks Jim & Jeff. Good to know it can stand up to normal wear and tear. On second thought I agree this is a one man, one dog - or maybe two man, no dog boat.
 
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