Recommendations for best design for the given purpose

frank middleton

frank middleton

Active member
Please give your thoughts....A friend asked me to find or build a boat for him that would be primarily for transportation, but could also double as a blind. It needs to carry 4 men with gear in shallow heavily vegetated water to and from blinds. The vegetation is mostly lilies and hydrilla. A secondary use would be as a blind for two with a dog. My friend already has a 9.9 go devil. Speed is not the object as much as getting through the weeds. The distances are not great.
Material if I were commissioned to build would be wood. I think he is open to suggestion. Thanks in advance.

Frank Middleton
www.middletonboatworks.net
 
Some may not agree but I'll start by saying "Devlin Scaup".

Two guys and a dog...no problem.

Four guys and gear...depending the guys and gear...certainly do-able.
 
I don't see how he can push any boat big enough to handle four guys and a dog with a 9.9 go devil. If he wants to get that many guys through shallow water and weeds he probably needs to go with an 18 ft flat bottom john boat.
Rick
 
I'm strictly a small boat guy--but I hunt a lot of shallow water with a Devlin Bluebill and a kara. Last week had to pushpole the bluebill about a quarter mile through 4" of water over 1 ft of mud and weeds--had just me, my son, and a dog in the boat. Just about did me in. I couldn't imagine trying to hunt in that kind of location with a boat big enough for 4 guys.

The only rigs I've seen capable of carrying 4 guys and a dog in really shallow/weedy stuff would be 18-20 ft john with a 25hp or larger mud motor.

The other option would be to go with a smaller boat like the BBIII. That can transport 3 guys or hunt 2. But it runs best with a traditional outboard.

Brad's modified Duckhunter design runs well with a mudmotor, but I think that's still a 2 person boat.

Rick
 
I gotta agree, a big wide flat bottom jon boat sounds like the way to go. You can probably transport 4 guys and a dog in some big deep 16's, but definately in protected water and not to hunt 4 guys out of it. 2 guys hunting out of a 16 would be fine. Sounds like he really needs two boats (dont we all??)
Agree on the bigger motor too.
 
To give you an idea we've been building a lightweight, shallow draft, 2 man sneakbox. Empty boat is about 210lbs. Once you add a blind, grass, fuel tank and fuel,anchor and other non hunting equipment you've add another 200 lbs. We'll say the average hunter in his gear is 200lbs (I guess that make me an above average person) x 2 guys = 400lbs. Plus guns and ammo and decoys. That's around 900+ lbs. Our boats run pretty good with a 15hp outboard. A 9.9hp and a mud motor to boot, not going to work well. Then add 2 more guys wth all their stuff and 100+ dog. Forget it!
It you want to JUST transport that many guys, you could use 18' aluminum jon boat. Mud-motor or standard outboard, your choice. I'd put minimum of 25hp for just short runs. If your going any distance I'd go in the 30 - 40hp range. I have a 15' that with 3 guys and a dog, is a little cramped until we put the decoys out. Hunts 3 fine though.
Now unless you fine used, to buy all that new, you be in the same ball park as 2 smaller 2 man boats with 9.9 or 15 hp. One you already have.
But that's just my opinion.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top