Sanford Gunning Box?

[Troy Nicolls]

Anyone familiar with the Sanford Gunning Box? I know it was intended as a "gunning box", but has anyone who has built one used it on open water of any kind? I was thinking about building one for fun but am curious about it's versatility before I commit to buying materials. Looking for a cheap and easy multipurpose boat build.

 

[davidwalton]

The designer, Steve Sanford, is on here. There have been a few made by folks on here. I can't speak of use on open water myself but I would image it would be a bit small.

 

[Carl]

I bet Mr Sanford is! He’ll reply soon I imagine.

 

[Eric Patterson]

The search feature will give you hours of reading on this subject. The Resources entry will give more info and has a link to Steve's website with even more info.

https://duckboats.net/community/resources/sanford-gunning-box.60/

 

[roy brewington]

I believe hes mentioned in his building notes boat wasn,t designed to support a hunters weight afloat stability wise.

 

[Josh Schwenger]

Anyone familiar with the Sanford Gunning Box? I know it was intended as a "gunning box", but has anyone who has built one used it on open water of any kind? I was thinking about building one for fun but am curious about it's versatility before I commit to buying materials. Looking for a cheap and easy multipurpose boat build.

It is not for the purpose you are describing. Mr. Sanford is the expert but I have built 5 and it's what I hunt from 90% of the time. I have used it to float decoys across a pond and when I have been stuck in the mud I have used it to get myself out.

 

[Steve Sanford]

Troy~

As others have explained, my gunning box was never intended to be hunted or shot from when fully afloat. It is too short and too narrow to do so safely. Although they tow nicely (with decoys inside for ballast but never guns, ammo or cameras etc) when getting to a bit or marsh or sandbar (or cornfield), they will not trim properly unless they are supported by bog, mud or sand. A little pothole with no more than 2 or 3 inches of water can provide an exceptional hide - and many memorable hunts in my case.

For gunning open water, the minimum dimensions - in my experience - are 10 feet LOA (length over all) and 44 inches beam (maximum width of hull).

Having grown up on Long Island's Great South Bay, I am partial to Scooters for open water work - which includes "airholes" when the Bay is iced over. This vessel was built in the 1920s or '30s by Dodge & Krowl of Islip, NY. (I grew up in East Islip.) It is about 14-feet LOA with 5 feet of beam.



Here is another Dodge & Krowl hard at work..... Broadbill were the usual quarry for these rigs.



I could talk for days about Great South Bay Scooters. This is the TED SANFORD - which I named for my Dad when I restored several years ago.



I just gave this Scooter - built by Olin Smith of Babylon pre-WW II - to a friend in Ontario. He is hard at a thoughtful and careful restoration.



One option to consider is to modify a Sunfish hull. This happens to be its smaller brother - the Minifish. Either is big enough for safe open water gunning.



Hope this helps!

SJS