Sanford Gunning Box?

[Fred McIntire]

I think Steve has hit on a good point that I've thought for several years, especially when I see hunters pushing what I feel is the limit for various watercraft. The point being that not all watercraft are built or designed to be used in all bodies of water. There's a difference in hunting a flooded rice field in Louisiana, or a marsh where the water is 3' deep, and hunting a large reservoir or bay where the water is over 30' deep and freezing cold, and whitecaps are a distinct possibility. Just something to keep in mind as you consider where you intend to use a certain watercraft. Wading out of the marsh after a capsize in water that's 3' deep is a whole lot different than fighting for your life in water 30' deep at 22 degrees.

Fred

 

[Troy Nicolls]

Wow! I haven't checked in for a while. Thank you for all the posts, info and advise. I do like to build boats, but I only have use for so many. I'd love to build one from an old, proven design, but then modern construction practices get in the way (stitch and glue for one). I'm not sure what I'll do next. Just spent 2 days in nasty wind in my little marsh boat I just finished, with my electric cheater hung off the transom. I'm still tired for some reason? Thank you all. And especially for those archived plans in the resource section!

 

[Troy Nicolls]

Well... I started the Sanford Gunning Box. Already thinking about something else, yet summer will come and my interest's will shift, and the next build will likely be at this time next year. And so the story goes.

 

[Anthony Babich]

Well... I started the Sanford Gunning Box. Already thinking about something else, yet summer will come and my interest's will shift, and the next build will likely be at this time next year. And so the story goes.

Great work Troy! Nice video im sure many will use as a great tutorial

 

[Eric Patterson]

Troy

I think the build series is off to a great start. I like the first video and thought you did a nice job crediting Steve for the design and his help. I suspect the next video isn't that far behind because you seem to get after it. Nice work.

 

[roy brewington]

That's a great video. Has another part come out yet? At 8' I might even be able to slip the dog in behind me with a bit of Mods to dodger.

 

[Steve Sanford]

Well... I started the Sanford Gunning Box. Already thinking about something else, yet summer will come and my interest's will shift, and the next build will likely be at this time next year. And so the story goes.

Good morning, Troy~
First let me say that I am enjoying this! It brings a sense of deja vu. The first time I ever visited duckboats.net - I was still working and not yet a member - I happened across a post where the members - a couple of whom I knew - were discussing the Sanford Gunning Box. I felt like I was eavesdropping. I joined sometime after retiring in 2010 - and started my own website a couple of years later. This topic was among my first posts.

Back to your YouTube: Excellent! You are a natural teacher. I admire your shop for its size and cleanliness - and your 2 good knees. (Mine were both replaced shortly after I retired.) As anyone can see from my website, I truly enjoy sharing the knowledge and information I have gathered over my lifetime - especially as it relates to ducks, duckboats and decoys. So, I really appreciate you spreading the "word" more broadly, in a contemporary format - and with an engaging personality. I appreciate the kind words you send my way and also your self-deprecating humor. Good job all around!

You do mention that you expect me to "pick apart" your production. Nothing of the sort is coming your way, but...since you opened the door.....
Just 3 minor points:

1) Plan Modifications - You mention how I modified the plans. The key changes are in the width of the floor (bottom). They are a wider up near the shoulders and at the forward end. I have always made boxes of varying (custom) lengths).



Detail:



The reason I did this was to make assembly much easier because the bend was needlessly abrupt (tighter arc). Especially because I am almost always a 1-man shop, the wider box is significantly easier to bend and hold whilst fastening the sides to the bottom.
2) Fasteners - Although you have not yet gotten to fastening, I see you plan to use screws. I much prefer either bronze boat nails or s/s staples. Both are stronger because they create much smaller penetrations through the thin plywood.


Because the screws must be flatheads - the fasteners need to be flush to allow for 'glassing - they must be countersunk - either with an actual countersink when pre-drilling or even just when driving modern deck or sheetrock-style screws without pre-drilling. The countersinks remove, weaken and compress the wood fibers, Thus, it is fairly easy to remove plywood with these big perforations by tugging firmly. I sheathed my first duckboat with screws - but quickly went to Anchorfast nails on later vessels.

One of my local Home Depots carries bronze (their website erroneously uses the word copper...) but I get mine nowadays through the mail:
https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/product/product-detail/1926
I like #14 x 7/8" for this application. I do not pre-drill but do start them all before gluing et cetera.


When I built a few of my earlier vessels, a local lumberyard (Kirkup's Lumber in Bayshore, NY) catered to boatbuilders. Their boat nails were in open wooden bins. You filled a brown paper bag with however many pounds you needed - grabbing them with a steel claw - and weighed them on a hanging scale. (Of course they also had long lengths of clear quarter-sawn lumber and marine plywood of all kinds and sizes. A real taste of yesteryear.)

Having said that, I also like s/s staples. As a one-man shop, the pneumatic stapler allows me to hold the work with my left hand - rather than taking the time to clamp things down - and drive each staple with just a gentle pull on the trigger. Much faster! Again, I use 7/8" staples for the gunning box.



3) Tools - I understand that you are gearing your instruction to builders with modest shops. However, I would add router to the list. (I began using my Dad's when I was 12 and own 3 nowadays - and I still "need" a laminate trimmer for some delicate tasks.). Of course, a rasp or Surform can round the outer edges.

The other more modest tool is a spring clamp. I worked for decades without them - now they are used for almost every project. I have dozens within reach above my head. So much quicker than C-clamps (lots of those, too). For example, I hold the ends of my straightedges and fairing battens with spring clamps.


So - more praise!
Very nice job explaining the layout and the use of fairing battens. I have a bunch of varying lengths, thicknesses and materials. Clear wood for the longer, gentler curves; PVC for the tighter radii.

I am also glad that you tried the Skilsaw for the long, gentle curves. I have always found it the better tool to avoid lumps and hollows. Also - for anyone building more than one box and stacking the plywood (I have done 5 boxes at a time), the Skilsaw blade will not wander as a Sabre Saw (jigsaw) can.

So - keep up the great work!

All the best,

SJS

 

[Capt Rich Geminski]

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.

Don't think it is ment for open water use. I think it is used on land, marsh to sit in. I have seen them towed behind a skiff to a shooting spot.