Sneakboat Dilemma

[Noah Shaver]

Good morning all,

New member here, brand new to the sneakboat world. I have joined some Facebook groups and talked to a couple guys already that I believe may be members here. My most sincere thanks to all that have helped me so far!

A friend and myself are in the market for a sneakboat, or possibly two. We are hunting the salt marsh of coastal NJ and our current equipment (jon boat and layout blinds) just isn't cutting it. We spend more time fighting the conditions than hunting.

I'd like to get some insight on one larger sneak boat vs. two. A boat like the South Bay duck boat seems perfect for the conditions we hunt, short coastal grasses and shallow water, but I'm not sure that it would house both of us while hunting. We are both 200-225 pound guys, and I have a great dog that I love having tag along.

I know a boat such as the TDB classic would fit both of us and the dog, but I think it would stick out like a sore thumb with its tall profile in the short grasses. We are mainly hunting the outgoing tide in the afternoons, so when we set up the water is typically pretty high.

Is there such a boat that could hunt both of us and hide well, or should we look at getting Two BBSB style boats? We travel a good ways to hunt so we would need to have some sort of double decker trailer if that were the case so we could take one truck.

Thanks in advance,
Noah

 

[Carl]

Welcome to the DHBP Noah!
We have a number of guys on the site who hunt similar conditions, I'm sure you'll get some good feedback and guidance.

 

[Josh Schwenger]

Good morning all,

New member here, brand new to the sneakboat world. I have joined some Facebook groups and talked to a couple guys already that I believe may be members here. My most sincere thanks to all that have helped me so far!

A friend and myself are in the market for a sneakboat, or possibly two. We are hunting the salt marsh of coastal NJ and our current equipment (jon boat and layout blinds) just isn't cutting it. We spend more time fighting the conditions than hunting.

I'd like to get some insight on one larger sneak boat vs. two. A boat like the South Bay duck boat seems perfect for the conditions we hunt, short coastal grasses and shallow water, but I'm not sure that it would house both of us while hunting. We are both 200-225 pound guys, and I have a great dog that I love having tag along.

I know a boat such as the TDB classic would fit both of us and the dog, but I think it would stick out like a sore thumb with its tall profile in the short grasses. We are mainly hunting the outgoing tide in the afternoons, so when we set up the water is typically pretty high.

Is there such a boat that could hunt both of us and hide well, or should we look at getting Two BBSB style boats? We travel a good ways to hunt so we would need to have some sort of double decker trailer if that were the case so we could take one truck.

Thanks in advance,
Noah

Well Noah I think every boat has give and take in the salt marsh. I hunt from a coffin box built to the specifications of Mr. Sanford who has a web site to build your own. As far as a boat goes many good options the number one thing I believe in NJ is a fully grassed boat. I mean a boat that looks like an island you drive. That is for the salt marsh the second thing you have going against you is with two fellows and a dog your at 500 pounds with nothing added to hunt with. That's above capacity for most sneak boxes. I think two boats would be best if you want a sneak box. I looked at a duckboss 13 but think for my sized person and my companions it was to small. A Roy boat high box is one of the best and now the Garvey versions of the estuary are expensive but very nice. Also I love the county line boats but they are manufactured in Missouri I believe. The 1448 county line is very nice. Paying attention to tide and wind direction and knowing not to push my limits on a tide are things I have learned.

 

[Jay K]

There is, supposedly, a 14' South Bay variant. You are correct in that the smaller SB's will hunt 2 hunters but I have heard it's tight. They are great boats, just pushing it in terms room. Start adding decoys into the mix and it will get low on room really quick.

Your answer:

Duck Invader 13
Duck Boss 13 (little tighter in the bow, 1st generation invader)
Roy Schellenger 12 High Box (if you can find one for less than a small fortune)
Roy Schellenger 14 High (almost impossible to find)
One of Dave Clarks new Estuaries with flappers.

All those boats are/have been extremely popular in NJ. I personally hunt a Duck Invader 13. I am 210-215 lbs and have hunted with a buddy who is about that and his 100 lb black lab. Nothing is perfect but all the above boats essentially disappear when grassed. You're going to be looking at those style configurations to hunt 2 hunters.

Here is my Invader 13 in the recent snow, hunting NJ. My grassing is getting thin but as you can see, it still hides. Get one of the above boats, grass it up well with a combo of raffia and salt hay. You'll have a platform that can hide 2 hunters and a dog well.

 

[Dani]

Welcome to the site. I have nothing to offer except the welcome

 

[Noah Shaver]

Thank you for the welcomes!

Jay, how do you hunt two guys out of your Duck Invader 13? Obviously you are both shooting over the starboard side, but are you sitting in the floor or in chairs?

 

[Craig F]

Noah, while we already discussed this a bit on instagram it is a question that seems to come up a lot these days. Unfortunately there's no perfect boat that will hide in our low salt hay marshes and still have enough room to hunt two grown adults and a dog. Out of the boats previously mentioned the duck invader 13 or duck boss 13 would be your best bet. Unfortunately all of these rigs are either not made anymore, still made but difficult to acquire, or as with everything these days exorbitantly expensive... A southbay would be too tight to hunt two adults and a dog in my opinion and I've spent most of my youth hunting out of one.

You'd have no problem gunning two guys and a dog out of a duck invader, I hunt with a few guys who have them and they use folding turkey chairs as seats.

 

[Jay K]

Thank you for the welcomes!

Jay, how do you hunt two guys out of your Duck Invader 13? Obviously you are both shooting over the starboard side, but are you sitting in the floor or in chairs?

Noah,

As Craig F mentioned, we use turkey chairs. They are perfect. Do note, if you find a used Duck Invader 13, there are two style flaps. High and low. Mine was built when the company was known as Duck Invader and Rich was selling the boats with low and high flaps. The low flaps you will stick out a bit with a turkey chair. The high flaps are just about perfect. That is what my boat has. You can also use MoMarsh Invisiloungers but they get a bit uncomfortable. Back starts to hurt after a while.

 

[Noah Shaver]

Craig and Jay, this is great info, thank you both! Sounds like the Duck Invader/Duck Boss 13 is what I need. I talked to the new owner of the mold for the Duck Boss 13 about turnaround times and deposits and all that. Only a 1 month turnaround. I wish they were a little more affordable, but I understand the price of everything has went up.

 

[Carl]

Quick question: is anyone hunting any of the low profile Devlin designs out there?
You could always build, start now & be done by next season!

 

[Bob M]

I have an original Duck Invader 13 , it truly is the best of both worlds.You can hunt with a dodger sneakbox style, laying down with short flaps or in chairs with high flaps. I

 

[Eric Patterson]

Quick question: is anyone hunting any of the low profile Devlin designs out there?
You could always build, start now & be done by next season!

My thought too. A Black Brant can hunt two sitting on the floor with a low blind, as can the Scaup.

 

[Noah Shaver]

Bob, that is an awesome rig you have there. Looks like you are able to tailor it to many different hunting situations.

Carl & Eric - unfortunately I am building a house this year, so building a boat probably isn't in the cards. Maybe one day!

 

[Josh Schwenger]

This is a 17' boat that I hunt it's one my garveys. I know it's big but it hides well in the right spots most important it's not 4' high. I've killed a lot of black ducks in it. I have been busted in it also. Nice in bitter cold and it's nice for the dog to warm up in a heater. It won't hide like a 12' boat but it will hunt 4 guns and a dog so long as I have 7" of water to push pole out. Boat is 36" high built after email discussions with Mr. Sanford.

 

[greg setter]

I am in the two sneak box camp on this. I also hunt and live in New Jersey and have hunted the coastal bays and the Delaware Bay marshes. If you really want to hide well that is the best platform for it. There are many sneak boxes around in NJ. Some are from local builders and not necessarily in production and there are the models mentioned. If you go this route, and find something you like, there is a good chance someone on here may have or had what you are looking at or may know something about it. They often become available when someone gets out of duck hunting for various reasons or an heir has one. You have plenty of time before next season and if you go looking you will find some, be it on Craigs list or someplace similar. Good luck and keep us all posted on what you are finding.

 

[David K]

I am somewhat new to the duck boat world and from what I have witnessed, the cure to the duck boat dilemma is to simple buy more duck boats. All jokes aside, there are so many options and it really comes down to personal preference. I opted for the sneak boat route to just hunt myself and the dog comfortably. We are able to sneak into spots that other people can't get into and sometimes it pays off. Something larger like a TDB 14 never seemed to hide as well in my opinion however, the most important part is being where the ducks want to be and many are successful in those rigs. Another thing to consider is weight. I personally like to be able to push my rig off of the mud when it sucks dry versus being stuck until the tide comes in. The downside to smaller boats is that you can't bring a friend unless they also have a sneak boat. The flip side to that is that it's easy to manage and I can get out easily and often.

 

[Jay K]

I am somewhat new to the duck boat world and from what I have witnessed, the cure to the duck boat dilemma is to simple buy more duck boats. All jokes aside, there are so many options and it really comes down to personal preference. I opted for the sneak boat route to just hunt myself and the dog comfortably. We are able to sneak into spots that other people can't get into and sometimes it pays off. Something larger like a TDB 14 never seemed to hide as well in my opinion however, the most important part is being where the ducks want to be and many are successful in those rigs. Another thing to consider is weight. I personally like to be able to push my rig off of the mud when it sucks dry versus being stuck until the tide comes in. The downside to smaller boats is that you can't bring a friend unless they also have a sneak boat. The flip side to that is that it's easy to manage and I can get out easily and often.

I agree with this. You have to try a lot of boats, and it's fun, to find the right one.

I started with a Jon boat and hated it. Granted, it was the lighter weight "topper" style ones. I built a pop-up blind for it. Shooting buffleheads and brant? No problem. I couldn't kill a puddle duck from it to save my life. It was a giant marsh "tent." Then I had a 11-12' Higbee "Duck Machine" variant sneakbox. It hid like no other. Black ducks would land in the decoys 15 yds from the boat. But there was no room and it was dangerous on bigger water crossings. Realizing you had a couple square feet of standing room in the middle of the marsh wasn't a great feeling.

The Duck Invader 13 has treated my very well. In terms of weight, 2 guys can easily get it back in the water. Hunting solo, you can as well, just not if the water is a far distance away. But then again, that's not typically great for shooting birds a lot of the time anyway.

I don't want to mislead and say that it's the best boat or the only option. As I mentioned, the Roy's, Duck Bosses, and other options work as well. Some of them like Roy's are seemingly impossible to find.

The Devlin boats are interesting as mentioned. If you can find a bigger variant and build flappers that could work as well.

 

[David K]

I agree with this. You have to try a lot of boats, and it's fun, to find the right one.

I started with a Jon boat and hated it. Granted, it was the lighter weight "topper" style ones. I built a pop-up blind for it. Shooting buffleheads and brant? No problem. I couldn't kill a puddle duck from it to save my life. It was a giant marsh "tent." Then I had a 11-12' Higbee "Duck Machine" variant sneakbox. It hid like no other. Black ducks would land in the decoys 15 yds from the boat. But there was no room and it was dangerous on bigger water crossings. Realizing you had a couple square feet of standing room in the middle of the marsh wasn't a great feeling.

The Duck Invader 13 has treated my very well. In terms of weight, 2 guys can easily get it back in the water. Hunting solo, you can as well, just not if the water is a far distance away. But then again, that's not typically great for shooting birds a lot of the time anyway.

I don't want to mislead and say that it's the best boat or the only option. As I mentioned, the Roy's, Duck Bosses, and other options work as well. Some of them like Roy's are seemingly impossible to find.

The Devlin boats are interesting as mentioned. If you can find a bigger variant and build flappers that could work as well.

I used to solely hunt out of layout blinds as well and got used to ducks coming in really close. The sneak boat is great for the same effect.

 

[William Mills]

Noah,

I also hunt NJ and hunt from a duck boss 15. Previously I had a duck boss 13. No doubt the 13 hides better than the 15 and if I only hunted by myself or one other person the 13 would still be in my driveway. However I like to hunt with both my brother and my dad and that means I needed a bigger boat. I definitely miss the 13 sometimes but I kill plenty of puddle ducks from the 15. Just took me a little while to learn how to hide it (getting sun at my back, have a crossing wind vs at my back, etc) and now I do almost as well as I did out of my 13. It’s also a lot more comfortable to run across big water and drafts very little water

 

[Noah Shaver]

Great info, thank you William!