Robert Pinner
Member
Hello Everyone!
I really want some input on a duck boat. I’m sorry for the length of this post, but I can’t ask you for suggestions and insight without giving you the details of my “situation.”
I’m new to this site, but I think I’ve finally found some like-minded brethren. I’m only 33, but I love all things old and all things classic. (My wife says that I’m an old soul.) I’ve been hunting the coastal marshes of Eastern NC since I was kid. I’ve owned several boats, and I’ve hunted more than my fair share. During my undergraduate days, I used to schedule my classes around public impoundment access mornings. Now I’m back in school, married, with a 1-month-old boy…so my hunting time has suffered a moderate curtailment. I’m also much like Hernan Cortes, the Spanish explorer--in order to pay for school, I sold my boats. After I graduate, I can get new boats. I’ve always adhered to the “scout at least once before every hunt” philosophy, and that discipline and work has paid off. Due to my now hectic schedule, I foresee that I won’t have the time scout as diligently as I would like. However, that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to pursue my favorite pastime of waterfowling. I need the mental “recharge,” and (thank Goodness) my wife fully encourages my duck hunting endeavors.
I’m posting today to get some feedback and insight about purchasing a (new to me) used boat. I’m interested in a boat that offers me the opportunity to hunt my two favorite styles (any more is icing on the cake). Here are my primary hunting situations:
I most regularly hunt the western Pamlico Sound and its tributaries. I often hunt divers and puddle ducks in the coastal salt marsh. Our marshes are very close in nature to the east coast salt marshes seen in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Virginia. We don’t have salt hay, but we have low marsh grass (about 1-2 feet higher than water level). This causes traditional boat blinds to stick out like a sore thumb. I feel that a Barnegat Bay-style boat would work beautifully in our marshes. The western Pamlico operates solely on a wind-driven tide; we get no lunar tide where I hunt. I won’t have to drag the boat, so weight isn’t really an issue. I often prefer 35-60 decoys depending on the characteristics of the birds. I like to get away with as few decoys as possible, but a big spread is usually helpful. This is my favorite style of hunting.
I like to hunt seaducks…mainly targeting surf scoters. I love to patiently wait out a limit of drake surf scoters. I used to have a couple Ron Bankes one-man layout boats, but I sold them. I’d love for the new boat to be of an adequately “low profile” to allow me to reasonably layout hunt with it. I know that the new boat will be a compromise, and I know a dedicated layout boat will be best…but a traditional layout boat, unfortunately, requires too many hands to hunt. I want to be able to setup the rig by myself; I don’t want to require a tender. I have my seaducks rigged “long-line” style. These hunts require 35-50 seaduck blocks. When hunting seaducks, I usually setup on a body of water maybe 5 miles across…waves can kick up quickly...so I gotta be sure I’m safe in the new boat. I also like to setup offshore to hunt divers. This sounds weird, but sometimes grassing the boat and hunting offshore can be productive…so I want to be sure the boat can work for that application too. (A properly grassed quasi-layout-style boat will definitely do the trick.) When hunting divers, I need about 60-70 decoys to draw the birds. This is my second favorite style of hunting.
I’m 5’9” and weigh about 165 lbs. I have a 70-pound lab. Hunting without her would be a mockery of the sport. I like to hunt with a couple buddies, but they also have young families…so I hunt by myself more often than not. My primary hunting companion is 5’7” and weighs 130 lbs. soaking wet. Our small statures will, hopefully, prove advantageous in this search.
The 2 boats in which I’m most interested are an Arthur Armstrong Broadbill and a South Bay Sneak Box, but I don’t want to paint myself into a corner. I want to be open-minded, and I value you guys’ input. The waterways I hunt are often big water. However, I’m very seasoned on our waterways. I understand wind and waves, and I know how to access good (and safe) hunting spots regardless of wind direction or velocity. I also will call a hunt if it’s too dangerous. I rarely encounter waves over 1-2 feet. I avoid areas that will pose a threat. However, sometimes the weatherman gets it wrong. I know that specific boats will hunt each style best, but I don’t have the luxury of owning them all right now. I’ve been hunting out of a 16-foot Privateer fiberglass boat, and I’m just really unsatisfied hiding it in the marsh. It looks sophomoric at best. I like a boat that’s 13-14’ feet long with a 54-or-greater beam. The size gives me a little more peace of mind.
I already own a 25 hp, 2-stroke Johnson that’s solid as a dollar. I’d love to use it instead of buying a motor about which I have no clue regarding its history. I have about $2000 to spend, and I don’t mind putting a little elbow grease into the project. I love working on boats…it’s my second-favorite pastime. I apologize for the novel, but I know that you guys can’t make meaningful suggestions without having all the facts. I welcome and really appreciate you guys’ wisdom, perspective, insight, and guidance. I don’t want to rush into something that you guys’ experience could help me avoid. Thanks in advance for your help!
-Robert
I really want some input on a duck boat. I’m sorry for the length of this post, but I can’t ask you for suggestions and insight without giving you the details of my “situation.”
I’m new to this site, but I think I’ve finally found some like-minded brethren. I’m only 33, but I love all things old and all things classic. (My wife says that I’m an old soul.) I’ve been hunting the coastal marshes of Eastern NC since I was kid. I’ve owned several boats, and I’ve hunted more than my fair share. During my undergraduate days, I used to schedule my classes around public impoundment access mornings. Now I’m back in school, married, with a 1-month-old boy…so my hunting time has suffered a moderate curtailment. I’m also much like Hernan Cortes, the Spanish explorer--in order to pay for school, I sold my boats. After I graduate, I can get new boats. I’ve always adhered to the “scout at least once before every hunt” philosophy, and that discipline and work has paid off. Due to my now hectic schedule, I foresee that I won’t have the time scout as diligently as I would like. However, that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to pursue my favorite pastime of waterfowling. I need the mental “recharge,” and (thank Goodness) my wife fully encourages my duck hunting endeavors.
I’m posting today to get some feedback and insight about purchasing a (new to me) used boat. I’m interested in a boat that offers me the opportunity to hunt my two favorite styles (any more is icing on the cake). Here are my primary hunting situations:
I most regularly hunt the western Pamlico Sound and its tributaries. I often hunt divers and puddle ducks in the coastal salt marsh. Our marshes are very close in nature to the east coast salt marshes seen in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Virginia. We don’t have salt hay, but we have low marsh grass (about 1-2 feet higher than water level). This causes traditional boat blinds to stick out like a sore thumb. I feel that a Barnegat Bay-style boat would work beautifully in our marshes. The western Pamlico operates solely on a wind-driven tide; we get no lunar tide where I hunt. I won’t have to drag the boat, so weight isn’t really an issue. I often prefer 35-60 decoys depending on the characteristics of the birds. I like to get away with as few decoys as possible, but a big spread is usually helpful. This is my favorite style of hunting.
I like to hunt seaducks…mainly targeting surf scoters. I love to patiently wait out a limit of drake surf scoters. I used to have a couple Ron Bankes one-man layout boats, but I sold them. I’d love for the new boat to be of an adequately “low profile” to allow me to reasonably layout hunt with it. I know that the new boat will be a compromise, and I know a dedicated layout boat will be best…but a traditional layout boat, unfortunately, requires too many hands to hunt. I want to be able to setup the rig by myself; I don’t want to require a tender. I have my seaducks rigged “long-line” style. These hunts require 35-50 seaduck blocks. When hunting seaducks, I usually setup on a body of water maybe 5 miles across…waves can kick up quickly...so I gotta be sure I’m safe in the new boat. I also like to setup offshore to hunt divers. This sounds weird, but sometimes grassing the boat and hunting offshore can be productive…so I want to be sure the boat can work for that application too. (A properly grassed quasi-layout-style boat will definitely do the trick.) When hunting divers, I need about 60-70 decoys to draw the birds. This is my second favorite style of hunting.
I’m 5’9” and weigh about 165 lbs. I have a 70-pound lab. Hunting without her would be a mockery of the sport. I like to hunt with a couple buddies, but they also have young families…so I hunt by myself more often than not. My primary hunting companion is 5’7” and weighs 130 lbs. soaking wet. Our small statures will, hopefully, prove advantageous in this search.
The 2 boats in which I’m most interested are an Arthur Armstrong Broadbill and a South Bay Sneak Box, but I don’t want to paint myself into a corner. I want to be open-minded, and I value you guys’ input. The waterways I hunt are often big water. However, I’m very seasoned on our waterways. I understand wind and waves, and I know how to access good (and safe) hunting spots regardless of wind direction or velocity. I also will call a hunt if it’s too dangerous. I rarely encounter waves over 1-2 feet. I avoid areas that will pose a threat. However, sometimes the weatherman gets it wrong. I know that specific boats will hunt each style best, but I don’t have the luxury of owning them all right now. I’ve been hunting out of a 16-foot Privateer fiberglass boat, and I’m just really unsatisfied hiding it in the marsh. It looks sophomoric at best. I like a boat that’s 13-14’ feet long with a 54-or-greater beam. The size gives me a little more peace of mind.
I already own a 25 hp, 2-stroke Johnson that’s solid as a dollar. I’d love to use it instead of buying a motor about which I have no clue regarding its history. I have about $2000 to spend, and I don’t mind putting a little elbow grease into the project. I love working on boats…it’s my second-favorite pastime. I apologize for the novel, but I know that you guys can’t make meaningful suggestions without having all the facts. I welcome and really appreciate you guys’ wisdom, perspective, insight, and guidance. I don’t want to rush into something that you guys’ experience could help me avoid. Thanks in advance for your help!
-Robert
