Sunfish to sneakbox
- Thread starter Curt Constance
- Start date
Curt Constance
Member
Hi Joe.
I did get it out a couple times. I ended up using an 8 hp tohatsu 2 stroke on the back. It pushed it well but the bow rode very high when under power. I think a short extension on the tiller handle would solve most of that problem so I could get my weight closer to the middle of the boat. Also perhaps putting the decoy bags on the fore deckwith a tie down would probably help rather than have them in the cockpit. It was very stable though and it hid really well. I?ll add a few pictures of the finished boat to the post here.
View attachment 4D99CEBA-0DEF-4FDA-B911-D467393FD039.jpegView attachment B39471D8-0BAB-4ABB-AC2D-95496B4FB925.jpegView attachment 8E364031-3694-44F1-9BDA-2482AA762017.jpeg
I did get it out a couple times. I ended up using an 8 hp tohatsu 2 stroke on the back. It pushed it well but the bow rode very high when under power. I think a short extension on the tiller handle would solve most of that problem so I could get my weight closer to the middle of the boat. Also perhaps putting the decoy bags on the fore deckwith a tie down would probably help rather than have them in the cockpit. It was very stable though and it hid really well. I?ll add a few pictures of the finished boat to the post here.
View attachment 4D99CEBA-0DEF-4FDA-B911-D467393FD039.jpegView attachment B39471D8-0BAB-4ABB-AC2D-95496B4FB925.jpegView attachment 8E364031-3694-44F1-9BDA-2482AA762017.jpeg
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Looks like you went full length with the Sunfish hull. When I did some research, most shortened the hull by 1-1/2 to 2 feet off the stern. Not sure that would make a difference in the bow rise. But it would move the CG further forward. I found that a tiller extension makes a big difference in how a small gunning boat handles from my sneak box.
Joe
Joe
Pete Meyer jr
New member
Curt,
Did you add any foam for rigidity in the bow and stern? How was the deck around the coming without any knees below it? rigid enough?
Also, what kind of water are you hunting? tidal bays, river, lake? trying to figure out what to power mine with.
Thank you, the boat looks fantastic.
Did you add any foam for rigidity in the bow and stern? How was the deck around the coming without any knees below it? rigid enough?
Also, what kind of water are you hunting? tidal bays, river, lake? trying to figure out what to power mine with.
Thank you, the boat looks fantastic.
Curt Constance
Member
I did leave it full length for two reason, one is more leg room and the other is room for the pup. I?m sure shortening it would have been somewhat beneficial. I have used a tiller extension on my 12? classic barnegat and it made a huge difference on keeping the nose down so I think it?s just a little trial and error next summer to dial in the sunfish. Over all I really like the way it turned out.
Curt Constance
Member
Pete,
I did pour a lot of foam. I put a kick board by my feet and filled the stern all the way too it then poured the rest of the foam I had in the bow which brought it almost to the front edge of the cockpit. I ended up using a total boat 2 pound density foam kit which was 2 gallons before mixing. I ?glassed 1/4? x 2? oak around the cockpit area and I feel that it was plenty rigid. I may add a gun rack on one side and paddle rack on the other but that would just be for the luxury or holding the gear off the bottom of the boat. I don?t feel they are necessary for strength. And I mostly use the sneakboxes on the St. Lawrence River. Everything else I hunt the canoe gets used.
I did pour a lot of foam. I put a kick board by my feet and filled the stern all the way too it then poured the rest of the foam I had in the bow which brought it almost to the front edge of the cockpit. I ended up using a total boat 2 pound density foam kit which was 2 gallons before mixing. I ?glassed 1/4? x 2? oak around the cockpit area and I feel that it was plenty rigid. I may add a gun rack on one side and paddle rack on the other but that would just be for the luxury or holding the gear off the bottom of the boat. I don?t feel they are necessary for strength. And I mostly use the sneakboxes on the St. Lawrence River. Everything else I hunt the canoe gets used.
roy brewington
Well-known member
I,m thinking the sunfish hull is displacement and wondering what kind of M.P.H. do you get with that 8hp? Also how much water does hull draw loaded? Where does your dog reside while hunting, under dodger on deck top or other location? Lastly being you didn,t chop off stern section what is overall lenght?
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Curt Constance
Member
I?m not really sure on the MPH. It is certainly not designed for speed but I feel it is plenty quick enough for what I?m doing with it. Fully loaded just sitting in the water without touching it the transom will bottom out in about 4? of water but if I push down the bow to counter the motor weight when I?m walking it in shallow water it probably only drafts about 2?. The dog was still just a pup and wasn?t quite ready to hunt this year but I was mostly looking for extra room in the cockpit area for her while motoring to and from the launch. I will likely bring along the momarsh pop up kennel for her to get out of the water. We?ve sat in the boat in the yard several times and I just can?t figure out a spot in the boat where she is comfortable and behind the muzzle far enough for my liking. I did see a very nice dodger on Instagram that a fellow made so there was room in there for the dog so that is definitely an option too. The only downfall there is a much higher profile and my hunting area is more open and rocky surrounding so a low profile is key. The overall length is exactly 14?.