thought on a small gear hauler/boat

J

Jon Zuccolo

Active member
A few times this year, I REALLY needed a boat to go pick up a duck that was just out of reach or decoys that I threw a bit too far. The day that best illustrates this situation is a day when 3 ducks were shot a bit out of range and drifted to the other side of the lake and died there. I walked 2 miles each way (twice that day for a total of 8 miles) to get my ducks... Hey, if I shoot it I am darn well not letting it go to waste eh!?

I thought if I had a small canoe, it would be perfect to cross the 50 yard canal I was hunting.

Then I saw the "mouse" boat, which is basically a simplified 8 foot single sheet boat that would only be used (in my case at least) to haul gear thru the water and fields and occasionally to pick up ducks and decoys. Looks interesting to me, but it has absolutely no flotation so it ain't safe in deep water of any sort, and I wonder if it would even hold me (I am a beautify proportioned 6 ft 4 and 205 pounds :) ) Any opinions on this thing?

decklessmouse.jpg

 
Years + years ago, I made a very similar boat. It held 300 lbs total with a freeboard of about 2 inches,,,,,,,,,,,,, so use your best judgment! Personally, I wouldn't take it anywhere I couldn't wade. These small one sheet boats are best used by kids in the summertime.
 
2 inches ain't much.... (thats what she said haha)

But really, I think we're on the same page. It might make a good layout for swampy areas and a decent gear hauler, but as a duck fetcher, I would probably want to get out of my wader and into my camo speedo before venturing out in it.
 
For what you're planning on using it for, I think you would be just fine.

Here is a boat my son won a couple years ago in a raffle. It's 8' long and about 42" wide. While being a little heavy at around 80 pounds, it certainly fits the exact bill as you describe.

100_7431.jpg


I won't admit to this, but, one time in a pinch, me at 210# my son at 185#, trolling motor and battery, 75# dog, decoys gear and guns MAY have been in it to cross a small body of water. Worked just fine...

Jon
 
We use a 25ft long piece of bamboo with a foam float and a "grappling hook" made out of heavy wire to retrieve birds and decoys that are beyond wading range. It's kept next to our blind and has saved us a long walk around the pond or a trip in our boat many times....

I am about your size and you wont see me in a boat that small.... ever.
 
I would love to get a dog, but I would need to build an extra large dog house, because I would be sleeping in it.
 
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We use a 25ft long piece of bamboo



Seriously???? How do you bring it to the ramp from your house.
 
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I know they are a lot of money, but there are some great layout boats that are very safe and can use an electric motor or a kayak paddle. You would also have another strategy for hunting low cover. They are made out of plastic and do not weigh much. Short of that, buy a used kayak, but NOT a canoe. Finally, those small prams can be modified easily to hold foam.
 
Its definately on my list of desired boats. Given its weight, even with my bad back, I can carry it around.
 
had a friend used to keep a float tube in the brush near his spot. he would put it on and paddle out to the birds. a cheap one people use for fishing.

he looked pretty funny getting out of the water but it worked nicely.
 
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