Two guys and a dog. The Bluebill and the Black Brant.

Brandon Yuchasz

Brandon Yuchasz

Well-known member
Ok I dont get it.

I know I am starting to be the guy that keeps asking the same question wanting to get a different answer but I am stuborn or stupid I guess.

The requirement is always I hunt most of the time alone but from time to time I like to hunt with a buddy and my dog. Sounds like what 90% of the I am going to build a duck boat threads right???

Why not the bluebill why the black brant? The BBII and BBIII are the go to boat it seems for this discription yet I find my self thinking the Bluebill fits the bill fine. It seems everyone feels there just isn't enough room in the bluebills cockpit for two guys and a dog to hunt but when I look at the specs of the two boats the size of the cockpits are not that different.

The Bluebill is
7’-0” x 3’-3”

The Black Brant II is
7’-9” x 3’-10”

Really doesnt seem like that much more room to me.

Last night I even taped off a square on the carpet and called the dog over to sit next to me. Again it seems the bluebill had plenty of room.

So what am I missing here?

If the requirement is me and the dog a few dozen decoys and sometimes a friend. Why is the BBII the boat instead of the Bluebill?
 
Brandon,I don't own,nor have I built either of these boats in question.However Your requirements are paramount as to which boat will do the job for you,and what compromises,(there are always compromises in boats)you can live with.As long as the load capacity is not exceeded by any great amount,you'll be ok in certain conditions.There are always conditions to consider.You can probably hunt the marsh with two and a dog,and sneak with two and no dog,or go anywhere with you and the dog.Once you know how you will deploy the boat,then decide which boat you want to build,within bugget constraints.
 
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]
Why not the bluebill why the black brant?
Click to expand...

Brandon,

I too mulled this over for quite some time and I've made my decision but have yet to build my boat. There have been several guys which have chosen the Bluebill over the Black Brant versions, myself included. I suspect cockpit size is not the only factor being considered.

Bluebill cap.=610lbs. versus 760 for the BBIII (full size partner and or more gear) or more importantly extra margin of safety.

Bluebill max 20hp versus 30hp for the BBIII That is a BIG jump in hp. which nets you more speed to get on and off the water and more power to haul that extra load.

I guess if trucks were offered in 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton and 2/3 ton, somebody would be asking,"Why not 2/3 ton instead of the 3/4 ton?"

Let me explain why I personally choose the Bluebill. Over the years, I've hunted from a variety of boats and blinds. Everything from a true Erie style layout to fully enclosed stand-up boat blind. Every boat out there has it's niche. I have hunted from Eric's Black Brant and it is a nice boat to hunt from but not the boat for me. It is more boat than I want to deal with most of the time.

I currently hunt from a Carstens Canvasback. Even tho it is sold as a two man boat, if you use it in a laydown low profile mode, it will only handle one hunter. The cockpit size is 8' X 2' which make it longer and narrower than either the Bluebill or BB versions. What I want to change in my current setup is the cockpit size and the cockpit size only. I don't need a bigger boat just a different cockpit configuration. What I want, is the ability to hunt another person out of my boat on occasion.

The Bluebill fits my requirements. It weighs about what my current boat weighs, where as the BB is another 75lbs heavier. I gain a foot of hull width by going to the Bluebill. The BB's are two feet wider than my present boat and I don't need that much increase. Takes up more garage space too.

I really think the main question when choosing between the Bluebill or the BB's is; How often do you take a second hunter? If you only occasionally take a second person then the Bluebill will do fine. If I had to guess, I think a lot of guys choose the BB's because they fear that after taking a partner a couple times, it will soon become more common, rather than less common and they will be left wishing that they had built the bigger boat.

The other thing to keep in mind is that you will be at rated capacity when loaded up with two guys. Like has been mentioned, an extra eye on the weather and extra caution will be required under those conditions. This would apply to any boat loaded to capacity, regardless of size.
[/font]
 
It all depends what your majority of hunts will be, alone or with a buddy. I have hunted out of both boats, and the bluebill is better suited for a solo hunter and Dog. That being said it is a viable platform for 2 people if need be but I wouldn't want to use it all season long for 2 guys. Just a little tight. If your going to be alone 90% of the time , I'd go with the Bluebill.
 
I am of the perspective that you should so the biggest you can without compromising concealibility too much. Safety is a primary concern. The bigger boat will also draft less and be more comfortable. I hunt out of a snowgoose and think that it is a good size for two guys and a dog, I would not build a bluebill if I ever thought I would take 2 guys.

I see an urchin of some sort in your avatar. Any chance that you will want to take it hunting? Any chance it will grow a bit in the next few years?
 
Last edited:
Brandon, I am doing some of the same soul searching re the next last boat. Only for me it is between the Scaup and the BB3. I have an Armstrong Broadbill that is getting a litle long in the tooth and I am getting really tired of pulling the floor a couple times a year to clean out the bilge because of the forms in the boat. Sounds like you are narrowing it down, can't help with either of the two you are looking at but you are at the right place to gather facts and opinions. Just make sure you know the difference. Good Luck.
 
The nice thing about building either is....you can make the cockpit opening larger. I did on my BB2. You lose a bit of storage..so what, there is more room in the boat than you need for dekes and other stuff anyway. I'll take the comfort of a wider longer cockpit. If I were to do it again I'd also add 2-4" in side height and run it a bit longer to eat the waste on the plywood.
 
Brandon, Get busy on that BBSB and forget all that nonsense about Blue Bill, Black Brant. Black Bill, Big Goose., or what ever ( : 0 )

Now take it from me if you have enough land, then storing boats isn't a problem and there isn't any one boat that will do it all.

Your procrastinating, I know all about that.

We want to see pictures of the saw dust flying, scraps on the floor, glue drips and sweat beads on you forehead, when your wife takes your picture.

Time is a wasting. You have six months to launch time.

Remember there is always next year and a bigger boat.

I have my reasons for saying this and they are all selfish......hee hee hee
 
I know one guy up here in Alaska with a Bluebill. He chose this boat because he wanted to be able to drag a boat up a river bank and about 50 yards into a shallow marsh by himself. This boat also fits on a home made ATV trailer for taking the boat into the wilderness to a cabin. 75% of the time he hunts alone with a dog. The rest of the time he is with his 10 yo daughter or another adult. The boat is pushed with a 6.5 mudbuddy long tail. He has no problems with two men and a dog, but the boat will never be in rough water with that load and motor either. For sea duck hunting he puts a 15hp on it and hunts one person at a time using a larger boat as a tender/live aboard.

He installed a covered rigid frame blind making the boat look like a TDB covered in raffia grass. The frame would have a hard time hiding anyone over 6 feet tall, but he can sit on a stool and be just fine.

The one thing to consider with his man is that he is 5'3", might weigh 140 lbs, and is a former Army Ranger so dragging a small 200 lb boat behind him is a good warmup. He can also hide in the boat extremely well compared to any "average" person.

The bluebill will work fine for "general" duckhunting needs for two guys as long as neither of them are concerned about tight quarters and don't max out the boat's capacity.
 
Brandon,
I had a Bluebill and hunted myself and my son out of it. Worked well for four years until he got too wide and was ready to hunt with a gun-- we would sit side-by under the spray dodger in semi-layout fashion. I had chosen the Broadbill because of it's weight and draft -- could float it in 4" of water, and because it weighed only 145 lbs or so could pull it over low and dry spots. Another 50 lbs of boat and it would have been very difficult to drag. The other factor was that we often had to lift the boat off the trailer and carry it a short way to water when the water was low. My son and I could do that with the Bluebill.

We tried hunting the boat with the two of us sitting sideways and I made a detachable blind, but quickly came to the conclusion that I was not taking full advantage of the Bluebill's low profile. Second, I ran out of space for decoys with two full-size guys. I bungeed the decoys to the front of the boat to free up room. I was primarily hunting small marshes, so we converted to two layout boats when I sold the Bluebill. Have to tell you, though, I still miss that boat. . . .

Where you are going to hunt and those conditions should be a big driver of your decision, in my opinion. Either boat is very seaworthy, but if you are river hunting would recommend the bigger boat. Took the Bluebill out on the Missouri River (north of Kansas City) and it did well, but if I were to hunt big rivers often I would've needed to convert to the Black Brant or Cackler.
 
Wow that was a lot of feedback.

I certainly can understand the safety and weight issues between the two boats. I guess when many are looking to build a boat they are looking for a boat that will do all instead of a boat that will do less.

Personally I already have an 18 foot crestliner mod V with a fold up custom fastgrass blind on it. It can hunt three guys and a dog or two very safely and very comfortable. Even can add in the heater if needed so when I am looking for a boat I am looking to fill in where this boat falls short.

I see myself hunting the Devlin Bluebill by myself with 4 dozen decoys the puppy and my 15hp mercury for power on it. Probably hide it in the short grass and sit sideways in the boat.

I get the impression that most of you don’t hunt out of the side of the boat. Are you lying down in the boat shooting out over the back? Is that still true with a partner in the BB boats? Just trying to picture how these boats are hunted most often. In the majority of my hunts I will be tucked into the standing reeds but not against the shore. If you do lay down shooting over the motor where does the dog go? My girl is well behaved and can be trained to hunt from wherever I choose but I like her to be on my right side at a "heal" position if I can help it.


Wispete,
You really called me out didn't you? You are right I am procrastinating but I don’t know what it’s like where you are. Here we still have people in at the resort snowmobiling so I have a while before it warm enough to start working. I have an indoor porch area I am going to build in (can’t believe the wife said yes) but there is no heat so I can clean it out and get some things done but I need it to warm up some.

I love the Perine boat. No doubt I will build it it’s exactly what I want in a one man boat. I keep thinking though I have money save to build with. But I have the need for a small light two man boat for my week long hunt in Canada and I am getting to the point in my life where I have the ability to travel and hunt. Again a two person Light weight boat is what I am looking for so it trailers easy. In Canada we will most likely want a small mud motor boat to get through the weeds.
 
Brandon, I typically hunt my bluebill as a layout with the bow tucked into a feeder gut. Usually marsh grass is tall enough to have the dog sit on the bow and I shoot over the stern. If not the dog sits in the forward cockpit area and I scoot my "layout blind" towards the stern. I'm 5'8" so it works alright. I can shove my boat up onto the mud which gives a better angle to shoot over the stern as well.
 
Brandon, I didn't mean to get on you except in jest. The snow is gradually going down here and they have shut down the snow mobile trails. I am about one hundred miles due south of you. When you start the BBSB I would like to see it in construction. I have some cedar trees to cut and have sawn up into lumber before I can start.

I hear you on a two man one dog boat and the fellows have given some good information. I am going both bigger and smaller. One man BBSB and a four man + dog, 100 decoys.
 
Brandon, I didn't mean to get on you except in jest. The snow is gradually going down here and they have shut down the snow mobile trails. I am about one hundred miles due south of you. When you start the BBSB I would like to see it in construction. I have some cedar trees to cut and have sawn up into lumber before I can start.

I hear you on a two man one dog boat and the fellows have given some good information. I am going both bigger and smaller. One man BBSB and a four man + dog, 100 decoys.
Click to expand...

Wispete,
Dont worry at all. I knew you were kidding but you were certainly correct. Trails are still open up here and its looking like they will get one more weekend to ride before shutting down as required on April 1st.

Everyone thanks for the feedback guess its just up to me to decide what I would like to do now.


 
Brandon,

When hunting from my Canvasback, my preferred set up is with me facing the motor, sitting/reclining on a cushion on the floor. My shoulders are at cockpit height. My boat is positioned so that my decoy spread is off my left shoulder and most of my shots are out the left side of the boat. My dog is at my feet between me and the motor. If the ducks are coming in where I want them, I never have to shoot over my dog or the motor. If the ducks are coming in over the motor and dog, I will reposition as necessary.

In this picture the ducks are laying on a movable seat which sits on top of the sides of the cockpit. The only time I use the seat is when motoring. Once I set up the set is moved forward from the driving position to the location which you see it in the picture. I have a camo covered pvc roof frame which gets bungeed in to cover the cockpit area from the motor to the seat. This the dog's spot.

My spot is the opening you see near the butt of the gun. My legs are under the seat with my feet next to my dog. My head and shoulder end up under the "bonnet" or spray dodger.
11-19-06.jpg



This is another hunting area in this shot. The first picture shows my dog Jack leaving the boat.
jacklaunching.jpg


Second picture is the same exact boat position with Jack returning to the boat. The stern is to the right of the picture frame and there are more decoys out of frame on the left of the picture.
mallardretrieve.jpg

 
Last edited:
Dave,
Thanks for the info as well..

OK so here is the burning question. IF I build the BBSB I will not have the time or money to build another boat this year. I dont want to drag my big boat to Canada next season so I will be forced to buy borrow or steal a small two man boat for the trip.

Soooooo... Can you hunt two 170lb guys and a 50 lb well behaved Chessie out of one of those Cavasbacks in deep water, muck and weeds with a small fold up blind shooting off the side?
 
Brandon,

Short answer, I don't know, never tried it. All I can say is Carstens markets their boat to do this. If I were to try it, I still think I would not stand up to shoot. The only times I have done much standing is a few times I have fished from this boat. I don't think you will tip it over but it may well be unstable enough that you can/will lose your balance and fall over. Keep in mind that the cockpit is only 24 inches and that doesn't give you much room to move you feet around to maintain your balance when the boat shifts.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top