Two man or two one man layout boats?

Jason Gillette

Jason Gillette

New member
I have decided to buy one of the 3 TDB's I have found (not sure which one yet) and now I'm thinking of getting a layout boat to boot.

I like the Mighty layouts, but I have never hunted out of any layout boat and wonder if I'm better off with two one man boats or one two man? Is the bigger boat hard to handle? I can’t imagine two small ones being easier... I always hunt with a few guys and will be have my 12 & 10 year old with more and more as they get older. So, I want to have two hunters out at a time. I'm a lefty and everyone else I hunt with is right handed so I'm thinking side by side will work. Any advice would help.
 
I would go with the two man. I can think of nothing better than to sit in it with my son and watch him shoot birds. I have hunted out of the two man and the singles with 3 of them set for a shoot. The two man is a BIG boat and pretty unwieldly unless you can rig a tow harness for it. I would say that you and BOTH your boys could be in it at the same time.
 
I have a two man and it works great for taking my son. Enough room for him to move around some and I can still shoot. Cann't wait for him to be old enough to bring a gun and shoot for himself.

One thing I would check out is foot room. I use a friends homebuilt and he gave it some extra room for his feet. Makes it really comfortable. I have tried a couple commercial made boat where your toes end up pointing to the sides, yes the boat is flat and harder for the ducks to see, but after awhile its got to get uncomfortable. The other thing I would add if it's not included is a foam mat. I have a couple 1/2" army green surplus and a 3/8" black one, all of them help keep the cold from going into your back and butt, makes hunting more comfortable. Even seen one that has battery powered heaters.
 
For foot room has anyone tried stocking foot waders? Then just take off the outer boots before you put your feet under.

You wouldn't want to be taking boots on and off in 3 foot waves, but it could work for some days.
 
If you always hunt with more than three, most of the time,I would go for the two man.You have the perfect set up being left handed,in a two man layout.Enough people to handle the larger boat,more stable getting in and out from the tender.Make sure you have the foot room,like Lee said.Not too heavy in kevlar.
 
I ordered plans and will be building two one man boats this summer. The two man boats look too big to handle comfortably and I don't want to tow. I can put a rack on top of the hard top and keep both boats up there, leaving deck space for people and dekes. It gives me the option to hunt with two to 4 people.

I also don't want to be quite that close with some of my hunting partners...
 
Jason, You may want to go with a two man so you can tow it instead of trying to haul it on the gunnels. I've only layout hunted out of a TDB one time and I thought it was a real pain. It is difficult to switch gunners and load and unload a layout if you're hauling it across the bow. I think TDB's are awesome, but, I prefer an open cockpit for layout hunting. Just my .02
Walt
 
I ordered plans and will be building two one man boats this summer. The two man boats look too big to handle comfortably and I don't want to tow. I can put a rack on top of the hard top and keep both boats up there, leaving deck space for people and dekes. It gives me the option to hunt with two to 4 people.

I also don't want to be quite that close with some of my hunting partners...
Click to expand...
Good Point Bill.Make sure they wear wadders.That way the farts will have to come up around their neck before they attack anyone else:O)
 
Help me understand the problem with towing a layout boat. Do they tow hard, fill up with water and become unsafe or do the dive in big waves?
 
Help me understand the problem with towing a layout boat. Do they tow hard, fill up with water and become unsafe or do the dive in big waves?
Click to expand...

It all depends upon the boat and how you tow it. We use a 22' Starcraft with a 140hp V-4, and draw the Whistler up within about 6' and hammer down. Each boat will tow differently and you will have to experiment.

To answer the initial question, I prefer the cameraderie of a two man as well as the safety and stability.
Lou

www.lockstockbarrell.com
 
I will add that Lou's boat tows like a dream. It is also a great two man that is super comfy to hunt from. It is a deluxe boat all the way.
 
I will add that Lou's boat tows like a dream. It is also a great two man that is super comfy to hunt from. It is a deluxe boat all the way.
Click to expand...

Thanks Lee, much appreciated. Your commission check will be in the mail forthwith. :) Wait by the mailbox.
Lou
 
Send it FedEx so I can wait inside and just open the door. It's been so long since I've seen or talked to Bezubic, I forgot he had one that we hunted out of! We towed it a couple times with my BB2.
 
Send it FedEx so I can wait inside and just open the door. It's been so long since I've seen or talked to Bezubic, I forgot he had one that we hunted out of! We towed it a couple times with my BB2.
Click to expand...

I called Bill a couple years ago. Sure was good talking with him again. Always enjoyed jawing with him.
Seems to me he's in New York now but I don't recall what he's doing though I thought he was running a company up there.
Lou
 
Wow, that boy gets around. Maybe he'll make a full circle and be back in State again. Do you see Leigh anymore?
Lou
 
Get two one mans!!!! It costs less, if you don't have as many hunters, it is easier, you can still hunt side by side, and I can not understand why anyone would tow layouts. I have a classic and my buddy had a classic. Works great... especially if you can get a partner to buy one of the boats...

My buddy's brother runs a 2 man. what a large slow pain in the a$$!
 
Haven't seen Leigh in a few years. He still makes trusses in Marshal.Last time he stopped in, he told me about his son shooting a buffalo out west.
 
Jason,

Whatever you decide on, your boys are going to get some great learning opportunities on seamanship. I grew up sailing and racing sailboats on Lake St. Clair and Lake Huron. I never paid alot of attention to what I learned there, but I am amazed at the lack of knowledge about knots that I see sometimes when taking new people out on the boats. As one old sailor told me, "a good knot may not save you life, but a bad knot will kill you sure as hell".

Good luck and have fun.

Bill
 
Jason,

Whatever you decide on, your boys are going to get some great learning opportunities on seamanship. I grew up sailing and racing sailboats on Lake St. Clair and Lake Huron. I never paid alot of attention to what I learned there, but I am amazed at the lack of knowledge about knots that I see sometimes when taking new people out on the boats. As one old sailor told me, "a good knot may not save you life, but a bad knot will kill you sure as hell".

Good luck and have fun.

Bill
Click to expand...

I agree wholeheartedly. Without good knots, you're in trouble. I learned knots while in Boy Scouts and my Dad was great at knots. We had contests in Boy Scouts & I could tie any knot faster blindfolded than others could tie them with eyes open.
Bowline, Clove Hitch....etc....favorite knots.

I have a trailer that I use to haul boats and can haul 8 of our boats with it. Getting ready for a show, I tied 7 boats on and my buddy tied ONE on...fortunately, it was my sculler and it was tied on the top (10' in the air). Well, I got onto the freeway at about 6am (heading down to Crane Creek, OH) and hit about 70 mph and my boat (tied on by my buddy) left the trailer, upside down, and skidded down the freeway. Fortunately, there was no other traffic and I backed up on the shoulder and put the sculler back onto the trailer (alone of course) and tied it on correctly.
While at the show, a fella looked at the scuffing (only scuffed the top of the middle and bent the bow handle-that's all the damage) and asked "...is there a story here". So, I relayed the story and he said that his name was Tom Porch and was the outdoor writer for the Columbus Tribune and wanted to do a story on me. So he did it ....titled...."..One's Man Duck Boat Passes Airborne Flight Test". Too funny.

Now...I tie everything on by myself. :)
Lou
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top