VanSant Sneakbox - getting closer to the water

Steve Sanford

Steve Sanford

Well-known member
Happy Thanksgiving, All~

About a year ago - at the 2016 Tuckerton Show - I found a sweet little Barnegat Bay Sneakbox for one of my old friends and gunning partners. It was built by VanSant - probably in the 1950s - and was offered by Bill Simonson.

Jamie Woods and another partner drove down to Jersey - with my trailer - to haul this vessel back to Pencil Brook Boatworks. At the time, I posted about setting up a Jamie's trailer for it:

http://www.duckboats.net/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=289036;do=post_view;search_string=vansant#p289036

(Not sure how much longer we can view the pics. Photobucket is threatening to end my "third part hosting" unless I send them LOTS more money.....)


The Sneakbox did not need much work - but it did need a new motorboard and enough hardware to make trailering safe and efficient.

Although I am deep into a rehab of a South Bay Duckboat for a Long Island customer right now, I just put a coat of paint on this boat - and moved her out of the shop. It will be ready to campaign later this season.


Here she is with a fresh coat of paint - Parker's Marsh Grass. [CLICK to enlarge any image]


(Also, please ignore the errant codes - residue from a copy and paste.)



View attachment VanSant 01.JPG



She is classic - arc bottom and feather-edge......

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View attachment VanSant 06.JPG



She's built of White Cedar - and glassed over.


View attachment VanSant 04 - from astern.JPG



I cannot wait to try her under oars.


View attachment VanSant 05.JPG
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​These folding oarlock stanchions are traditional in Jersey - but we Great South Bay gunners prefer them rock solid. I'm thinking the folding stanchions should stay for next season - but the rattletrap hardware should be replaced with a nice bronze socket - with no moving parts.


View attachment VanSant 03 - oarlock stanchion.JPG



I hated to modify an antique boat - but Owner Woods OK'd my re-shaping the lower edges of the fore and aft coamings to match the crown. That extra inch was needed to get below -and it also complements all of the other curves on this boat.



View attachment VanSant Coaming.JPG
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​My wife Susan displayed her boatbuilding skills - because I could not fit 'neath the decks to fasten all of the hardware. This U-bolt - for hauling onto the trailer - and the motor board required the services of a "skinny gamook".... to fasten everything from inside. Susan wriggled her way in and turned the wrenches.



View attachment VanSant 07 - bow eye.JPG
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The Black Locust for the motor board was provided by another friend. The shallow sockets receive the screws pad from either a 6-horse Evinrude or a 4.5-horse Merc. The smaller power plant is probably enough (max?) for this displacement hull.



View attachment VanSant 10 - motor board unpainted.JPG
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All hardware was set in 3M 5200 - and backed up with epoxy-sealed AC plywood and s/s washers.


View attachment VanSant 11 - backer.JPG



Decks got a single 6-inch cleat fore and aft. The U-bolt on the stern deck will secure the OB - with a length of chain or cable.


View attachment VanSant 09.JPG


More details in future posts.....(without Photobucket images).



All the best,


SJS



 
Looks like a sweet boat to row. As always the craftsmanship is great. Who routes the edges on a backing board?
The motor board looks sweet. I am in need of a replacement motor board for my southbay.Hope one will find its way to Long Island LOL.
 
Happy Thanksgiving, Bill~

If you can make it through the season, I will bring you a new motor board in March - like the one I just made for Greg Nalbone's South Bay. You can dial in the sockets for your outboard.

Sure enough, the backer board for the new motor board has rounded corners, rounded-over edges, one coat of epoxy and one coat of primer. It'll get it's topcoat later this morning. (I'll be posting that rehab when I have more time.)

Also, although I used your Old Way Sheldrake a week or so ago - I neglected to bring my camera along (even after charging its battery the night before). I will try to get a portrait or 2 tomorrow morning.

Did you get out today?

All the best,

SJS
 
I got out today. Low incoming tide. Got shot one Brant let more decoy. Just because I can shoot 2, 1 was enough for me. No puddle ducks in range. I finished by 800. Holiday, I needed to get my day started. Tomorrow I am not sure if I want to hunt ducks or catch stripers?
I would like to see the decoy on your pond if it is not frozen.
 
Steve~

Photos and post on the South Bay will follow - AFTER I've completed the boat. Too busy right now.

BTW: Your spray shield is molded - and I just glued and clamped the laminated Mahogany thatch rail for it. Just awaiting your template so I can trim everything to size.

All the best,

SJS
 
All~

I finally found some time to organize my photos - and thoughts - of the VanSant. It has been sitting outside since the Fall.

One of the final tasks was to replace the folding oarlocks with a much smaller and simpler alternative. After filling the holes from the original with thickened epoxy, I mounted the new bronze sockets. They are set in 3M 5200 and fastened with bronze FH wood screws.

As always, CLICK to enlarge any photo.

View attachment sm 01 VS Oarlock mount - closeup.JPG


The "final" oars will be decided once open water allows for sea trials. I'm guessing it'll be happiest with 6.5 footers. And the two warring camps - leathers and feathering vs. pinned - with continue to battle. The sockets will handle either philosophy.....

View attachment sm 02 VS Oarlock mounts.JPG


The hatch needed some de-rotting and repair - with some attention to the 'glass. Most important was to keep it on the vessel. These solid-brass hooks-and-eyes do the job up forward.

View attachment sm 03 VS Hooks and Eyes on Hatch.JPG


These tie-downs were added to the trailer for the belly strap. This is a nice strap. The hardware is s/s - and I like the spring-loaded "keepers" - very handy when working alone.

View attachment sm 04 VS Belly strap tie-downs.JPG


I added the chock to the hatch to keep the belly strap from creeping aft. I cut the strap just a bit longer than needed and re-sewed the end.

View attachment sm 05 VS Belly strap and hatch chock.JPG

Here she is with the 6-horse Evinrude. We expect the 4.5 Merc will be a better match - enough power for this displacement hull and lighter weight. Once decided, I will sew up a motor cover.

View attachment sm 06 VS Outside on trailer.JPG

All the best,

SJS





 
All ~

This post is about just the Stool Rack on the VanSant Sneakbox. I recall someone last Fall looking for details on BBSB stool racks.

As far as I know, this Stool Rack is original. All I did was give it a couple of fresh coats of paint.

At its forward ends, it does not "fasten" to the boat. Instead, it is notched to fit inboard of the folding Oarlock Stanchions - when they are folded up for use. Here is the outboard view:

View attachment sm Stool Rack 01 - forward chock.JPG

Here is the inboard view.

View attachment sm Stool Rack 02 - foreward chock interior.JPG

These horns are fastened to the stern deck about midway on each side.

View attachment sm Stool Rack 03 - Horn.JPG

Each horn fits into a square hole in each side board.

View attachment sm Stool Rack 04 - Horn at work.JPG

Here is the outside of the aft corner (starboard side):

View attachment sm Stool Rack 05 - Aft corner exterior.JPG

A pair of brass hooks-and-eyes fastens each side to the stern board.

View attachment sm Stool Rack 06 - aft corner interior.JPG

The stern board is held onto the transom with a single wooden cleat - which fits into a brass socket.

View attachment sm Stool Rack 07 - cleat and pocket.JPG

This shows the ample space for decoy stowage.

View attachment sm Stool Rack 08 - overview from stern.JPG

A view from the forward quarter.

View attachment sm Stool Rack 09 - Overview from forward quarter.JPG

A final view - from the aft quarter.

View attachment sm Stool Rack 10 - view from aft quarter.JPG

All the best,

SJS

 
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Steve,

Great of you to save that piece of history! Can't wait to see some pictures of it back on the water. Bill Simonsen built my first new sneakbox. Before that he gave me some pointers on repairing my first sneakbox which was a 40's VanSant that needed quite a bit of work. I sold that boat to a member of the Van Sant family, but now its kept at the Tuckerton Seaport. Did you happen to keep the original oarlocks? I hope to be refurbishing a 70's sneak box built by Carl Adams this summer that I might need to replace the oarlocks on.
 
Bob~

Great to hear about your VanSant! Of course, we have really enjoyed getting to know Bill.

And, yes, I still have the oarlocks for you.

All the best,

SJS

 
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