What boat do I need?

Dave Church

Dave Church

Well-known member
Ok, I want to build my own boat and have no idea what I need......that's where you guys come in! I want something that has some craftsmanship, but close to Beginner since this will be my first boat. It will be used in mostly calm water up to 2 foot chop or small rivers or streams. I would like it to be able to use a motor (electric or gas), nothing real big. It needs to be a 1 man and dog or up to a 2 man, lay low, relatively light to be handled by one person? I don't mind trailering it if need be, that would actually be preferred I guess. Can anyone make some suggestions and let me know where I can get a hold of plans on CD or book form? I don't want something that looks like an appliance was shipped in it, but it doesn't need to be the USS Constitution either. Let me know which way I should go. Thanks...............dc
 
Dave,

I can't tell you what you need but I can point you in a good direction. If you haven't yet, visit Sam Devlin's site and take a look at his designs. Here's a link: http://www.devlinboat.com/designcatalog.htm#duckboxes There are others such as Glen-L http://www.glen-l.com/ and many, many more. Many of us on here started with a KARA skiff that can be put together in a weekend and moved on to one of the Devlin designs. Personally, I have built a KARA, then a Black Brant 3 and will be doing a Pole boat this winter. I also have plans for several more boats if I ever get to them including a 21 ft. Tolman.

One word of warning, boat building is ...........Addictive. Worse than potato chips - you can't build just one.
 
I'll second the devlin designs and the Kara. Both will help you go in the right direction. One thing I found building my first boat was I heavily overbuilt and in the end my one man boat suffered by becoming a trailer only rig. I ended up building a Broadbill

Good luck, your going to love building a boat

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Brad,
I just clicked on your hunting rig and I have to say I'm drooling with envy. A turbo diesel FJ60 and a Broadbill? Us Toyota fans south of the border can only dream!
 
I REALLY like the look of the Broadbill. Is the top just a weather cover you built to keep it dry? Since you've built other boats, how would you rank the broadbill as far as ease of building? What kind of cost did you have in it? Time spent making it? What HP rating does it have, how hard is it to get a homemade boat registered? Thanks guys. ......dc
Couple more things.....I really like the look and size of the Mallard and what is the difference between Construction plans and the other....viewing plans? Can't remember what they were called.
 
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Thanks Conor, it's actually an HJ61. We are fortunate to be able to import them up here.

Dave, the stitch and glue design for boats is the only way I have ever done it as I have only built one boat! I did help a friend build a Kara. The top is indeed to keep the rain and people out. As for cost and material, Devlin does give you a list. I think it is available on their website. The boat is rated for a 15hp I think. It is very stable, me and the dog love it. If you click on my Marmaduke link you will see that I used to lug it around by hand, but that got old.

As for easy, if you have ever ran a table saw you can build this boat. It was very well layed out in the plans. If you look at Erics build on the forum, it goes through a step by step process that is very thorough. I did add a couple inches to the sides as I though I needed it being a big guy. I am glad I did but it also added to the weight. I am not sure on time. I would think you could do one in a month on the weekends after your first.
 
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Back when I was in my second bachelor stage and had decided to build a boat, I had decided on the Devlin Bluebill for a 1-man rig and a Cackler or SnowGoose for my 2-3 man hunting & fishing rig.
Never got to build either, getting remarried and having kids and no garage ended the boat building idea for now.
If strictly for duck hunting, the scaup/BBII or BBIII may be the rig for you if you hunt alot with a partner.
 
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The construction plans are a full set of documents that will guide you in building the boat. The study plans are for guys that know how to create off set tables and scale up the drawings to create their own version of the boat.

The Mallard has a lot of rocker and most guys that build one find them too much trouble when they want to go a far distance or fast. If you travel any distance or want to get any speed out of the boat then the Bluebill is what you want. You can get a lot of speed out of the Broadbill as well, but it is a one man boat.

The Bluebill will hunt two guys if they are small or not taking a lot of gear. If you plan on hunting with two guys often and a lot of gear then the Black Brant 3 is more suitable.

As for construction there are a lot of "tricks" to building a super custom boat, but if all you want is a great working boat that is functional then as Brad says if you can make sawdust you can build a boat. The hardest part of the boat making is controlling your epoxy application system. And even that it is not too hard.

Most states have a simple system for home made boats as part of the registration system. They typically will issue a hull ID number (HIN) and then register it after and inspection. Some states are so serious about it they want reciepts and stuff. I love the Alaska system: check the box that applies and which card are you using to pay the fees. I could have made the boat out of willow sticks, a blue tarp and duct tape and they would not have cared.
 
Thanks Ray, say hi to my younger brother who is stationed (Coast Guard) in Kodiak for me......I haven't heard from the bum in a month. Seriously, thanks for all the good advice, I like the idea of hunting 2-3 people because my sons won't stop growing. I have started to do searches on this site for the boats you guys have mentioned and there are some great photo series for the boat builds. Thanks again.....dc
 
David,

If you haven't seen it yet, go to Eric Patterson's "Building a Scaup" treatise at the bottom of the home page of this site. That step by step, well documented process is what gave my buddy and I the courage and inspiration to build our own Devlin "Snow Goose" for him and a similar Devlin boat for me. Between those step by step instructions, getting a set of plans from Devlin and all of the help you get by posting questions here, the boat building is fun and relatively stress free.

As for which boat to build, between pouring over the Devlin catalog, analyzing your own hunting style and area, and prompting long discussions here, thats where all the fun is. You can't expect a simple answer to that question, can you? Although, based on tour requirements a BB II just might be the ticket, but I started there and worked myself up through the Scaup, to the Cackler to a bigger Cackler.

John
 
Dave,

Good idea thinking about future needs. I built a broadbill when my older son was 8 or so, and ended up building a BB2 a few years later when he wanted to come along.

Good luck with your decision!
-Bill
 
How long has he been on Kodiak? There are more coasties showing up on an alaska only forum and if he is a hunter he may be on there. There are a couple of guys out there that are frequent posters and they get around the Chain for some cool hunts.

Dave, to be really honest about your needs I will have to state a fact about boats for duck hunting. You need more than one style of boat to cover all your needs. There is no sugar coating it.

If you have a boat for 3 guys and 4 doz decoys you will feel over exposed or overhelmed on those days you are alone.

If you build a one man boat and a buddy calls up and wants to go you can't take him.

If you have young hunters growing up you have to ask how much are they going to grow.

If you have good access to lots of shallow water you can cover these needs by having two or three one man boats.
 
Ray, he has been in Kodiak since July and he is a hunter, but not so much for ducks (not tough enough...or is that dumb). I appreciate all the advice and I think I will start out with a 2-3 man rig and that way I can accommodate my friends, sons, dogs, whatever. I will then learn from my mistakes and build me a great one man rig and maybe a second one for my son. I am very anxious to get started. Great advice from everybody.....as always...thanks! dc
 
Call Sam Devlin, there is a guy on here building a Cackler and he started out wanting to build a Mallard. ----------------- Yes sir, that would be me. I went and talked to Sam one morning. I live just a few miles from his business. We talked about what I wanted and how I thought I might be doing it and all of that. We decided that (for me) the Cackler was a happy medium between the tiny easy to hide boats and the heavy 18-20 footers that hold everything you can imagine. He also told me that boat was his favorite design in that particular class of boats. He said he liked the lines of it. I wanted concealability, reasonable speed to go 4-5 miles if needed (salt water is big), would be easy for the dog to exit/enter, hold both me and my adult son plus equipment. I also wanted to fish out of it. ------------------------------ The lighter boats need smaller motors, smaller trailers, smaller garages, ar cheaper to build and are easier for one person to handle if it has to be moved around. There is no "perfect" boat. ================================ The best advice I can give you is to go and look at many boats. Go out in them with friends. See what YOU like and what will accommodate YOUR needs. Just remember that boats fill up fast when you take others with you along with decoys and other equipment. ================================= Have a good time deciding and building. I am having a blast with mine. Dave
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