Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tom Anderson on December 28, 2013 at 5:37am

Hi Ken . . .

So glad to see some other interest in duck boats.  I'm a little  obsessed with them right now.  The 'Old Dude' guy is alive and well, he's just not doing plans any more.  If you got that photo from the website I think you did (tons of links to different style boats??), which is a great and fun site to peruse, his phone number is listed in the table and you can call him there.  I talked to him just a few weeks ago and I'm sending him a check for a set of plans.  He said he only had a few left so act fast . . . but don't grab my set before I have a chance to get the check out . . . haha.

I posted a while back asking for ideas but no-one here seems too hepped up on duck boats . . . understandable.

I have a set of stations for a boat that my friend built which I will tackle this weekend.  The duck boat thing presents a really interesting set of questions and most of my decisions came down to intended use.  I need  boat that will function well as sled (for pulling down closed roads and across fields and ice), blind, and boat.  my paddling will not be long distances so pulling function as a sled and low-profile as a blind were most important to me.

For now, I picked up a used MarshRat which used to be made in Portland, OR.  Website: MarshRat

The guy that owned the company took his little boat too far and died in a storm in open water in either Tilamook or Garibaldi in Oregon as I've heard it.  Too bad. 

Unfortunately, I do not have any other photos or info on the 'Old Dude' but I'm looking forward to seeing the plans to find out if it meets my needs.  I really want to hunt out of one that I've built.  The one I have the station molds for was built with cedar-strip style with glass and painted for duck hunting.  Awesome boat and really light.  I got totally hooked reading about the history of little sneak, layout, and marsh boats this fall.  Super fun.

Tom

Here's our setup from yesterday . . . there's actually three boats/blinds in there.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ken Shindledecker on December 28, 2013 at 8:56am

Hey Tom!

Sent you a friend request... would like to chat more.  Yes, I've spent hours and days, pouring through links and storing pics, trying to find just the right boat.  I've had a number of ideas and dashed those... My friend, who's trying to follow "my processing" has given up hope for me..HA!!  There are quite a few sites out there.

More later,   Ken

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tom Anderson on December 28, 2013 at 9:43am

Where do you live? 

One thing I realized yesterday is that much of my use will be dragging the loaded boat across a bunch of different kind of junk.  So . . . if I build a Glass-over-Wood boat of some sort, I'll definitely coat the bottom with herculiner or some such.  The MarshRat I'm currently using is roto-molded poly like a kayak and is pretty beat-proof, although doesn't make for a very stiff hull.  And, it doesn't like heat/sunshine on hot summer days.

If you live in OR or WA, there is an Aquapod for sale on the Portland Craigslist right now . . . the boat is in Astoria. It is one of my favorite factory boats, and is what the boat I'd like to build on my friends' station molds was modeled after.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ken Shindledecker on December 28, 2013 at 9:51am

I think I'd put Coat-It on the bottom.  Yes, I live in the Will. Valley, near Eugene.

Does this "Old Dude" have a flat bottom, or is it "V", or slight "V" bottom, like Devlin's Broadbill 11?

I looked at that AquaPod and it's only an 8'er.  If I were without dog, that might be a good choice.

• ▶ Reply