What's your duck boat set up?

[bmc]

I'm looking to buy a duck boat. Something for smaller waters, that can handle 2 hunters, a dog, be oared, paddled or use an electric trolling motor, and a couple dozen dekes. Anyone have any experience with the Carsten's Mallard or Pintail? How about Otter Outdoors Stealth 1200 or the new 2000? Any other ideas?

bmc

[mistermom]

I got a Grumman sportboat one of those old original hard to find aluminum jobs. Beautiful duckboat and a good small rivers and lakes fishing boat as well. Marathon boat and canoe makes them now. Pretty similiar to the originals.

mm

[bmc]

Thanks mistermom,
I went to their HSOforum. Holy cow!!!! suggested retail is $1598.00 + another $114.00 for olive drab. It would be very nice, but it's definitely outta my price range at this time. If I had the $ that's probably the route I'd go. The local federal forestry has a confiscated one just sitting there, man I wish I could get ahold of that one. They take them to the central office and auction them off, for a pretty penny I'm sure. Thanks for the reply.

bmc

[icehousebob]

My duckboat is a 12ft. aluminum fishing boat that was given to me. I patched numerous leaks, camo painted it, and bought oars. When it was done, the previous owner saw it and hinted that he'd like it back.NO WAY. It holds two guys, a dog, and 4 dozen duck and goose decoys. A 27lb. thrust Minnkota moves it at rowing speed. For a blind,I push it in the weeds, stick plastic garden stakes in the surrounding mud, and hang old [older the better]burlap around it. Its width makes a stable shooting platform and when the waves start up, the extra freeboard is comforting. I haul it upside-down on a 4x8 utility trailer. For decoy pick-up, I reverse the motor, aim the stern at the decoys, pick them up with a 10ft boat hook and dump the water from the water keels on the guy sitting in the front of the boat, providing that he's smaller than me. You can often find lots of older small boats sitting with 'for sale' signs around town. They take some work to shape up, but beside the boat and trolling motor, I have about a hundred dollars tied up in mine. I've had people with bigger buck rigs admire how well mine does the job. Good luck.

[Fisher Dave]

bmc..

otter's are nice boats .. for one person and a dog in tight quarters, or another hunter. The only comfortable way to get dekes out with 2 is to *trailer* them behind your boat in an otter sled or something similar. They are great boats, but would not recommend them for hunting 2 regularly, and a dog is out of the question with 2 people. Even though the boats are 12' long, about 5' of that is taken by the storage areas on each end which leave's about 7' in the cockpit.

I would recommend a 12'-14' V-hull type boat. They float in very shallow water, take waves well, hide easy, and even break ice if need be. They are also very light to handle with 1 or 2 guys.

[Guest]

Icehouse, funny, that's where i put the water from my water keels too! It's always worked for me, (till the boy's get older) It also always seemed to work for my older brothers. Only problem was I was the one in the front. Good one, brought back memories!!

[danny berg]

BMC
Look in the 150 and over for sale section, I have a 14'& trailer for sale there, for 375 or BO

Danny

[Guest]

I have a beat up 14' aluminum boat for larger waters and also late season ducks.

I also have an older Carsten Pintail. Awesome small water boat that I use primarily through the first few weeks of the season. My wife and I hunt out of it comfortably with the big 100+lb lab too. We can fit a large bag of deks in there with us too but someone has to sit on the bag! It's a tight squeeze, but deadly to the ducks

I would recommend a Carsten to every hunter. I found the Stealth to be hard to paddle and control.

[This message has been edited by CD (edited 10-06-2003).]

[High-ball]

i use a 12 foot skiff boat with a homeade blind ...it sits low to the water and is stable as heck. alot of people use them in Iowa and missouri...they are easy to pushpole too. want some more info let me know...my uncle builds them to customers specifications

------------------
"keep your line wet and your gun on the shoulder"

[Old Guide]

I've been using a c14 lund for years. nice to have some "room" to move around in. Have a 6 hp on it. You can hunt 3 people nicely and it will fit into a pickup box.

------------------
Old Guide Charters
Lake of the Woods
http://fishingminnesota.com/oldguidecharters/
Call Toll Free:1-800-952-(9484)

[Guest]

Shoot me an email at [email protected]
I might be able to help you out.

[bmc]

I've found the ultimate rig, now if I can only convince the wife that I need it! LOL
I've got a line on a 15' TDB w/ a 15 horse mid 80's Evinrude, and a decent trailer. The only problem is the guy told me to make him an offer. He is a coworker and an avid waterfowler, so I know the boat's been used. It also comes with a hard cockpit cover, splash apron, and the dog platform. Any ideas on what to offer? I'm thinking $1500 to $2000. Does that sound reasonable?
Their HSOforum is www.tdbco.com.
bmc