Let's Talk Duck Boats!

[Special T]

I would look for a valco or the newer west coaster. They are super wide, tall, stable and came in a variety of lengths and styles. They can be both cheap and expensive. I have owned 5 of them. All my hunting partners run them and we all have different styles. 14ft v hull is amazing. However if your solo the 10-12’ can be an absolute blast.

I once ran a 15hp Merc on an 8ft Jon boat and it was absolutely nuts… only needed to do that once.

I picked up a 12 ft 1978 valco recently and that thing is a dream! my brother picked up a 7hp and it pushed one guy and a dog pretty good, I could only imagine a 9.9 or 15 hp on that thing, it would scoot!

[shootem]

In a small boat a tiller gives you a lot more space for people, dogs, and dekes.

[gallion_t]

Thanks for all of the advice and suggestions. Still not sure which route I'll go. Unfortunately a dog isn't in the picture Hopefully any tike soon. Ive got a 10.5 year old lab and didn't start duck hunting til she was 7. Ive tried working with her, but she's not a morning pup at this point. When I was looking at adding a second pup to the mix my gf moved in with 2 other non hunting dogs. 3s already to many, can't imagine adding a 4th. All of that being said I think from your advice im looking for a mild V but hopefully tall sides. Something I can work on and tweak to what I need.

[Afraiman]

take a look at 10-14' Livingston. Twin hulls makes it super stable, 2 grown men and a dog can stand on one side and feel plenty stable. drafts about 9" fully loaded.

there is a guy in Richland with an add on tri-Cities craigslist with a 12' ready to hunt with a blind and trailer for 3k.

[Basinguy]

If you hunt during calm/warm days of the year, you could hunt out of a kayak around here with just a wet suit. Theres a couple spots I can think of that would be killer for that set up. If you want to hunt extreme weather and conditions you will need something very reliable and big enough for big waves to be safe that can hold lots of gear such as multiple heaters and lots of safety equipment. 3k is pushing it considering I got 3k into my boat blind alone. Good luck

[gasman]

Ill second on a Kayak, been hunting out of one for 4 years now. Great for small water, big water capable on most days, and easily fits in the back of a pick up truck to travel back roads to smaller ponds or out of way places along the Big C.

[gallion_t]

I've considered a kayak or beaver tail style boats. They do intrigue me for a lot of situations.

[HaydenHunter]

I have run a canoe on big water then a friends 14’ Jon then my 14’ Hewescraft River Runner (hunts bigger than it sounds).  Then a progression of five different 18’ mud boats either with hopped up short tail mud motors or my current 50 hp outboard on a jack plate. 

You need to figure out where you will be going before selecting a boat.  You say Potholes but although I have not spent much time there on one occasion my 18 footer with modded mud motor still did not prevent pucker time.  And but for the grace of God we did not have a long swim (and possibly die) on a 14’ jon boat in unimaginatively huge waves on a river. 

Not trying to discourage you but rather to relay my considerable experience...and at time, luck.

[snocohunter]

I will echo what a lot of folks have already said. Potholes is a whole different animal though. I personally prefer not hunting from the boat unless a blind is not an option. The exception to that is smaller boats like marsh rats etc. But make sure you buy 2 or have a Buddy with one. This year I went all out and bought a county line boat with blind and an outboard. I’m not a huge fan of jet pumps Or mud motors in 90% of the places I hunt.

[Westside88]

My river fishing boat is a camo’d up 14’ Seanymph. The previous owner set it up for duck hunting and sold it before the outboard was even broken in. I think a 14’ could work ok, but this guy was hunting with a partner and a dog and said it just didn’t work for him

[fast60eddie]

I hope to get this 1950’s Aluma Craft back to service. I will test for leaks and paint if it passes. Had to replace several rivets and smear some G flex.

[Special T]

I hope to get this 1950’s Aluma Craft back to service. I will test for leaks and paint if it passes. Had to replace several rivets and smear some G flex.

That is a labor of love right there!

[fast60eddie]

I hope to get this 1950’s Aluma Craft back to service. I will test for leaks and paint if it passes. Had to replace several rivets and smear some G flex.

That is a labor of love right there!

Sure is. It might be a 1947 as it’s stamped D762 and I think around 3500 were made. I shot out of this boat in the 90’s then the owner moved to Nor Cal after his passing the widow remembered that I liked it and gave it to me.

[Pete112288]

I started out with a 9ft livingston. Ran a little 3 horse on it. It got the job done but was small water and I was always solo and no dog. Stepped it up to an old 14ft beater v with a 10horse. It works great. I have always just used the boat to get where I am going and hunt from shore. Tried taking a kayak with me once to hunt out of once I got where I was going. That is a long story that made me happy to be breathing and has unfortunately made me a bit uneasy on the water sometimes. My boat now needs replaced for my comfort level. It just has way to shallow of sides and transom. Where I hunt is small water but the chop still gets bad enough that it gets real sketchy real quick. Unless I started hunting bigger water or with more people then I would stick with a 14' or 16', as open as I can get it. I dont want something too big as I end up doing a lot of muscling the boat around in boggy stuff and sketchy ramps. I do a ton of bass fishing too so shallow water capable between duck hunting and bass fishing is a must. Like a lot of folks have said, ya gotta look at the water you need it to handle and where youll be hunting.