Accidental race boat build oops

[david doyle]

On my jig I have been building the below boat, A south bay mud boat. A very specialize waterfowl hunting 'sneak boat' propeled with a bent scullin oar sticking out the transom at waterline.

This morning as I was waiting for some glue to dry I sat down with a coffee and Issue #3 of "THE GULL". Turns out I just built what appears to be a Seagull Racing hull! Felt like I got something for nothing. Not sure if I can find anyone to race with on the East slope of the Northern rockies, but you never know

[Horsley-Anarak]

Looks good, is it light?

Not sure the hull shape would make it quick, wine glass shape for bow and flat bottom, could dig in a bit.

Have you got any pictures of one in use. This could be the seagull powered missing link.

H-A

[david doyle]

H-A,

Yeah I have no idea how she would behave with an OB, I just saw some similarities with the long cigar like race boats in Issue #3 of the Gull. She is designed to track well and create near zero bow wave when propelled with a single sculling oar stuck out her transom (ultimate in stealth ) . I know one guy who moves his with a kayak paddle at 3 knots burst and gets 1.5 knots with the single oar. As to the wieght once she is decked and glassed I am hoping she comes in at around 75-80 pounds. That wieght could be shaved big time if lighter ply was used on her top sides and if a guy forewent the extra glass that I will include to compensate for the 'working' nature of her future. i.e She has one purpose in life: to fill my freezer with as much free range organic fowl as the law will allow!
Your 100% right about 'digging' in that is what she is designed to do to improve tracking and reduce 'wobble''.

Hard to find pics of these boats in use, guys who hunt them are very mum about the techniques and technology, Even when you do find videos of one being used they are generally very,very heavily ballasted (50-100 kgs toward theh bow) to achieve better tracking and a lower forward profile. Think of waterfowl as a slow, wary Merchant Marine convoy and that boat as an Unterseeboot. It would be nice to have the speed to travel to the next convoy but ultimatley it is the stealth of the last km that proves the day.

I will be trying her with a 40 plus come spring and will certainly post up anything of interest that occurs.