doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com OT, Small water duck boats. OPINIONS??

The square stern Ducker DO was only made in 1958. Serial numbers were from 100 to 305, a total production of 205.

The DO has several disadvantages compared to the double-ended Ducker: (1) hull drag from the square stern makes it significantly harder to row or pole (square stern canoes have the same problem); (2) square sterns don't turn as easily, or back up in rice or reed beds; (3) they're harder to blind up, and (4) lacking the structural strength of the normal Ducker, the DO's stern is more susceptible to damage. A simple motor mount can easily be fabricated for the pointed stern of the normal Ducker, which obviates the DO's only advantage.

The DO was dropped after just one year; duck hunters just didn't find it worthwhile. AlumaCraft later experimented with an Economy Ducker that lacked the usual refinements of decking, cockpit, stabilizer tubes, blind pole loops, etc., but it never really sold and only 452 were built.

I suspect your chances of finding a DO today are slim to none - original Duckers are hard enough to find, and there were more than 13 of them built for every DO square stern.

Incidentally, the original Ducker came with heliarc-welded aluminum oars, which are now even more rare than the boats themselves.

It's been proven many times (I proved it myself once) that no boat is unsinkable.

Jack, thanks for all the info. Any chance that the Wildfowl article you wrote is accessable on line? Where? Destry, thanks for the banter back and forth with Jack to have him reveal the details of the Ducker. Can anyone post a photo of the square back Ducker? Randy

Nice sneakbox, Don. The sail makes it truly authentic.

I knew they were scarce, but there's gotta be one along that road somewhere. If you'd ever driven it you'd know what I mean.

I've had five chances to buy regular duckers in the past ten years. Ranging in price from $800 for a rough one, to $1600 for a pretty nice one. I probably should have just pulled the trigger.

But I need another duck boat like I need an additional hole in the head. So telling myself I wanted a square stern kept me from adding another big chunk of something I'll use only three months out of the year to the garage.

Great info Jack, was fun running into you on here. Since I know the issue number I might have to give Wildfowl a call and see if that's an available back issue. Or at least try, they're a different magazine since they changed hands.


Destry

Check out the Poke Boat. Super light, extremely stable, and travels in an inch of water.

Put my two duckers away today. Here is a pic. These two ride so nice on those Ford Model A wheels. One can make a little sidemount and put a small motor on these, but I don't bother, as I can row a half mile in notime. I guess they are not unsinkable, but they will float to shore if empty. http://s91.photobucket.com/albums/k283/Halpics_bucket/?action=view&current=DuckersInBarn.jpg

Front view.

Other pic did not show. Side view.

And one being used.