I don't own one but have hunted sea ducks out of a Banks 21 Goliath a half a dozen times. Awsome solid seaworthy boat. Owner told me the guys at Banks very easy to deal with.

 

Like the other poster, I don't own any of the boats you have mentioned. I have hunted out of both a Bankes and Duckwater, and if I we buying one I would go with the duck water simply because it is all aluminum verses the fiberglass Bankes. I have never been in extremely rough water in a banks but I have risen in and hunting out of a ducker when the waves were so bad it was scary to ride out, and we hunted out of it when the waves were so high the birds would disappear behind them.

 

THanks guys I want an aluminum boat for sure. Hunt really rocky bays and that could be problematic with fiberglasss. the duck water boats look top notch

 

I don't have any of the boats you are talking about, but I have an older Crestliner Nordic 22' that has been converted into a big water duck boat. We are only in our second year of doing this sea duck thing, but between last year and this summer we have found our selves in some hairy situations (one time in 8 footers for a very short period of time). As far as I can tell the Duck Water 21 and 25 would be pretty similar in design and size. We have been happy with our boat, so I would think the duck water would work nice. How ever I have heard very good things about Bankes Boats. The fiberglass would ride better in chop and sit steadier in the water for shooting (its heavier).

If you can find a guy named Deadeyedan on water fowl forum .net (<- remove spaces they auto edit that sites name ), I believe he owns one of their ocean series and could give you a clearer idea of what to expect from these boats.

Where you from, goosman?

 

Can't help with personal experience on the boat but I can tell you the customer service at Phowler is fantastic! I'm sure they'd be happy to put you in touch with the customers running their boats on the great lakes.

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Duck Water boats are some of the worst built aluminum boats in the history of boat building. I would highly recommend any other builder. If you don't believe me find one and look at the welds.....

 

I have a 21' polarkraft outlander with a 150 4 stroke. We use it as a tender mostly but have a blind for it also

 

Bankes makes great boats, fit and finish second to none, but I went with an Duck Waters 18' Oceans in 2011. The cockpit of my 18' Oceans is the same size as a 21' Bankes Goliath. You have to love 1/4" plate aluminum hulls and the 1/2" plate transom up against rocks and ice. Speaking of ice, the Oceans is an ice breakers, designed to brake up to 2" of ice......it just eats up the ice. Since Duck Waters switched to have the Ocean series designed by a naval architect and having the aluminum cut out on CNC machines, the fit and finish has greatly improved, and the welds look like a stack of dimes. Dollar for dollar the Duck Waters are a better buy. If you want the Lexus of duck boats that will work (but you have to watch out for them rocks), go with the Bankes; but if you want a ******* work horse of a duck boats ( Ford F350 of duck boats), the Duck Water Ocean series is the boat you should be looking at!

 

have you looked at lund Alaskan's?

 

Bankes makes great boats, fit and finish second to none, but I went with an Duck Waters 18' Oceans in 2011. The cockpit of my 18' Oceans is the same size as a 21' Bankes Goliath. You have to love 1/4" plate aluminum hulls and the 1/2" plate transom up against rocks and ice. Speaking of ice, the Oceans is an ice breakers, designed to brake up to 2" of ice......it just eats up the ice. Since Duck Waters switched to have the Ocean series designed by a naval architect and having the aluminum cut out on CNC machines, the fit and finish has greatly improved, and the welds look like a stack of dimes. Dollar for dollar the Duck Waters are a better buy. If you want the Lexus of duck boats that will work (but you have to watch out for them rocks), go with the Bankes; but if you want a ******* work horse of a duck boats ( Ford F350 of duck boats), the Duck Water Ocean series is the boat you should be looking at!

Wow

 

Bankes makes great boats, fit and finish second to none, but I went with an Duck Waters 18' Oceans in 2011. The cockpit of my 18' Oceans is the same size as a 21' Bankes Goliath. You have to love 1/4" plate aluminum hulls and the 1/2" plate transom up against rocks and ice. Speaking of ice, the Oceans is an ice breakers, designed to brake up to 2" of ice......it just eats up the ice. Since Duck Waters switched to have the Ocean series designed by a naval architect and having the aluminum cut out on CNC machines, the fit and finish has greatly improved, and the welds look like a stack of dimes. Dollar for dollar the Duck Waters are a better buy. If you want the Lexus of duck boats that will work (but you have to watch out for them rocks), go with the Bankes; but if you want a ******* work horse of a duck boats ( Ford F350 of duck boats), the Duck Water Ocean series is the boat you should be looking at!

Wow

Yeah.

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X2 on the Lund Alaskans. Lots of Lake Of The Woods experience with them and easy to handle. Mauser

 

i have no personal experience with them, but I have been keeping a real close eye on the bones boat company.

 

I bought an old Starcraft, aluminum, boat yrs. ago and converted it to a sea duck rig. Have since sold it but was a 16', deep V, very wide beam Starcraft that was safe and very sea worthy. I built side boards that were approx. 20" high out of EMT tubing with sheet plastic attached with copper wire to paint O D. BTW, it was an old front console boat that sat in the side yard and I picked it and the trailer up for $50 I removed the front deck, windshield, steering wheel and put in a small console and new steering. It took one summer to rig it for a sea duck hunting boat. If you are at all handy you might find one or something of this nature. It is still in use today by a good friend that uses it for sea duck hunting and fishing on the east coast. MTG

 

i have no personal experience with them, but I have been keeping a real close eye on the bones boat company.

Are they actually building boats? Last I new they were one and done. Cool boat though.

 

I don't know, but the big water duck boat world needs a self bailer, I like everything about their design, have only seen the one boat though

 

I hadn't seen bones before, those look pretty sweet.

 

Banks is the way to go have 2 buddies with them and they are awesome great for ocean and other big water we hunt li sound and Montauk and I would put them up against anything around they take a beating and keep going

 

They are great boats, but I would rather a lot more dead rise and a self bailer over the shallow draft

 

THANKS EVERYONE!!
We are going to convert a boat I believe it will be the best option. Looking for an older StarCraft mariner 22fter saw one already done looks and works great for them.

 

THANKS EVERYONE!!
We are going to convert a boat I believe it will be the best option. Looking for an older StarCraft mariner 22fter saw one already done looks and works great for them.

This is your best answer.

Take your time and look hard for an older and GOOD condition hull StarCraft 22 Mariner ! Be willing to travel a few states to find the right hull :thumbsup:

I bought a new lund Alaskan in 2001. Still own it and love it. But don't tell her, if I was to do it over, I would find a GOOD condition hull StarCraft 22 Mariner !

 

Since you're looking at purchasing a Starcraft Mariner, I figured I'd throw up a few pics of one that I converted into a layout tender/diver and sea duck hunting boat a few years ago. They're extremely sea worthy, tough hulls.

If you have any questions, or would like some pics of the restoration process, shoot me a PM. I'd be glad to help!









-Nick

 

Nice rig Nick. :thumbsup:

 

I run a 22ft Starcraft Mariner and guide sea duck hunters out of it. It is an absolute beast and will handle some serious water. My boat gives me great versatility whether layout, ledge or big boat hunting. I cut the front deck out to lower the floor and moved the center console to the side. The side console works better for me when coming up alongside layouts. I just had my transom re-done and when I first got the boat I removed all the waterlogged foam from under the floor and replaced it. You may have some work involved with a Mariner since they are older but they are awesome boats. Also, if you can, hold out for the 22ft over the 21ft. Big difference in the two.

 

Just some stuff to kick around: Setting and pulling in a Big Wind with an aluminum boat is more work than with a fiberglass hull. A duckwater is a heavy hull, since you are a commercial operator, gasoline cost for towing and on water fuel consumption should also be factored into your perceived frequency of contact with rocky shorelines in southern Lake Michigan-not many.
IF you were facing grounding on tidal fluctuations, a plate welded aluminum hull would be a major factor. Again, this doesn't occur where you are operating. Also, a metal hulled boat is a cold work platform in fall/early winter-as a former Great Lakes Fish biologist I can assure you of this! You should also factor-in your client's comfort into your work boat choice, since you state that you will be hunting out of it when it is too rough for a layout shoot.

I have been pounded pretty hard in rough conditions in metal hulled boats over multiple decades on the Great Lakes. I much prefer the ride of a fiberglass hull when it is cold and rough...

One other important consideration as a guide is: What manufacturer extends their warranty to their hulls when put to commercial use? Certainly not a repurposed sport fishing hull! What impact does this have on your insurance coverage as a commercial operator? Remember, you can depreciate the puchase cost of your work boat over time...