[10 ga Bob]

I built several of Zack Talyor's Whistlers (AKA gunning jonboat). I've built them as 10'. 11' and 12' boats and they work great in marshes and swamps where water is relatively calm. They hide great in shallow cover. This is my 11 footer and my favorite.

 

[10 ga Bob]

Another picture with camo.

 

[10 ga Bob]

Being form northern Maine I have a lot of eastern white cedar. but the long wide clear boards are hard to come by, I was able to get the ones for the side boards on the sneak box from a very good friend who runnes a saw mill.no too far away.

When I built my first Zack Taylor Whistler, his plans called for 3/4" planking for the sides so I used 3/4" clear pine. That was a 12 footer and it came in around 150 pounds dry.. I've since switched to 1/4" marine plywood for the sides, bottom and deck. I use the stictch and glue technique and make the ribs from 3/4" red cedar. All surfaces receive 4 coats of marine epoxy and I use 6 oz fiberglass cloth on the bottom and sides and 4 oz for the decks. I run a 2 1/2 hp Yamaha on them now but could go bigger. I have motored through ice up to 1" thick with no damage or marks on the hull. Not sure if 1/4" marine ply is heavy enough for the Widgeon but 1/2" should be fine. I lap join 8' pieces of pywood to get the length I need using the 1:8 ratio of ply thickness to joint width and bond with marine epoxy. I also add a strip of fiberglass cloth over the lap joint for added strength.

 

[10 ga Bob]

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Great build and man I'd love to have a wood shop like that! my shop tools are in my basement and I can't get a boat out of there. I build mine in my barn with a gravel floor so I have to work in the summer. I thought of building a Widgeon but there are no boat ramps at my favorite marsh so I have to deploy my boats over a guard rail. I'm too old to handle a heavier boat like yours up a bank and over a guardrail.