Building a Sanford Gunning Box

Steve Sanford

Steve Sanford

Well-known member
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]All~

[/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]I finally have my website up and have included a step-by-step on building one of my gunning boxes (which have been discussed more than once over the years here at duckboats.net). Plans and instructions were first published almost 30 years ago - when print limited me to 2/3 page in a newsletter. The e-world now let's me go more in-depth. At my website http://stevenjaysanford.com/sanford-gunning-box/ are now the plans themselves, 3 pages of back story, 6 pages of narrative and 125 images (in 6 galleries) of the building process.

Here is the original article.

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Here are the plans - if you print them, do so on 11x17 paper (Kinko's, etc) for best results.

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Here is a slide from Gallery 1 - Layout & Cutting

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Gallery 2 - Fastening the sides.

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Gallery 3 - The transoms and backrest.

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Gallery 4. Prep for 'glassing.

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Gallery 5 - Headpiece, paint.

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Gallery 6 - Canvas and thatching.

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As always, I hope these are helpful - and welcome all stories and ideas.

All the best,

SJS

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Steve nice job on the website. I have built two of those off the plans on the NJ site,and still use them when the situation permits. I have them hanging right now on a clipboard in the shop. Those measurements were a little blurry so I guessed at some and double checked with a batten to fair. The boats have held up well and was thinking of building another one for a hunting buddy we call Fat Boy. As the nickname states he is of generous proportions so either I enlarge the box or carve a giant shoehorn to get him in the present design. Do you ever make magnum sizes?
I lost a boat this year also. It was out of the Dory Book by Gardner, the Canadienne light batteau. When the water really came up this spring it floated off the top of the duck blind where it lives all year and was gone. This summer when the water was low I found it downstream, sunk . Someone had seen it at some point and tied the painter to a tree so its at least worth a square knot to somebody. Bob
 
Steve,

Very nice website. And now bookmarked. I wish I had your talent. Now when you bend the conduit around the radius board, after your done to you bend a little farther for spring back of the material or does it pretty much bend to size. I've never bent conduit so I don't know the properties of the material.
 
Thanks, Bob~

I had a friend who made a not-quite double wide. I've gained lots sitting behind a desk for the past 2 decades but I still fit in my orginal box.

I think stories we live and collect are one of the best things about our sport. Building this site was its own creative endeavor - and I look forward to telling some more tales as time permits.

Were you able to use your recovered bateau?

All the best,

SJS
 
Ed~

There is a little bit of springback - but it's also not a problem if you have to compress the bow a little bit as you install it. I just try to make sure that the flattened ends mate well to the inside wall of the box - maybe "fine tune" it with a heavy clamp..

All the best,

SJS
 
The bateau is fine ,mostly because she was built with quality lumber and plywood,not due to builder considerations.
 
Steve - I'm with Bob, nice website. I am just picking up on this thread. These boxes are awesome! Great design! These rascals would work great at our duck club for early teal season. I wish I had 5 of them for this weekend. They would cover great and, seeing a squadron of bluewings at eye level from one of your boxes would be simply amazing.

Nice work and, thank you for sharing your goodness! Pat
 
Steve....thanks for sharing all of that. So nice to read about waterfowling that doesnt include electronic decoys or 23' 150HP "duckboats". Its rare for me lately to have time to read anything more than a quick skim over (read on here), but over the past 3 hours I read through the better part of your site. I would have gotten through it more quickly if it weren't for constantly having to get up and rock my fidgety newborn to sleep. Naturally the story of getting paint on Emily's sweater gave me hope that my daughter will take an interest in my passion. I share your passion for wooden boats, wooden decoys, and saving a buck by scrounging haha. Especially love your pintail and common merg gunners, very nice birds that scream the species with simple lines and paint, perfect gunners. Reading about each species not only reminded me of moments in the marsh with each one, but more so made me wish it were a snowy morning in January.......

Thanks again
Bill
 
Steve - great site. You eluded to it earlier in the year and I have been waiting patiently. As soon as I finish my Zack Taylor wigeon, I am planning on building one of your boxes. I started using a plast sled to drag/ float my decoys and gear into beaver ponds last year. Much easier than carrying it on my back. When I saw your gunning box I figured that would be even better. It will give me a good place to hide too. I also like the idea of getting rid of the plastic for something I built myself. Thanks for sharing
 
Thanks, Darin~

I look forward to seeing some pics and hearing your story when you build one. And congratulations on the Wigeon!

All the best,

SJS
 
Boy, I really need to get my guano together and finally make a box or two! I've been wanting to do that for years. Thanks for laying it out so nicely on the new site.

It's been fun seeing your posts on here, Steve. I hunted sea ducks with you and Charlie Stenvall from a layout tended by your big boat on the South Shore around 1990 when he and I were both stationed at Seatuck. I hope you're enjoying your so-called retirement.

Cheers,
Dave
 
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Dave~

Great to hear from you. I bet you don't see too many ocean swells our your way now. I'll never forget the feeling of laying with my back to 6-foot swells - and about 6 inches of freeboard. You still in touch with Mr. Stenval?

All the best,

SJS
 
Dave~

BTW: The boat we used that morning was the Sneakbox on my site (under Boats & Canoes). I had not yet made the spray dodger as I recall - it may very well have been its maiden voyage.

Best,

SJS
 
I was trying to remember what boat we were using. I too have a vivid memory of the decoys being above eye level one moment and below the next. I'm pretty sure I have some photos from that day but I'll have to scrounge a bit.

While living in MT I made the trek to the coast nearly every year to dig razor clams and gun the coast with Charlie while he was managing Willapa NWR. When I moved to Colorado in 2007 the trip was less feasible. Since then, Charlie moved inland to work at McNary and I've moved back to MT so I'm hopeful we can meet up on the Columbia later this fall.
 
Really nice site you have there Steve. I'll be spending some time there reading up on some of those articles for my pre-season waterfowl fix. Won't be long now...that box looks like it could be some fun to hunt from. And some fantastic tutorials! Thanks for sharing those.

Steve
 
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