First Time Meeting of Old Friends: a Duckboats.net Common Experience

Larry Eckart

Well-known member
Guys (and Dani),

Dave Diefenderfer has been a mainstay on our forum for many years. He and I have enjoyed common ground, like many here, in ducks and in faith.

Three months ago Dave decided to buy my 13’ Grumman canoe that I posted in our classified section. Dave lives in Virginia. I live in South Carolina.

No problem for guys on our forum. Dave would be driving to Florida, three months later,in May and asked if I would hold the canoe.

Of course. No problem for friends. One odd fact: we had never met until today.

Dave and his wife Maria attended one of my worship services while on their way to Florida. Here is a pic of us together after worship.
View attachment IMG_1648.jpg

Then they came over to have lunch with my wife Kathy and me. Great time talking as Dave entertained us with crazy stories, especially of his ice boat and his almost miraculous recovery from an encounter with a table saw blade.

We loaded the gear and the canoe. If you look closely you see we had to be creative to keep the front of the canoe from hitting his pick up truck cab. Mmm: aren’t two 2x4’s, a noodle, duct tape and ratchets the ordinary way to strap on a canoe to lift up the front?

Here is a pic of us with the deal done:
View attachment IMG_1652.JPG

In the coming years we look forward at some point to sharing a boat or a blind.

As far as I’m concerned, Duckboats.net is a far better style of “social media” and a better way to make friends than “liking” someone on Facebook.

Larry
 
I have met and maintained many great friendships through Duckboats over the years. Dave is one of them. Glad you made a day of it! Enjoy that sweet little ride Dave
 
I have been fortunate enough to meet Dave and Jode. I hAve yet to meet you, Larry, but would her is the moment.

And yes, good group of guys, and gals, here. I'm proud and happy to be part of it all.

Jon
 
Sweet boat! Glad it went to someone who will appreciate it! Don't feel bad, I did the same thing with my old 2003 Tundra when I put the roof rack support channels on it. I had the capper reinforced to accept the roof rack, mounted the braces and then the roof rack...only to discover I should have mounted the braces an inch and a half higher to provide canoe clearance. The only difference was that I found this out AFTER transferring most of the 15' Grumman canoe's weight onto the roof rack while standing on a three-step ladder-nice paint gash!
 
Glad to see your 13"found a good home Larry. After purchaseing an refurbishing a 17" canoe this spring I built a slide in Salt treated canoe carrier for my pickup that I could take out and use for storage of canoe off ground. Estimated the curvature from bow to centerline of gunnel cap when I built the rack to allow clearance of bow over roof line. Well I should have pulled a straight edge and measured! First time I loaded I had wife watch bow to make sure it wasn,t going to contact roof and it didn,t loading as I had downward pressure on back end of canoe. Well After takeing a test ride w/trk to test tie downs I proceded to unload. Told wifey to watch again... Slideing straight back on canoe I scratched about 2' of trk. roof with bow cap. My estimate was about a 1/2" off. She didn,t watch very well was one of my many comments!!! Well the old saying of measure twice and cut once applied to this one! Thankfully mods were made and everything worked out and wife even enjoyed a few canoe trips this spring.
 
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Good morning, Larry~

I, too, have had the pleasure of meeting Dave and Maria. I have met many duckboats.net members - digital versions first, then analog (in person). Many have come here to the farm, others I've met in Tuckerton, or on Long Island. (Dave has been at all 3 places.....) Sure enough, I have never been disappointed.

I look forward to crossing paths with many more.

All the best,

SJS

 
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This canoe is destine as a house warming gift for my daughter. She and her fiancé just bought a house on a lake. I will hold onto the gunning seat and gun rest. If they decide to upgrade in the future, I can reclaim it for a hunting rig again.
 
I too was lucky to meet Dave when he came to Long Island to pick up a vintage duck boat that he purchased and restored.....some time later in one of his postings he wrote about making decoy weights.....I responded and lent him a large ladle that he used to mold what he needed.....this year Dave posted his method of casting Coot decoy heads and mentioned that he was looking for a Herters Coot body.....having one in the barn, I responded to his posting.....Dave picked it up from me at the Long Island show......he showed up in St. Michaels and surprised me with one of his molded Coot decoys......this forum is a great place to share, learn, and discuss this passion that I have had for over 50 years.
View attachment 2018-05-14 19.03.21.jpgView attachment 2018-05-14 19.03.30.jpg
 
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