Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Good morning, All~
After sending my only gunning coffin down to Long Island in December to a new owner, by coincidence a local friend came by with one early in the New Year:
View attachment 1 Coffin - vertical oblique.JPG
I do not recall how he described it. He was coming by for some Basswood and I told him I'd be happy to provide some advice on getting whatever it was ready -to-hunt by next season. As it happens, my friend had no awareness of "Sanford Gunning Coffins/Boxes".....
View attachment 2 Coffin Box in SSWA Newsletter 1984 INSET.jpg
For those of you who have not heard the story....
After making my first one for the 1981 season, I posted plans and instructions in the newsletter of the South Shore Waterfowlers Ass'n (on Long Island). They soon made their way to the New Jersey Waterfowlers - who first posted them on the web. In fact, they made their way here to duckboats.net long before I became a member in 2013.
View attachment 3 Coffin Box Plans 1981.jpg
BTW: Both the back story and how-to-build are on my website:
https://stevenjaysanford.com/sanford-gunning-box-2/
https://stevenjaysanford.com/sanford-gunning-box/
It was obvious at a glance that this coffin had been built from my plans - but departed from them in several ways.
Here is the 2019 coffin I had just sent off to Long Island.
View attachment 3B GCCanvas - In the barn for now - straightened.JPG
On the project box, note that the canvas offers a very small opening. I wonder if the gunner rested on top of the canvas. It looks to me like it would be tough to get in and out of that narrow slot.
View attachment 4 Canvas - narrow opening.JPG
Another difference was the transom. I build mine with a raked transom - on which the soles of my boots rest. This transom is vertical.
Note, too, that a thin batten covers the canvas along the gunwale.
View attachment 5 sm Vertical stern transom.JPG
This transom is framed plywood. I use 3/4-inch Pine or Cypress. And, I usually cut a slot in it to serve as a lifting handle.
View attachment 6 Transom framing.JPG
An interesting feature was the "signature" preserved "under 'glass" on the bottom. This - and the assertion that it had once been owned by a certain NFL player helped me track down its provenance - and subsequent journey through several gunners as it made its way north over the decades.
View attachment 7 Keep the Faith - Mickey Shuler.JPG
In any event - although it clearly needed new canvas - it looked like the box itself was sound. It remained in my shop for the next month or so.
Stay tuned,
SJS
After sending my only gunning coffin down to Long Island in December to a new owner, by coincidence a local friend came by with one early in the New Year:
View attachment 1 Coffin - vertical oblique.JPG
I do not recall how he described it. He was coming by for some Basswood and I told him I'd be happy to provide some advice on getting whatever it was ready -to-hunt by next season. As it happens, my friend had no awareness of "Sanford Gunning Coffins/Boxes".....
View attachment 2 Coffin Box in SSWA Newsletter 1984 INSET.jpg
For those of you who have not heard the story....
After making my first one for the 1981 season, I posted plans and instructions in the newsletter of the South Shore Waterfowlers Ass'n (on Long Island). They soon made their way to the New Jersey Waterfowlers - who first posted them on the web. In fact, they made their way here to duckboats.net long before I became a member in 2013.
View attachment 3 Coffin Box Plans 1981.jpg
BTW: Both the back story and how-to-build are on my website:
https://stevenjaysanford.com/sanford-gunning-box-2/
https://stevenjaysanford.com/sanford-gunning-box/
It was obvious at a glance that this coffin had been built from my plans - but departed from them in several ways.
Here is the 2019 coffin I had just sent off to Long Island.
View attachment 3B GCCanvas - In the barn for now - straightened.JPG
On the project box, note that the canvas offers a very small opening. I wonder if the gunner rested on top of the canvas. It looks to me like it would be tough to get in and out of that narrow slot.
View attachment 4 Canvas - narrow opening.JPG
Another difference was the transom. I build mine with a raked transom - on which the soles of my boots rest. This transom is vertical.
Note, too, that a thin batten covers the canvas along the gunwale.
View attachment 5 sm Vertical stern transom.JPG
This transom is framed plywood. I use 3/4-inch Pine or Cypress. And, I usually cut a slot in it to serve as a lifting handle.
View attachment 6 Transom framing.JPG
An interesting feature was the "signature" preserved "under 'glass" on the bottom. This - and the assertion that it had once been owned by a certain NFL player helped me track down its provenance - and subsequent journey through several gunners as it made its way north over the decades.
View attachment 7 Keep the Faith - Mickey Shuler.JPG
In any event - although it clearly needed new canvas - it looked like the box itself was sound. It remained in my shop for the next month or so.
Stay tuned,
SJS
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