It was brought to my attention that Steve had been posting on the page and I reached out to contact him with questions I had about his box and the build methods. I was very happy to see his personal web site. I asked Steve for his permission to link to it specifically here as a follow up. When I posted the original there was very little on the web about building the boxes. The original plan and some simple directions were out there and a handful of photos, many on the DHBP.
When building my two boxes the chine was attached to the sides first. This makes it very hard to bend the side to the bottom for fit up. Steves method of attaching the chine to the bottom first seems easier. I have contemplated a quick jig to prebend the floor panel before chine attachment but this is only a guess.
http://stevenjaysanford.com/sanford-gunning-box/
Talking with Steve has been a pleasure.
My two boxes and the third I bought at Tuckerton have hunted hard. I have a garage so they store inside in the off season and I dry them out when they get wet. Paint only on the inside, epoxy and cloth outside. I tow them in moderate sea conditions tied end to end. I would not try to float my 195 lb in more than a foot or two of water. My KARA is 16 years old now and does need new glass on the bottom from dragging on the rocks but I see no reason why the boxes should not last that long with some small effort in care. They are light enough I can lift one to a car top by myself. But not so light after a good 1\4 mile drag to a good spot…...
My favorite memory in them is a hunt with Dave Morton where the blacks landed so close my dog Scout (Just a pup at the time) could not contain himself and launched over my sons box from the marsh bank above completely clearing John and the box, almost catching the Black at Johns feet, in the water. They hide that well in the marsh edge. Not bad in the field corn either.
