Help With Cancelling Poleboat

[RM Anderson]

Hey Guys and Gals, I wondered if you had some photos or ideas for grassing a Devlin Poleboat. I have a trip to Saskatchewan coming up and could use some suggestions. Early in my build I made the mistake of an oval cockpit; a nightmare for installing flapper boards. The boat is complete and I have webbing attached around the perimeter for grassing but would like to hide my profile better when sitting erect. My wife is coming with on this trip so a layout setup is a no-go.
RM

 

[Kevin Layne]

I have zero knowledge about grassing a boat so take this with a grain of salt! But a buddy has a round 1 man duck pit and uses hog wire attached to copper tubing. The hog wire is easy to grass and the copper tubing is easy to bend to any shape needed.

 

[Dave Diefenderfer]

In my South Bay build, I had a similar issue, with a non-square cockpit. I split the sides with 2 flaps. You could do very similar, even making the hide removable. It would square up the cockpit some, but that also affords more space. Look up my SB build in 2023.

 

[Pete McMiller]

Attach something like an eye-screw at both pointy ends. Run a bungee down each side of the combing that is trapped under hooks or even PVC tubing. Grass the bungees. Easily deployed and stowed.

Have you had your poleboat in the water? Mine paddled and tracked much easier backwards than forewards. Has a tendency to crab going forward.

Nice job on the build

 

[RM Anderson]

Splitting the flapper boards is not a bad idea Dave. The BlindGrass I have needs to be supported about half its length to keep from drooping excessively. Pete, I am still waiting for my oars to arrive but I'm hoping that the crabbing issue is resolved with the skeg I've added along with multiple locations for oar locks.RM

 

[Pete McMiller]

Good idea adding the skeg, should work great. I had oar locks and oars but preferred paddling so took them off. I found oars to be cumbersome in the thick vegetation I was hunting in so went to a paddle and a pushpole.

 

[Richard Lathrop]

I have zero knowledge about grassing a boat so take this with a grain of salt! But a buddy has a round 1 man duck pit and uses hog wire attached to copper tubing. The hog wire is easy to grass and the copper tubing is easy to bend to any shape needed.

What about electrical conduit tubing. You could use a conduit bender to form the bends.

 

[Carl]

I assume you mean concealing vs cancelling?

 

[RM Anderson]

What about electrical conduit tubing. You could use a conduit bender to form the bends.

Yes, I have Vevor bench mount tube bender. Good design ideas are what I'm lacking. RM

 

[RM Anderson]

I assume you mean concealing vs cancelling?

I thought it was a fun twist on cancel culture...RM

 

[roy brewington]

Not knowing width of cockpit I,d suggest a blind wall similar to the way TDB made them for their small boats. Cordura sides w/grass loops and a top rail that mounts onto uprights on 4 corners of cockpit. That way you could design bottom of blind wall where it meets combing to follow that curve and leave a constant width opening at top wall edges. That type is easy to put up and rolled down against combing allows for easy transportation. Have to design around the ability to row boat when stowed. I used a similar setup on a Blackjack and for the upright pole holders I flush mounted a sealed bottom rod holders thru top deck for uprights to set in. They also make bolt on top deck mounts for the marine conduit.

 

[RM Anderson]

Not knowing width of cockpit I,d suggest a blind wall similar to the way TDB made them for their small boats. Cordura sides w/grass loops and a top rail that mounts onto uprights on 4 corners of cockpit. That way you could design bottom of blind wall where it meets combing to follow that curve and leave a constant width opening at top wall edges. That type is easy to put up and rolled down against combing allows for easy transportation. Have to design around the ability to row boat when stowed. I used a similar setup on a Blackjack and for the upright pole holders I flush mounted a sealed bottom rod holders thru top deck for uprights to set in. They also make bolt on top deck mounts for the marine conduit.

Roy, I will investigate. Thank you, RM

 

[RM Anderson]

Roy, Is this what you're trying to explain?

 

[Steve Sanford]

Hey Guys and Gals, I wondered if you had some photos or ideas for grassing a Devlin Poleboat. I have a trip to Saskatchewan coming up and could use some suggestions. Early in my build I made the mistake of an oval cockpit; a nightmare for installing flapper boards. The boat is complete and I have webbing attached around the perimeter for grassing but would like to hide my profile better when sitting erect. My wife is coming with on this trip so a layout setup is a no-go.
RMView attachment 67374View attachment 67376

RM~

I think the answer is the opposite of "thinking outside of the box"....

On this Duck Invader (I think...) I made a base/frame that sat on the non-rectangular cockpit opening.



I rounded where I could - but left enough straight lines on the perimeter to work with conventional flappers. It has a large pin in each corner to sit in sockets. The frame gets lashed in place with 4 little cleats.



Here are the beginnings of the "superstructure"....



Some polypropylene webbing and a bunch of Salt Hay.....



All the best,

SJS

 

[RM Anderson]

Another great idea! Yes, I admit that my thinking started to get "boxed in" by looking at things only one way. If you are reading this Eric, thanks again for this forum and thanks also to you, Steve!

 

[roy brewington]

Roy, Is this what you're trying to explain?

Yes, basically. I believe they used similar blind systems from 14' on up . The top rail to upright connection can be made various ways w/conduit connectors if your using emt for construction of upright supports and blind wall top rail. Biggest job is sewing up the cordura for blind walls and front/rear doors. Even that can be changed to another material such as netting to make construction easier.