How to Build a Wooden Duck Boat

Wooden duck boats provide practical floating cover for duck hunters on the water, allowing them to float close to the water line and sitting ducks. Duck boats exist in various styles and shapes, with some allowing hookup of outboard motors while others need to be rowed to move across water. In any case, the design involved tends to be simple enough to allow a hunter to sit in the boat and stay out of the water while shooting.

Things You'll Need

  • Duck boat design
  • Duck boat kit
  • Marine wood glue
  • Clamps
  • Construction sawhorses
  • Epoxy sealant
  • Paint scraper
  • Paintbrush or paint brush roller
  • Water-proof lacquer
  • Paint
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Instructions

    • 1

      Purchase a set of pre-fabricated duckboat construction plans from boat designer. Study the plans to understand each step, what tools are required, and how the boat parts get assembled. Purchase a related duck boat building kit that matches your plans. Have it shipped to your residence.

    • 2

      Unpack the kit in your workspace, laying out each part so that it can be clearly seen. Position the various hull planks so that they are fairly close to each other. Start with the planks closest to the center of the boat design. Apply marine wood glue to the long edges and connect the first two planks, keeping them connected to each other with clamps. Continue the process from each side, attaching the next plank in the kit as you begin to build the center base of the hull. Continue to attach more clamps to keep the glued planks attached until the glue solidifies..

    • 3

      Take the internal cross beams from the kit parts and position them at least every four feet in the hull, unless specified otherwise in the boat plans from Step 1. Glue the base and sides of the beams to the hull planks already adhered to each other.

    • 4

      Continue the process of adding additional planks on the sides of the hull, working outward and upward. Position a second layer of cross beams above the first, gluing them perpendicular to the hull body.

    • 5

      Begin the upper deck construction by gluing the top planks and cover boards to the edges of the hull.

    • 6

      Turn the entire boat hull assembly upside down and place it on construction workhorses. Begin to apply water-proof filler and sealant into all the seams, holes, and cracks of the boat hull. Smooth the epoxy sealant out with a paint scraper. Seal every crack thoroughly. Let the epoxy and glue harden further for a day.

    • 7

      Apply a sander to the boat hull, smoothing out all the transitions and seams. Dust off the sanding dust, and apply further epoxy where necessary as you find pits or cavities.

    • 8

      Use a paint brush or paint roller brush to apply a water-proof lacquer onto the final outer surface of the hull to make it impregnable in the water. Wait for the lacquer to dry. Apply a final cover of paint with a paintbrush as the finishing layer to the hull. Paint as necessary to match your camouflage needs for hunting.

    • 9

      Take the boat out to a water area and test it for safety and buoyancy. Confirm it has no leaks before using for an extended period on water.