We have by now built well in excess of 60 of these boats and at around 130 hours each building time, that adds up to something like 7,800 man-hours of working time. Let’s see….that equals the output of someone working full time for almost 4 years. You would think that after all that time, and I couldn’t count how many hours spent in the marsh using the boats, that we could come up with what might just be the quintessential, premier “Duck Hunting Boat”. I am sorry, did I hear trumpets playing in the background? Well this “Black Brant” is really a fine Duck Boat under anyone’s consideration. She has several features that are worth noting, the first of which is her very interesting outboard motor well configuration. You see, the outboard motor fits not on the stern of the boat but on a bulkhead that is forward of the back of the boat by about 24 inches in length. This allows the operator of the boat to sit further forward in the boat than would be the case with the outboard mounted on the stern, and allows the foam flotation of the stern area to be made up in the sponsons on either side of the outboard well. The outboard itself since it is further forward is now more conceivable and in a position that the birds flying overhead can’t see it as clearly and distinctly. Forward of the outboard well is a cockpit large enough to for up to 3 hunters with 2 being an ideal number, especially if you’ve got a good retriever along to pick up the downed birds.

There is space to carry up to 6 dozen decoys in the boat and your able dog won’t have much trouble getting back on board with a bird in its mouth. All you need to do is have the dog swim up alongside the cockpit of the boat with the bird in their mouth, and if you place your hand behind its head the dog will place its front paws on the side deck of the boat, push against your hand and pop-up on board. Your hand gave the dog the leverage that it needed to swing up onboard and it all happens quicker than the description takes to write about. A single day of hunting on board a boat like this and your dog now looks forward to hunting in a way that it never could before.

The Black Brant has a covered foredeck in front of the cockpit with storage below and foam compartment way up in the bow of the boat. This is coast to coast, one fine duck boat, and her owners are her biggest fans. Talk to one and you will find a hunter that knows they have found the best tool for their hunting pleasure. — Sam Devlin

The Black Brant II is available in study and construction plans.