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Back in the Old Days....
Ever wonder why your grandpa always wore that same tattered hat to the duck blind every morning? Why he always walked past the racks of shotguns at the sporting goods store without even looking? It's because the ol' 870 never missed and that waxed-canvas hat kept his ears plenty warm.
Although here at Carstens we are always seeking ways to improve, we live by the motto, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." When we began manufacturing fiberglass duck boats in the late 1970's, we started by looking at what was already working. Since the days of market hunting, people have been designing and redesigning boats that can go deeper into the marsh and further up river. Many of the key design elements of our boats were modeled after the old hand made wooden boats from a time before plugs and steel shot.
Our grandfathers didn't have the same materials to work with as we do now, but they learned the lessons of what works and what doesn't the hard way. We took these key design elements and melded them with our own ideas and created the original Carstens line of duck skiffs. We regularly see these original, nearly 40 year old boats both in the field and in our shop proving many are still in use today. Although the construction methods have been tweaked and the materials have improved, the designs are largely unchanged. Why? Because they work.
Carstens has a reputation of being tough, well-made, get-you-to-where-you-need-to-go duck boats. Weather your honey hole is a bottomless slough with a mile of cattails or a stand of flooded timber, we have a boat that will get you there. Period.
Although here at Carstens we are always seeking ways to improve, we live by the motto, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." When we began manufacturing fiberglass duck boats in the late 1970's, we started by looking at what was already working. Since the days of market hunting, people have been designing and redesigning boats that can go deeper into the marsh and further up river. Many of the key design elements of our boats were modeled after the old hand made wooden boats from a time before plugs and steel shot.
Our grandfathers didn't have the same materials to work with as we do now, but they learned the lessons of what works and what doesn't the hard way. We took these key design elements and melded them with our own ideas and created the original Carstens line of duck skiffs. We regularly see these original, nearly 40 year old boats both in the field and in our shop proving many are still in use today. Although the construction methods have been tweaked and the materials have improved, the designs are largely unchanged. Why? Because they work.
Carstens has a reputation of being tough, well-made, get-you-to-where-you-need-to-go duck boats. Weather your honey hole is a bottomless slough with a mile of cattails or a stand of flooded timber, we have a boat that will get you there. Period.
Which boat will do the job?
"I'm a minimalist hunter and usually only bring a small spread." - Puddler
"I mostly hunt WPAs and need to drag or carry my boat a long ways." - Puddler or Pintail
"I hunt with the only friend I have who hasn't shot the bird I was aiming for, my dog." - Pintail
"I hunt mostly small water and want a low profile boat to layout in." - Pintail or Puddler
"I'm 6'5" and wear a size 14 shoe, I want to layout." - Pintail
"I need to paddle through spots that hold less water than my lawn after a rain" - Puddler or Pintail
"I hunt with a buddy and my dog and I like to bring a large spread." - Mallard, Bluebill or Canvasback
"My dog is an 80lb lab and leaps in to retrieve decoys while I'm setting my spread." - Mallard, Bluebill or Canvasback
"I need to haul my boat in the back of my truck and want to load and unload by myself." - Puddler, Pintail or Mallard
"I hunt an island on a small lake where there is a chance for some wave action." - Mallard, Bluebill or Canvasback
"I want a boat with a motor and I bring a lot of gear." - Bluebill or Canvasback
"I hunt shallow lakes and rivers and need to travel a long distance with minimal draft." - Canvasback
"I hunt big water where there's a good possibility of whitecaps." - Use a larger transport boat to tow or haul a Carstens to your spot.
"I mostly hunt WPAs and need to drag or carry my boat a long ways." - Puddler or Pintail
"I hunt with the only friend I have who hasn't shot the bird I was aiming for, my dog." - Pintail
"I hunt mostly small water and want a low profile boat to layout in." - Pintail or Puddler
"I'm 6'5" and wear a size 14 shoe, I want to layout." - Pintail
"I need to paddle through spots that hold less water than my lawn after a rain" - Puddler or Pintail
"I hunt with a buddy and my dog and I like to bring a large spread." - Mallard, Bluebill or Canvasback
"My dog is an 80lb lab and leaps in to retrieve decoys while I'm setting my spread." - Mallard, Bluebill or Canvasback
"I need to haul my boat in the back of my truck and want to load and unload by myself." - Puddler, Pintail or Mallard
"I hunt an island on a small lake where there is a chance for some wave action." - Mallard, Bluebill or Canvasback
"I want a boat with a motor and I bring a lot of gear." - Bluebill or Canvasback
"I hunt shallow lakes and rivers and need to travel a long distance with minimal draft." - Canvasback
"I hunt big water where there's a good possibility of whitecaps." - Use a larger transport boat to tow or haul a Carstens to your spot.
Quick Comparison
BOATS SHOWN IN RELATIVE SIZE TO EACH OTHER
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PINTAIL - $1,802.00
LENGTH: 13' 4" BEAM: 39" DEPTH: 12" COCKPIT: 24" x 93" WEIGHT: 100 LBS CAPACITY: 500 LBS |
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MALLARD - $1,903.00
LENGTH: 13' 7" BEAM: 44" DEPTH: 16" COCKPIT: 24" x 95" WEIGHT: 100 LBS CAPACITY: 500 LBS |
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CANVASBACK - $3,532.00
LENGTH: 14' 4" BEAM: 45" DEPTH: 16" RATED: 13 HP WEIGHT: 150 LBS CAPACITY: 500 LBS |
Can't Pick Up? We Ship Factory Direct.
Shipping Fine Print
Rates include delivery to nearest shipping terminal based on zip code provided. Customer will receive call from terminal when shipment is ready for pickup. Customer must pick up as quickly as possible after receiving the call. Residential delivery is available for an additional charge. Carstens will choose the method of transport and carrier. Carstens reserves the right to refuse shipment or change the shipping rate at any time. Adding accessories may increase the freight cost. Carstens makes no guarantee on delivery times but will provide estimate.
The customer MUST inspect shipment thoroughly before signing. Once shipment has been accepted, we have no recourse against the shipping company. If more than superficial damage has occurred during transit, refuse shipment and Carstens will file a damage claim with the carrier. Before a shipment will be scheduled, a shipping liability release form must be signed and returned.
There is a $200 oversize charge for shipping on Canvasbacks and Bluebills.
The customer MUST inspect shipment thoroughly before signing. Once shipment has been accepted, we have no recourse against the shipping company. If more than superficial damage has occurred during transit, refuse shipment and Carstens will file a damage claim with the carrier. Before a shipment will be scheduled, a shipping liability release form must be signed and returned.
There is a $200 oversize charge for shipping on Canvasbacks and Bluebills.
Want to save money on shipping?
Unless otherwise noted, a boat will be delivered on a custom pallet, wrapped in cardboard. Most boats can be stacked together on the same pallet. Given the size of our boats and the amount of floor space they take up on the truck, shipping rates are less affected by weight. Often, we can stack multiple boats on the same pallet and there is no additional charge for adding a second or third boat to your pallet. Some models stack better than others so every desired combination will be considered on a case by case basis.