# Gheenoe



## kickers-N-stickers (Aug 8, 2016)

Im thinking about getting a gheenoe. I know getting a highsider would be the best to get. But i was wondering if i got a lowsider 13' how that would hold up in our ga rivers. If anyone has one and wants to give their .02 and maybe a pic of their boat. Thanks


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## king killer delete (Aug 9, 2016)

Years ago two goose hunters died on Clarks Hill in one. I guess it depends on the river and I guess you will hunt from the bank. Not a shooting platform.


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## kevbo3333 (Aug 9, 2016)

I wouldn't want to be in a ghennoe on some of these rivers with high water.


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## Core Lokt (Aug 9, 2016)

High side for sure, classic is even better. Don't over look a River Hawk B60 either. I hunted and fished out of a 15'6" high side for many, many years without incident. I sold it after a buddy flipped us one Summer fishing. It didn't go to the bottom but it filled with water and the top of the sides were flush with the water. I purchased a Wigeon Duck boat. It won't sink but smaller than my gheenoe.


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## bcspinks89 (Aug 9, 2016)

We hunt from kayaks a lot


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## maconbacon (Aug 9, 2016)

I have a 15'4. They are perfect for GA rivers. I run mine in the Flint and Blackshear and even on the intracoastal a few times. Like any boat and body of water, you have to pick and choose your battles depending on the capabilities of your rig. For example, did not take it out last January with the super high water from flooding, but then again anyone with half a brain wouldn't have brought any boat out then anyways. 
It's very stable, more so than a Jon boat. Havent shot from it but I can easily stand and fish so I don't see how I couldn't sit and shoot. I'm building a blind for it so we will see some fall time


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## maconbacon (Aug 9, 2016)

Pics


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## maconbacon (Aug 9, 2016)

More


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## king killer delete (Aug 9, 2016)

Gaducker posted this on 01/26/ 16 "crossed the Mississippi this season after going out in the early morning to a 1 ft chop normal crossing during the day it got nasty, winds kicked up to 25-30 mph and we like to never got all the decoys picked up because it was pushing my 19 ft boat around like a paper boat. 

we left early enough o give ourselves plenty of time to get back and when we got to the river it looked bad but manageable. after about a 50 yards it was clear we made a mistake, we had two 19 ft gatortrax and my buddie was just 20 to 30 ft off my port side the entire time we were crossing but the waves were 5-6 ft tall rollers about 20 ft apart and we were powering up the front side and coasting down the back side and as soon as we crested the top we had to power the bow through the next wave and we did this for the better part of 45 mins just to cross diagonally a mile and half. Had either of us lost power this thread would include us as some who perished this season. 

I learned that day that if the wind is blowing like that out of the south Im going back into the marsh and be prepared to spend the night in the boat. "


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## king killer delete (Aug 9, 2016)

maconbacon said:


> I have a 15'4. They are perfect for GA rivers. I run mine in the Flint and Blackshear and even on the intracoastal a few times. Like any boat and body of water, you have to pick and choose your battles depending on the capabilities of your rig. For example, did not take it out last January with the super high water from flooding, but then again anyone with half a brain wouldn't have brought any boat out then anyways.
> It's very stable, more so than a Jon boat. Havent shot from it but I can easily stand and fish so I don't see how I couldn't sit and shoot. I'm building a blind for it so we will see some fall time


 maybe where you live. But here on the coast the rivers are deep and wide and an out going tide can put you in danger.


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## rnelson5 (Aug 9, 2016)

king killer delete said:


> Gaducker posted this on 01/26/ 16 "crossed the Mississippi this season after going out in the early morning to a 1 ft chop normal crossing during the day it got nasty, winds kicked up to 25-30 mph and we like to never got all the decoys picked up because it was pushing my 19 ft boat around like a paper boat.
> 
> we left early enough o give ourselves plenty of time to get back and when we got to the river it looked bad but manageable. after about a 50 yards it was clear we made a mistake, we had two 19 ft gatortrax and my buddie was just 20 to 30 ft off my port side the entire time we were crossing but the waves were 5-6 ft tall rollers about 20 ft apart and we were powering up the front side and coasting down the back side and as soon as we crested the top we had to power the bow through the next wave and we did this for the better part of 45 mins just to cross diagonally a mile and half. Had either of us lost power this thread would include us as some who perished this season.
> 
> I learned that day that if the wind is blowing like that out of the south Im going back into the marsh and be prepared to spend the night in the boat. "


In all fairness crossing the Mississippi River at the Gulf is a lot different than crossing any rivers in GA. You wouldn't catch me in a Gheenoe on that river on a calm day.


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## g0nef1sshn (Aug 9, 2016)

king killer delete said:


> maybe where you live. But here on the coast the rivers are deep and wide and an out going tide can put you in danger.



Out going tides and an opposite wind in any inlet is bad. Look up the jupiter inlet in Fl. I almost died in that one coming back in at night after kingfishin with a big haul. Bad juju. Situation dictates. Rivers and inlets/tidal areas plays a role in what I would go out in. Windy days suck period no matter what watercraft you are in. Factor in the dark hours we go out and the usual cold, it can get bad fast.


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## king killer delete (Aug 9, 2016)

rnelson5 said:


> In all fairness crossing the Mississippi River at the Gulf is a lot different than crossing any rivers in GA. You wouldn't catch me in a Gheenoe on that river on a calm day.


 you can not say that. You would be OK up River but when you come down here and fight open water hard running tides in those same rivers that we are talking about it is a different story. I know a guy that hunted out of one all the time but he knew when and where he could go. I have seen it that bad as the the post I quoted. The big difference is we have 10 foot tidal drop and container ships to deal with. I remember years ago two men died on the hill hunting out of a Gheenoe when they went out it was like a mill pond on the way back in it turned deadly.


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## king killer delete (Aug 9, 2016)

This is a river in Georgia.


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## Flaustin1 (Aug 9, 2016)

That's right AT the ocean though.  Tidal water.


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## maconbacon (Aug 9, 2016)

OP can clarify where, but I took him to mean rivers like the hooch, ocmulgee, flint, etc. and not anywhere near the salt or huge inlets with shipping containers. 

But I say again, it's less to do with the boat you chose than it is about the situations you chose to put yourself and the boat in.


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## king killer delete (Aug 9, 2016)

That's why you can not make a blanket statement. When you say Georgia rivers that can mean anything. Unlike allot of folks I have lived in several spots in the state. I understand what you are talking about. But always remember we have folks who never post but do read what we post. Rivers can be very small in our state and they can be very big. A Gheenoe will be great for allot of our small rivers but the closer you get to the coast or for our big lakes it wouldn't really be what you need. That is all Want to say. And yea that is tide water and the Savannah River at the mouth.


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## king killer delete (Aug 9, 2016)

Flaustin1 said:


> That's right AT the ocean though.  Tidal water.


Still a Georgia River.
Tide water extends At least 20 miles inland.


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## king killer delete (Aug 9, 2016)

maconbacon said:


> OP can clarify where, but I took him to mean rivers like the hooch, ocmulgee, flint, etc. and not anywhere near the salt or huge inlets with shipping containers.
> 
> But I say again, it's less to do with the boat you chose than it is about the situations you chose to put yourself and the boat in.


Exactly. I almost died many years ago in a small boat because some one I hunted with did not want to drag my larger boat across the dike at Rhett's . Going out that morning the water was calm and not a wave in sight. That afternoon was a different story and the boat overturned and it was ruff water. The boat that rescued s was the same size and make as mine.


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## king killer delete (Aug 9, 2016)

The water on the left side of the road is the south channel of the Savannah River. The road is U.S. Highway 80 and it's still several miles to the mouth of the river and Tybee island. This is a good Spring Tide. Spring Tide
a tide just after a new or full moon, when there is the greatest difference between high and low water.
You got to think out of the box when you say Georgia rivers.


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## king killer delete (Aug 9, 2016)

Bigkga69 hunted all this area in a 15 Gheenoe but he also lived on the beach and knew what he was doing. You got to know your limitations


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## kickers-N-stickers (Aug 10, 2016)

Ok to clarify i live in middle ga. I would be on small rivers maybe a few big lakes.


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## king killer delete (Aug 10, 2016)

Then you should be ok.


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## maconbacon (Aug 10, 2016)

Yeah you'll be fine but you still gotta be smart. Biggest waves I've been in was on blackshear during a popup summer storm. I really don't think I was in any danger, was worried more about lightning, but it was still somewhat nerve wracking.

I've even traveled the intracoastal but I studied the weather extensively, avoided sounds and bigger water, and only spent time in it while going from crooked river to cumberland island. 

They're great little boats, you'll really enjoy it if you get one.


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## MudDucker (Aug 10, 2016)

I have 2 riverhawks that I hunt out of.  The B60 is very stable platform.  I always try to take a boat that will handle the worst possible situation I might reasonably encounter.

We duck hunters need to remember.  We are not hunting when the water is luke warm and a swim will be refreshing.  Most of the time a good dunking in our sport ends up with hypothermia or worse.  I've had my breath taken away before and it is NO fun!


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## rnelson5 (Aug 10, 2016)

When in doubt buy a bigger boat


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## king killer delete (Aug 11, 2016)

maconbacon said:


> Yeah you'll be fine but you still gotta be smart. Biggest waves I've been in was on blackshear during a popup summer storm. I really don't think I was in any danger, was worried more about lightning, but it was still somewhat nerve wracking.
> 
> I've even traveled the intracoastal but I studied the weather extensively, avoided sounds and bigger water, and only spent time in it while going from crooked river to cumberland island.
> 
> They're great little boats, you'll really enjoy it if you get one.


 I hunt inshore and some days I will not put my boat in the water. I can get ruff quick and in a small boat it can be bad.


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## king killer delete (Aug 11, 2016)

It is like cutting a piece of pipe. If you cut it to long you can always shorten it up . But if you cut it to short it aint gona grow. Buy a boat that fits your needs. But it is like this when I bought my scow , I thought 17.4 with a 40 HP would be big enough. I wish I had gone with a 20 foot boat with at least a 90 HP.


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## Mars (Aug 11, 2016)

I've got a 13' waterbug (very similar to the highsider) and I love it for hitting the Oconee river and the geechee. I've even run it all through the rivers around Darien with no issues and drug it into Rhett many many times. I would agree that it's not ideal in rough weather but if I can help it, I won't be on a boat of any size in rough weather. I have an app on my phone that let's me know when a storm is coming.


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## king killer delete (Aug 11, 2016)

well did you find my 870 that I lost on the bank near the pull over? I just about drown right there in 1980 because the guy I was hunting with had to take his very light Sears jon boat with 12 inch sides. I am not saying you cant. Just be real smart about it.


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## duck-dawg (Aug 24, 2016)

If you can find a Gheenoe Classic or a riverhawk b-60, those boats, because they're wider, make much better duck boats than any of their narrower counterparts. Gheenoes are great boats in the right circumstances...small, protected, shallow, calm water (ideally all of the above, but at least 2/4). I've used mine on some very large lakes and on the coast, regularly, but you have to watch the weather and pick your days. I would argue that the Classic is the best factory-model of the 2 manufacturers (Gheenoe also makes a "custom" LT25 model that makes an exceptional duck boat). In addition to being wider, it has a flattened, angled bottom in the bow...this helps make that model less prone to submarining in rougher water than the others.


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