My buddy has a Carstens Puddler 10 feet long it's okay for paddle once you start digging in to go faster the boat turns in a complete circle, nothing can be done to correct it. Slow steady strokes and it's fine. I hunted 2 full sacks of decoys out of it plenty of room.

The Mallard being 13' might be a better tracking machine, looks to have a deeper freeboard than puddler, it should hide fine.

Puddler is a little unstable when standing and turning around, tough for sure it will take a few hits.

Good luck with you choice.

Check out Phoinex poke Boat, Momarsh, Marsh Rat, Hellbender "this young man makes a cool rig" low rider and stable weighs in at 30 lbs.....the guys use them here in Fl. at the STA's.

just my .02 cents

 

Thanks Jimmy, I may just go with a canoe.

 

I have a puddler and I agree with unstable for standing, but I feel comfortable shooting out of it. We have used it as a lay out and transfered people from tender in and out. If you are smart about it, it was easy and not to bad when someone held the puddler from the tender.

Poke boats are also really nice. We used to hunt with a guy with one, and that little boat was stable. I would stand in them. My only problem I had with it was the wind would take it so easily.

 

I've hunted out of the Carten Pintail many times & it is phenomenally stable!!! I'm sure the Mallard would be even better.

 

John, much cheaper choice the canoe, taller freeboard to deal with "hiding", the guy's here use Kayaks or the hybred marsh layouts they are low profile, they hide nice and paddle much easier over toped out pads, weeds, and such.

Ghead I know you have plenty of pics from the deck of your puddler, I used my buddys several times for complete smack downs on the Bluebill, and Black Jacks that puddler hides nice and is stable to shoot from.

Check out "Creek Boats" Duck Boat looks like it will hide Okay. Momarsh the original one with pointy nose and squre stern would be my prodution choice it just costs to own that one by the time it gets to ya.

If you don't mind I'll try to post a few shots from puddler so you can see how low they are.

Good luck.........js

 

I hunted out of the same Carsten's pintail as Jguns.

Stability - very good - can stand up to pole/paddle
weight - probably as heavy as any other fiberglas boat- kayak might be lighter, but can't carry as much (or use a dog)
Paddling - some of the marsh boats are a pig to paddle - don't know about the Mallard, but the Pintail paddles reasonably well for what it is. You can paddle it faster than a canoe (even when using a kayak paddle in a canoe).

Are you hunting/fishing current at all? That might change the equation. I know that it is a challenge to paddle/steer the pintail in any current, and I would expect the mallard to be similar. A canoe or kayak are much better suited in that condition.

 

Mostly fishing.