# 2 man layout boats



## magnumdeke (May 6, 2009)

Sorry guys, gonna be another layout hunter out there, What options are there in 2 man layouts? Need room for me 6' 240, and others, one son is 6"8" 220# want to hunt comfortably and safe!!! Anybody got experience with two man rigs? Where could guy go to "try one on"? Thanks Rick


----------



## honk/quack (Dec 18, 2009)

Google, Nickles Boat Works in Flint MI. I went and looked at there one-man and I like it , about $800.00. I'm not sure they make a two-man, check them out.


----------



## ggrybas (Mar 11, 2005)

magnumdeke said:


> Sorry guys, gonna be another layout hunter out there, What options are there in 2 man layouts? Need room for me 6' 240, and others, one son is 6"8" 220# want to hunt comfortably and safe!!! Anybody got experience with two man rigs? Where could guy go to "try one on"? Thanks Rick


I'm pretty sure a couple manufacturers will be at Point Mouillee for the festival. Should be able to check them out in person that way.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## taysteeed (Mar 29, 2010)

im 6'4" 320lbs there is no such thing as comfort in a lay out boat shoot for being safe,he has the mighty layout boys single and i feel very safe but not real cozy, like my buddy says I look like an elephant in a tuna can...BPS had a real nice "big fella" layout was real roomy but a little pricey


----------



## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

magnumdeke said:


> Sorry guys, gonna be another layout hunter out there, What options are there in 2 man layouts? Need room for me 6' 240, and others, one son is 6"8" 220# want to hunt comfortably and safe!!! Anybody got experience with two man rigs? Where could guy go to "try one on"? Thanks Rick


MLB and Bankes are basiclly your options. I have not sat in the MLB 2 man, so I can't comment. I'm 6'4" 220 and had lot's or room in the Bankes, but 6'8", I'd imagine it will be snug in any layout.



honk/quack said:


> Google, Nickles Boat Works in Flint MI. I went and looked at there one-man and I like it , about $800.00. I'm not sure they make a two-man, check them out.


The amount you have been pushing Nickles makes me think you have some connection? Have you looked at MLB, UFO, Bankes, Lake Bonneville, etc...? Huge difference, but to each their own though, I guess.


----------



## magnumdeke (May 6, 2009)

I have not sat in the MLB 2 man, so I can't comment. I'm 6'4" 220 and had lot's or room in the Bankes, but 6'8", I'd imagine it will be snug in any layout.

Caddis===So you have hunted in the Bankes revolution 2 man? it looks interesting to me little pricey compared to the MLB 2 but price is not my main qualifier, being happy with my purchase is!!!!


----------



## Tony H (Jan 13, 2008)

ggrybas said:


> I'm pretty sure a couple manufacturers will be at Point Mouillee for the festival. Should be able to check them out in person that way.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


There will be atleast 1 2man layout on display at Pointe Moullie. you can see it here.
http://www.waterfowl-works.com/2_Man_layout_boat.htm

We will have our Legacy on hand for potential customers to test out. climb in and see how it fits your needs.

I will assume MLB may have a boat at the show as well. 

Bankes makes a wonderful 2 man in the Revolution as well however they have not been to the show the past couple years.

We will have a special price at the show on all models of our boats as well.

Please stop by and say hi and check out the line up.


----------



## cmueller302 (Jan 30, 2007)

I have a 2 man kalash by MLB and there is plenty of room for me and my partner and all are gear. I would go to the show so you can try a couple out.
Casey


----------



## ScavengerMan (Sep 6, 2006)

magnumdeke said:


> So you have hunted in the Bankes revolution 2 man? it looks interesting to me little pricey compared to the MLB 2 but price is not my main qualifier, being happy with my purchase is!!!!



If you are new to layout hunting and being happy with your purchase is a primary concern, I'm wondering why you are starting out with a two man boat instead of a much easier to handle one man? 

There are a lot of things to consider in this equipment intensive game, the first being that unless you are using a gigantic tender boat with a crane arm, a two man boat is going to be far too heavy to carry on board. This adds a huge additional layer of complexity because you can't carry them on board like one man layouts. That means a separate trailer for the two man and an extra vehicle to tow it. After you get a two man to the ramp with a separate trailer, now you have to tow it to your hunting location on the water in any kind of weather which is no simple matter. Because of their weight and size two man layouts are tricky to tow by water and if your towing set up isn't perfect will want to dive like a giant crank bait! 

On the other hand, I frequently carry two one man layouts on board the tender which eliminates the need for a separate trailer and the hassle of towing an unfriendly boat on the water. I've got a two man layout, but most of the time it collects dust in the garage because they are a big heavy pain in the ***.


----------



## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

magnumdeke said:


> I have not sat in the MLB 2 man, so I can't comment.  I'm 6'4" 220 and had lot's or room in the Bankes, but 6'8", I'd imagine it will be snug in any layout.
> 
> Caddis===So you have hunted in the Bankes revolution 2 man? it looks interesting to me little pricey compared to the MLB 2 but price is not my main qualifier, being happy with my purchase is!!!!


Yep, owned one. Bankes is the best 2 man on the market IMO. It is a tow behind, so I will qualify best "IF" you are towing in 3' or under waves. If you are making runs over a couple miles in larger than 3' waves, a pull on board shines over it though. Lot's of room, very comfortable, very stable, very safe, very high quality, excellent customer service, great profile. Once anchored you can hunt it in waves you would never dream of hunting a pull on board in, basically the limit is when the waves get too big to tend it. If you are not towing too far in waves over 1-3' it is fine, but the boat is really not great for runs over a couple miles.

Could always run 2 one mans also, although your talking a sizeable tender or multiple tenders to do so. I know the Lake Bonneville one man I just bought could handle someone the size of your son without issue.


----------



## ScavengerMan (Sep 6, 2006)

Tony H said:


> There will be atleast 1 2man layout on display at Pointe Moullie. you can see it here.
> http://www.waterfowl-works.com/2_Man_layout_boat.htm
> 
> We will have our Legacy on hand for potential customers to test out. climb in and see how it fits your needs.
> ...



For all the reasons stated in a previous post, I recommend magnumdeke check out your UFO model at the show. Two UFOs might work a lot better for him and his son than one two man layout. UFOs are huge on the inside and easy to handle at 90 pounds. If I'm not mistaken, there used to be a picture of a 6'8" friend of yours inside a UFO with plenty of room to spare. 

As someone else stated, the Bankes two man model was designed to be towed on the water and IMO is really the only choice for a father and son this big. Can you see two hunters this size with their heavy coats on fitting into and trying to sit up and shoot out of a regular two man layout? 

On top of that, buying a two man when someone is just getting into layout hunting isn't necessarily the ideal situation. Everywhere you go requires a second vehicle to tow the layout, which means a separate trailer, with separate license requirements, with two more sets of bearings to fail, potential flat tires at O'dark thirty in the freezing rain and another set of trailer lights to constantly dink with. It irritates me just to think about it, which is probably why my two man sits most of the time.....


.


----------



## limige (Sep 2, 2005)

FYI there is a house across from franks in Linwood with one fs in the front yRd. 2 man I don't know the make


----------



## Tony H (Jan 13, 2008)

ScavengerMan said:


> For all the reasons stated in a previous post, I recommend magnumdeke check out your UFO model at the show. Two UFOs might work a lot better for him and his son than one two man layout. UFOs are huge on the inside and easy to handle at 90 pounds. If I'm not mistaken, there used to be a picture of a 6'8" friend of yours inside a UFO with plenty of room to spare.
> 
> As someone else stated, the Bankes two man model was designed to be towed on the water and IMO is really the only choice for a father and son this big. Can you see two hunters this size with their heavy coats on fitting into and trying to sit up and shoot out of a regular two man layout?
> 
> ...


You mean this guy?








To show just how large this guy is.









Or this one?









Both guys are over 6ft 6" and 370lbs. I didnt realize you had such large guys wanting a 2 man, Bottom line there is NO two man thats gonna provide a comfortable fit for you guys. Best option would be the bankes and Im not sure there is enough room in them either. The 2man is best suited for 2 hunters under 550lbs get over that and its gonna get tight in the largest boats.

Scavengerman hit it right. 2 1 man boats. And as far as I know the UFO and MLB supermag are your only options if safety is a concern.

I truely recommend you come to the show and check out the boats that will be there and decide from that point.

Your gonna love Layout hunting for sure.


----------



## magnumdeke (May 6, 2009)

So maybe I need to change this to convince me that I would be better served with 2 1man lyouts. I normally hunt with three people out of a 16" flat with a blind, we are not afraid been out whenyout no big deal right? My biggest concern it is stupid:SHOCKED: that being said, this year I picked up a 18 bowrider super deep v alum boat with twin 50hp outboards, I was envisioning building a tilt bed on the back of the boat, think trailer, that could carry a two man on it. Tilt it into the water to unload or load, carry it right on my boat, still only one trailer and such to deal with and if I only have enough people to hunt 1 in the layoam looking for aqlut no big deal. My biggest concern with 1 2 man versus 2 1 man rigs is muzzle discipline. how do you set it up to be safe in two different boats versus being shoulder to shoulder in one? I am looking for all the input I can get before puchasing. Thanks


----------



## Tony H (Jan 13, 2008)

I totally understand your concerns, here are a few things to consider,

a 1 man boat is much easier managed. Our UFO is aprox 115lbs easily thrown into the tender by 1 person, A 2 man while ours is only 190 lbs it can still be tought to pull into a smaller tender (under 20ft)

2 1 man boats will take up much less space in the tender. We pull the the first one in and then pull the secon putting it right on top of the first. Only taking about about 60" width of space while on the gunnels. A 2 man will take up almost 90 inches.

Lastly If you only need 1 only take 1 single. No need dragging the larger 2 man around.

Now as for setting them up for gunning thats easy If both gunners are right or left handled we stagger one boat in front of the other slightly. A rght handed rig the boat on the right is set about 10ft in front of the other boat. and visa versa for leftys. 
We like to get the boats about 3-6ft apart and stagger them This makes it extremely hard for the gunner to not know exactly where and when he must stop his shooting.

Again, Feel free to stop by the show and we would be glad to discuss your options with you and let you check out all our boats and you then will at least have a bette idea when your done wish way you wish to approach this.

Safety first.

Tony


----------



## magnumdeke (May 6, 2009)

So maybe I need to change this to convince me that I would be better served with 2 1man lyouts. I normally hunt with three people out of a 16" flat with a blind, we are not afraid been out when its been pretty stupid out :SHOCKED: that being said, this year I picked up a 18 bowrider super deep v alum boat with twin 50hp outboards, I was envisioning building a tilt bed on the back of the boat, think trailer, that could carry a two man on it. Tilt it into the water to unload or load, carry it right on my boat, still only one trailer and such to deal with and if I only have enough people to hunt 1 in the layout no big deal. My biggest concern with 1 2 man versus 2 1 man rigs is muzzle discipline. how do you set it up to be safe in two different boats versus being shoulder to shoulder in one? I am looking for all the input I can get before puchasing. Thanks 

Wow had to edit at work my home laptop freaked out last night and butchered my post LOL, No really I can type!!! wow weird, thanks for the info keep it coming, alot to learn and decide on THANKS


----------



## ahartz (Dec 28, 2000)

I like to share the experience with another hunter, hence my preference for a 2 man. Gets lonely in the one man. Two guys hunting all day, the only time you would hang out is during the switches. 3-4 guys trying to use a one man all day=hassle. two mans can take alot more chop as well, safer in my opionion due to this. They also flare birds some days, due to size and weary-ness of the birds. To each thier own.....my .02...andy


----------

