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The Barnegat Sneakbox
New Jersey duck hunters perfected a hunting boat that defined regional identity
J. Howard Perrine considered the plans that he used to build hunting boats to be his most valuable possessions. Learning the trade from his father, Perrine developed a reputation for his sneakbox – a hunting craft designed for South Jersey coastal waterways. Cedar planks assembled with tongue-and-groove joints made the boat watertight and resistant to the brackish coastal inlets. The spoon-shaped bottom drew little water, allowing the sneakbox to float in marshes that were only inches deep. The dimensions of a typical sneakbox – large enough for a man with his gear but small enough to portage – were ideal for mobility. Its small seating cavity also allowed a hunter to stay dry even in the worst conditions.
Possibly derived from a pontoon hunting vessel used by the Lenape Indians, the first true sneakbox was developed in the 1830s. Samuel Perrine, the father and mentor of J. Howard, was the most prolific builder of the twentieth century, producing well over three thousand sneakboxes in his lifetime. His son carried on the family tradition. |