Clammed for a few years (1960s) when I was young from Great Bay on south to Absecon Bay. Never used a rake or tongs, always used our feet (treading) which means you're in the water with a basket floating beside you in an inner tube. Tongs or a rake just seemed like more work, plus we didn't have the money to buy them to begin with. I had a 14 foot cedar garvey with an old '58 Johnson 35HP motor. It was a strong but heavy boat. Was always fun running across (or stepping on) a skate or oyster cracker, or worse a broken bottle that some careless pleasure boater had tossed over the side. If the tides were right we would stay out for both low tides and could bring in over 1500 clams each. Usually two of us in a boat, not good to go out alone. We had no lights on our boats, no compass, and no maps. You learned your way and carried a flashlight in case you needed it. Always had to get back to the dock before dark, and we would leave as soon as there was enough light to make our way out of the creek without running into the bank, usually around 5 AM. Left the dock with one or two 6 gallon fuel tanks filled, a gallon jug of iced tea, and a couple sandwiches, nothing more. No FM radio, no VHF radio, that was it. Man was that fun but hard work. Greenheads would eat you alive.

A legend of the Barnegat Bay .

A man that loved his job , how many do

I have an Australian made Garvey punt 14ft 4inch overall length made from marine ply with a fibreglass sheath over the outer hull...traditional bull nose front with flat bottom and a tiny keel... 25hp Yamaha outboard sits on the inner transom as the boat has rear flotation tanks extending past the inner transom forming a tunnel boxed rear end... All timber construction inside of hull... it's the only of its type I have seen in Australia.. performance wise it flies and draws about 6inches of water...if I could post pics on this page I would...best timber boat I have ever owned...regards B.J.

NJ again!

The one he's building in this video has a slight V bottom, doesn't it?