Homemade Duck Boat

[Steve Kleist]

Hi Harry.
Steve Kleist here from northern Minnesota.
You did a great job on your duck boat. Attached (I think) is a photo of one of my duck boats a few days before freeze-up. The boat blind is down in this photo.
Pete's idea about burlap is a good one. I have tried that also but if you expect ice, the boat may get quite heavy, but it is a great way to reduce shine. Flat camo paint on the hull will work also if it is under some vegetation. I like to use fabric covered shock cord which can be purchased in any length that you like from a local hardware store. I use light machine screws with a nut holding a loop through the hull then lace the shock cord though the loops (pretty tight) then weave local vegetation under the cord. Machine screws are better than wood screws if they extend inside the hull. I also use a light boat blind with about five or six 1/2 " dowels on each side as vertical removeable supports held onto the hull with plastic "U" shaped 1/2" pipe wall clamps. A foot high or shorter tennis net is attached to the dowels with hog rings and vegetation is attached to the net with more hog rings. The blind can be removed for rowing and motoring. I paint the bottom of each end dowel and "U" clamps with a different color to make set up in the dark a little easier.
I hope you can follow this. Send me a PM if you'd like more info.
Best Fishes, Steve Kleist