Homemade Duck Boat

[Blind Dog]

Nice work Harry. Bet it doesn't draw more than 3 or 4 inches; ought to get you where you want to go.

[Old and Reliable]

Fine piece of work- I fiberglassed a custom 2 man layout boat a few years ago- and I have a modified sneak box copied from the Barnegat Bay design- courtesy of Norm Strung's plans and dims--

I have way more experience in welding and metal fabrication, so I noticed the welds on the trailer as well and the brace that holds the tail light assembly- My guess- a straight downhand position weld with 6013 mild steel stick rod from the resultant weld bead-- but just a SWAG- nice boat, can we see some later fotos with the brush or camo treatment as well?

[Harry Collins]

Francis,

I just received permission from the state to register the boat today. I will do that Monday and get the numbers on the hull Tuesday as that is when the boat store opens. After the numbers are on I am going to slosh it down with a slurry of mud then try camo netting on it. I may order some grass to hide the boat or just bust a bail of straw. This is my first try at this and I know of no one here that has. Runing by the seat of my pants and will take any advice one will offer.

Harry

[10 bore]

hi, make shur you set the decoys on the side you can shoot to the best(right hand shooter can swing left better than swing right and left the right side) this way you wont get " bound up " . yes cover boat up with a little of the cover you plan to hunt in., use a face mask,keep gun with the muzzle out of the boat,(saves on toes and holes) most of all don't move until you are ready to shoot! they will be close!! (in side 20 yds) good luck and i'll try to get you pics of my boat, scott

[J.B. Books]

Harry I think you can skip the mud. I would simply cover it in burlap stapled down. The burlap will kill any shine and last longer than mud. Screw small eyelets into the boat through the burlap. Do it so you can make a zig zag patterns of nylon decoy line everywhere above the water line and over the burlap. Then ziptie bundles of grass to the decoy line unitl the boat is covered in grass.

[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

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Harry Collins

Francis,

Runing by the seat of my pants and will take any advice one will offer.

Harry

Here's the best advice I can muster Harry - Get that thing to the water and shoot some ducks!

All Good, Dean