Forums46
Topics539,516
Posts9,750,604
Members87,166
|
Most Online25,604 Feb 12th, 2024
|
|
|
Floating duck blind
#5101307
05/06/14 06:04 AM
|
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 36
HayMathews
OP
Light Foot
|
OP
Light Foot
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 36 |
Built many duck blinds in my day, but never a floating one. My buddy has a place with lots of flooded timber and other brush, and we've always just hunkered up next to a tree in the water. Now I'm thinking we need to tackle the project of building a floating duck blind. Any suggestions/tips? I'm thinking about maybe six 55 gallon drums under a platform, and anchoring it somehow.
Duck Hunting- The only time it's not awkward to get a woody with your friends.
|
|
|
Re: Floating duck blind
[Re: HayMathews]
#5101396
05/06/14 12:40 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,620
Guy
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,620 |
I have thought about floating my 6 x 12 foot blind on my lease. Drew up plans, just never executed the plan.. Pic of my blind below, which I have broken down and move it 3 times.. 12' 2x6 and barrels.. Strap the barrels down, and 2 16' 4x4.. My 6' x 12' blind on top..My blind floor is in 3 4'x6' sections.. Deck around it... Right now I got it in a spot where it floods all around it, pic below. But I always wanted to float it, and have a deck all the way around it where you could walk around it, like a floating island.. My son was never too crazy about the idea or I would have done it..
|
|
|
Re: Floating duck blind
[Re: HayMathews]
#5101495
05/06/14 02:08 PM
|
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 36
HayMathews
OP
Light Foot
|
OP
Light Foot
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 36 |
Man that is great looking blind, and thanks for the diagram too! I'm pretty excited to get the project going... Now just gotta find a way to get a bunch of barrels
Duck Hunting- The only time it's not awkward to get a woody with your friends.
|
|
|
Re: Floating duck blind
[Re: HayMathews]
#5101513
05/06/14 02:22 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,387
john paul
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,387 |
I just picked up 4 - 10" diameter x 10' long pontoons and am going to make a 5'x10' floater this off season.
With 2 pontoons on each side, I think I calculated that it would float like 1360 lbs.
Last edited by john paul; 05/06/14 02:24 PM.
I'm with GK because I like salty old dudes.
|
|
|
Re: Floating duck blind
[Re: HayMathews]
#5101523
05/06/14 02:28 PM
|
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 36
HayMathews
OP
Light Foot
|
OP
Light Foot
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 36 |
Nice! I'd love to pontoon it, just have a college boy budget to work with LOL
Duck Hunting- The only time it's not awkward to get a woody with your friends.
|
|
|
Re: Floating duck blind
[Re: HayMathews]
#5101542
05/06/14 02:38 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,387
john paul
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,387 |
Got to find the right deal! I paid $21 for those!!
I'm with GK because I like salty old dudes.
|
|
|
Re: Floating duck blind
[Re: HayMathews]
#5101548
05/06/14 02:47 PM
|
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,499
duckbill
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,499 |
Check with the automatic car washes around town. They get their soap in 55 gallon drums and will generally give them away for free. You may just have to find a plug for the bung hole.
Yeah, don't listen to me. I'm just an idiot.
Lol. Duckbill that was funny! The dude up top has already taken lots of bone before this deer, both mule and whitetail.
|
|
|
Re: Floating duck blind
[Re: john paul]
#5101653
05/06/14 04:22 PM
|
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 36
HayMathews
OP
Light Foot
|
OP
Light Foot
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 36 |
Got to find the right deal! I paid $21 for those!! Wow that's crazy!! I'll keep my eye out for sure. And thanks for the tip, I'll be checking with car washes. I also have a friend that works at a water park and he thinks he can get some for me
Duck Hunting- The only time it's not awkward to get a woody with your friends.
|
|
|
Re: Floating duck blind
[Re: HayMathews]
#5101656
05/06/14 04:27 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
Navasot
Hollywood
|
Hollywood
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032 |
|
|
|
Re: Floating duck blind
[Re: Navasot]
#5101794
05/06/14 06:49 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,387
john paul
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,387 |
I would be afraid that styrofoam would deteriorate way too quickly but I have never tried so don't know. Although, I did see an episode of duck dynasty where Phil picked up a chunk of styrofoam off the river to use for a duck blind so it must work right?
I'm with GK because I like salty old dudes.
|
|
|
Re: Floating duck blind
[Re: HayMathews]
#5101810
05/06/14 07:04 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 762
Duck Buster
Tracker
|
Tracker
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 762 |
All the floating blinds I have built have been a boat blind/ hunting blind combo. So my designs are skewed to that.
We've made them with styrofoam. They work good til the coons start messing with it. It doesn't deteriorate unless it is in direct sunlight. Easy way to protect is by putting siding on it.
We've also used old telephone poles. They float, and hold lots of weight. But they are VERY HEAVY. And are a burden to move. We don't do this anymore.
Also used 55 gallon drums strapped to an old boat trailer so you can haul it out at the end of season with blind attached. Pull the boat inside the blind on the trailer , and drive it to where you want to go. Works best if it isn't shallow.
For anchors we have used everything. Actual anchors, engine blocks, screw stakes, lashed to 4x4s driven into there mud.
|
|
|
Re: Floating duck blind
[Re: HayMathews]
#5108695
05/11/14 04:53 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,951
lakewaydr50
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,951 |
The biggest trick I see with a floater is getting a low center of gravity. A friend of mine spent about $500 building one, probably would have had more than that in it but he had some of the stuff he needed already. When they put it in the water it wouldn't stay upright. I think he still has it and would sell it pretty cheap but it needs some major reworking. They built it long and narrow like your typical pit or box blind with a roof, that design don't work floating............
Isaiah 40:31 "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
|
|
|
Re: Floating duck blind
[Re: lakewaydr50]
#5108720
05/11/14 05:28 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,620
Guy
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,620 |
The biggest trick I see with a floater is getting a low center of gravity. A friend of mine spent about $500 building one, probably would have had more than that in it but he had some of the stuff he needed already. When they put it in the water it wouldn't stay upright. Yeah, you need a low profile blind, like the Dr Duck Blind. That's the design I followed. This design is ideal for floating, in fact the design of that blind originally came from a blind that was put on boat. Putting the floaters on the out side of the blind, not underneath, will also help with the center of gravity.
|
|
|
Re: Floating duck blind
[Re: HayMathews]
#5108768
05/11/14 06:40 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 3,811
Trout-killer
Extreme Tracker
|
Extreme Tracker
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 3,811 |
Put a ballast on it and it will lower the CG.
|
|
|
Moderated by bigbob_ftw, CCBIRDDOGMAN, Chickenman, Derek, DeRico, Duck_Hunter, hetman, jeh7mmmag, JustWingem, kmon11, kry226, kwrhuntinglab, Payne, pertnear, rifleman, sig226fan (Rguns.com), Superduty, TreeBass, txcornhusker
|