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My son, an avid duck hunter, has been looking over some of my welding projects that I've built to get started with my Hobart 180. They are ideas I've mostly stolen from this welding forum like my welding table (still a work in progress), a materials rack, and a plant stand for the wife (you know - something to justify all of the tool purchases. His comment...OK Dad, now that you've made some stuff I don't care anything about, how about building me a floating duck blind? Has anybody seen any plans for a lightweight, portable duck blind for 3-4 hunters? I'm thinking it could be floated with 55 gallon drums...they will float 440 lbs. each right? Help!!!
Reply:Alright, now we're talking. I've seen everything from plastic chemical barrels to foam blocks to old pontoon boats used for the base of a floating blind. I've never built one, but if I ever do, I think I would use an old pontoon boat as a starting place. Several reasons for that, but the biggest being that if the boat wasn't beat to death, the frame should be square, and the pontoons should square to the frame. Plus, an average size pontoon boat could probably handle all the weight you would want to put on it while duck hunting. A recent issue of Ducks Unlimited Magazine had an article on duck blinds, one of which was a converted pontoon boat. Also, Wildfowl magazine years ago had an article on homemade blinds, of which at least 2 were pontoon boats. There is a videa from Hunters Specialties where the host is building a boat blind. Definitely some good ideas on that video.Patrick |
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