Boat blind

[Armadilla Killa]

Build it or buy it? I was looking at the Mud Buddy, Northern Flight, and Easy-Up. Can’t make my mind up as to buy one of these or build it myself. [img]graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[Candor]

If you have plenty of money and no time, buy it.

Some time, a little money, and a little desire build it.

The mudbuddy style swivel blind is very easy to build. I built mine out of toprail fencing with the help of a friend. It took us about 4 hours to do the frame. Mine is not the scissor type and I frequently leave the material off of it and it just lays flat against the gunnels of the boat.

[PeeDeeDuckaholic]

Like candor said if you got the money and no desire to build then buy it but if you're cheap like me then build it. That way you can customize it to your liking and your surroundings. Built mine scissor style out of 3/4" emt. Lightweight and easy to set up.

[Simple Man]

Build it. I've got right at $100 in mine. Luckily I found a hell of a deal on the grass, which helped a lot.

I used 7/8" aluminum tubing from work welded to alum. bimini-type fittings. I can put it up by myself in about 2 min. - and that includes adding the grass panels to the ends.

Each side has 2 uprights that are attached at the top w/round-head bolts (from Lowe's). They drop down and pin to the deck in the front and to stringers in the back. It is rock-solid. I leave it down while running to the spot, and trailer the boat w/it down.

We can hunt 3 out of it comfortably.

Pics....

[CAMO SNOB]

Simple Man,

Is that custom camo?

[Simple Man]

Na. Only the push pole. We bought the boat that way and it looks a hell of a lot better from 10' out. When the ducks get close enough to check it out, they're dead.

[Contract Hunter]

Build it if you've got the time. I built my last blind out of 3/4" emt as well, made up the brackets out of 2 x 2 angle, used plastic mesh I found @ Lowe's that looks just like plastic chicken wire which I zip tied to the frame, used 3/4" pvc for the frame that attaches to the gunwale of the hull, took 1/4" x 2" bolts and ground down the heads to make the T-bolts to lock it in to the boat, zip tied the grass on and was done. It took me a week to do it messing around with it for an hour or two each day after work. I think I might of had $ 150.00 in it and you couldn't really tell the difference in it and a mud buddy blind except mine was alot more rigid with the 3/4" emt frame. I'm still waiting for my new boat to come in, I'll probably build another blind myself b/c it's alot cheaper going that route.

[hooknreds]

Build it, nothing to it.

[DUCK MASTER]

i built a custom blind and i love it. i regularly have people ask me where i bought it from. the netting/material could be a little better, but as far the frame i love it.