Tell me what you think about this?

[Michael Reed]

I think Avery should come out with something like this for guys who have layout boats wo/ layout blinds on them:
I built this frame with the president of our duck club in 13 hrs(2 days) for about $35.00 bucks! I will be adding a side hinge door to the front half next weekend... I will help anyone who is interested in building something like this - just pm me...

Blind weight: 7.5 lbs.

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/5416/layoutframe2xw8.png

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/3350/layoutframeyq0.png

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6466/5507layoutboatblind2mb8.png

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/871/5507layoutboatblind1ca6.png

[Joe Fladeland]

That is one cool deal. Now I want a layout boat just so I can do that to it.

Great work!

[J Kryspin]

I don't know if I'm more impressed with the blind...

...or the cleanliness of the garage!

Very nice!

[Rob Jepson]

I don't know if I'm more impressed with the blind...

...or the cleanliness of the garage!

Very nice!
That's a fact!! Nice work Mike.

You need to email Brett Beinke and share notes...he has done some work on a similar project.

[Mallardbreath]

Nice work. You are going to be a killer in that thing.

[Travis Mueller]

Pretty cool. Show us some pictures when you brush it up.

[Tony Vandemore]

I don't know if I'm more impressed with the blind...

...or the cleanliness of the garage!

Very nice!

The garage? How in the heck do you keep your boat that clean?

[J Kryspin]

The garage? How in the heck do you keep your boat that clean?

Good point!!!

[Michael Reed]

The garage? How in the heck do you keep your boat that clean?

Trust me - It wasn't nearly as clean at the end of the season... I will get some more pics up when I get er brushed with Avery's Real-Grass mats...

Thanks boys!;)

[Tony Vandemore]

Let me know when you are in the area, I've got a few boats that could use a good cleaning!

[Michael Reed]

You take me on one of those snow hunts - I will clean every damn boat you have! Deal?

lol...

[quackaddict]

The frame looks sharp, the one question I have is how will you run a gun out of the blind? From the looks of the setup, you won't be able to lay your gun next to you like a finisher because of the height and proximity of the center brace. Otherwise, set that badboy int he middle of a slew and the birds will never know your there!

[A Grant]

The frame looks sharp, the one question I have is how will you run a gun out of the blind? From the looks of the setup, you won't be able to lay your gun next to you like a finisher because of the height and proximity of the center brace. Otherwise, set that badboy int he middle of a slew and the birds will never know your there!


I think you could invert the peak of the frame below the doors. You could plumb cut it a couple inches or so on each side of the peak then re-weld it in a V shape.

[A Grant]

Avery could use existing parts to supply a layout boat blind. It wouldn't be too difficult to create something that fit various width boats.

I made a couple of layout blinds that I used on land then for a jon boat, then a layout boat.

[Michael Reed]

I think you could invert the peak of the frame below the doors. You could plumb cut it a couple inches or so on each side of the peak then re-weld it in a V shape.

That is an awesome idea! I will do that! Thanks Grant...

[A Grant]

You may want a gun on hand to size it right. you could put some foam padding on it after your done too.

[Michael Reed]

Yes, I will be adding bungeez to the doors and padding as needed... Thanks again. Ya know, we looked and looked at the frame and it never came to us as to where to put the gun when hunting... Awesome, I am stoked to put that it! If you have any other ideas - please share em!

Thanks,
Mike

[John Traiforos]

nifty!!!

[A Grant]

Yes, I will be adding bungeez to the doors and padding as needed... Thanks again. Ya know, we looked and looked at the frame and it never came to us as to where to put the gun when hunting... Awesome, I am stoked to put that it! If you have any other ideas - please share em!

Thanks,
Mike

I just looked back at the pictures again. I looks like your oars lock will be covered by the doors. Will you need oars?

[quackaddict]

Before you invert it I would move the brace down towards the bow more. Use a gun and make it just the length you need, That thing should be mega comfy once done!

[Rick Frisch]

I would look at using chicken wire and KillerWeed grass to cover it. It is a lot lighter than the mats of RealGrass.

[Michael Reed]

I will never use oars - I will use the ore-lock holes as anchor points for the bungeez... I can't move the cross-brace toward the bow because that is what supports the doors above me... I will drop the invert down far enough to make things work!( about 4 inches)

Thanks guys - keep em coming!

[Ryan Kleinschmidt]

How about aluminum tubing instead of steel. A little more spendy but much lighter. The gun rest idea is good. I like the looks of it so far. Now if we could just get MN to allow layouts I would make one for myself!!

[SMIGRATOR]

That is a cool setup you made there, nice work.

[Eric Larsgaard]

Looks good. Nice workmanship...

We will forward this to Fred..

Thanks,
Eric

[Scott Moates]

That looks good, I am sure with some KillerWeed added it will be very effective. Nice work.

[Rhett Riddle]

Killer weed would be perfect for that set up!

[Curt Wilson]

Nice work, Mike. Thanks for sharing. I will be up there this fall and I would like to see how that boat works.

[Michael Reed]

Thanks boys!

[Christian Curtis]

That is really cool. I hunted out of layout boats a ton in college. If I would have seen that then I would have died. I think it is awesome! I want to see it after you add the camo.

[Tony Vandemore]

Guessing it will look a little like the one below when camoflauged up. One thing is for certain....layout boats are a blast, they have no idea you are there!

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/3835/dsc00081iv2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/3188/dsc00491hs5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Jeff Gudenkauf]

There's absolutely no deadlier way to hunt...

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f159/Gudey/icylimit1.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f159/Gudey/kcdog.jpg

You may want to think about something solid to go over the doors - like a weather-proof cordura vs a chicken wire or grass mats, both of which will let precip seep in. If there is a drawback to layout hunting, its being so open to the elements. If its raining or snowing and you don't have anything covering the cockpit, your hands will suffer. Trust me...been layout hunting for going on almost 10 of my 13 years waterfowling.
I still have yet to put doors on either of my layout boats, mostly because I could never find a design that was suitable to my needs. Looks like you've just about got it pegged.

[Tony Vandemore]

Gude has got a good point with the elements. The blind system I use on my boats a buddy of mine at MoMarsh makes. Those awesome days (like in my photos) when it is snowing, icing, cold as heck, etc, you will be glad you have a little something to keep the elements out. One thing is for certain, when layout hunting, you are bound to get wet. The Avery neoprene handmuff is priceless when conditions are rough in the boats!!

[Michael Reed]

Yes, I was kicking that around last night. I knew I would need to put something over the front hatch(not yet installed on boat) and the blind doors... I priced some 1000denier cordura from a shop in colorado but man, it's expensive! Ya know, we should put together a Layout-boat hunt project! Man, that would be awesome! I don't ever see much PR for layout-boat hunts and hunting... Do you? Thanks for the advice guys, by the time the season arrives - It'll be ready, trust me! With the help from some of the top hunters in the country - I can't go wrong!

If you have any other ideas, shoot em at me!

[Jeff Gudenkauf]

One other thing that I would suggest...

My brother and I used to only grass our boats once we got to our hunting hole. It generally took about an hour, sometimes longer if the cover was sparce.
It wasn't until about 3-4 years ago that I began to grass my boat preseason. Mostly because I wasn't sure how to do it, as most boats are smooth fiberglass and don't really have an easy way to secure vegetation.

I purchased a bunch of 2X2s and Gorilla glued them to the boat. Then cut about a truck bed full of various grasses. I secured the grass to the 2X2s by screwing shelving brackets down on top of the grass. From start to finish (taking out the 24 hrs for the glue to settle) it took me less than 3 hours to complete, including cutting the grass. It made a world of difference.

Now, I spend about 15-20 minutes gathering some local vegetation when I get to my hunting hole if at all. Because of the base of grass I have, I don't need nearly as much to make the boat disappear.

You can see the 2X2s before and after adding the grass...

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f159/Gudey/boats2.jpg

The finished product this past year...

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f159/Gudey/boat.jpg

[PEI Duck Guy]

Looks like a good idea.

[Wayne Radcliffe]

A duck doesn't stand a chance!!!

[Eric Larsgaard]

These are some nice setups...

Eric

[CurrituckBoy]

very nice Idea

looks good

Michael

[Rick Frisch]

Back to the original question about the door frames. How many different layout boats are there on the market? This seems like a pretty extensive project to try and build a one fits all frame assembly. How many states is this type of hunting legal in?

Thanks,

[Michael Reed]

Yeah, it would be difficult to match the demand for multiple models...

[chad belding]

I don't know if there is a better way to hunt ducks. I love getting in the shallow grass around our main wetlands. My favorite time is when the first ice comes and the big ducks bomb this terrain at about 1:00 in the afternoon. There truly is nothing like getting them by layout boat. Very nice work on your design.

Good Hunting!

Chad Belding
Avery Outdoors

[A Grant]

Back to the original question about the door frames. How many different layout boats are there on the market? This seems like a pretty extensive project to try and build a one fits all frame assembly. How many states is this type of hunting legal in?

Thanks,

I think it is possible to make a universal fit blind. It would have to fit a range of widths, but that wouldn't be a big deal. There is only so many comercial layout type boats made. Does anyone have an old torn up blind or does customer service have any?

[Berger]

Back to the original question about the door frames. How many different layout boats are there on the market? This seems like a pretty extensive project to try and build a one fits all frame assembly. How many states is this type of hunting legal in?

Thanks,

I may be wrong but I believe it is legal in all states.. Here in MN you have to be
a) within a natural growth of vegetation sufficient to partially conceal the person or boat,
or
c) on a river or stream that is not more than 100 yards in width.

so I just pull these into a little cattail swatch or whatever is available... I will be using these a ton more next year than I did this year,,, easily fit a dozen or more goose floaters in each boat with you and all your gear,,,I might just have to make some motors this year,, or use the lil trolling motor...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v655/ryanberger/DSC02091.jpg

[Berger]

I have also thought about putting my finishers in the boats if I did not have the door system....

[Ryan Kleinschmidt]

Berger,


Those are nice little rigs you have there. I need to find a couple of those!!

[Berger]

Y thank you,, I didn't use them nearly enough last season, way to much field hunting,, but I promised my dog I would take her with alot more this coming season, so between those 2 and my new addition I should be all set to hunt the water with her...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v655/ryanberger/DSC02265.jpg

[Ryan Kleinschmidt]

very nice!!

[Little Man]

I have never hunted out of a layout boat but how do you guys get all your decoys out. Just a dozen of goose floaters takes up a lot of room

[Jeff Gudenkauf]

Out of the boat in my pics, I've run up to 8 Oversize goose floaters and 5 dozen lifesize mallards w/ 6 lifesize pintails.

That includes my fat ass, dog, gear (entirely too much) and motor.
I'm willing to pay someone $50 to pull that heavy sucker up over the dike for me at 4am (empty). Maybe $100 if the conditions are right.