Will be 8’ x 16’ sitting on pontoons. There will be a separate front section for the dogs with a ramp into the water.

Here is the frame for the floor.

Mount the floor to the pontoons and she will float.

Front wall welded up. Have to add cattle panel to the outside to tie off grass and brush then a shelf on the inside with some cup holders and gun rack.

Awesome! Looking good.

You gonna mount your mud motor on that baby?

Got the area on the front welded up and bolted on for the dogs.




Originally I designed it to have a bench down the middle but I think I would weld some bases in for boat seats on a pole so our chair will have a backrest. The rest will have to wait till tomorrow so I can run to academy and get some. Expanded metal for the floor just got here so we are ready to rock in the morning.

No sir! She will float on the shoreline where we can hide it in the brush and I will use some spud poles to hold it in place.

Seat bases welded in flush with the floor and the floor is finally all welded in.

Looking good.

Done for the day. The complete floor is in and welded. The area on the front for the dogs is in and welded and the brackets for the shelf on the front are all welded on.




Tomorrow morning I’ll build the shelf. Weld some cattle panel on the front to tie brush to then we have to drag it outside so I can build the back wall and roof.

I hope you are putting something over that expanded metal for the dogs or prepare for them to loose some toenails. Expanded metal is rough on the hounds!

This.

Rather than mess with something that's going to rot bad I'd go to TSC and pick up some rubber stall mats and bolt it through the metal floor. Easy to cut to fit and easy to take off for whatever reason. Somewhat slip resistant.

This is a blind I built when I had my lease. I thought about putting this blind on pontoons, if I did, my strategy would have been to sink it between the pontoons so floor is level with water for a lower profile. And note with this design, the low profile of the blind, front shelf is low, if you stand up your head is higher than the roof, we mostly took shots sitting. Low profile is key.

This is taking entirely too long Walter

I only have a day and a half in it!


On the expanded metal I was planning on covering it with Astro turf. The expanded metal is just there so it never tots out. I have tons and tons of Astro turf so I can replace it every couple years with no problem. But I do like the idea of stall mats from tractor supply.

I would go with the stall mats. The astro turf won't stop a dogs claw when it goes to jump out of the blind. That claw will stay with the blind...

I'd put hydroturf second hand stuff over the top of it and never have to worry about it again. Those stall mats are going to be heavy.

https://www.hydroturf.com/sheets/closeouts

Used it in our boats for years without a problem.

Cattle panel welded to the front and two front sides and the shelf is done. Cedar so it won’t rot out. Also have slots cut to lean your gun against. Now time to drag it outside to build the back wall.

How thick is that stuff?

6-8mm, so 1/4" or so

Thanks I will look into that. I have tons and tons of Astro turf already so I might see how that works then go from there.

Ran out of metal. Back wall is up and the frame for the roof is started. Dad is starting to paint the front side till we get some more steel.

Looking good....can't wait to see it on the water and brushed up....

Now we just wait for ducks when they show up on January 28