Decoy keel design

Josh Jenson

Josh Jenson

Member
I’m currently working on a rig of bufflehead decoys for myself , I got to thinking about the keel design…. Does shape and size make much difference?

I have 1 bird almost complete and will float test it before I cut out the rest of them.
 
Josh Jenson said:
Does shape and size make much difference?
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Absolutely makes a difference. I'm not sure there is a consensus as to the "perfect" design. Many designs are driven by cost, ease of build and choice of materials. Some designs are driven by their performance characteristics. No keel at all or a shallow keel, will typically result in more movement, while at the same time, may provide less stability to the decoy, than the same decoy with a deeper keel.
Keel design is sometimes driven by a desire for line management. Touching on line management, the attachment point of the anchor line will also greatly affect the action of a decoy.
 
The one I completed I did add notches as these will all have individual lines and weights.

Is there anything out there that dives deeply into size and shape? Surely someone has done the legwork for me 😂
 
Josh Jenson said:
The one I completed I did add notches as these will all have individual lines and weights.
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All my duck decoys( a mix of hand carved and commercially made) are individually strung with about 6 foot of line (after allowing for knots). That said I rarely wind the line around a keel. I use individual pocket decoy bags and drop the anchor/anchor line in first followed by the decoy.
90% of my goose decoys are commercially made and have been set up with longer lines. This means the excess is indeed wrapped around the keel on those decoys. Typically those geese decoys are rigged with 6 foot of exposed line, the weight and line being dropped into the storage pockets before the decoy.
 
I mean most commercial decoys are just bulbous style keels on decoys. Nothing special. Makes sense why they are designed that way, think of a big ship and the bulbous style hull they have for big seas. Helps keep them upright and not take as much of a beating in weather. Dont necessarily want a decoy rocking side to side so much, you want stability. Just research different style keels and hull patterns in boats and maybe mimic what you are trying to get out of a decoy. If you dont care about shape per se, then design one that fits your line needs and storage needs. Not a ton of thought goes into a keel, generally its a convenience thing and something to allow self righting for a decoy.

I run all texas rigs, so no winding. Pick up, clamp to a carabiner, throw over shoulder or drag across water/ground, and once to boat or truck I just slot them mentioned above. The days of winding decoy line around keels is over for me. If throwing over shoulder, you can tie all the line in an overhand knot to make shorter so you arent banging decoys around at your knees and they sit like hip level. I dont run very long line though, I run 36" line primarily on everything and its rare that I ever get 48" line but have some on my goose floaters.
 
I tried Texas rigs and didn’t like them primarily because I might be in water 8” to 8’

I think I’ll do 3 or 4 different designs on these buffs and see if there’s a noticeable difference to me.
 
The design of the decoy, how it's made and it's use dictates IF a keel is needed or not. Specifics are broad, hollow decoy, solid decoy, cork, wood, canvas, plastic, etc. Study the old decoys from all areas and you will learn much. Ya want a short cut, there are none. Anchor line wrapped around keels can work at times and be a real PITA at other times, especially in bad weather when ya gotta pick up ASAP. In over 40 years of carving and making decoys I've made just about all types of Keels, and have found that the less keel the better when the decoy is designed to ride properly for it's intended use. Do ya want yer decoys to ride like bobbing corks as many light contest decoys do, or like the birds they mimic? It all begins and ends with the design and creation of the decoy. "Decoys are vessels." - Jim Schmiedlin

my 2 cents
 
For me keel design is based on where/how you plan to use the decoys and decoy shape. Mostly it’s just a place to tie your line and put your weight for shelf righting.

I mainly hunt a big river system and I use two main keel styles. A 1 inch wide x however long the decoy bottom is minus and inch, and a river keel, which is short length but deep to allow the decoy to swim in current/wind.

Experiment and adjust based on your preference and hunting conditions.
 
Cody Foster said:
For me keel design is based on where/how you plan to use the decoys and decoy shape. Mostly it’s just a place to tie your line and put your weight for shelf righting.

I mainly hunt a big river system and I use two main keel styles. A 1 inch wide x however long the decoy bottom is minus and inch, and a river keel, which is short length but deep to allow the decoy to swim in current/wind.

Experiment and adjust based on your preference and hunting conditions.
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Cody,
How tall are your river keels? That’s something I want to experiment with.
 
Some of the best riding and swimming river use wood and canvas covered decoys I've made have no keels just lead pads. Where the anchor line is attached to the decoy is crucial, as is the length of anchor line. Barrel Snap & Swivel do wonders.... Farther back the weight of/on the decoy there is a sweet spot. Find it and you will do good.
 
On the black ducks I'm making, I'm leaning towards wide flat keels. Some times when the tide goes out they may end up on dry ground. Black ducks will feed on mudflats, If they sit flat I may still be able to decoy some ducks.

On Buffleheads I would think a deeper keel might be better if you're going to be on open water. That way they will easily self right if the wind and waves flip them over.
 
Josh Jenson said:
I’m currently working on a rig of bufflehead decoys for myself , I got to thinking about the keel design…. Does shape and size make much difference?

I have 1 bird almost complete and will float test it before I cut out the rest of them.
Click to expand...
Josh~

Like so many aspects of our Grand Passion - boats, decoys, guns. clothing - one develops certain preferences over time. I think of them as well-founded prejudices. Regarding keels on decoys, I like those that are simple and as small as meets my needs.

As others have pointed out, the conditions in which the decoys will be used are key. And, what are your requirements?

Generally, I like very simple keels that will not snag anchors, weed, etc. Nowadays, all of my decoys enjoy the safety and comfort of compartmented decoy bags (my favorites have the partitions sewn down to mesh bottoms) when not in use. If I have long (>4-feet) lines, I wrap most of the line around the bodies but lower the anchors into the compartment first.

For decoys on calm waters, I prefer little or no keel - but I still want a fool-proof way to attach the anchor line. On this foam-bodied Oldsquaw, a stainless screw eye through the body and into the head does the trick. I did not need self-righting, so this round ballast - molded in a muffin tin with an embedded screw - does the trick. I set the ballast in caulk to keel moisture out of the bird.

Oldsquaw Ballast.jpg

For this hollow cedar Broadbill I wanted self-righting but as shallow a keel as would work - but not take up lots of space. I poured lead into a 5/4 Pine keel.....

sm Keels - Broadbill keel on.jpg

Not sure why this photo is napping on its side.....

sm Keels - on scale.JPG

The bird was tossed in numerous times during sea trials. It popped up immediately each time.

sm Keels - Broadbill tossed.JPG

And, it trimmed "on her lines" as designed.

sm Keels - Broadbill on watrer A.JPG

For these cork Black Ducks - who earn their keep on tidal waters - I like a flat "Al McCormick-style" keel so the decoy will sit upright on the mud when the tide runs out. I either pour some lead into the keel or add external ballast. Note how the ends are beveled to the body curves fore and after - and the anchor line hole is bored crosswise through the keel - on the drill press before attaching.

sm Wiley 5.jpg

These cans were sawn to Al's plans - but finished by me a couple of decades after Al passed. Al put flat keels on all of his decoys - puddlers, divers, Brant, geese....

sm McCormick Canvasback Pair - filled and sanded.JPG

This "factory" ballast keel is thicker at both ends. The shallower section holds the line if one wraps their decoys in the time-honored "around the body" way.
sm Wiemann 06 - ballast with single screw.JPG

This semi-tear drop ballast has a single embedded screw. This one was made for Wildfowler Decoys - and added to this Wildfowler Superior model Mallard.

sm Wildfowlers Superior Mallard Drake - Watercolor FINAL RF.jpg
Finally, these rare McCormick Whistlers run the keels right to their plumb tails - providing nice support and protection for this vulnerable area with inserts in the cork bodies.

sm Tolmie Whistlers 46 - sea trials - on the bank.JPG

Hope this helps!

SJS
 
Josh Jenson said:
I’m currently working on a rig of bufflehead decoys for myself , I got to thinking about the keel design…. Does shape and size make much difference?

I have 1 bird almost complete and will float test it before I cut out the rest of them.
Click to expand...
For us jersey guys Keel is just another four letter word! Most of us have never used one and probably never will. But then again we deal with varied conditions from fast-moving river current to tide Flats with a 6 foot swing. The bigger the Keel the more the Decoy leans on that side when the tide goes out.
 
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