Now what?! Boat blind storage for off season?

[Jawnee Brachna]

Well, it’s over!?! Another season come and gone and now the clean up.

This was my first year to use an Avery Quick Set blind on my 1448 G3 Jon boat.

It’s all grassed up with Blind Grass Camouflage Systems.

It worked great…not busted by a single bird (as long as we didn’t move our heads). The blind grass travels great and doesn’t absorb water and get heavy or rot. IT AIN’T CHEAP though! So I need to keep it safe.

Anyway, now that the season is over I gotta find a way to keep it safe and ready for next year.

I thought about taking the grass off the frame but it is set up with a fabric see through camo net with plastic fencing over that and the grass affixed to the fencing. All is zip tied with 10,000 zip ties. It would be a PITA remove and try to reinstall without a huge endeavor. Essentially, I’d be doing the whole thing over again. It probably took me 20 hours to get it all done.

I don’t have a garage but I do have 2 out buildings (one 16x32 used as a garage and another 14x20 used as a storage building).

I think I’ll need to put it in the smaller since that one is only accessed to get decorations and other items used infrequently.

I have built in shelves running along both walls front to back about 2 feet off the wall.

The only thing I can come up with is to somehow rig a pulley system from the rafters to hoist it up to the rafters being about 8 feet high. Maybe use a game gambrel on both ends or just some pulleys. It will probably be low enough that you’d have to bend to not hit your head.

Anybody got and suggestions? Or any solutions that you have or are using?

Thanks,
John

 

[Carl]

Nice blind!
I was going to suggest hanging it from the ceiling.
My boat blind has been hanging in my shed since I moved to Tampa in 2019. Sadness.
Just make sure your shed is critter proof or keep the mouse / rat traps set. Always.

 

[Brad F]

Home made metal framed (fold down) blind for my 1960 Roughneck. Used a manual boat winch, 4 chains to attachment points on the frame and one lift rope. I can load or unload this in about 30 minutes by myself. I used chain for the harness ? To eliminate stretch so it lifts equally on the 4 points. Only trouble is that it will want to spin when going up or down so I put a light line on the two corners towards the winch on the wall. I control the attitude of the raising (raised) frame with these lines and tie the light lines off to the winch handle after the lift is completed.

 

[roy brewington]

Not real familiar with how the Avery breaks down but can it be stored sitting on its edge against a wall inside an out building ? I,m thinking it flattens out to each side . Of course grassing will limit that. Bunge those sides down and stand on edge if frame will support. Then main issue would only be keeping mice from chewing on fabric

 

[Jawnee Brachna]

Nice blind!
I was going to suggest hanging it from the ceiling.
My boat blind has been hanging in my shed since I moved to Tampa in 2019. Sadness.
Just make sure your shed is critter proof or keep the mouse / rat traps set. Always.

Thanks.

When ya coming back to the Delta?

When you come back you may have thought you were in Tampa still!?

Lots and lots of people moving here in last 5 years! Crazy! I’m on the Eastern Shore and neighborhoods are popping up everywhere! Infrastructure struggling to keep up.

 

[Jawnee Brachna]

Home made metal framed (fold down) blind for my 1960 Roughneck. Used a manual boat winch, 4 chains to attachment points on the frame and one lift rope. I can load or unload this in about 30 minutes by myself. I used chain for the harness ? To eliminate stretch so it lifts equally on the 4 points. Only trouble is that it will want to spin when going up or down so I put a light line on the two corners towards the winch on the wall. I control the attitude of the raising (raised) frame with these lines and tie the light lines off to the winch handle after the lift is completed. View attachment 73151View attachment 73152View attachment 73153

Nice blind!
That’s kind of what I was thinking of doing. I didn’t account for the spinning, so I appreciate that tip.

That shop is great! The shed I’ll put it in won’t be nearly as high.

Thanks for the info

 

[Jawnee Brachna]

Not real familiar with how the Avery breaks down but can it be stored sitting on its edge against a wall inside an out building ? I,m thinking it flattens out to each side . Of course grassing will limit that. Bunge those sides down and stand on edge if frame will support. Then main issue would only be keeping mice from chewing on fabric

I was thinking about that possibility. The Avery is basically a rectangle with trap doors that are equal on both sides and fold up/down and meet in the middle.

I definitely need to secure them to keep from opening.

The main concern I have with setting on edge is the weight. With all the grass it is probably about 40 pounds or so. Even though the frame is metal I was concerned about the weight sagging the frame in the middle over time.

I guess I could use a few ropes to tie overhead and relief some of the stress.

I might try this first and get an idea if it is possible. Then pivot to the overhead if needed.

I wish I liked deer hunting (or deer sitting), way less gear and less money!

It’s just so cool to call them in and watch them respond to you. Same thing with Turkey hunting, that’s another affliction.

Thanks for the help

 

[Carl]

Thanks.

When ya coming back to the Delta?

When you come back you may have thought you were in Tampa still!?

Lots and lots of people moving here in last 5 years! Crazy! I’m on the Eastern Shore and neighborhoods are popping up everywhere! Infrastructure struggling to keep up.

I come back on business about once a month but I dont see us moving back permanently. Where we end up depends on where our kids land.
I lived in Daphne/Mobile from '97-2019. The changes in the area over those 20+ years was mind-boggling and the changes in the last 6 years even more so. Houses are the new row crop in Baldwin County and there is no slow-down in sight. Quickly becoming what south Florida has been for many years.
The duck hunting when I left was nothing compared to 1997-2004, when it was simply outstanding. 2005-2019 was challenging to dismal from year to year, and I hear its even worse now. After the droughts in 2006-08, with the grass beds dying back and warmer winters, the gadwalls and scaup stopped coming in numbers. Even after the grass came back.

 

[Brad F]

By the way the size of the chain I used is way overkill. It's what I had laying around. Two people can easily pick up that blind and move it, instal it, etc.

A mistake I made when finishing it was I didn't use any wind blocker over the netting before putting on the grass so wind blows right through it. Good concealment but no help keeping warm. On the plus side of that when it's soaking wet, fast grass, I can put it up while still on the boat in the shop and with a fan inside the blind the fast grass drys out with out the mold problems you can have with wet fast grass.

Good luck getting your stored.

 

[Jawnee Brachna]

I come back on business about once a month but I dont see us moving back permanently. Where we end up depends on where our kids land.
I lived in Daphne/Mobile from '97-2019. The changes in the area over those 20+ years was mind-boggling and the changes in the last 6 years even more so. Houses are the new row crop in Baldwin County and there is no slow-down in sight. Quickly becoming what south Florida has been for many years.
The duck hunting when I left was nothing compared to 1997-2004, when it was simply outstanding. 2005-2019 was challenging to dismal from year to year, and I hear its even worse now. After the droughts in 2006-08, with the grass beds dying back and warmer winters, the gadwalls and scaup stopped coming in numbers. Even after the grass came back.

I’ll probably look for somewhere a little slower like it used to be after I retire in next 6 years or so.

Duck season was a little better this year but nothing worth talking about. Had a great hunt in Choco on opening day. Had a good front push in and brought birds with it. Seemed like new birds arriving every 15 minutes in the am. My son and I could have limited out if our barrels weren’t “bent” I foolishly thought it as a sign of a good year. It fizzed out each subsequent hunt. Still fun to call them though, that’s what I keep telling myself at least!

Last year was awful!

 

[Jawnee Brachna]

By the way the size of the chain I used is way overkill. It's what I had laying around. Two people can easily pick up that blind and move it, instal it, etc.

A mistake I made when finishing it was I didn't use any wind blocker over the netting before putting on the grass so wind blows right through it. Good concealment but no help keeping warm. On the plus side of that when it's soaking wet, fast grass, I can put it up while still on the boat in the shop and with a fan inside the blind the fast grass drys out with out the mold problems you can have with wet fast grass.

Good luck getting your stored.

Now that I look closer…that is some big chain

At least you know it secure.

I put a light weight mesh (mosquito net style) backing on mine. I probably don’t need it but better to be safe I thought.

I hunt the deep south on the AL Gulf Coast so we never know what the weather will be…one hunt 75 the next 25, with more of the 75 types. So when cold we just layer up like Randy from Christmas Story

 

[Jawnee Brachna]

In case anyone else is wondering how to store their blind…

My wife suggested (she’s ALWAYS right) just leave the blind on the boat and cover it. That just may be the ticket.

I don’t use the boat much other than hunting season anyway. So if I did want to use it I could quickly take it off and store anywhere really, then put it back on after using the boat.

I could leave it on up (like hunting it) or fold it flat (like trailering or on the water). Then just cover with a tarp. I’m considering an actual boat cover but I’m doubtful that I’d have enough extra material to accommodate the blind. In looking at them the tolerances are close. I could buy a bigger one say for 15-16 ft boat. But then kind of “half baking” it. If I’m doing that a 12mil HD tarp at Harbor Freight is $25 vs $75-100 or more and be as effective.

I’ll try to post pics once I try it out.

 

[Brad F]

Well remember if there is any moisture in the boat or blind under the tarp or any chance of getting some in there while covered that's trouble .. mold. Also some folks have critter problems (mice and other chewers plus domestic cats , raccoons , what ever .. will make a nest/mess,etc) when storing boats and blinds. Just incase you hadn't thought about that. Have heard of even decoys ruined while stored in boats or attics.