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Hi guys
Looking to build a boat blind on 1648 lowe. Seen some nice pics of a hi low skinned in aluminum and that looks to be the best way to go? Any advice? The pic below is the inside of one I'm looking at. Thanks!

Dykstrajm wrote:Hi guys
Looking to build a boat blind on 1648 lowe. Seen some nice pics of a hi low skinned in aluminum and that looks to be the best way to go? Any advice? The pic below is the inside of one I'm looking at. Thanks!

How tall is this going to be?

You sure you are not from Kansas?

AKPirate wrote:

Dykstrajm wrote:Hi guys
Looking to build a boat blind on 1648 lowe. Seen some nice pics of a hi low skinned in aluminum and that looks to be the best way to go? Any advice? The pic below is the inside of one I'm looking at. Thanks!

How tall is this going to be?

2.5 -3 feet on the high side maybe?

Point this guy to that thread where I took all them pics of my blind.
Its a third option for this guy.

Tiler_J wrote:You sure you are not from Kansas?

Pretty sure

48" is not a very wide boat to be raising the center of gravity on. The boats that inspire these "build threads" are a lot wider.

Bufflehead wrote:48" is not a very wide boat to be raising the center of gravity on. The boats that inspire these "build threads" are a lot wider.

That's a good point. I'm waiting for specifics from the guy that sent me the pictures. I was guessing and trying to figure that out. How tall do you think you need?

Bufflehead wrote:48" is not a very wide boat to be raising the center of gravity on. The boats that inspire these "build threads" are a lot wider.

Cough...
My boat is a 1640 and my last one was a 1448mv.
Both have blinds. The 1448 had one of them northern flight from cabelas.

Dykstrajm wrote:Hi guys
Looking to build a boat blind on 1648 lowe. Seen some nice pics of a hi low skinned in aluminum and that looks to be the best way to go? Any advice? The pic below is the inside of one I'm looking at. Thanks!

Couple more pics

After 1 season with a fixed side blind I tore it apart and made a poor man's version of the Cabela's northern flight scissor blind. It's on a 1448 Lowe. No stability issues at all now. The fixed sides were like sails and I was scared when in the wind. Scissor blind is not an issue in the wind. I wouldn't hesitate to throw one on that 1648.

honky kong wrote:After 1 season with a fixed side blind I tore it apart and made a poor man's version of the Cabela's northern flight scissor blind. It's on a 1448 Lowe. No stability issues at all now. The fixed sides were like sails and I was scared when in the wind. Scissor blind is not an issue in the wind. I wouldn't hesitate to throw one on that 1648.

Best advice. ..
Forget about fixed sides. Its a pita in wind and wind is what you want so...

If you have to tow it long distances, scissor may be a better option

AKPirate wrote:If you have to tow it long distances, scissor may be a better option

Yes yes yes!

I made collapsable blind for my 1648. A couple times this year I tried move if a short distance in the wind without putting the sides down. Long story short...it sucked. A boat that light is nearly impossible to control with a hard side blind in any more than 10mph wind.

Where abouts in Michigan do you hunt? If you ever run big water, a hard side would be finger pus IMO.

NuffDaddy wrote:I made collapsable blind for my 1648. A couple times this year I tried move if a short distance in the wind without putting the sides down. Long story short...it sucked. A boat that light is nearly impossible to control with a hard side blind in any more than 10mph wind.

What he said.

NuffDaddy wrote:Where abouts in Michigan do you hunt? If you ever run big water, a hard side would be finger pus IMO.

Mostly Muskegon or lake macatawa (holland area) but also a trip to Saginaw bay hopefully each year (3hours approx)

Dykstrajm wrote:

NuffDaddy wrote:Where abouts in Michigan do you hunt? If you ever run big water, a hard side would be finger pus IMO.

Mostly Muskegon or lake macatawa (holland area) but also a trip to Saginaw bay hopefully each year (3hours approx)

I hunt the sag bay most of the time. A hard side blind would suck out there any time the hunting would be good.
This is my blind. Works pretty good and sets up in 2min with 2 guys. 5min by myself.

Scissor blind all day!

DeadEye_Dan wrote:Scissor blind all day!

Wouldn't the wind have same effect one one of these? Both are same height roughly?

Not really.
I just drop the sides when motoring, I can put the the sides of my blind up or down in less than 10 seconds.
Either blind is going to have a similar profile when up so anchoring either is a push.

DeadEye_Dan wrote:Not really.
I just drop the sides when motoring, I can put the the sides of my blind up or down in less than 10 seconds.
Either blind is going to have a similar profile when up so anchoring either is a push.

So they all say scissor just for road travel then basically?

That and the hard blind acts like a sail on the water.
Plus-
Reaching over the top of it to put out decoys, pick up ducks, pick up decoys, getting retrievers in and out.
I had a hard side/rigid frame blind for the first couple seasons, would never go back.

Dykstrajm wrote:

DeadEye_Dan wrote:Not really.
I just drop the sides when motoring, I can put the the sides of my blind up or down in less than 10 seconds.
Either blind is going to have a similar profile when up so anchoring either is a push.

So they all say scissor just for road travel then basically?

Fold up blinds stay down for road traveling and while motoring to your spot. Once you get the decoys all set up and the boat anchored you put the blind up.

I just anchor my boat so the bow is facing into the wind so the wind doesn't blow the boat around too bad. And it keeps the birds from looking directly into the boat when they come in.

Regardless of whether you build or buy a blind, if its not collapsable you will hate it. Large, heavy boats do ok with hard side blinds but for your needs, the scissor blind (like Cabela's northern flight) or something along the lines of the Avery quickset blind are the way to go. When on the trailer you won't be stressing out the entire load you pull. Think about the wind drag on those big hard side blinds. Putting stress on the blind itself, wherever it connects to the boat, the boat itself and the trailer all will receive extra stress from the wind drag. On the water with the blind down you won't sail with the wind or have to worry about capsizing from stiff winds hitting you from the side. Get to your spot and any collapsable blind should be able to be popped up in less than a minute alone and about 10 seconds with a buddy along to help you. Good luck surviving the ride with a hard side blind on a small boat in any wind. I'd tell ya I'm staying home if you asked me to jump in that boat. I don't care how many birds are flying, I'm not gonna risk swimming. Also picking up birds and decoys with a fold down blind is easy. You have full ability to reach the water from any place in the boat. Hard side blind would have me pissed off in no time having to circle around repeatedly and would just be too limiting in my opinion. I like the unobstructed view with the blind down, much easier navigation. Take it for what its worth, that's my extended argument for a fold down style blind. Good luck with whatever you decide on and post pics of whatever you build. I've seen some good blinds online, when first building my blind, but it took a lot of searching. I am gonna tweak some stuff on my blind this year and will post some pics in hopes that it helps somebody out even just a little.

Honky made an excellent argument on why you want collapsable.

Where I hunt there are boat lanes in a grid. Timber is close and ppl T-BONE
each other in fast moving jon boats. You have to be careful.
Safety is an issue in the hard sided blinds while motoring in.

Jehler seems to do alright hunting out of a hard sided blind