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The story goes like this...

Somewhere around about 14 years ago, I bought a Mud Buddy blind. It really was a great blind, but it always bugged me that I'd paid THAT kind of money for basically some conduit, fabric, netting, and grass mats.

A couple of years ago, spring rolled around and it was time to take the blind off and store it,...but I didn't want to.
A guy at work wanted to buy it, and the grass was basically wore out anyway, so I used that as an opportunity to recoup some of that money knowing I could just build another one for waaaaaay less than what they sell for.
(I think the Mud Buddy blind is somewhere around $700 now!!!)

I hunted a couple of years without the blind, but I really missed the versatility of virtually being able to set up where ever I wanted, so I slooooooowly put together a new one in my down time these past couple of months.

So, I thought I'd do a little "blind build" thread here with the thought that it might help someone out...

Not wanting to spend the money on, or wanting to be "married to" the bimini connections, I just fabricated my own in much the same fashion that the original MB blind used.

These were just some steel angles that I'd drug home from work somewhere...Nothing fancy.
This is the front bracket that gets mounted on the center of the bow deck...




I used the same kind of scrap angle for the back bracket. I just cut off one side, then cut a "tab" in the middle. That way, when it's fastened to the transom it can be bent to be plumb instead of at the angle of the transom.




Bolts fastened to both of them that act as the hinge point...




No pics of this process, but I used 3/4" conduit for the frame, with 1/2" conduit ran inside the 3/4" at the center junction. Figuring out the length of the bend is just the measurement from the bracket bolt to the gunwhale. And the length is just from back of nut, to back of nut...pretty simple.
And then just some slight bends so it'll follow the gunwhale.
Mocked up...

Looks good! I always like seeing the unique ways people come up with to build blinds.

Good idea and nice build. Better go get some material outta the local dumpster. These tight wads here say you spent to much money

Grandpa Steele is angry at somebody....

Holes drilled in the conduit, slips right over the bolts...



I ordered some nylon fabric and mocked it up over the top frame. After I clamped it up there, I temporarily stitched it about every foot or so to make it easier to sew after it was off. I tried straight pins, but the fabric was just too tough...



Once that was mocked up, I did the same with the bottom. But instead of using conduit, I used PVC conduit (much cheaper than PVC pipe), wrapped the fabric up around it, and fastened it to the gunwhale with self tappers...
Then temporarily stitched again about every 6"-1'...



No pics of this step either, but a buddy of mine came over with his sewing machine and sewed the "pockets" where I'd temporarily stitched them, along with hemming the sides...

Now, my old blind used a "soccer" type netting, but I'd always wanted something more "substantial" even though it worked fine. I was going to vertically sew strapping on 1' centers down the fabric, but decided against it when I saw this plastic netting/fencing on Flightstopper's blind...and I'm glad I did because it worked out great!!



I layed it on top of the frame in the up position (clamped in place), then ran the plastic netting behind the fabric and pvc conduit on the bottom and ran my screws through it into the gunwhale...
Then pulled it up tight, spring clamped it off, and fastened it to the fabric with zip ties...

The Duck Hammer wrote:Grandpa Steele is angry at somebody....

Lol. Pretty good but what a dick

Next on the agenda was adding a dog door in the rear area of the boat...
I basically just traced it out where I wanted then burned it out...And then backed up both sides with the plastic netting so it could have grass showing whether it was open or closed...

(That's something I should have touched on earlier,...I did this before with my old blind, but an old wood burner works great for poking all of those zip tie holes, and cutting doors because it seals the edges while it cuts keeping it from fraying.)





Now, since each side is fastened at the gunwhale, you just need something to connect the two tops together to keep it up. I had a bunch of this strapping laying around, and you can get all of the plastic "hardware" in the camping section at Walmart.
I also picked up a couple of snaps and rings and made one of these connections at the bow and the stern.



While I was on the "mindset" of these strap connections, I'd thought how nice it would be to have a few more in other areas just to help hold up grass that I usually put on top to eliminate the "black hole", so I added a few more just using the buckles from Walmart...


Next was the long and tedious task of fastening all of the grass to the plastic netting with a metric shit ton of zip ties...



I had plenty of help throughout this process though...


And Jäger was adamant about constantly checking out his new door...

After the sides were done, I made up some "lids" for the holes that would be "black holes" if there wasn't someone sitting there.
I just cut the plastic netting the size I wanted to fill, then butchered up a couple of grass panels to fit the netting squares.
Then I loosely tied one side of them to the top of the conduit frame with 550 cord so it acts as a hinge.
This way, it'll swing down onto the side and fold up with the blind when I let it down.



Lids up looking from the back...



Lids flipped open...



Minus a little spray paint here and there, but otherwise done in the driveway...



And, on the water. I trimmed all of the grass at the waterline after this pic.



I actually need to take one more "finished" pic, but I haven't. It looks so much nicer after you wet it down, mess up the grass a little, and then fold it up to dry. It really helps to get rid of that flat straight grass look, but...that's about it!

This is really cool, looks great!!

Looks real good man

That's almost exactly like mine but from experience u will hate that plastic net I know I do when it bends from folding the blind down it wants to stay that way especially after u store it during the off season

Ajverret wrote:That's almost exactly like mine but from experience u will hate that plastic net I know I do when it bends from folding the blind down it wants to stay that way especially after u store it during the off season

And it gets caught on everything.

I will be redoing mine with cordura fabric without the netting and use raffia gras from jstern.com. They are the supplier for Avery and u can get it dies from them in bulk 25 lb min order

Olly wrote:

Ajverret wrote:That's almost exactly like mine but from experience u will hate that plastic net I know I do when it bends from folding the blind down it wants to stay that way especially after u store it during the off season

And it gets caught on everything.

yep

I used conduit on my old blind and it wold sag

I went ahead and spent a little more money on this frame but it will last for ever. I used 1x1 aluminum square tubing and a few pieces of aluminum flat bar. Bolted on some c clamps to hold it on the boat supper easy to build. I think it was 120$ for all the material for the frame. It's exactly like the cabelas northern flight frame

It's not gonna snag any more than the soccer netting that used to be on it. I think the difference in folding is it's fastened to the fabric so tightly. It really does fold up nice and pops right up.
I like it.

And although rafia looks good, that stuff is a SPONGE! It soaks up water faster than anything I've ever used.

Ajverret wrote:That's almost exactly like mine but from experience u will hate that plastic net I know I do when it bends from folding the blind down it wants to stay that way especially after u store it during the off season

My guess is you didn't have it secured tight at the bottom. When mine comes together at the top, it makes the netting and fabric taut.

It is but I have some over hang on the bottom to cover down th the water and that's where it's a pain

I'd have to see how you fastened it, because there is virtually no way this netting could want to "stay folded" with this design.

My only concern would be if it eventually started cracking where it bends/hinges. But, it's fastened so tight to the cordura, it just mimics what it does.

During this whole build, I kept thinking that after this grass is done, I might go all rafia. But, I bought a little bit to fill in some areas, and it's horrible about soaking up water and turning mushy.
One trip on the water changed my mind about that real quick. I'd be looking for something synthetic...

I'm on my third season with the grass mats. Last year I blended some raffia into it

First season

Second season

Looks great Duckdog.

Both those look great. Good job.

Looks awesome duck dog!
Might I suggest one thing without being negative but you may wana cut down those long bolts you used to attach the blind, or cap them off. that would make me nervous for my dog and my waders.

Thanks guys...

Actually Flint,...I did. I just didn't include it in the write up. Some of the basic construction has to be considered as "common sense".

I actually added another lock nut then cut it off flush with the head of the lock nut.

Boats looking good!