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This time of year when duck season rolls around we see a lot of boat duck blindsbeing built with Maker Pipe connectors and 3/4" EMT Conduit. Let's look at 6 different customer built blinds including a beavertail boat blind, pontoon blind, and more. Let's get into it!
The first custom boat blind we have to showcase is this beavertail boat blind that Gordon sent into us. For his blind he mounted 4 vertical pipes to the outside frame of the boat using ubolts. Then he curved the vertical pipes so they could connect together. He then ran horizontal pipes along the length of the boat using more conduit and T connectors. To mount the camo covering he made a rectangle shape that mounts to the curved pipes then draped the covering over the frame. You can see in the pictures that he rolls up the plastics when not in use and can easily untie and deploy them.
Next up is this DIY blind frame built custom for a pontoon boat. This one mounts directly to the pre existing railing and expands off of it. The entire structure is made up of almost all T's with the exception of some 45's used for bracing in the corners. He used the T's and vertical pipes to create the square sections that would secure the brush. After the frame was built he loaded it down with brush.
This frame incorporates a lot of conduit bends which we love to see. There are two pipes running the length of the side rails then two connecting pipes from side to side in the front and back. Then he ran the bent pipes up to create a triangle shape by connecting them with 90 degree connectors in the corners and T's on the rest. Lastly he finished off the frame with more side to side connecting pipes. Here is a photo of the completed build withe the coverings and camo attached.
This builder used some cool techniques to accomplish his custom blind. He built the frame first before attaching it. He bent the corners and used off the shelf couplings to connect the bends to the main rungs. Then he ran pipes using T's and vertical pipes at a slight angle to offset the second level. The second level is the exact same structure as the first just with a smaller width. To finish off the frame he added 3 arches branched off of the second level. We don't have a photo of it attached to the boat, but this is still a great blind to get ideas from. It also shows that a blind could be built specifically to be removable in the off season.
This next one is pretty elaborate with a lot of connections, techniques, and bends. You may not want to build the exact one, but you can still pull some inspiration for your own blind. Like most of these builds, start with the base. Since the connectors are made to fit EMT conduit, you need a rail or some kind of base with a diameter of .92mm to connect to. If you don't have a railing to attach to, you can use various methods to attach the base pipe layer to your boat. Two hole straps with some type of metal self tapping screw or a nut and bolt would be our recommendation. You may find that you need more security and could use u bolts and hardware similar to the first build in this round up. Here's a couple of close up pictures of this build.
This next one is mounted to a large jon boat. This duck boat blind is a different style than what we've seen from the others because it is split into two sides rather than one whole frame connected. This allowed the builder to have a taller section on one side while still being able to add the covering on the shorter side.
This frame isn't connected to conduit on the outside wall of the frame like the others. It looks like the builder used some sort of flange to mount it to different structural points in the boat. From those pipes he used 90's to make a sharp 90 edge that leads into a conduit bend that eventually rests on the boats edge. He also used T connectors and 45 degree connectors to add pipes in the desired positions for the covering.
That's all the blinds we have for this roundup. They are all great examples of the customization that is possible with Maker Pipe and conduit. You can make a frame that fits your boat and needs exactly. If you need any help figuring out the logistics of your blind build let us know and we will be happy to help. Another great resource for build help is our free DIY community. Head on over there to interact with other makers and get some inspiration. Thanks for reading and happy hunting!
