# Layout boat splash guard?



## onebad800 (Apr 28, 2003)

I have a 2 man homemade layout boat pumkinseed shaped , there is no splash guard on it yet , i want to use it this coming weekend on a big inland lake probably 1ft waves at most will I really need a splash guard? Is it mainly to stop water from splashing in or to help hide you as well?? I thought about making a simple one U-shaped for behind and along the side of me but not a complete surround one? How do you attach the canvas to the boat? Is PVC fine for the frame or use conduit? thanks needs to be simple for me to be able to construct one !!!:evil:


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## Sea Duck (Jul 9, 2001)

As long as you are sure you won't have any more than 6 inch waves, you are probably OK without it. If it's a two man and you tow it behind your tender, then you might need it up on the front end of the layout to keep waves from splashing over the front while towing. The back splash guard will probably only be used while hunting and then, probably only when you have waves of 1 foot or more splashing over the upwind end of the boat. Our two man Kalash has a canvas splashguard with a steel conduit frame. I've seen some with the clear vinyl guards too.


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## cmueller302 (Jan 30, 2007)

Ours has conduit for the frame and is glued and sealed around the cockpit with rubber molding. Ours is also clear vinal.


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## onebad800 (Apr 28, 2003)

I used 1/2" PVC for the frame seems to work good waiting for the wife to sew the canvas and then I can put it on and paint it to match the boat. Whats everyone where for clothes in the layout boat all I have is normal camo? Seems like it will stand out??


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

I would PM Caddis.. He has instructions for a bullet proof one:cwm27:


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## onebad800 (Apr 28, 2003)

thanks all for the feedback , does anyone have pics of there layout and spread i have like 5-7 mother lines made for 10-12 decoys I think on each should I put out like 3 to each side and leave the middle in front of the boat a landing area? Or just space them all out around and in front of me?


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## AR34 (Jun 18, 2008)

Been out layout hunting 1 time. deeks were two lines out front and a 2 more to left (we were right handed). so it was 4 lines wide. the ones to left were on the side of the boat. ones in front were 20 yrds in front???
Good luck


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## BFG (Mar 4, 2005)

> does anyone have pics of there layout and spread i have like 5-7 mother lines made for 10-12 decoys I think on each should I put out like 3 to each side and leave the middle in front of the boat a landing area? Or just space them all out around and in front of me?


We used to run 8-10 longlines with about 8-12 dekes on them (depending on water depth). If you have all right handed shooters, following is what we found to work best for us...












You will want to try to block the starboard side of the boat (assuming the bow of the boat in the pic is pointing towards the top of the diagram) to keep birds from going to your right. This presents a nearly impossible shot for the right handed shooter, and can get very frustrating. Having a double line (like 20 dekes) that leads out and away from the shooter in that direction seems to really help. 

For a long time, we would just anchor one end of the longline, but eventually found that you could angle or curve the dekes if you anchored both ends. Putting them on an angle to the shooter (in my opinion) creates a somewhat more realistic look to the bird on the approach as opposed to lines of decoys running directly downwind. Obviously running all singles would make for a more realistic looking spread, but in weighing the pros and cons of it, we chose to run longlines and fared pretty well on most occasions. 

A good tip that some friends showed me a few years back was to put a single decoy in the "kill hole" at a pre-determined distance. This gives the shooter some depth perception and helps them be able to discern when to sit up to shoot. We typically used a range finder and put the decoy all by its lonesome at 25 yards. Best decoy to put there was a drake buffy.....highly visible from a long ways away. 

Be sure to leave adequate room for loading and un-loading shooters from the box. We always left the port side of the boat free of longlines for this purpose.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

DEDGOOSE said:


> I would PM Caddis.. He has instructions for a bullet proof one:cwm27:


Man, word sure travels fast


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## onebad800 (Apr 28, 2003)

Thanks BFG I am a novice duck hunter and real novice to layout hunting so your running the lines past you more so then in front of you, and the long line to the right is trying to get the birds to come down it to you? Last year on the same lake we are goiing this weekend up north we sat on shore and had 5 mother line out in rows in front of us and most of the birds buzzed across the furthest ones out did well (14 birds 3 guys in 1.5 days of hunting)but we felt we could get more in landing if out alittle further with a layout boat. So this year its only 2 of us, so the layout boat is gonna be out some but only waste deep so we can get in out quickly to tend our birds with the other boat kinda pain but its what we have to do. SO i will try and set the dekes up according to the diagram, appreciate the help.


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## BFG (Mar 4, 2005)

Yep...get as far offshore as you can safely manage. 

IMO...getting in and out of a layout boat in waist deep water would be a recipe for a wet body....but you must be young so have at it! LOL


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## onebad800 (Apr 28, 2003)

Yes I hear yah , we will see how it is getting in/out? Guess we could do 1 man at a time but would rather both be out shooting all day !!! let you know how it went after the weekend. Picking up 6 bufflehead dekes and have 2 other for single drops, figured the other we can set on the ends of the closest lines maybe?


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## slwayne (Aug 27, 2009)

If you are new to layout hunting I highly recommend that you read the sticky entitled "Tips from the pit" (otherwise known as "Layout Hunting 101"). Regarding your question on what to wear in the layout, camo won't necessarily kill your effectiveness but if you can find a slate gray or sage colored raincoat to wear over your camo that would be ideal. Also, a gray hat or watch cap and a facemask or gray face paint.


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