Rigging a Dual-Purpose Boat for Hunting and Fishing

Many of us have only one boat, and we need it to function well for both hunting and fishing. When it comes to rigging a boat for fishing, things are quite straightforward: you need basic items like rodholders, livewells, and electronics. Many boats appropriate for both uses already have the rodholders and livewells built in. Rigging a boat for hunting, however, can be a very different matter.

Blinds

Blinds are the biggest factor that often leads to disaster. Those of us who have dedicated hunting boats may be able to buy a blind designed specifically for that type of boat. Often in the case of dual-use boats, people build their blind framed with timber. But wood is heavy, and a boat blind built from two-by-fours is going to add some serious weight. Then add in a couple of hunters, decoys, shotguns, and the dog, and it becomes very easy to overload your boat without realizing it.

Poles

Light aluminum tent poles or two-inch PVC are much better materials to work with. Both are strong enough to get the job done and at a fraction of the weight. When you brush the blind, again, keep weight considerations in mind. Remember that if you wrap the frame with burlap before brushing it, you can go a lot lighter on the branches and brush and in the long run, may be able to save some more weight.

Position

Another factor that can lead to real problems is how the blind sits on your boat. The frame itself should always sit on top of and not hang over the gunwales and/or decking. The problem here is water. While the blind may provide better cover extending below the gunwales, it can also catch spray as it flies off the hull and funnels it into the boat.

If you need to cover the hullsides, a much better method is to leave a few extra feet of burlap or grass panels rolled up along the bottom of the blind and when you’re running, secure it in place with small bungee cords. Then remove the bungees and unroll the hullside cover, when you get where you’re going.

Bungee Cords

Many blinds incorporate chords to one degree or another to allow adjustments in the field. In most cases, this is necessary. But they also pose a danger to anyone hunting with a dog, or more specifically, to the dog itself. An excited pup can get a leg tangled in a cord as it tried to exit the boat to make a retrieve, then end up struggling to stay afloat. To solve this problem, keep extra cord tightly wrapped or coiled and secured with a tie-wrap or a Velcro strap. After erecting the blind, always be sure to check for loose cord before beginning the hunt.

Engine Camouflage

Engines are the next item in question because not everyone wants to paint that nice, pretty cowl in camouflage. And throwing grass mats over an outboard also isn’t a good idea, if you care about its finish. As it shifts in wind and waves, those grasses will eventually scratch and dull the engine’s finish. Burlap isn’t a whole lot better since it always seems to gather abrasive sand, sticks, and leaves. The best solution is to purchase an aftermarket camouflage cover, which you can put over the motor. Or use a regular canvass cover and throw some brush on top of that.

Gun Boxes

Gun boxes are another important item on a hunting boat, but on a boat used for fishing, they’re probably just going to get in the way. A great solution is to get an extra-large marine cooler. The exact dimensions you need will vary with brand, but yes, you will need one of those giant models, and they are a bit pricy. The beauty of using an extra-large marine cooler instead mounting add-on boxes, however, is that during the fishing season your boat will have a giant fish-hold.

They’re water-tight, do double-duty as bench seating, easy to paint in camouflage, and can be secured to the deck of most boats with a set of corner braces. Just remember that unlike the gun boxes on many dedicated hunting boats, a cooler can’t be locked. If you stop for lunch on the way home from your hunt, you need to remember to pull the guns out of the boat and secure them under lock and key in your vehicle.

So: are you ready to rig that boat up for dual-use? Get it in shape for both hunting and fishing, and you’ll be using that boat all year round.