During the off season I built the above coffin box and started hunting from it that fall. Wow! Wish I had realized years ago how much more enjoyable these coffin boxes can make your hunting. These little coffin boxes have more than enough room to haul all your gear.
Another benefit is being able to use the coffin box to hunt out of. In many situations the water I hunt early in season is only ankle to calf deep, which means if the cover is sparse I can lay down in the box and cover up real quick with just a sheet of Fastgrass. A coffin box is also really handy for hunting shallow mud flats or muddy shorelines of a river.
Best of all, the coffin box is very light (maybe 20 lbs.), simple to build, and cheap.
IMPORTANT: The coffin box described in these plans is not a boat, nor should it be used as a boat.
Download Coffin Box Blind Plans and material list.
Below you will find close up pictures from beginning to the end along with construction steps and tips that will get you going. Fiberglassing and painting information is also included.
1) Layout the bottom and sides on the plywood as shown in the photos below and cutout. White pipe is ¾” PVC.
2) Cut the front and back piece out of the pine stock. When installing the front piece you will notice the angles that need to be cut on the sides and bottom of the front.
3) Now attach the chine logs as shown using screws and glue. Do not attach the top log yet. Cut the chine logs back ¾” of an inch on the front and rear of the sides so the front and rear board can be installed.
4) Now the sides can be attached to the bottom. Use screws and glue once again with the screws placed about every 4-5 inches through the bends and about every 10” through the straight parts of the bottom board.
5) Now the front and read boards can be attached with screws and glue.
6) When installing in the in-whale logs use a 2x4 to spread the sides out so that they’re slightly past perpendicular to the bottom. Now the in-whale logs can be measured and installed with screws and glue.
I have been very happy with the quality of products and service when ordering fiberglass cloth and resin from US Composites.
1) All corners outside of the coffin box need to be sanded to have about a ¼” chamfer to them. This includes the entire length of the bottom to side corner. This will allow the fiberglass cloth to conform to these edges. It’s almost impossible to fiberglass 90-degree corners without vacuum bagging techniques.
2) Next fill any gaps with wood filler or thickened resin.
3) Now mix the resin 50/50 with acetone and apply generously to the entire coffin-box.
4) Next, the fiberglass cloth can be applied as shown. Note the entire sides do not to be covered, just past the bottom corners a good 3 inches.
5) Now apply resin on top of the cloth and sides of the coffin box.
6) Next, apply resin to the inside of the coffin box and any other surfaces.
7) After the resin has cured (3-4 days) lightly sand the entire coffin box.
8) Now wipe down the entire coffin box with acetone.
9) Your coffin box can now be painted. Parkers duck boat or Krylon duck boat paint will both work good. Even quality latex acrylic house paint will work. Just makes sure its sheen is flat. Be sure to allow the paint to cure at least 10 days before using your coffin box.
