After 12 years my back isn't getting any younger so I've installed some 3 inch shims to lift the back of the blind doors so I don't have to layback as much when hunkered in. My sit-ups aren't as good as they used to be.
I had test fitted the doors before painting things up and the fit-up gives me a little more leg room as well as a better upright positioning for my back. the lift also helps conceal the dog better as the cot raises the dog about 3 inches off the bottom of the boat. I may need to add a little brown to the color scheme to make it blend in a little better.
Here is a picture of the Momarsh kennel cot that has a mesh floor allowing any water that she brings in from retrieving to drip through to the bottom of the boat so she's not
soaking into it all day.
Dry run to see how well the dog is hidden, with her door closed it's almost impossible to see the new shims. Her cot is now elevated about 3 inches higher then without the cot so it's nice to see she's well hidden when laying down. The boat needs a bit more grassing up once we get back to the marsh but it looks like it may kill some birds.
Finally after looking for over two years I managed to find a Momarsh Versavest for my girl Skadi, that should help keep her warm on those cold water retrieves.
I remove the seat, cut the bottom out of an old layout blind and fitted it to the boat. Takes minutes to set up/tear down and is as easy as you can get for a one man layout that can hunt in a water far to deep for a traditional layout. Can paddle it loaded with gun, blind, decoys, dog in 4" of water. Perfect for laying out in tiday areas.
Yea I'm creeping into my 50s and this season feeling the body tell me NO more often now.
Yes, when I hit 52 I had noticed that I got tired quicker, my back hurt more and my coordination was a little off. Now 58 I do feel better or my mind has just accepted it.
I was looking at kayaks myself, to keep the weight down, as I have a few ache and pains myself.
For sure I try not to have to drag the boat for any amount of distance. I have degenerative disk disease in my neck, upper back, and lower back and my back lets me know when I've been playing to hard. Usually its a day or two after the fact.
The momarsh isn't a kayak and doesn't act like one incase someone was thinking about getting one for that purpose. The boat itself is 90 lbs, it steers like shit with a kayak paddle and almost impossible to chase a bird down without a motor.
Where does it shine? It's super low profile, you can blend in pretty easy anywhere, it will float in about 4 inches of water. There is ample room to lay out and the dog is situated behind you so it is safe from the shotgun blast or from accidentally getting shot. Once you are laid out it's pretty comfortable, I've had many a nap in it to wake up with birds in the decoys. I've transported 4 dozen duck decoys with a half dozen goose floaters as well as all my gear and my dog kilometers away from the boat launch. It leans more on the boat side then a kayak but for what I want it to do it works perfect.
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Originally Posted by FishandSticks
