Help with a new fishhouse.

[mnhunter79]

Lookin to buy a new flip over shack. Lookin at the frabill houses,and the canvas craft otterskin.

Anyone have any experiance with the canvas craft? I seen online i can get one that fishes 4, with the r2 norpac insulation, and it only weighs 110 lbs. Any comments?

[Brad B]

The canvas craft houses are the top of the line when it comes to houses. canvas craft is the company that make the norpac tent for frabill. By the time you buy the house, sled, seats, travel cover, and hyfax ruuners you will have over $1300.00 into a house that big, but it will last forever. Frabill's R-Tec house is the same size as canvas crafts magnum house(3 person). if you want one bigger then go with the canvas craft large house & sled.

[mnhunter79]

So, it dont come with a sled and / or seats?

[Brad B]

mnhunter79,

you can buy it from canvas craft with or without the sled. some people already have otter sleds and just need the houseframe and tent material. also the seats are sold seperately. here is the break down of the canvas craft house package that is the same size as the Frabill R-Tec.

Magnum size(6' X 8') house frame & tent with the sled $719.90

cushioned seats $69.95 Each 2X $139.90

Base price of the Canvas Craft is $859.90

Price of the Frabill $999.99

Now either of these would also need to have the hy fax runner kit added and a travel cover and if you plan to pull it with a atv or snowmobile then you would need the solid hitch. so here is the cost of these add ons

Frabill

Hy Fax runners $49.99

Travel Cover $69.99

Hitch $49.99

Canvas Craft

Hyfax Runner Kit $59.95

Travel Cover $49.95

Hitch $54.95

Total price with every thing

Canvas Craft $1024.75 + Tax

Frabill $1169.96 + Tax

Now the one you said was 110 LBS is the Magnum Double sided(6'X12')

Here is the cost of that

House Frame & Tent with the sled $914.90

2 Seats $139.90 ($69.95 each)

Hyfax Runner Kit $59.95

Travel Cover $49.95

Hitch $54.95

Total Package price $1219.65 + Tax

If you want to fish 4 people then you would need another 2 seats so add another $139.90 to the total package price. so your total now would be $1359.55 + Tax

[Brad B]

if you only plan to fish 2 or 3 pepole out of the house then now would be the time to get one of the Frabill R-Tecs that cabela's in rogers has on special for 799.99. The ones at this price are old new stock from 2 years ago. cabela bought to many and now want to clearance the older ones to make room for the new R-Tecs that are $999.99. One thing to remember also is that the canvas craft uses a otter sled that is higher quality then the frabill sled. don't get me wrong the frabill is still good just not as thick of sled material.

[Brad B]

Here is the cost of a non norpac2 magnum house(single side) from Canvas Craft

House frame and heavy canvas tent with the sled $529.90 ($659.90 for Double Sided House)

2 seats $139.90

Hyfax Runner Kit $59.95

Travel Cover $49.95

Hitch $54.95

Total price for single sided non norpac2 house $834.65

Total price for double sided non norpac2 house $964.65

[Brad B]

the frabill predator(non norpac2 house) is the same size as the canvas craft single sided magnum and it sells for $649.99 + $69.99 travel cover + $49.99 Hyfax Runner Kit + $49.99 Hitch for a total package price of $819.96. Difference of $14.69 from the canvas craft. but remember the otter sled used by canvas craft is a thicker sled then the one used on the frabills.

[DarthBaiter]

I was considering a canvas craft myself. Thanks for the info Brad, good stuff.

[sleepymoewi]

So help me understand the insulating factor of the Otterskin? Does it really help much?

[mnhunter79]

Just picked up a clam thermal X, fully insulated today at an unbelieveable price. $650. brand new in box !!!

[Dave]

If you haven't read the facts, use this link.

NorpacR2 Information

From my experience, I'll never go back to a single layer shelter fabric. The NorpacR2 shelter heats up faster, takes less to heat, no condensation build up on the inside, (therefore, is more plyable in cold temps when folding up) has a light colored interior which is brighter inside and the double layer produces less windflap than a single layer fabric.

It adds a R-value of 1.4 and you will feel it when out on the ice.

[sleepymoewi]

Thanks, just did some research and I'm sold. Glad I didn't already purchase what I intended. The CanvasCraft looks like the ticket.

[Brad B]

So help me understand the insulating factor of the Otterskin? Does it really help much?

The name "Otter Skin" is just canvas crafts trade name for the houses. they offer the house with a heavy duty Canvas tent(single layer of material) or if you want to spend the extra money the Norpac2 tent(2 layers of material with thinsulate between them).

[Brad B]

Just picked up a clam thermal X, fully insulated today at an unbelieveable price. $650. brand new in box !!!

I was going to recommend you look at one of theses but by your original post I took it as you where only deciding between the frabill or canvas craft. The Clam Thermal X will be a great house for you. I am considering this house myself or I was also looking at a clam nanook thermal which is a little verision of the thermal x.

[Bassinbob84]

I have a month old frabill guardian. Get the canvas craft they forgot bolts to put it together from the factory. I talked to bro at the ice show he gave me a bunch of freebies. The flap the goes by your feet is a wind tunnel to your crotch. It's pretty nice on these -30 nights. If you look at the set up shacks in the stores all of them have these flaps tucked into the sled. 3rd time out a seem tore. I have emailed frabill with no response.

How dark is it inside a canvas craft shack? I also spear out of my portable. I looked at other insulated shacks and they all let in lots of light.

[Dave]

The name "Otter Skin" is just canvas crafts trade name for the houses.

From what I understand, Canvas Craft was the first to produce a shelter "skin" for the Otter Sled and was the shelter manufacturer for Otter Outdoors, in the early years. When Otter Outdoors went "out on its own", Canvas Craft retained the Otter Skin brand name.

[Dave]

Thanks, just did some research and I'm sold. Glad I didn't already purchase what I intended. The CanvasCraft looks like the ticket.

Happy to help.

[Brad B]

Bassinbob84,

the insulated canvas craft houses have a light colored interior (normally white I believe althou I have heard of a light gray before). The best answer about spearing out of a canvas craft house would be to post that question in the spearing forum on here. I know of some of the spearing guys that use canvas craft northlander suit case style house for spearing. I believe elwood was one or would be able to direct you to a person that does.

[Dave]

How dark is it inside a canvas craft shack? I also spear out of my portable. I looked at other insulated shacks and they all let in lots of light.

Canvas Craft won't recommend its insulated shelters for spearing. And, yes, the NorpacR2 has white interior. All the stitching holes during manufacturing lets in light, too. One customer was going to hang a black liner inside his NorpacR2 Northlander, to see if that'd work. He didn't want to give up the benefits of the NorpacR2 material so he said he'd make something work if he wanted to spear.