Wood or Plastic?

[Moose]

If you guys had to choose would it be wood based 6x8 portable or plastic based? I currently fish out of a Voyager and my old football knee surgery can't take sitting with my feet in the snow and slush anymore. I had a clam 6x8 5 years ago and had it sail down the lake on my before I could get the holes drilled. I'm looking for options I may even consider a hard side if it would collapse easy enough down to 4x6 to fit in my Toyota T100. I would love any advise. Thank you

[Ed Carlson]

The clam hub shacks with the floor kit may be your only production option in a compact floored shack right now. Most others manufactures discontinued them.

Another good option would be a pull behind unit made by Canvas Craft, The Northlander ATT Edition. A very nice unit, lots of utility..more money but well worth it.

The Clam Thermal Summit Hub with the floor option would be one to look into as a late season special. Might be tough to find in a local retail store? Reeds may have them in stock?

[Huey]

Wood.

Those plastic clam floors can be slippery when wet or icy.

I have the Summit thermal and like it. The thermal version is worth the extra $. My plan is to make a plywood floor that will fold down to 4x6. Should be fairly easy, and cheaper than the clam floor, just couldn't get it done this winter.

[mtbucket]

I have a custom 8' x 10' with a wood floor and a small 2 man Frabill with a plastic floor. I prefer the wood floor as it is easier to make it skid resistant. The plastic floor is very slick when it gets snow and ice on it. I used skid resistant paint on the floor of my wood floor along with anti slip tape near the door.

Clam has at least 3 models with plastic floor options, Frabill has the Refuge cabin with a plastic floor, and Canvas Craft has 4 sizes with wood floors besides the trailer model that Ed mentioned. There may be more out there that I am not familiar with.

[MJ1657]

I had a plastic based floor house. I think it was a Clam 5600? and I hated it. It was so slippery I had a hard time staying on my feet and the chairs slid around to easy.

I went to an Eskimo Quickfish 4 and am going to build a wood floor that folds in half and cover it in outdoor carpet. There are a couple good examples of this type of floor over on the spearing forum.

[pureinsanity]

why dont you guys add rhino liner or some type of adhesive with sand to the bottom of your fish houses so it is not slippery?

[MJ1657]

Rhino liner would be expensive. I'm not sure what you could use that would stick to the smooth plastic.

I got rid of mine so i'm not worried anymore. I didn't like the house in general not just because of the floor.

[Ed Carlson]

Nautolex Marine Vinyl Flooring works well, it is very ice and skid resistant.

It can be applied over a dense foam thermal barrier too, to add additional cushion, sound deadening, and insulation to a floor. This option is very easy on the knees and legs.

Lots of flat bottom boats get rigged this way for that reason. It is like having a stress mat on the whole floor of the boat. Very durable stuff too. Easy to clean and maintain.

[mtbucket]

Shappell also makes several models with plastic floors. They offer slip resistant and carpeted floor options. I have never used theirs though, and can't comment on the quality.

[walleye44]

If you guys had to choose would it be wood based 6x8 portable or plastic based? I currently fish out of a Voyager and my old football knee surgery can't take sitting with my feet in the snow and slush anymore. I had a clam 6x8 5 years ago and had it sail down the lake on my before I could get the holes drilled. I'm looking for options I may even consider a hard side if it would collapse easy enough down to 4x6 to fit in my Toyota T100. I would love any advise. Thank you

Wood floor. The Calms are slippery & lets face it China quality does not beat America made. Canvas Craft, The NORTHLANDER All Terrain Trailer Edition would be a sweet one to have that is for sure. Heavy canvas shell or optional Camo or NorpacR2 insulated fabric. Not just an ice house, but a trailer too.

NORTHLANDER ICE FISHING SHELTER would be a good one also. Heavy canvas or NorpacR2 Insulated Fabric. You can get a floor size of 4x8, 5x8, 6x8 and 8x8.

The NorpacR2 material is worth it. You will be toasty warm & will not have condensation dripping on you.

[MJ1657]

Nautolex Marine Vinyl Flooring works well, it is very ice and skid resistant.

It can be applied over a dense foam thermal barrier too, to add additional cushion, sound deadening, and insulation to a floor. This option is very easy on the knees and legs.

Lots of flat bottom boats get rigged this way for that reason. It is like having a stress mat on the whole floor of the boat. Very durable stuff too. Easy to clean and maintain.

That flooring sounds like a great idea.

Do you know where a person can buy it? Is it spendy?

[Ed Carlson]

The Nautolex Marine Vinyl Flooring is relatively easy to find. Most of the larger marine supply sites will have it. Do a Google for Nautolex Marine Vinyl Flooring, it will pop right up. The dense thermal exterior foam sheeting used on top of the floor or deck is basically the same used on houses and exterior applications. Easily found at most lumber outlets.

[Moose]

Thanks for the options guys. I kind of thought the plastics would be slippery. Ed I looked into the Canvas Craft Trailer but I don't fish enough to justify the expense. I like the idea of putting a floor under one of the of the Hub shacks and make it removable just in case I need to go light weight. I agree the only way would be the insulated fabric. Ed are you saying the attach the hard pink insulation to the floor then use the marine coating to cover it? Sure would be nice to have an insulated floor.