Am I the only one? (wheel house design question)

[SapperACE]

I see on here constantly, guys wanting to put bathrooms in their wheelhouses. I don't get it! Call me crazy, but why would you want one of those nasty chemical toilets in a small confined area where you eat, sleep, and hang out for 24 hours on end? And why would you waste valuable fish house space for a "bathroom" in it?

I know this is kind of a gross topic, but here is what I do. 5 gallon buckets are are the best! We all know that no guy is going number one inside the fish house... nothing more fun that trying to write your name in the snow after a few cocktails anyways... right? First, kick all of your buddies outside, or to someone else's house. Take a trash bag, put it inside the bucket, do your business and put the bag outside. (we are "ice" fishing remember) Within 10 minutes on a cold Minnesota lake, the contents on the bag is cured and ready for transport. When you leave for the day, put it in the trash bag with the beer cans, summer sausage casings and peanut shells you were going to take home and throw away anyway.

Some of you will argue that your wives and kids won't go for this. Trust me, if they can't embrace this, they won't a porta potty either, or catch on to ice fishing at all for that matter. Just my two cents.

[deadduk]

I agree 100% with you. The only thing that you have to worry about in Minnesota is that suposedly the DNR can fine you for peeing on the ice. Is there anyone that can confirm this? We typically have a portable shelter that is known as the emergency bathroom, for #2's. Otherwise we usually go to the grocery store each morning to get more supplies and beer... and of course use the facilities

[Iambjm]

What's wrong with having a bucket outside with a plastic bag in it for the guys to P in. That way they won't be doing it on the ice. It will freeze in the bucket and can be disposed of properly. I think if anyone is caught doing their thing in public they can be arrested for indecent exposure which becomes a sex crime on your record.

[Mid-Lake Rock]

I agree 100%, a bathroom is not a good use of space. The bucket and bag works just fine outside. I don't allow anyone to do their business in the house. I mandate that it be done outside, myself included. If there are people around, you can bring the bucket and bag inside a portable.

Last year on Mille Lacs, I saw a guy use Clam Cabin for the bathroom. Bucket, bags, tissue, buddy heater.

I strongly recommend 33 gallon contractor bags as they are much stronger and wont rip or get blown apart from the wind.

Also, please don't leave a deposit on the ice. My buddy's dog found one and ate it last year during late ice. That dog got really sick and it was not a fun ride home.

[tsande00]

Last year on Red we were with a fellow new to ice fishing. We told him he couldn't [PoorWordUsage] in the shack because none of us wanted to smell it afterwards. With no time to argue he hops on his snowmobile with a bucket and takes off about a half mile out in the lake.

It was there that he just plopped down in plain site and pinched one off. He said it was surprisingly enjoyable and peaceful.

Doubt the women and kids would go for that method though, lol.

I usually just setup the flip over shack next to the big house and use that with the heater running. We use a 5 gallon bucket with a real toilet seat lid for comfort. If I was a woman and worried about privacy I'd rather go in a bucket outside in a warm portable then have everybody in the house listen to my business behind a thin wall.

[Knoc]

Im not sure what portable bathrooms your talking about but the one I had was about 8 inches tall and was like a foot by a foot square. You could barely fit your rear on it. Also the "chemicals" were just a blue powder stuff that claimed to be biodegradable, non-toxic and orderless. Plus on the one I can a lid came down and sealed the top down. It was very small and very handy.

As surprising as this might sound, mine was stolen. I had it in the back of the truck and had stopped in at my bait shop, come out and it was gone. Sadly this was before fishing so it wasnt full when they stole it..

[chad austin]

That's the beautiful thing about my wheel house, it's mine. I don't see the problem with someone accommodating their young kids or their wife for that matter. Bathrooms have their place in wheel houses, it may not be yours though. You could argue that having a dinette or even a stove/range takes up too much space but for others it makes perfect sense. It all comes down to functionality and how you use your house. If I can get my nieces and nephews out on the ice when they are younger and can keep them comfortable while they are out there, they are more likely to want to go again. Heaven forbid that my 5 yr old niece can't have 2 lines in the water because the bathroom takes up too much space.

[Finlander]

If you make a small toilet space in your house, put an exaust fan to the outside to vent the odor. Plus put a vent to the outside for normal air flow into the toilet area and out to the outside for the funky smell! Also having the air flowing into the toilet area keeps it warm in there for the deriair!

[SapperACE]

I've seen that too where guys use a portable house for an outhouse. I like that idea as well.

I agree with others of you too when you say that its your house and you can do what you want. I made this post because I see alot of guys on here thinking about getting their first houses, and asking about putting in a bathroom. just giving them something to think about.

[AndRo]

Or you put the door on the outside of the V. Yes you have to go outside to get access into the bathroom, but it completely seperates the two. I have an uncle that uses this setup. No there is no heat but you get a padded seat and it doesn't get too cold, not like we are at home and are going in there to read a magazine, get in , get out.

[babes7825]

From a woman's standpoint, a bathroom is nice to have. Does it have to be heated, no; does it have to be roomy, no. But to run outside and freeze your tush just outside, not fun. We had a small shack we would bring with and put next to our wheel house. 5 gallon bucket and an insolated seat to sit on (only cool for the first 5 seconds). Knock the snow off the roll and you're good to go.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I built my current house, thinking the same thing...."why waste the space on the chitter". Fast forward to being in the middle of Gull Lake @ -20 with a 40mph wind with 4 guys....the next house WILL have accommodations! It isn't totally useless space, as 95% of the time it will be a closet for all the "stuff" you bring along on a fishing trip. There are plenty of ways to make it "less gross".

[Mid-Lake Rock]

At some point you're going to hear it, smell it, or see it when someone else uses a small space in a wheel house. I don't want any part of it. I use my house mostly at Mille Lacs. The nice thing there is that many of the resorts have bath and toilet facilities if it is really cold or someone doesn't want to go outside. I've never run into a problem with anyone objecting to going outside or in a portable.

[tsande00]

I would rather go in a roomy, heated portable a few steps away from the wheel house then in a small chamber built off from the main room of the shack. But we're all different. Some folks might not want to lug a portable fishouse with and flip it up just to use as a bathroom.

One thing to consider too when deciding whether or not to add a bathroom would be the size of your house. If I'm fishing out of a 6x12' shack there is no way I waste space with a bathroom, there just isn't room. 18' with a V front and suddenly space probably isn't so precious.

[bottom-bouncer]

I am in the no crapper in the house group. we have small suitcase style frabill, gallon bucket with a lid that gets brought back in the wheelhouse when not in use so it stays warm. Nobody seems to mind not the wife or my three daughters. It takes almost two minutes to get the porty set up and the heater set inside.

[Sonicrunch]

Crapping in the house?? Better have good ventilation.

[FasterThanYou23]

Crapping in the house?? Better have good ventilation.

Open the windows for a few minutes and its fine

[JakeJ_Mn]

I debated the bathroom space in my wheelhouse for quite sometime deciding for me - it wasn't what my 8 x 20 needed. I found a Quickfish 3 on sale - turn the buddy heater on a few minutes ahead - I use a 6 gallon bucket - Lugable loo top with a heavier kitchen bag as a liner. An eight gallon bag fits nice in the bucket. When each is done, we tie off the small bag - set in another bucket until frozen - air freshener is always good. We collect all the frozen goodies along with garbage - drop at the landfill on the way home. Our ladies don't seem to mind going out to do their thing as long as the heat is on before hand.

[Knoc]

For the guys complaining about smell, dont you guys fart in your fish houses? I know me and my buddies get a kick out of rippin some gas (sometimes enough to make ya gag and your eyes water) for each other to suffer through. Granted I have the sense of humor as a 10 year old, but still. This is ICE FISHING, not a quilt making group. If ya cant handle the smell for a couple minutes until it airs out, Im really surprised you would have the nads to even walk on the lake or touch live bait.

[kevfish1]

Im with ya on this one knoc. This is ice fishing, not church or the glee club. Let er rip and if someone dont like it too bad. If you are worried about a bathroom yo might as well turn your whole fish house into a rest room and fish out on the ice.

[rickl1968]

I use this beside my Permy!

And when I'm fishing without the hut, I use my Eastmanoutdoors 4 man portable for the crapper.

Fart away!

[rickl1968]

I'll try the picture again.

[img:left]

it's a 4x8 shack with doors on each end. The generator on 1/3rd and outhouse on the other 2/3rds.

[hunter76]

If you want a bathroom in you fish house, go for it. Its your fish house, no one elses, and if they don't like it, they can find another house to fish in.