Suitcase style fishhouse?

[tritonman]

OK guys, I've been spearing early ice out of my mankato fish house's for a lot of year and some of them are beyond repair now. Mankato doesn't make the ez-set anymore. I've got a couple pull over with the sled style but they are just to bulky if you need to get two or more in a pickup with all your gear. I also like having a floor attached to the house. The Mankato was just the perfect early ice house (IMO). Anybody know of a company that makes a similar suitcase style fishhouse?

[MJ1657]

I believe Canvas Craft still does.

[Gordie]

I believe Canvas Craft still does.

what he said

You may also be able to have CC make you a new tent for yours also

[tritonman]

I looked at the canvas craft ones but they have the board that sticks up in the middle of the floor. Seems like it would be really easy to trip over. Other wise it looks like a nice fish house.

[Brad B]

yes canvas craft still makes suit case houses. I just bought 4 x 8 Norpac Insulated house from them last year. they do offer these is standard heavy black canvas. they may be able to use your old tent for a pattern but they will charge you a lot to do this. it would be cheaper to just buy thier house kit and build you own floor for it. they do offer them with the floor already built and installed but to me what they charge for the house with the floor on it already is to much and you can build your own floor cheaper.

price with regular black heavy canvas.

4x8 $269

5x8 $310

6x8 $369

8x8 $410

the norpac insulated houses come standard with a white lining but I think they would do a black interior if you ask them to. the only thing some people say the norpac lets light in where the stitching is. plus these houses run alot more in price.

check out their HSOforum.

[Brad B]

my thinking was to buy a 4x8 kit and ask them to make the tent 6' instead of 8' then make a solid 4x6 floor that doesn't fold and then have them make a snap cover to go over the whole floor and snaps to the side. the poles that run the 8' way are adjustable and would work for a 6' long house. this way there would be no board to stand or trip over.

[Gordie]

I have a CC 6x8 and the board in the middle isnt even a factor when I'm spearing I also have this house set up with two holes one on each side of the middle board. works very well as a single also.

BNS has his house set up with one big hole on one side of the board and then the seating is on the other side. I really like that style set up.

[MJ1657]

I have a Shoremaster suit case house that folds like the CC house does. I called CC a couple years ago about getting new canvas for it made. They told me it would cost way more then getting a new house from them.

I never speared out of it but I really liked fishing out of it. Didn't take up much room in the truck.

[BehindtheHead]

mankato tent and awning doesnt make houses anymore but viking tent and awning makes the same house. they are in mankato, close to where mankato t and a was. not sure of the exact location.

i bought one of them 2 years ago.

my opinion. i dont like canvas craft because of the boart in the middle and the poles on the inside. i dont like going inside the canvas to wrestle the poles up and down. i like the poles on the outside.

[tritonman]

Great info guys! Thanks!

[ninakawawa]

I purchased a canvas craft suitcase style house and was not impressed with it at all. They use a cheap hinge attached with staples not screws. I take very good care of my house and this one didn't last a year. Paid alot of money for it getting the extra heavy canvas put on it. I called the company to complain about the quality of the house (because they say satisfaction guaranteed) and they said well we can send you some more posts and that I should reinforce it myself. For the amount of money I feel that they should back up their product.

[bassNspear]

triton

I still have 2 mankatos as well, but the canvas craft just gives you so much room. I have the 8x8 and its awesome. I cut the one side out for the hole, and let the other side by the dor for everything else, such as where i sit, heater, junk ect

let me know if you want me to shoot some photos, but bar none best suitcase on the market right now

[tritonman]

BNS, is the inside of the canvas white? That's what I see in the pictures. I would just go with the 4x8 to stay a little lighter. I really only use that house during the first couple weeks of spearing. When there's enough ice, the 8x14 drop down wheel house with two holes in comes out! Way more fun to spear out of!

[BOUNCED]

Go with the 5x8 you'll like that extra foot

[bassNspear]

it is not white, it is black

[tritonman]

BNS, Christmas is right around the corner, maybe you would just like to give me the two mankato's that you have?

[bassNspear]

Ha ha. I've replaced the floor in both of them. I'm trying to keeP them as long as I can. Sorry!!

[brakedancer]

keep you eyes peeled on want ads and garage sales..I found a Mankato 4x8 in mint condition for 50 bucks ..I was watching off and on for 2 years till a friend found it for me. ..Between mouse patches and just wobbling out my 20 year old Mankato has seen its better days..Still use it for the kids when they come with..

I agree I don't like crawling into an empty sack fishhouse to set up poles..

[bassNspear]

there out there, is just a matter of finding them. Craigs list is a good spot as well

[Woody Erickson]

the only thing some people say the norpac lets light in where the stitching is.

Anyone have any tips to seal out light from around stitching seams?

I have thought about trying black silicone, but haven't yet.

[tritonman]

Anyone have any tips to seal out light from around stitching seams?

I have thought about trying black silicone, but haven't yet.

[bassNspear]

is it on a corner?

[Woody Erickson]

Just use it at night! Sorry Woody couldn't help myself. We had one canvas that was thin and let a lot of light in so we spray painted it and that worked.

[Gordie]

Get your self some black upholstery paint and tape the back side then paint ove rthe hole do this a couple of times to fill in the holes after you have the holes filled on one side spray the other side as well . I used upholstery to paint a red 6x8 that I have works great.

I also thought of useing a spot of spray addhessive on problem spots then paint