New Skid House with Graphics

[Princeton]

I went back and forth between a wheel house verses a skid house, my house is one of the largest skid houses that they make. To me it comes down to what your goal is in a fish house. Skid houses have the ability of being moved from one spot to the other very quickly as you do not have to winch the wheels up, etc. They are also lighter as they don't have the weight of the axle, etc. And on the 8 foot wide versions your floor space is wide open. I would have had to go to a 16 foot wheelhouse to fit everything that I wanted in the house. Sounds like you have the same dilemma. The trailer is an extra expense, however it does double as an ATV/snowmobile trailer.

As far as pulling them on the lake it does all come down to how big of a house you are looking at and what you have to pull it with and of course how deep the snow is.

[bak2MN]

Not lacking power. Wheels just spin. I am going to quit using the tow bar and just use a strap to give it a little jerk to get it going. But also looking into a ranger with tracks!!

[Princeton]

Not lacking power. Wheels just spin. I am going to quit using the tow bar and just use a strap to give it a little jerk to get it going. But also looking into a ranger with tracks!!

I have found throwing 100 - 200 pounds on the back works pretty good to help with traction. Tow strap also works just stop really slow . Ranger will really make a difference!!

[hcs]

The Yetti, Firebrand look pretty decent, what do you folks think?

We went with Ridgeline over alumilite because of the heavier construction and longer welds. We looked at Yetti online, but when we met chris at Beberg's we decided we wanted to do business with him and he doesn't carry Yetti. They look nice too.

We wanted someone local to work with for insulation, upgrades and helping us get it going.

[elkrivermn]

HCS and Princetons explanation are dead on with mine pretty much to a T. I really would like to do business with Chris also. I wish he sold Yetti's if I go with a wheelhouse not sure 6 foot wide would work versus a 6.5' In a wheelhouse the 6.5X16" looks like the cats meow for price etc. Too many pros and cons wheel house or skid house. If I go with a wheel house do I want a ramp door as the ATV will not pull that much weight. Thanks for your great input guys! Happy New year!

[Big A]

Thank you for sharing this.

That graphic is freaking awesome.... WOW !

gotta admit... little bit jelous

[Queenswake]

Really nice graphics but I always want a house to look as beat up and ordinary as possible to avoid interest by vandals, thieves, etc. This thing is going to stand out like a sore thumb, especially at night, attracting people to go check it out. Also disrupts your fishing if you have people swinging by all night to check it out.

Still though, looks sweet.

[beebsout]

The graphics turned out incredible! That sure does add a lot of fun to owning an ice house. I agree it might draw some interest when you are on the ice, but getting out of the cabin and chatting with the neighbors in the middle of the lake can be a good time too.

After running many size and weight skid houses personally, with different tow vehicles, I have learned that matching the tow vehicle, size and weight of house, trailer type and use frequency, all together with the goals and fishing methods of the fishermen using the system is important. If your tow vehicle is designed to float on the snow and get traction from the snow, then your fish house should float on the snow and have limited drag. If you are using an ATV with chains and tires (still my favorite all around choice), then your machine won't go through 2 feet of snow very well if at all, so you don't need to have a house that can float in two feet of snow.

Although there are many benefits to skid houses, most often the goal is to go more places than one can get with a wheel house. Part of that equation is the light weight system, and part of it is simply a long ski lifts a house over snow and slush while a wheel has to compact the snow down to roll over it ... causing drag.

Last week I towed a 8x10V front Ridgeline skid that finished out weighs 1300lbs with a 700cc arctic cat atv, and it did awesome even in the wet slushy snow before this deep freeze. The atv has rear tracks and front skis, so it is not a ton of traction. I can pull that house through a foot of snow very well. I will say I had a smile on my face when the few small wheel houses were limited to fishing a hard iced bay while I took my hard side skid house out where the guys with portables and ATV's were fishing. I will try to get some video of this setup posted this week.

My advice this time of year if you are thinking of a skid house is to take your machine and test tow a skid with it. It is like buying a boat in the winter being harder than buying one you just test ran in the summer.

[bak2MN]

I wished I could have done that. I have a 8x10 ridgeline and a 500 sportsman with chains. Just pulling it around the yard I have been having a hard time. Have not been on the lake with it yet . Going to put plastic runners on the skis and also looking at a ranger with tracks.

[Princeton]

I have found that the type of chains used on the tires makes a huge difference. Standard 2 or 4 link tire chains are not as good as the diamond patterned studded chains. The diamond pattern means that you have continuous contact from the studs the other added benefit is that the ride is much smoother as you do not have the chains making intermittent contact. I have pulled with both types of chains and the diamond patterned chains are far superior. For a $120 you can make a huge difference in traction. Here is a pic:

[beebsout]

Those chains look like the ticket ... I haven't tried them yet but I certainly am going to.

I wouldn't rush to getting a Ranger if you haven't put plastic on the bottom of the skis yet for the 8x10 you referenced. The plastic is a necessity on these houses and makes a world of difference. Don't even try without it, just get it put on the bottom and then dial in your tow vehicle.