Otter Canvas

[rcr]

Has anyone else ran into problems with their OTTER canvas lately. This is what the inside of my new XT650 Lodge looked like. Air blows thru all those holes and its terriblely tight. I had to set my propane tank of the front poles to keep it on the ice. I tried to deal with Otter but just kept getting the runaround , so I had no choice but to return it. I tried to resolve it thru all the proper channels, but it just didn't work out. I love Otters sleds and poles system, but the canvas deal just isn't cutting it anymore.

[aczr2k]

That's poor for a supposedly top of the line house. I'm sure the otter fan boys will be all over this one.

[jerkbait]

If you like the otter sled go to Canvas Craft and get the original otter skin with the norpac.

[Great Outdoors]

I have an Otter Cabin. The first winter I owned it, had the canvas tear on the stitching in several spots.

I called and spoke to them about the problem. It seems that they have several suppliers of their canvas, and had trouble with one kind that was heavier and more like vinyl (which is the type I had)

Make sure you explain exactly what the problem is and how long you've owned the house, when contacting them.

They sent me a new one with no charge, and haven't had any problem since.

I was very happy with their service.

[CaptainMusky]

Yes, that is terrible and not something I have seen with the Otter shells I have. Definitely not acceptable.

[DTro]

Plain and simple a quality control issue.  Considering the price of these houses, I would be upset too.     They must have had a bad lot of canvasas, because I’ve seen several pictures like this over the winter.

[rcr]

Plain and simple a quality control issue.  Considering the price of these houses, I would be upset too.     They must have had a bad lot of canvasas, because I’ve seen several pictures like this over the winter.

I thought it might be just a anomaly, but its pretty common if you google it, you never seen these problems when they were made here in the states and proudly displayed.

[walleye44]

That's when Canvas Craft used to make them! Quality USA products!

[walleye44]

Just buy a quality Canvas Craft house directly. They make them to order!

[Northlander]

Otter ran into a issue with having no extra skins to put on tubs because they sold so quickly to vendors. Next winter they and Rapala/Ice Force will not make that mistake again. I have ran 4 different Otters this year between mine and friends and not had any issues. I do run the 1200 though. I would suggest in the future when you have issues that you contact both Otter and Rapala.

[Hookmaster]

My original Otter looks like that in a few places but it's 18 years old. It still gets used a few times a year. My newer house, a3 year old Canvas Craft Norpac, looks fine. You must have gotten one of the bad batches of canvas.

[DTro]

Otter ran into a issue with having no extra skins to put on tubs because they sold so quickly to vendors. Next winter they and Rapala/Ice Force will not make that mistake again. I have ran 4 different Otters this year between mine and friends and not had any issues. I do run the 1200 though. I would suggest in the future when you have issues that you contact both Otter and Rapala.

So what does selling out of all of their canvases early have to do with a batch of shoddy product and or lack of response from CS?

[aczr2k]

Otter ran into a issue with having no extra skins to put on tubs because they sold so quickly to vendors. Next winter they and Rapala/Ice Force will not make that mistake again. I have ran 4 different Otters this year between mine and friends and not had any issues. I do run the 1200 though. I would suggest in the future when you have issues that you contact both Otter and Rapala.

No excuse at all. Cheap products made cheap in CHINA is the reason. And since you are on the Otter pro staff you follow the company line. Just saying.

[harvey lee]

From the years I used the Otter houses, if I did have an issue, I called Otter and it was addressed right away.

Everyone can get a defective product, what suprises me is Otter did not according to you address the issue, very suprising.

Have always heard nothing but good when it comes to thier CS.

I still own and use a Otter, just use my Canvas craft portable much more as it is insulated and my Otter is not.

I am not on thier pro staff and can only say very good about thier product and thier customer service.

[CaptainMusky]

Has anyone else ran into problems with their OTTER canvas lately. This is what the inside of my new XT650 Lodge looked like. Air blows thru all those holes and its terriblely tight. I had to set my propane tank of the front poles to keep it on the ice. I tried to deal with Otter but just kept getting the runaround , so I had no choice but to return it. I tried to resolve it thru all the proper channels, but it just didn't work out. I love Otters sleds and poles system, but the canvas deal just isn't cutting it anymore.

One thing I dont quite understand is that those pics make the inside look green where all the new ones are light grey right? Is it just lighting or what?

[harvey lee]

I wondered about the green color also.

I went online and checked all the XT650's for sale and on Otter's HSOforum and found blue and black only with a light grey interior, no option for other colors.

Maybe an older model or they stopped the green color.

[PHESNTHNTR]

Boy I don't feel so bad either. My year old Otter Lodge black camo, has several cracks in the black camo. In the pic you can see the bright spots 8 of them, acutal holes. Over the course of the last 6 weeks, after submitting a second email for warranty coverage, and leaving messages for a rep of some sort, I received some email responses. At first they said to spray the inside of the house with Plasti Dip Black Multi- purpose rubber coating, because that coating comes off. My problem was that doesn't fix the holes. Now they want me to pay $150.00 to upgrade from the black camo to the new XT650, which i am ok paying for some because my first warranty claim was submitted 6 days after the one year warranty ran out. By the sounds of it my new canvas is probably going to have the same problems.

[gonehunting]

I was thinking the inside of the first pics looked green also. Is it the lighting? I would think the gray would show up. I own an XT900 and a buddy has the XT1200. Heavily used this year and no issues whatsoever. Hope you get some attention to the matter though.

[fishnowworknever]

I'm on my 2nd canvas and have this exact same issue...same exact model. I have a call placed with their CS so I can't wait to hear what excuse they will give me.

[harvey lee]

Phesnthntr

I would say since Otter offered a new cover at a discount for a cover that was out of warranty that seem's fair enough of a deal. yes, one has to hope the new one will last the test of time. Never know.

I had 1 suburban that had 51,000 miles on it and a piston went in one cyclinder, called GM and they said sorry, you are out of warranty, we will sell you a new motor and at full price.

Got another motor from elsewhere and went down the road.

I would have thought GM would have maybe helped me out being only 1,000 out of warranty but nope, too bad. happens all the time, sucks but that is the way it is.

[rcr]

I was thinking the inside of the first pics looked green also. Is it the lighting? I would think the gray would show up. I own an XT900 and a buddy has the XT1200. Heavily used this year and no issues whatsoever. Hope you get some attention to the matter though.

The inside is gray , it's just green reflection from the ice making it look green , as you can see from the pic, it was a brand new xt650 lodge

[Down2Earth]

I posted pics on my new canvas a few months back. It looks exactly like yours and I was told it is normal and their was nothing that could be done.

[fishnowworknever]

I posted pics on my new canvas a few months back. It looks exactly like yours and I was told it is normal and their was nothing that could be done.

I remember your post, I thought the same thing as well. Now that I'm reading the canvas shouldn't look like that. Let us know what CS tells you.

Looking back I referenced Clam as well having stitch holes in their thermal models.

[TheIceFishingKid]

I am looking at getting a new insulated skin for my Otter cabin, but after reading this I am looking at the Canvas Craft skins. My current Otter has the new poles in it and they work great. I looked at the Canvas Craft pole system, and it looks cheap and flimsy. Do you have to use the Canvas Craft poles that come with it or will the skin fit the Otter poles?

[Northlander]

After doing some research with Otter I found that the holes shown in the 1st post are from the diameter of the needle used to sew the canvas. Otter tried several diameter needles and found that this size needle worked best as far as being able to still sew in a good diameter thread that was durable and would hold up over time. Yes there is some small holes after that size needle goes through the canvas.

I will say My Otter 1200 Thermal does not have any of these needle holes. I can honestly say I have been nothing but happy with my 1200 thermal and will not ever own a non thermal house again. Warmer, no drips, save a lot of propane and no wind flapping noises.