What do you use for runners and an ice shack?

[PikeTipper]

I had a fish house freeze in last year and we really chewed up the wood runners trying to dig it out of the ice. Do steel runners work better? Any bad things that come with steel runners? I'm sure it adds weight but I've also heard that they don't slide as good. Does anyone have ideas on what material is better for runners?

[packattack]

I wouldn't suggest steel. The steel heats up on sunny days on makes the runners melt into the ice. If you have ever left you auger lay out on the ice on a sunny day, you know what I mean. I hade metal on my permanent a couple of years ago and found out the hard way. Also I found that steel works okay on the ice, but if there is snow on the ground you are in for a hard pull.

[Grandpa Ray]

go to good will store & buy a pair of skis they sell them cheap

[Bob Clausen]

I'm building a fish house now. Fleet Farn has solid vinyl 1X6 and 1X4 pieces in 8ft. lengths. I'm going to make the wood runners and then put the vinyl on the bottom of them so they slide easier and don't freeze down so hard. Apply a little heat to them on the bend and they should mold pretty easily. You can recess the wood screws that hold they in place so they are flush with the vinyl surface.

[aquafang]

I have a question. I've heard people using runners on their guides and other flip-type shacks to save the sled from wear and tear. How does this work? Now you have an air gap under your shack.

[arbuck]

aquafang - The runners that people use on the bottom of there flip over shacks are only about 1/2" thick (plastic of some sort) so the air gap is not that significant. They work good if you pull your house behind an ATV or snowmobile and are not really necessary if you just pull it by hand unless you pull it over alot of gravel, rocks, blacktop, ect.

Hope this answers your question

arbuck