Flipover portable floor

[pmcrawler]

I went to a flipover Yukon from a 6800 cabin. Just wondering what to do about the floor (ice) outside of the sled? I had a heater running and the snow melted turning to ice where my feet were and it became slicker than snot! What does everybody else do? Thanks for any replies!

[hanson]

pmcrawler-

I was gonna take a picture of what I do this past weekend but I didn't get around to it. Too much traveling.

I bought 2 rubber floor mats from Menards, about 24"x36" each. The mat is about 1/2-3/4" thick and is perforated with about 1" diameter holes. I put one in front of my seat on the ice and one in front of my partners seat.

It conforms to the snow and ice and gives you traction. Additionally, it keeps your feet off the ice & snow.

It has worked real good the last few times out. $3-4 a piece, you can't go wrong.

[frozen toes]

Thanks for the tip, that is a great idea. They are perfect sized and don't weigh a ton Plus it wirks better than a piece of carpet that soaks up the water and makes a mess in the sled.

[anyfishwilldo]

I just wear the Yaktrax cleats(springs) on my boots. They keep you from slipping and sliding.

[Moose-Hunter]

I actually built a tri-fold, carpeted, plywood floor for my Otter Lodge. I got the idea from a thread seen here at Fishing Minnesota. I took his idea a step farther by creating an air space between the ice and floor. Worked GREAT in the "lab", but in actual field testing.... WHAT A PAIN!! Tough to pack in the sled. Tough to locate the holes. Adds considerably to set-up times. And the extra weight went against my project odjectives of less is more.

I'm going to try the perforated floor mat idea... Sounds like a winner!!

[pmcrawler]

Thanks for the reply. I'll try it!

[Melon]

I took a piece of carpet and used my auger blade cover as a template to cut 4 holes in the carpet. It works good for keeping your feet off the ice and dry when there's snow on the ice. The only problem I've seen is that when it gets wet from the melted snow it can be a pain to peal it off the ice if you don't get it up before the melted snow freezes. Also, it's heavier when it's wet. Sounds like the rubber floor mats are a better solution. I'll have to check it out.

[reeft]

What kind of heater are you guys using? I have an 8,000 btu stove with a cast iron burner that is mounted over the sloped (front) part of the sled. It will roast me out of my Otter without melting the snow. I spent 9 hours on Mille Lacs on Saturday with my 7 year old son without him getting cold and no melted snow. Just curious about your heater and where it's located, that might be an easier fix. Thanks

[hanson]

Anybody try this rubber mat idea out yet????

Here's a photo!

The mats are pretty much as I described earlier. They work awesome on bare ice and work just as effectively as the deep snow in the photo which happens to be Burntside Lake. I just toss them on top of the sled behind the seats when I'm ready to move.

[picksbigwagon]

Hey Hanson,

I noticed the chunk of plywood sitting between the two seats, what is the story with that? what other modifications have you done to your sled? I have a voyager and I like what you have done with the rubber matts....I am going out to get some tonight...........

[MT Net]

Hanson, now that's a nifty set up! I will make something similar for my Fishtrap Voyager with the baitbucket. Cool idea, thanks.

I have used the rubberbacked carpet pieces, but they too freeze to the ice, and soak up water.

[hanson]

Glad you guys like it. The house is awesome to fish out of and very portable. Yes, its a little on the heavy side but thats what the snowmobile is for.

This is the 2nd house I've modified and is a work in progress. I made some mods to my Otter Den which you can see here- Hanson's Otter Sled Modifications. Matt Johnson also posted it on his HSOforum along with some other mods from another FMer.

I did the same thing to my Otter Lodge except the plywood insert part is bigger of course. The minnow bucket is the slickest part of the deal. The minnows are always right where you need them. Behind the seats I have a hinged door that I can store my LX-3, VS560, soft tackle box, and a smaller cooler in. The back of the sled has a spot for my 20lb tank and I run a heater/cooker off of it with a hose. I also carry my Buddy Heater which I can run off another hose and a splitter at the tank if I want alot of heat!! With all my electronics in a protected compartment, I then can just lay my auger on top of the plywood right behind the seats and pull the travel cover over the entire thing.

Like I said, this one is a work in progress. There are a number of things I want to change but that will have to wait until spring. Once I get the new one built, it will be carpeted like my Otter Den and I'll take a bunch more photos and post them here.

[MT Net]

Thanks for the tips!

I use a 10 pound tank with my Mr. Heater/Cooker. It sits in a plastic bin, tank inside with room for 2 2 pound tanks and a cresent wrench, hose tucks inside as well. The lid was "modified" for the hose and tank. Heater sits on top to brew coffee, or cook polish sausages.

Nice to have the whole works as 1 unit and fits in the sled between the 2 seat runners.