Got my Otter Cabin! Looking for advice outfitting it

[schweady]

Thanks to the great guidance from Matt and all the other helpful folks on FM, I finally pulled the trigger today on an Otter Medium Cabin. Gander Mtn in Fargo had a good price on the package (sled, skin, seats, cover), and applying for Gander's Mastercard dropped it another 10%.

Now, there might be a little $$ left to update a few items to outfit the place. Specifically, I am open to suggestions regarding heat and light. A Coleman lantern served for both in my former shack - a tiny homemade 1-man - but I'm wondering about picking up a Buddy or Big Buddy heater. Is the Big Buddy overkill for this house? I'd rather not take up the floor space if it's not needed.

Any other amenities that others have found useful for this particular house?

[Matt Johnson]

Congrats on the new purchase schweady! You will like the Medium Cabin!

You could go with just a Mr. Cooker for a heat source. It will heat the Medium Cabin just fine, and it's more price-friendly than the Buddy options. I've been using Mr. Cookers for years and I really like them. Don't take up much space either...

For a lantern, you can get by with just about any 2-mantle propane version. I use either the Coleman Northstar Electronic Ignition or the Coleman 2-mantle Instastart lanterns, both are good options and I don't have any complaints with them.

[Ya Hey Der]

Schweady,

Congrats on the medium cabin. I have been using the medium cabin for a few years now and it has never let me down. I had a buddy heater for a couple of years but it just didn't cut it. When the sun was shining and the temps were warmer it was ok but when the sun went down and temps dropped, there wasn't enough heat. I switched to a Paulin heater/cooker electric ignition (I think it is the same as the Mr.Heater/cooker)last year and it has worked like a charm. I run it off a 10 lb tank. As for light, I use a two mantle coleman which is enough for me. Let's see, I have added runners but to be honest, I don't know if I needed to since I don't really tow it behind a sled. I also purchased ice loks from strikemaster and installed the clips to my sled (for those windy days). That's about it for modications to my house. Oh, one last thing, I hope you have electronics. If not, you may want to take whatever $$ you have left and get yourself a good finder. I would recommend marcum and I know there are 100's posts out there discussing which is best, so I will leave that alone. Good luck and hopefully you and the rest of us hardwater fanatics will be able to get out soon.

Hey Matt,

How ya doin? Hope to be able to fish with you again this year. I think goin fishin and I will try to host an outing on this year. Not sure where but I don't think it will be on WBL.

YHD

[glendam]

The Buddy heater does the job in my otter cabin, plus its light, easy to use, and doesnt take up much space. I had trouble keeping it lit in the begining, but after changing from colman propane tanks to bernzomatic tanks the heater burns much better.

[schweady]

glen - Is yours a Buddy or a Big Buddy? hey der says his Buddy couldn't cut it in the cold after dark.

hey der - Electronics are taken care of. My LX-3 went in to Marcum on Friday and it comes back sometime this week (?) reincarnated as an LX-3tc. Can't wait.

Matt - I hear what you are saying about cost, but I'm also looking at paring down the weight, and I'd need to buy the tank and hose right away with the Cooker anyway, right?.. The Buddies' appeal is the ability to use 1 lb canisters, but also move up to tank and hose if desired.

Do you guys hang your lantern from the ceiling support frame? I think my friend Big Pine Walleye has one of those Coleman Instastarts, and loves it.

[Matt Johnson]

You can use 1-pound propane tanks with the Mr. Cooker if you wish, you don't have to get a large tank. I just use the 1-pound tanks with mine.

For the lantern, I just set it on the ice in front of me (or in the middle of me and a partner if I'm not fishing solo)...

[Matt Johnson]

YHD,

We'll make it out on the ice again this year. It just wouldn't be a winter in the Metro if I didn't meet up with you and goin fishin at one point or another How many years now... this will be our 4th?

No WBL?!?! I don't get it? What about Tonka? I hear the snow can get deep out there and jeeps are good at going through deep snow (especially around the corners). They never get stuck... right? I'll never forget that day...

I'll probably host one on Linwood again sometime in late December when we can all go chase down some crappies and a few 'eyes.

Keep me posted on when and where you have an event and I'll do my best to make it...

[glendam]

Its the small buddy heater, kept the cabin warm on a -10 degree day as long as we didnt go in and out to much.

[Big Pine Walleye]

Congrats Schweady!! I cannot hardly wait to get on the ice! Thanks also for the help with the Marcum update! Man, am I excited about this year--I will have to stop over and see the new set-up sometime soon!

[Ya Hey Der]

Hey Matt,

I agree it wouldn't be a winter in the Metro if we didn't meet up. I know goin fishin would agree as well. I can't believe it's been 4 years already. The time sure flys by.

Regarding Tonka, I don't know what you are talking about. OK, I guess it was a tad bit humorous. And I still say that if you get out of the snow bank on your own, it isn't necessarily being stuck. Thanks for the help by the way.

I don't want to jinx us but we may be on the lakes sooner than later. I'll try to make the Linwood event and will keep you posted on our metro get together.

Good to hear from you, talk to you soon.

YHD

[Ya Hey Der]

Hey Schweady,

You can use 1 lb tanks with the heater cookers, I just don't know how long they last. The buddy heater didn't really work for me but if it works for others, that is great. I used to go through at least a case of 1 lb tanks every year, they are nice and convenient but the 10 lb seems to put out more pressure and last longer. I also figured, I am usually walking out for 3-4 weeks (sometimes use 1lb tanks) and then drive out after that, so the extra weight really doesn't bother me.

I will hang my lantern once in awhile on the above pole but I don't know how safe/smart it is. I use carabiners and make sure the top of the lantern isn't too close to the canvas. I think I end up using 2 medium sized carabiners, you might want to check that out. Also be careful when you take the lantern down, the handle gets really hot and so do the carabiners.

You will have to let me know how your LX3 turns out. I am interested in doing this. How much did it actually cost you and did you go to marcum to drop it off?

YHD

[fisherdog19]

It sounds like the heater is covered. For light source, espcially if you want to hang it and not risk burning your canvas, I recommend using an LED lantern. You can find one on hsolist and depending on the model, they will run for up 1000 hours on one set of batteries. No propane cost, more light, no broken globes, and no broken mantles. The LED bulbs are good for up to 100,000 hours as well. I have one and it is great, wouldn't use anything else.

[schweady]

hey der - Matt J covered the LX-3 upgrade in a couple of spots on FM. The offer was just announced a little after noon last Friday and I mailed the power head of my unit in to Marcum Tech in Brainerd a few hours later. $49 upgrades it from LX-3 to LX-3tc and pays for your return postage. I'll steal a little of Matt's quote:

Quote:

---

contact MarCum Customer Service at 763-493-3748 or shoot an email to

[email protected]

to request the upgrade to the new TrueColor display

---

fisherdog - Thanks for the head's up on the LED lanterns. I'll keep my eyes open. I was figuring on using some sort of hook to drop the top of it down. That's what's nice about the high roof on the Cabin. Big Pine Walleye showed me some neat hooks with all sorts of uses - coats, lanterns, scoopers, small children.. They drop it down 6-8 inches I'd guess. Are the LED models really brighter than a 2-mantle Coleman??

[Ya Hey Der]

Schweady,

Thanks for the heads up.

Fisherdog,

You have peaked my curiousity about the LED light. Is there a way for you to post a pic. of this or add a link that we can go to. Any problems with the batteries not working well in the cold?

Thanks,

YHD