How much does your shack weigh & when do you take it out?

[LaZyDayZ]

With the talk in this forum re: Steele VS Aluminum frames and weight I got to thinking:

How much does your shack weigh & when do you take it out?

Mine weighs about 5000lbs with gear and I prefer about 15" +

If I had a wheeler I would prolly take it out on 12"

I know quality of ice is a big factor but lets just use clear ice for this question.

[nytelyter]

mine goes 3000lbs on the trailer and i pull it out with the wheeler. have put it on 12 inches but the ice sags after a few days out. ... paul

[Augusta]

Not to be rude or anyting, but what are the sizes of these fish houses? I have a 6.5 x 14 and I have always guessed it to be around 3000 lbs.

[LaZyDayZ]

Quote:

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Not to be rude or anyting, but what are the sizes of these fish houses? I have a 6.5 x 14 and I have always guessed it to be around 3000 lbs.

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Mine is 8'x16' with a 2' V front

[love to hunt]

I pulled my shack across a scale last year and I goes 2630lbs with 2 propane tanks, 2 Deep Cycle batteries, 2 coolers, auger and a spare tire. I also have bunks, 2 fold down tables, 13" TV/DVD, counter top in the nose.

It is 12'X6'8" and a 3' V-nose.

I would give you pictures but I don't know how.

[LaZyDayZ]

If you email the pics to me I will post them for you and give you brief instructions on how to repeat.

chris(at)tm9.net

replace (at) with @

[Augusta]

Here's a picture of the fish house my sons and I built last year (2005).

[love to hunt]

Thanks LaZyDayZ

I will send them out when I get home.

[nytelyter]

7 1/2 by 12 with an extension on the end of it about 30 x 48 for a potty that makes it just over 14 ft long over all

[Biggerfish]

I have a question for all of you. I have a ATV but have always been afraid to pull my 14' house behind it. First my ATV is rated for 1000# pulling cap. Second my tougue weight seemed to be about 250# and I believe the ATV is only rated for a 135# tougue weight(This confuses me because the back rack is rated for 170#)? Even if i went to the big ATV's I would be overlaoding them.

Am I just being a wimp? I know pulling something accross a sheet of Ice is certainly less abusive on the machine, but how do you guys do it. Does it strain your machines?

[Dave]

I made a ski for the tongue of my 4000-pound travel trailer fish house several years ago. Pulled it across with a Sportsman 500 no problem. 170-pound tongue weight is about what my boat trailer is and that's no problem for the wheeler either. I say you're good to go. Just make sure you can stop on down hills

[riverrat56]

7X10 on skids, 3 bunks and carpet, thats about it, weighs about 1000 lbs give or take, we can muscle it onto a snowmobile trailer with 3 guys.

8-9 inches and were out there with the wheeler and the house. We take it easy and check the weather early, any prolonged warm spells and the house is pulled up on shore. Haven't had any problems with the house sagging unless it sits for over a week with some warm weather.

[LaZyDayZ]

Dave,

Do you have any pics of that ski or can you describe it.

Sure does sound like a good idea. Did you mount it to the jack, crank down, etc etc..

[Dave]

Oh, the ski was nothing more than a 4X6 about 2-feet long with the front of it angled to cut through snow, like a ski tip. Once on the shore ice with my truck (ice was 12-inches but not enough for truck and trailer) I'd jack the trailer tongue up with a floor jack and set the bottom of the trailer's tounge jack inside a hole I cut into the 4X6 wood ski. I'd crank down the trailer's toungue down as far as it would go, so any pressure wouldn't bend the trailer jack. Nothing fancy but, it worked okay.

[backlash 1]

7x14 + 3' V front 2550#Had it on 10-11" of good ice last year. Early in season I use my Polaris 300 2WD in low range, I just put my gear in the back of the house to lighten tongue weight(100#?) It definately makes the wheeler grunt, but it will pull it.

[love to hunt]

It is all about balance. If you ahve a heavy tongue move your gear around till you get it right.

Like I said before my house goes 2630 ready to fish and I go 2350 in summer storage.

I move mine with my 18hp riding mower every time I mow and I have now problems. When I am on the ice I put the batteries on the front rack of the wheeler and that is all I need to do.

Just find the best combo for your rig and run with it.