Fish house on runners

[quackattack13]

I have been considering building a fishhouse and thought about putting it on runners. I considered wheels but runners seem cheaper. How big of a house can you put on runners and how would i go about making some. Im inexperienced so the more help the better! Thanks!

[Reynolds]

Well, Mcquoids has a 13x32 on runners, so I don't think size is much of a consideration as far as runners go. I would try and get a hold of some white oak to make the runners. I would think 6"x8" would do the trick. On the ends you are obviously want to the have them angled up. I would call some of the ice fishing resorts on Mille Lacs to find out where you can find the skids. People are always revamping fish houses at resorts, so I am sure they would have a pretty good idea of where you could obtain the white oak.

[quackattack13]

how do you manage to move it anywhere? does he haul it on a trailer anywhere? i would like mine to go on a snowmobile trailer

[Gissert]

I had an 8 x 12 on runners for several seasons before I sold it.

The runners were custom sawed for me by a local guy who had a small mill. They were 16 feet long, and were 5 inches square - pine. These were from an old log he had that was not usable for anything else. I think he charged me about 40 bucks . I tapered the last 18 inches of each skid bottom.

I used this house 4 seasons before selling it, and the skids were still in good shape when I sold it. The runners were attached to the house with angle iron bolted to the inside and outside of the house frame, and then lag bolted through the angle iron into the skids.

The tow points were made from bearing pillow blocks, bolted to the house frame, not the skids.

I would not want to go much larger than an 8 x 12, but I was in an area where there were no plowed roads. If there was not much snow, my 4 wheeler would pull it. After that, it pulled ok with a Bronco or pickup. If it looked like a heavy snow was coming that would make for slush, I would pull the house.

If you can keep a road plowed to your house, and keep it blocked up well, this is not as big a concern.

[Reynolds]

That house is a rental at a resort, so the only place they are moving it is around the lake.

[quackattack13]

how many skids are on it 2? and i was thinking 7 by 10 or 7 by 12! would it be difficult to put on the trailer do you think?

[nitroant]

I think it was two years ago at the ice show there was a company that made skids out of tube steel and had them set up to attach to a frame of a fish house. The ends of the pipe were open and the perfect size for a weed burner run of a propane tank to fit inside, so if your shack got froze in you could heat the tubes up with the weed burner and unfreeze it from the lake. They looked pretty slick, but it put your house 8" to 12" higher off the ice than just using wood skids of some sort. Can't remember the name of the company, but its an option to think about.

[quackattack13]

thanks

[castmaster]

even at 7x10 i think your going to end up with something too heavy to load and unload off a trailer, unless maybe a car hauler type flatbed with a winch in front to help pull it up onto the trailer.

as far as a snowmobile trailer, i'd guess you'd be far over the weight limit for the axle.

[Ryan_V]

I had a 6 X 10 that I had for a few years. the only thing I had for runners, was 2 X 4's. it was a solid house and I got it on and off the trailer no problem. I have a 6 X 12 trailer that tilts. I have a set of rollers, about 8' long that used to be used to pull a pontoon up on shore for the winter. they go on the trailer, and I use a winch or come-a-long to pull it up. get to the lake, tilt the trailer and let her slide off. if you do it right, it's not a problem. I'd maybe consider going smaller than 7' wide.

[quackattack13]

thanks for all the tips guys

[nytelyter]

i will at first hand second the pipe idea i have on my fishouse which is 7 1/2 x 12 two and a half inch water well pipe , that is thick wall pipe have used it for years. my house goes about 3000lbs and i pull it out with my two wheel drive quad runner with chains on the back wheels. if you are haveing a resort move it. its your call on what you use however if you ever plan on moveing it yourself the pipe is the way to go. i DO also trailer it i have made a custom trailer for it that resembles a swather trailer. i can git it on or off the trailer in less than 15 minutes. it is a really nice set up. ... paul