How To Seal Up Older Otter Fish-house

[stick]

I have an older (5 years or so) Otter fishhouse, and back then, their design utilized a shock-cord that hooked in the general area of where your feet go. Sort of like a belt around the sled. Now, they have gone to the plastic sleeve that slides on the edge of the sled. This new design seals up the sled considerably better and there is much less heat loss. I learned this by fishing a bit out of my buddies house last year. I couldn't keep mine warm, and his house was toasty. We both had the same heater, and this caused me to look into mine. When I put my hand down where the canvas meets the sled, there was a ton of cold air moving through. I do realize that I can pile up snow all around the sled, and I normally do in a few areas, but this can be a pain.

Any thoughts/suggestions?

[Shack]

I just stretched bungee shock cord all the way around (by-passed drilled hook holes) and used a small heavy duty green hunting bungee to connect the two ends of shock cord! Holds it very tight!

I know this was a big flaw in design! If one really wanted to correct this issue, you could connect canvas to sled all the way around with some sort of hog ring or clip every 6-12 inches!

I wonder if otter sells an upgrade kit. I have not been in a newer one yet!

[stick]

I'll have to try that. I'm planning on talking to Otter at the ice-fishing show to see if they have an upgrade kit.

Thanks for the comments.

[Gissert]

I had one where the shock cord was gone. I bought some cheap spring clamps at Northern, ans that worked pretty well.

[nytelyter]

my thoughts on this would be. first add foiltex to the inside of your otter. wow i cant tell ya the difference it made. secondly get some GOOD 3m two sided adhesive tape. buy the best, not the cheap stuff. and be sure to stick it right the first time cause it is a pain to remove. run it along the whole lip where the canvas attaches to the sled rim. stich the canvas on and as mine has the push pins. replace the pins. i have the foiltex and will be sticking my canvas before ice this year. be sure to clean the rim and canvas with a good cleaner before doing this and it will probably never have to be done again. ... paul

[Shack]

I just thought of a good idea, not that nytelyter's idea was not good .

Buy your self a snap kit with tool. You could put snaps all they way around on canvas and outside lip on sled.

I have seen snap kits with tool at Unclaimed Freight for cheap.

These are the snaps like on your jeans and boat covers.

Drill some holes, pop snap in and crimp top and bottom! That way canvas cover is removable as well!

Good luck!

[Dave]

Some guys have replaced the plastic rivets with bolts and nuts. On my plastic rivet model, I got some of the lip strips from Otter and had a canvas company sew them on, just like the newer models.

It's quite possible to upgrade to the lip strips from the old bungee corded model but careful planning on where to sew the strips on would have to be done as the canvas is cut different I believe.

Have you tried to tighten the bungee cord tighter?

[stick]

I think my best first step is to tighten the bungee strap as tightly as possible. I should be able to cut out much of the gaps that way.

[iffwalleyes]

Don't change from the bunge cord design. That is still the best idea. It allow for the most forgivness. The rivit and trim loc don't alow as much for stretch which can lead to tears. I had one and now have on new one with the trim loc. I never noticed a big diffence on heat loss but I would tighten up the bunge and stick with it as that is still a really good design. I kind of wish they had not change it.

[Northlander]

Until a big wind comes and rips it off the sled. Not fun trying to get the canvas back on in the wind.

[iffwalleyes]

Hey I fished with that house in ND I know what a large wind can do . I know a thing or two about fishing in the wind. That is why I like my house to have some give rather that than rip . It sucks worst having your house get torn up by the wind.

[Northlander]

Oh ya ND wind. I was on Devils Lake one winter and stepped out of the 1 man Otter to go get some more waxies and turned around and saw my house tumbling down the lake. Jumped in the truck and chased it down. Man was my gear hard to find. Now I have ice anchors.