Need opinions from the experts-Fish House V-front or Slope!

[deadminnowcatcher]

I have decided to build a new Wheel house. I need to decide if I am going with a V-Front house or sloped front house. I am leaning towards the sloped front house because of interior design reasons. My question is: Is it going to pull alot harder than the v-front? Or will there be little difference because of the sloped roof on the front??? I really want opinions from people that have pulled both types of houses. thanks

[deadminnowcatcher]

120 hits on this post and not one expert?? I did not think you could have 120 fisherman without at least a few of them thinking they are experts

[Only Eyes]

I'm no expert or have I ever built one but I'd go with a square fish house then build a v front with outside doors for your auger and propane storage. I wish mine had that.

[slipperybob]

I pulled my buddy's square one, and boy does it wobble in the wind...!

[Bandit]

There may not be alot of people who have pulled both. I have pulled a flat front and a v front, but never a sloped front. The difference between these two is night and day. Esp when you get on the interstate. The flat front works my diesel hard, the v-front is a piece of cake. My flat front has tandem axles and will pull straight as an arrow no matter how fast I drive. The v front is a single axle and is scary at anything over 55. Sorry I got off your subject. Guess I just wanted to point out that if you can't pull it over 50 or so it really does not matter how it is shaped.

[MNice]

Just shooting from the hip and without any firsthand knowledge, I will offer the following. A sloped front will put down force on the entire trailer, creating more force to pull, while a V front should split the wind easier. This is only a guess, but I think it makes sense.

[mskyfshntchr]

if i am building a shack that i am going to pull very far at all or very often; a v-front is the ONLY way to go!!! They pull very easy compared to a flat front.

I would build it as low to the ground as possible because then it will pull even easier because it is lower and wind from the truck will help push over the top.

As for not being able to go over 50-55mph?? Someone did not do a good job of balancing out the wheels. That will be one thing you HAVE to do. Get some help and make sure the wheels are in the right spot!! We've built 5-6 frames/shacks and you can pull any of them over 55. My buddy would pull his at 75-80 with no problems...

[Bandit]

That's what I was getting at, It's my cousins house that pulls terrible, don't remember what brand it is, but it sways from one side of the road to the other. It's very important to get the axle right.

[shamrock7]

I have one of the first 8' wide Ice castles. Flat front and pulled terrible. All it wanted to do was bounce from shoulder to shoulder at anything over 55 MPH. Sent it back to the factory and they redid the wheels and it pulls fine. Guess the point I am trying to make is, one may have a perfectly set up house and pulls terrible because they placed to much weight in the back (or front). If your house pulls poorly, try changing the weight distibution in the house. Move your batteries, move your auger, move whatever you can to get the weight where you need it.

You need 50-100 Lbs of tongue weight to keep them from flopping around all over the road.

[deadminnowcatcher]

looking for opinions with everything else equal would the sloped front pull ok at hwy speeds or should i stick with the v-front???

[germanshorthairs]

I bought a 6 1/2 x 16 foot shell from the fish house store just south of mille lacs lake on hwy 169. They have an excellent frame. I finished everything else myself. Mine is a flat front with a roof that slopes from back to front. I also have double doors in the back and have made many trips to park rapids with the wheeler in it. I have never pulled a v-front but mine pulls fine. I only have a 4.0 mercury mountaineer. A strong side wind is about the only wind that you notice and I personally dont think it would be any better with a v-front. There is always going to be a little sway but nothing bad. I also went with the flat for my interior design. I think you are better off having the interior design you want. I personally think both v or flat will be fine if frame is quality like the others have posted. Have Fun!!

[dmengel]

I have had & pulled both a flat front & v front & I agree that either one pulls fine if they are loaded right. It is very important to have weight in the front. I think part of why the flat fronts do not pull as well is that when you are going down the road all of the wind catching the top of the house is actually lifting weight off of the front, so if you load it with more on the front it will be ok. That said I think that a sloaped front may pull the best of all because it would force the front down. Like someone else said get a good frame & build it so you have about 100 pounds on the front, then you canmove you extra stuff around until you get it to pull good.

Dan

[minnbowhunter]

I drove over the road semi for several years and weight distribution is the key. My flat front ice castle is quite front heavy and trailers straight at freeway speeds. A strong crosswind will move it around a little but crosswind will do that to any trailer no matter the shape. I think a v-front is a great design and wish I had it on mine, also it would deflect trash coming off the road better than a flat front. Diamond plate aluminum 2 ft up in the front helps there too.

[hawkeye43]

What does a v front pull like in a cross wind??? My front is rolled back

[deadminnowcatcher]

any house will get pushed around a little with a strong cross wind, i just dont want it to buck the wind if i go with a slight slope on the roof on the front vs a v front

[bigbucks]

All I can say after having pulled some of both. If it's going to be a very big house go with the tandem trailer. They pull so much nicer you can't believe it. My house is 7 X 20 & I had no problem pulling it to Lake of the Woods (250 miles) & back. I could go as fast as the road allowed. Freeway speeds are not a problem & it's a flat front. It took a lot of gas, not sure how a V front would have compared there, but it's big & heavy so I doubt it would make a gigantic difference. Most of the time I'm not driving anywhere near that far anyway.

[minndonn]

Looking at the sloped front look at all the travel trailers with a sloped front. They are doing that for a reason. I believe the sloped front will work more like an airplane wing and will actually create lift on the house, not pressure down. The slope will also create a smoother air flow over the top with less turbulance.

[deadminnowcatcher]

I seen another idea today on a camper. The front is shaped so that the top half goes back and the bottom half is sloped in thus creaating a v that runs up and down. this was on a pull behind camper. Anyone ever build a fish house this way???? I liked the way it looks. with the bottom sloped in any slush that hits the hous would be directed down towrds the road and the top sloped back i would think would help with wind resistance

[Bulldoggr]

Go with the V front, Pulls way better and is ezier on the gas mileage.

[walleyeaddict]

I have pulled both a v front and a flat front many times and there is no way i would build a flat front. They really pull hard. My v I have now will pull straight as an arrow at 80...in a crosswind. It is a ice castle 6.5x17. Check out the new commander series from ice castle they have a similar design to the one u said u liked deadminnowcatcher, maybe that will give a better mental pic! Dont forget to post some pics of the const. phases...their always fun to see!

[Whopper Stopper]

I have a flat front and would love to sell it to get a V front. When I am going down the road I cannot use cruise on my Tahoe. It would be fine for short trips but for the long haul it gets old fast. I have tried everything I can think of as far as loading it and even with the wheeler inside the tranny is continually shifting.

WS

[walleyeaddict]

Buy a ford!!