anyone ever build a "floor" for their flip over ice house

[Dooley87]

I own a fish trap yukon and i love it to death and the ice and snow beneath my feet don't bother me but i sometimes think it would be nice to have a floor for it cause if you have the heater going and you are fishing a spot for more than a few hours you end up swiming in the melted snow and ice. also i have a few buddies who don't like fishing in the house for the sole reason that there is no floor

A person could take two pieces of plywood and run a piano hinge down the center so you could fold it up for ease of transport, strap it to the top of the house? put carpeting over the wood? cut holes wherever you want to put em'

what are your guys thoughts?

[prov1900]

Just made one for my Yukon, well other than putting the hinges on. Took treated cedar, cut in lengths approximately the width of the shack "floor", four boards, 1 by 6's. Then I cut two more that extend from the new floor board into a "T" shape that goes to the exit door, the theory being that we could stay off the ice as much as possible that way?? If that makes sense. I have been looking for some rubber type thing to put on the bottom of the board, to prevent slippage of the boards or rather freezing to the ice.

[Dooley87]

i kind of have an idea of what you are saying, i was thinking of actually making an aluminum "tub" that hinges in the middle and has one inch side walls all the way around then the plywood would sit in the "tub", this way it won't rot the wood and it can be folded up like a suitcase style fish house, heck maybe that way it could even be pulled behing the fish house? fabricate it out of some thin .080 aluminum and some half inch plywood and marine carpet it can't be to heavy to slide behind the fish house.

[prov1900]

That sounds pretty good. Would the aluminum be slick on the ice? Maybe alter the bottom someway, rough, ribbed, or something like that. There was an extensive thread last year on this. Rubber truck floor mats seemed to be the most popular, but I was thinking the "raised" wood, not unlike a pallet, would stay high and dry. Room, weight, and freezability are all things to consider.

I know I have been wanting to do something since I got a flip over, so I thought I would take care of it prior to ice-in.

[berke99]

2 yrs ago I made a wood floor for my Voyager. It is 2 pieces of plywood with hinges, so that it folds in half and will haul in the sled when movining. I siliconed the pink high density styrofoam to the bottom after I painted the plywood. I then cut 4 holes where I wanted them with a jig saw. It sits on the ice really nice. I have fished over night in my voyager many times and never had any kind of freeze down problem with it. I highly recommend this floor and it really doesn't add alot of wieght. I only use the wood floor when I am spending the night.

[Ed Carlson]

Last season Gander had some Camo neoprene dog mats that went on clearance and sat there forever. I came up with the brain fart to use them in the ice shacks as instant flooring. They sold out in a weekend once the were seen in the clams and folks seen how they would work.

Large rugged mats too, thick enough to keep out cold, rolled up nice or lay in the tub to protect heaters or whatever from damage in transport, and best of all they would not absorb water...went for something like $4.97 each and two made a really nice floor in a 2 man portable hut. You may wish to look for some still in clearance hunting bins in some Gander stores.

They work great!

[Sandmannd]

I just put a couple of planks down to sit your feet on and it works fine.

[Todd_J]

I've cut the top 7 inches off of a rectangular plastic milk crate and inverted that for a foot rest. It is about 2-3 inches off the ice/slush/water and does not get frozen in easily. Plus, when you get moving, it doubles as a nice little box for odds and ends.

Personally, I think a full floor in a porty is over the top. For me, any extra step in deploying my shelter would decrease my motivation to move to find fish.

BearBait- sounds like you need a perm house that is relatively easy to move... I'm assuming you have some machine helping you transport your porty/floor. Why not build something that is a hybrid of a porty and a perm house?

[MNice]

I build a cedar deck for mine. It fits in the sled when folded, I used sheet metal screws in the bottom runners to provide traction and just used rope for the hinge. Keeps the feet dry and I have a nice dry place for the vex & heater.

[PerchJerker]

For my flip over house I use some rubber door mats I found at Menards for my feet. I prop my heater up on a small board and it does wonders for keeping the snow and ice from melting.

I have a buddy that has a piece of outdoor carpeting cut to fit his flip-over house, with holes cut for the ice holes. He rolls it up and keeps it in his sled when not using it. He uses it a lot when he fishes with his kid.

[prov1900]

Great ideas all!!!!!

[MNmikew]

I own a fish trap yukon and i love it to death and the ice and snow beneath my feet don't bother me but i sometimes think it would be nice to have a floor for it cause if you have the heater going and you are fishing a spot for more than a few hours you end up swiming in the melted snow and ice. also i have a few buddies who don't like fishing in the house for the sole reason that there is no floor

A person could take two pieces of plywood and run a piano hinge down the center so you could fold it up for ease of transport, strap it to the top of the house? put carpeting over the wood? cut holes wherever you want to put em'

what are your guys thoughts?

Thats EXACTLY what I made for my Otter last year BearBait. Pretty simple, 2x2 frame, plywood, 4 holes, indoor/outdoor carpet, folds in half. Came in real handy with the deep snow and slush on Red last winter.

[so haaad]

I use a floor mat with holes in it that I found at Menards. Kind of like the milk crate idea, but light and only comes up a couple inches. It's nice when things start getting a little wet.

[irvingdog]

Personally, I think a full floor in a porty is over the top. For me, any extra step in deploying my shelter would decrease my motivation to move to find fish.

So true. So true. Kind of like putting a hitch on a Corvette. But I do like the idea you came up with!

I'm to easily tempted to play house out on the ice; then I never move. So I've forced myself to adopt a "Lighter is better, multi-tasking is key", type of mentality. It seems to help.

[meatfish]

Did one once. I was driving down the road and the pick up in front of me had a bed liner in it.It took to buckin ,kicken, liften up,and bamm!! brocken windshield.So I threw it in my box and after some pondering,some handy work with a sawsall and a piano hinge .Instant portable floor/cover.This would be marketable.

[hanronson]

Ditto on Perchjerkers idea. I just use a small piece of in/outdoor carpeting, just where my feet go. I see no need to cover the entire opening. Just my 2 cents.

[Everclear]

So true. So true. Kind of like putting a hitch on a Corvette. But I do like the idea you came up with!

You need to decide if you want a portable or a perm. Some type of rubber mat under your feet to keep them off the ice and to keep the weight and the ammount of stuff you are dragging out on the ice down. Remember, you are fishing...being portable/running and gunning...etc and it all gets in the way. I too had grandios thoughts when I first got my porty but soon realized it was all just extra @#&* that I didn't realy need.

[DARTER]

[jbird68]

I bought a floor matt from one of those lumber stores. I cut it to fit the inside of my shanty. Then I cut two holes in it. But I should have left it a little long so I could keep the wind from coming through the back of my sled. I think if I bolted it to the sled...I could then roll it up and hold it in place with a velcro strap as I am pulling it around. I might get another one and try that. It's not very thick..but it keeps your boots from being directly on the ice.