Fish house runners?

[mnhunter79]

I have a 5x8 suitcase style portable, canvas and plywood w/ a 2x4 base. Does anyone make a decent runner to pull this style fish house, or is it a make your own type a deal? I have a pair of runners now that work great on ice, but when we get more than 2" of snow or drifts, it becomes impossible. Any Ideas? thanks.

[Jim Almquist]

I think you are going to have to build something and your best bet would be to try and raise your house a couple of inches off the ground. Maybe build a sled with some old snow skis and a couple of 2x4s. I have a 8x8 portable and I built a aluminum frame and put on snow skis. It sits around 12" off the ice and pulls so easy you don't feel it behind the snowmobile. I built this when aluminum was a lot cheaper and that is why I suggested wood but if you want it light aluminum is a better route. I just bolted it together with stainless steel bolts to prevent them from getting rusty.

[livintofish]

Have you guys ever mounted snow skis on a trap, and how high do you really think the sled needs to be off the skis? I see the need for some clearance but also want to maintain the ridgidity of the sled when sitting on it. I got the skis and am ready to do it, just want to do it right the first time. I was thinking some synthetic material would hold up better than 2x4s and be cheaper then aluminum.....not sure what though

[smeese]

What up MNhunter79! I may try these. Just a thought and fairly reasonable. Since you need the suitcase to lay flat on ice when set up make sure whatever you do is easily removable when not in use. TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE THERE ARE SOME SKI SETUPS

http://www.shappell.com/dx3000partsaccspp.html

[Pleasant]

Seen one setup where he just bolted cross country skis to the bottom of the sled with stove bolts

[B@ssmaster]

I made a sled out of 1/2 EMT (metal) conduit and used it for years. Worked sweet. The conduit cut through the loose snow, rode on the hardpack and was very easy to pull by hand or with the snowmobile (There wasn't much surface area to create friction.) The sled was about 8" high. I'd just set my portable on top and run a couple of bungies around the house to the sled. Very quick.

Pop rivet/screw it together well, or tack weld if you have the equipment.

[gritsnham]

I used to pull a similar type of sled with a tobagan under it. It glides really nice and isnt attached at all. Runners on one side of a suitcase sled would make it unever which could be annoying with no snow as one side would be higher.