Have made my fair share of those too Doug . They were the MUST build back then. Got you out of the elements . Wind mostly . Learned about them when I fished the Credit river . Many of the ole byes back in the late 70,s early 80,s, used them. Hell, they left them leaned up against a tree when they came off the ice. No one ever touched them. Always there when they returned.
My Rapala 1 man is light. I do use a smitty to pull/push, it out. Makes life much easier. I have found that PUSHING the smitty is much easier as well, rather then pulling.