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Wind shelter for the budget minded


Clampet

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I'm a Northern boy.

Yes, I know, 'ol Jed is in the lap of luxury in Beverley Hills, but he hasn't forgoten his backwoods ways.

 

Now I know a lot of you don't have the modern conveniences of Ski-Doos, Yamahas, Polaris' and the like. Or of course the 4 wheelers.

Some of us have to resort to booking with outfiters to have the priviledge of sitting in an Ice Shanty, to get our sorry behinds out of the wind.

 

Some of us bite the bullet and pay the big bucks for one o' dem portable ice huts like the Clam, Frabill, Shapell, etc.

 

Well,........ back in the day.................all we used was the wind tarpaulin, or tarp.

Yeah, we would cruise the shoreline for that perfect looking tree branch, then do it again till we had three. Heck if they were reallly nice, we would hang on to them fer the entire ice season, electing to jam them under our feet on the runners of our sled for the trip to the fishing spot. These were used to hold up the tarp. Nowadays, most lakes are rimmed by cottages, and you cant go cut their trees.

 

 

Now if you haven't been behind a tarp, when it is windy, do not knock it.

I personally hate those Ice Shanties you rent because of the small windows. It is akin to fishing in a darn clothes closet. Very boring, some may say, claustrophobic.

Once you are out of the wind, ladies and gentlemen, the cold factor is cut in half.

It goes without saying that yes, you need quality boots, and clothing. "specially the footwear, don't skimp. By the way, Walmart has a terrific sale on now for -40C boots for $19.99 down from $39.99.

 

Anywhoo, enough of my rambling. (Thank God! said the reader, get on with it already!)

 

I bought a 6x9 foot tarp for $4.99.

Then I purchased 3 extentible paint roller poles for $9.99 ea. They collapse to 3 feet, and extend to 6 feet. I will allow 1 foot to be in the ice for support, so the height will be 5 feet, more than ample when you are sitting down behind the tarp, out of the wind.

 

I bought a bag of re-usable tie wraps, for a buck 99 to fasten throught the tarp's grommet holes onto the poles. Quick, easy, no fuss.

 

This little package weighs about 5 lbs. Five Pounds!!

 

This all fits into a 39" x 28" plastic tote sled I bought fer $ 39.99 at Crappy Tire.

 

Sure I get to walk, but hey I need the exercise.

 

Pm me for details. ;)

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It sounds like it'll make a pretty nice kite!... let us know how it works!

 

You ol southern dog. There aint no ice knowlege in Alabama, only Wild Turkey Whiskey :lol:

 

This aint no Clam.

 

This is a time tested wind proof, no time fer flyin, get outta ma face wind break.

 

I was on the ice when I was 13 years old. I would a went earlier, but my Pa had me when he was 65 years old, and was in no shape to do what most fathers do with their sons.

 

I have fished many seasons behind one.

I do know that if you use a true tarp made of canvas, thay are whisper quiet in the wind, but heavier and more expensive. Also prone to rot if stored wet.

The lighter fabrene tarp is noisier in the wind, but much less expensive, and easier to fold and store.

 

Ain't no blowin' in the wind, the truth is blowin in the wind...

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and put a top on it and you have almost a hut...put in a little heater in front of you and it would work well....if my folding hut plan doesn't work out I may try that...thanks clampet!

 

You are missing the point, but I respect your input.

 

Thi is a let's keep it simple and stay warm at the same time.

 

This is for those that live in an apartment and don't have much storage space.

This is for all the lonely people (oops, wrong song) :blush:

 

It is for those who would like to go to a lake where they can walk out for a mile and set-up camp and ice fish.

 

Otherwise, you cannot go because, you figure you cannot afford the cost of a hut rental, the cost of a portable, (and the portables, at least most do not fit into a car trunk, so you need a truck to haul it).

 

You do not need a roof. You just need to get out of the wind. My plastic 40 dollar sleigh will accomodate all my equipment plus 100 lbs of walleye fillet on the trip back or 500 million 50 inch perch!

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Why you just gone and done that to impress Miss Jane Hathaway ain't ya Clampet.

 

Sounds like an interesting contraption. Pictures, we want pictures.

 

Joey

 

Like our T.V. star cooler lady said,

PICS!

 

Sounds great but I'm not that smart without a diagram.

 

Thanks

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Clampet,

 

I have an old wind break that was given to me by father-in-law. The break is made out of canvas with slots sewn in it to slide over the tops of branches/poles. The kit also contains a post hole drill made out of a old hand drill with a large bit. The bottoms of the branches have been carved to fit the circumference of the hold produced by the drill. My father in law would sit behind that with an Old Pal minnow bucket mounted on a base. He would fill it with charcoal and keep his feet and hands warm. He would place a grate on the top and convert it into a grill for sausages. The break held up to some fierce winds since we would often fish the open waters of Lake Erie (NY side) for large jack perch. He passed away last year and I still look at that old wind break and remember all the good times we had. I hope you enjoy your day on the ice........

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I suppose it would be easier to set-up, but it would be considerably smaller.

My tarp can accomodate 3-4 people behind it.

That contraption would probably house (?) one person, and may be kinda hard to put in a car.

 

Try and find out more. I'm curious. :)

 

looked around n found it, yes it is only for one person

 

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...&hasJS=true

 

if the link don't work it's pretty easy to find on their website HT polar windbreak

 

it probably folds for easy storage, but i think a person can make one so it comes apart

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