Ultralight shelter (part 2)

bullcans wrote:

I like your attitude Broeker!
Keep it going and I like that you have a positive answer for all the Naysayers comments.

Haha thanks, I try to find the humor in some of the responses. I generally enjoy it here because it is hard to find a good, active community who cares about all of this crap, and I obviously find some value in yammering with other like-minded folk.

I’m also an inflatable boat/kayak fishing/river camping addict (I now own a fleet of four, each one sleeker and lighter than the last) and I get similar push back on various kayak forums calling me an idiot for spending almost $3K on a Hobie iTrek when I could buy a used Pro Angler for less, and pointing out how much “better” a hard-shell kayak is in every way, and how sharp fish hooks and inflatable boats make no sense (despite never having been on a modern inflatable with drop-stitch construction.)

I think there is often a disconnect between people who live in rural or suburban areas with access to 3-car garages, giant storage sheds for all of their ATVs/can-ams/snow mobiles, boats and trailers, and people like me who live in a 1,200 sf urban house in the heart of the city with a 1-car underground garage built in 1924 that BARELY fits my compact SUV.

I have different priorities and limitations but I make it work, and figure there must be others like me who search for and highly value light-weight, size, and portability more than almost anything else.

I could easily afford a new Pro Angler 14/trailer, a tricked out Smitty sled, an Eskimo Wide 1, or an 18 pound ice Scheel’s ice rod case but I don’t want any of those things.

My current sled/auger/bucket/sonar all fit neatly in the back of the front hall closet. My entire shelter literally fits in my dresser drawer. I have 4 boats, 3 trolling motors, paddles, and all my associated gear tucked neatly on a single basement shelving unit, waiting for open water. It is a different but highly enjoyable approach, and I personally enjoy getting “good” at it and spending the money (or sewing labor) when I need to make it even better.

This is why I have spreadsheets listing all of my gear/weight, and why I time myself setting up my ice shelter, or how long it takes me to get from “turn off ignition” to “boat in the water, paddle ready” (12 minutes for my best boat!) Anyhow I enjoy all of it so I won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

p.s. also for the commenter above who corrected my math, last year I was pulling ~92 pounds and it was “ok” but got pretty heavy in high snow. This year, I’m pulling just over 40 pounds, total, plus a new body harness. I have no less gear or equipment. I can barely feel it behind me, I don’t need a smitty!

Hope you don’t take my questions as a insult. I like the idea and I love the ingenuity. The out side the box thinking is great. I fish alot of nasty weather like this upcoming weekend. Days like that I’m thinking you’d need a hole inside the shack. But that’s me. That iced up line and freezing hole is a big concern for not feeling bites. Again don’t take my questions as insults.
I’m not sure what living in the rural has any thing to do with a usable ice house. Your sled is the same size as mine

I like it – anyone can buy something high dollar from the store. I always like looking how fisherman do things different , boat layouts , rigs , and the such . Everyone has just a different system we could all learn from instead of buying the brand new latest and greatest!

Bearcat89 wrote:

Hope you don’t take my questions as a insult. I like the idea and I love the ingenuity. The out side the box thinking is great. I fish alot of nasty weather like this upcoming weekend.

Not at all, as I said I can talk about this stuff all day long even with people who razz me or otherwise think I’m ridiculous. I love it. My only point about urban vs. rural/suburban is that a lot people in the outdoors world just naturally assume that everybody has a 2-3 car garage, a truck, space for a trailer, storage, etc. when in reality a LOT of people who are trying to get outdoors live in small apartments/condos/houses with not even a garage. For now I’m one of them.

p.s. my memory could be off, but aren’t you the guy who recently posted pics from an ice hub with a full-screen mounted LCD and a gaming console? If so you are living large and I admire it

Lol yes, no screen just a 12 dollar Amazon projector and old school ps3, projected against the side of the shack. But that’s the camping set up for multiple days when I can drive to my spot. That is no couple hours of fishing type of deal.