I am pretty conservative about driving on ice. I got a wheelhouse this year and am wondering how people gauge their decisions to go out with this sort of gear.
ATV has a listed dry weight of 740lbs and my house with a minimal fishing setup is probably around 1800lb.
If there are about 12 other rigs out on the lake I usually wait until 6 more go out. Then I’ll think about it.
There was a one ton diesel pulling a fifth wheel house and tied to the back of that was a 16 foot enclosed trailer hauling his four wheeler and other gear, I just followed him out at a distance last weekend????
ATV has a listed dry weight of 740lbs and my house with a minimal fishing setup is probably around 1800lb.
Personally I’d be pretty comfortable on 10″ of good ice with that setup.
Out of curiosity what kind of house do you have that weighs 1800lbs?
There was a one ton diesel pulling a fifth wheel house and tied to the back of that was a 16 foot enclosed trailer hauling his four wheeler and other gear, I just followed him out at a distance last weekend????
I suppose that would matter depending on where you were at?
Red lake, not a shocker…Pepin? Call 911… 
I have a ridgeline. It is only about 1400 empty.
I’d say more minimum of 10-12″ good ice and you should be just fine!
It was on bitter lake in sd. 15 inches of ice
Here’s a good read:
I’ve had my Firebrand at 2300 lbs on 8″ ice a few times. If I’m at all worried I put on the wheel skis and tow shoe to spread out the weight. It’s not so much vehicle weight as much as it’s psi. Spread out the weight and you decrease the stress on the ice. My Trailer at 2300 lbs sits on 100 square feet which is only .16 lbs per square inch. A 200 lb guy standing on his 2 feet exerts 1.66 pounds per square inch. It all about the physics.
I’ve had my Firebrand at 2300 lbs on 8″ ice a few times. If I’m at all worried I put on the wheel skis and tow shoe to spread out the weight. It’s not so much vehicle weight as much as it’s psi. Spread out the weight and you decrease the stress on the ice. My Trailer at 2300 lbs sits on 100 square feet which is only .16 lbs per square inch. A 200 lb guy standing on his 2 feet exerts 1.66 pounds per square inch. It all about the physics.
That math only works after you have set the house down.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>castle-rock-clown wrote:</div>
I’ve had my Firebrand at 2300 lbs on 8″ ice a few times. If I’m at all worried I put on the wheel skis and tow shoe to spread out the weight. It’s not so much vehicle weight as much as it’s psi. Spread out the weight and you decrease the stress on the ice. My Trailer at 2300 lbs sits on 100 square feet which is only .16 lbs per square inch. A 200 lb guy standing on his 2 feet exerts 1.66 pounds per square inch. It all about the physics.That math only works after you have set the house down.
Agree. I’m guessing not many rigs fall through once set up compared to driving there. The important math is two 1000ish lb men standing 7′ apart on one foot, or lying down if you have your skis on.
Article above is pretty cool. Still think I’d steer clear of 5″ of pristine ice.
Thanks for the input! With the weather I might be able to get out around the metro this weekend!
I had an older fella tell me when I was younger that it was impossible to drop a medium sized pickup through 4-5″ of ice. He said “I wait for 6″ to be safe though”. Well now I’m a lot older and more cautious but I’m still positive he’s 100% right. Ice is very strong. I’ve seen many many full sized trucks on 7″-8″. The only problem is you have no room for error. I like to wait for 12″ to drive a full sized truck. Each to his own though.
To answer the OP question. I see 6.5’X14′(1500lbs) houses pulled out with ATV’s all of the time on 5″-6″.
I had an older fella tell me when I was younger that it was impossible to drop a medium sized pickup through 4-5″ of ice.
Perhaps smaller lakes? I have heard many reports of trucks breaking through ice twice that thick. Big lakes that that frequently crack at just the wrong time have sent many vehicles through. I’ve heard it’s a matter of timing but I won’t drive out on any large lakes without checking with a resort first, staying where they tell me to stay and do not go where they tell me not to go. And even then it’s kind of “white knuckle”!
here is how it works out with my 2300 lb wheelhouse. If on its wheels then thats about 32 square inches supporting 2000 lbs with 300 lbs going to tongue weight, this yields 62 psi exerted on the ice, not including tongue weight. If I install skis and toe shoe that spreads it out to 2376 square inches and exerts 1.6 psi…quite a decrease. Now, If its glare ice I can skid my house where I’m only stressing the ice .16 psi. Again, a 200 lb guy is putting down about 1.66 psi just standing there.
My criteria is not just thickness of ice, but quality of ice. Precipitation and or melt affecting current flow under the ice, and angle of the sun, it seems there comes a time when the angle is acute enough where no matter the temp, those rays just start honeycombing the ice. When that starts I sit on my hands and wait for the boat launches to open where I fish, primarily the Wisconsin River and it’s flowages.
Nice – look how I called your 300lb tongue weight! What is your ski setup and how much was it?
I like 12-15 inches for my wheelhouse. Also it depends on what the ice looks like and how it has been acting. Good smooth black ice = closer to 12″. Broken or re-froze ice = closer to 15″.
One thing for sure is I’m never going to be the first one to try it.
I like to wait for 12″ to drive a full sized truck. Each to his own though.
And I like to wait for 20″, while I have done 12″ a few times. Just too much to lose if you would happen to go through, I’d rather be beyond safe than sorry.
It was on bitter lake in sd. 15 inches of ice
I was going to ask where that was. We saw the same guy. We were there over New Years weekend also. That guy’s got a lot of money wrapped up in that hobby!
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Joe Scegura wrote:</div>
I like to wait for 12″ to drive a full sized truck. Each to his own though.And I like to wait for 20″, while I have done 12″ a few times. Just too much to lose if you would happen to go through, I’d rather be beyond safe than sorry.
I’m with you. I’ve driven 12 a few times-never the FIRST guy, or the fifth for that matter-and I pucker real hard. Once on a good clear 12″ I followed a guy I knew out to his spot, then promptly drilled a hole through MAYBE 9″. I have to have a good working knowledge of the ice, and it’s consistency.
Death can really cut into your fishing time.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Chris sietsema wrote:</div>
It was on bitter lake in sd. 15 inches of iceI was going to ask where that was. We saw the same guy. We were there over New Years weekend also. That guy’s got a lot of money wrapped up in that hobby!
That’s not just a hobby, it’s an obsession….trust me, I know first hand.
also do not forget about the wave factor under the ice, a car or truck driving on it will weaken it a lot because of the waves rolling under the ice…I will see if I can find the video on it…the ice does go up and down over a few hundred yards…you cannot see it but if you take a transit or laser and measure out to the other shoreline about a 1/2 mile or so you will see this…
The big trucks in upper Canada supply remote villages only in winter since they have to drive across frozen lakes. If they go too fast the wave they create gains speed under the ice sheet and is really no problem till it hits shore and erupts through the ice…then there’s a big problem. This was explained on the earlier episodes of Ice Road Truckers.
Well I finally went out for the maiden voyage on 12+ in the metro. I felt safe and it was awesome!
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
