Sled For Shanty (Clam 5600)

[squirrel-master]

Was wondering what people's input was on making a sled to haul in general a shanty but more specifically a clam 5600 if ya want? I know the official specs say its like 170lbs but it seems like it weighs 200+lbs with my gear and is a pain to pull out on straight ice and almost impossible in deep snow. I thought about trying to buy a flip over shanty this year, but I would only really want a quality shanty and fact is im not too rich being in college and all (not yet at least ha!). So point is im sticking with my clam 5600 and plan to use it a lot this year as I am one of the leading ice fisherman of the WMU fishing club team. Pics would be awesome if ya want to post them but any other input would be great. I built a cheep smitty sled two years ago outta conduit and scrap wood but sadly my buddy accidently crushed it when he came to plow my driveway and it was covered in snow in the driveway... I'm looking to make a better one now tho, maybe with old skis and some better quality materials. Thanks for any input!

[Lobes]

The best alternative out there is still the original Smitty Sled built with downhill skis a couple 2 X 4's for spreaders and I used 2 X 8's for risers. Simple, cheap, very portable, cheap,  many use them for the two and three man flipovers because they're heavy.
On bare ice and deep snow they make the job the easiest.
Oh yeah and they're cheap and easy to build!

                                                         
Lobes

[P Meyette]

smitty sled all the way

[darkeyez]

Another vote for the Smitty Sled.
You could even make 2 different length crosspieces, one length for the clam, and another shorter length for traveling light without the shanty.

[Old Goat]

theres a 2 man otter flipover on CL for 100.00 add said good shape  looked like the green version

[3300]

170 pounds empty!
how did you get convinced this is what you want to pull by hand?

any way, your on track with using downhills kies for your next smitty build, but you need to ditch the shack man.
expect to sell it on craigs list (lots of eyes there right now) or friend who has a machine to haul it and buy some thing light weight like most of us do.

i bought the shappell (i always buy shappell because of their dx3000 is very nicely built) fx100 filp over. at that time it weighed 32 pounds. they have since upgraded the plastic in the tub and made a sliding bench seat so now it weighs 37 pounds empty, no water, ice or snow stuck to it yet. also, get their hyfax runners for 30$ because it makes it pulls SO much easier except deep snow. smitty skies for deep snow or a snow blower (my personal choice hehe) when the walk gets tough. use motorcycle straps to hook onto the eye bolts with what ever sled or tub your hauling and attach the long pull rope to the raisers and not the tips of the skies. using the tips of the skies makes the back end sink and so its not flat on snow and basically your plowing snow then with the skies. with smitty skies and lots of weight, it's still no fun hand pulling, but any help is MUCH appreciated! just walking in deep snow is no fun at all.

got me thinking, maybe a double wide ski or two skies on each side, so four skies in all might float easier. hmmm...

make sure to wax your skies. packed snow will fight your trip back if it sticks to them. i use my auger cover as a scraper when it happens to my waxed skies.

the fx100 should be around 200$. hyfax kit around 29$. find some sales!

good luck!

[squirrel-master]

Old Goat: I didn't see that shanty on Craigslist. Maybe it's in Wisconsin?

3300: It's a great shanty otherwise the weight and I used to have a buddy with a similar style shappel that we could connect it too kinda that hasn't fished for a few years now and also I bought it off a friend for a really good deal. I am kinda looking at this now as this is the my shanty for the near future until I am more financially stable. I really do like the shanty for 1 - 2 person shanty fishing. My cheap smitty style sled I made two years ago worked great except for it didn't ride on top of the snow due to the conduit skis.

For the smitty sled voters out there: I think this is the style im going with, but where do you get the skis for this and what's a fair price? I did a quick search on Craigslist for Kalamazoo, MI and it didn't provide many options if any lower than $75 for a pair.

Thanks again for your input!

[3300]

i use a smitty sled for all of my sleds when the snow gets deep. the skies are found at goodwill or used goods stores or garage sales.
10$ or less.
mine came with my wife and she never used them.

some say ski resorts give them away. call and see. call echo valley and the others and ask if they have any to toss.

[Ice Scratcher]

I've been using a 5600 style for over 25 years now (on my second one). They are heavy, but they have their place too, great to fish out of when you don't need to move a lot.. I also have a lighter FX100 for different days..

I've been using a sled I built for mine, a sled is an absolute must for the 5600! If you build it right it can be a useful tool that will serve you well for years. Mine weighs 60lbs and fits in the back of an s-10 or ranger...

I have been using this style of sled since 1985..

My first one had a square front and would plow on the taller drifts when being towed by a machine. It would throw snow all over my gear. Here are some pictures of my second version, featuring a boat nose.. stays on top of the drifts...











Here it is loaded up with gear for me and four first timers...



Added a wind break extension last season...



Good luck!!!

<*)))>{

[chilly-willy]

could ratchet strap it to a jet sled or a soroc sport sled like I do? I set it on top and strap it down... like in picture...

 

[HIMO]

a clam 5600 that weighs #170lbs. no way I had a clam 6800 that weighed just under #100lbs and that shack was 6x8ft. your 5600 probably only weighs 75-80lbs max. do as others say and build a smitty sled.

                                                                                                                          HIMO
                                                                                                       Iceshanty & MFF Moderator

[squirrel-master]

IceScratcher, I love that idea and think im gonna shoot for one of those!

HIMO, look it up, base weight is like 170lbs, its crazy but I cant deny that its a great shanty. Usually takes 2 people to lift it, although I have figured out a way to pick it up by myself if need be, it's hard and I was a all-conference o-lineman a few years back if that puts it into perspective.

[compli123]

You-Tube:  "Smitty Sled Plans" for some great designs

[HIMO]

IceScratcher, I love that idea and think im gonna shoot for one of those!

HIMO, look it up, base weight is like 170lbs, its crazy but I cant deny that its a great shanty. Usually takes 2 people to lift it, although I have figured out a way to pick it up by myself if need be, it's hard and I was a all-conference o-lineman a few years back if that puts it into perspective.

go to clam.com and download the 5600 manual.

height 77"
depth 72"
width 60"
weight  75lbs.

                                                                                                             HIMO

[3300]

go to clam.com and download the 5600 manual.

height 77"
depth 72"
width 60"
weight  75lbs.

                                                                                                             HIMO

opps!

[motocross269]

http://www.manualslib.com/manual/28242/Clam-Corp-Clam-5600-8201.html

Typical fisherman...Take whatever weight and length we claim and divide by 2...

The older I get the heavier stuff seems also...by the time we get back to the truck after a long day everything seems twice as heavy..

[HIMO]

http://www.manualslib.com/manual/28242/Clam-Corp-Clam-5600-8201.html

Typical fisherman...Take whatever weight and length we claim and divide by 2...

The older I get the heavier stuff seems also...by the time we get back to the truck after a long day everything seems twice as heavy..

ok, then explain to me the illusion of the empty beer cans feeling lighter!!! LOL !!!

                                                                                                        HIMO

[squirrel-master]

I know when I looked up the some specs on it a few years ago to see if it'd fit in an s-10 blazer I was looking into buying, I saw it said 160lbs. I believe there are two versions, one that is thicker packed away and one that is thinner when packed. Whatever it is, it is heavy as hell to pull out when its on its own and will plow a nice path for anyone behind you.

Icescratcher: Will that sled fit into a s-10 blazer? I have a two-door version, if not I'd prolly figure out a way to put it on top.

[Ice Scratcher]

Icescratcher: Will that sled fit into a s-10 blazer? I have a two-door version, if not I'd prolly figure out a way to put it on top.

It fits a S-10 pickup with the gate closed for sure, not sure about a blazer...

It pulls like a dream, and its stealthy quiet on bare ice, unlike plastic sled bottoms...

It great without a shanty too, you can be extremely mobile because you don't necessarily have to pack everything away to move...

<°)))>{

[Alex Delarge]

The 5600 fits well in the MAGNUM.
 https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjpmbfAtvjJAhXEzz4KHe09CpUQFghLMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shappell.com%2Fsleds.html&usg=AFQjCNGq3vBP53tk7l27uwnThbj5vL0Iog&bvm=bv.110151844,d.cWw

The jet sleds pull much easier than the clam alone. Put everything else on top... done. Use a long rope pulls easier by hand. I pull mine with a snosled and got the wear bars. I can fit it all in a 4runner.