Steel Chain along the bottom of a Flip Shanty to minimize wind gusts

[icebucketjohn]

Anybody install steel chain along the bottom flap of their flip style shanty to minimize sudden wind gusts., thus preventing the poles from bending or the fabric from tearing from away from the poles?

I have a Clam Nanook that I'm giving serious thought of doing so?... Using Grommets, Zip Ties & Steel Chain.

Any Experiences, Thoughts, Ideas, Comments or Suggestions?

[Nysportxman]

I know it's a pain when trying to be mobile, but why not just pack the skirt down with snow?  I have the Nanook as well.  It seems like a lot of extra weight to the already heavy shanty.  You might even end up tearing the fabric even more as you open and close the shanty with those chains along the skirt.

[bigredonice]

the metal would make me afraid of it freezing deeply into the ice, the skirt on mine takes a beating as it is.

[Dean Nelson]

I just use the slush from the holes. Just push it to the side and once flipped kick it onto the skirt. Most days it will freeze locking to skirt into place but not so hard that it can't be freed up later. It only adds a few seconds to the set up time.

[fishermantim]

anything that will anchor underneath will make it more likely that it may get blown over instead of across the ice.
The canopy will catch the wind, but because it can't b pushed across the ice it may be pushed over.

Or maybe if you catch the "right" wind you can become airborne and cover more of the pond/lake than you expected???

[tyfishstix]

Try a heavy metal bar on one side of your skirt held in place with powerful magnets on the other side. Then, you may use as needed.

[Idahogator]

Any Experiences, Thoughts, Ideas, Comments or Suggestions?

John, many flip-over skirts have a hem sewn in at the lower/outer edge.

Often, this can be opened, just enough to insert PVC pipe in 3/4" or 1" with  elbows to connect the two corners.

This added a "flange" to the skirt without adding much weight and keeps it on the ice.

It has worked out very well for me and if it's too windy for that, I stay off the ice.     

[Chute82]

Window weight... Find somebody who replaces Windows and ask them to keep you a few.  Place the weight on your skirt when fishing and when your done throw them in the sled.

[1moslab]

John, many flip-over skirts have a hem sewn in at the lower/outer edge.

Often, this can be opened, just enough to insert PVC pipe in 3/4" or 1" with  elbows to connect the two corners.

This added a "flange" to the skirt without adding much weight and keeps it on the ice.

It has worked out very well for me and if it's too windy for that, I stay off the ice.     

.         Not sure I follow Idahogator,picture would sure be nice.right now I put some Velcro on the bottom of the inside and on the bottom corners of my shelter it works okay but not great depends on the wind

[jtc]

I have had a chain in my Frabill.  It works OK.  I might try the PVC to see if that works a little better.  I don't have a zipper door in mine so building snow on the skirt (which is too short) doesn't work.

[Idahogator]

         Not sure I follow Idahogator, picture would sure be nice.

Yes, and a video would be even nicer.

But first, look at the edge of the skirt on a flip-over.

Notice the material does not show a frayed edge but, is folded and sewn/stitched.

The chamber formed is where the PVC is inserted.       

How's that ?

[Nysportxman]

You can try getting rare earth magnets and space them about a foot apart along the entire length of the skirt.  I'm not sure how much of a havoc that would cause with the shanty, poles, jigs, and anything that can come into contact with them.

[jethro]

I have a hub, but I usually use my chisel on the windward side to do just that.

[Crappyfishrman]

I took 2 black socks and filled them with sand. Place on the skirt and good to go! Easy and cheap

[1moslab]

Yes, and a video would be even nicer.

But first, look at the edge of the skirt on a flip-over.

Notice the material does not show a frayed edge but, is folded and sewn/stitched.

The chamber formed is where the PVC is inserted.       

How's that ?

          Yea I know how the skirt is and understand putting something in there.its the elbows to the corners I'm not following

[gaspumper]

The skirt goes all around the front portion, straight pvc on left side then elbow straight piece then elbow then the straight piece for the right side all pushed together like a u.

[Idahogator]

          Yea I know how the skirt is and understand putting something in there.its the elbows to the corners I'm not following

Well stated Gaspumper.     

The elbows connect both "side" PVC pieces with the "end" PVC which meet at 90*, making the installation of three pieces into one piece for greater support.

No glue/cement required ~ Just a slide fit for easy take-down and convenient transport/storage.     

[IceGunner]

I have a friend who bought one of the rubber stall mats from a farm supply store and cut it into 6" strips.   he lays a strip on each side of his flipover on top of the skirt.   It works phenomenal.   They are black, therefore absorb some heat, flexible, easy to break free if frozen, durable and just heavy enough to stay put.    They work fantastic. 

[Chute82]

Yup.   Perfect if the flip-over has one of those thingys called a "DOOR".       

The OP clam shanty he is talking about clearly has a door

[ispoman]

I'm gonna mount my one man on railroad ties tonight. Tired of this wind

[Icicle1]

I either anchor with snow/slush or with rope & tiedowns. You can drill pilot holes about 5' from shack &  insert pins attached with string to shanty. Works great. Never nice seeing a mans ice home gallivanting across  the ice.

[3300]

not sure of your question, but on windy days on clear ice i use the hole shavings to build a bed for the tub to nest onto. i use a home made wind bar that goes from the tub lip to the 1st tube behind you. this pushes that tube forward so the wind can't lift the front tube off the ice. i use my drill auger and make a hole leaning it into the wind and leave the auger in the hole and toss the tub rope over and onto the ice. the back of the shack faces the wind always.
no problems fishing this way. can open it in high winds too.
i drill 3 holes when i know i am parked for a while, so there is plenty of ice shavings to make a bed for the tub.

[GourdneckGills]

If anything id just through the chain on around it. Not attach it

[chilly-willy]

been there don't that... with the chain works awesome .. I used tarp eyes I punched on to the skirt with a hammer but folded it to make a pocket ...  and zip ties to hold the chain on fold the first three inches over so it would cover the chain and secure it with three zip ties... .


 thing I need is rods that don't break when the shanty is flip back over lol's ...   

[Idahogator]

 Thing I need is rods that don't break when the shanty is fliped back over.  lol's ...   

Yup. That's the beauty of using PVC.    It can even be removed for transport.       

If it's not heavy enough ~ fill the PVC with sand and cap the ends.     That's how the cavemen do it.     

[JiggingIowa]

I use a 15ft section of 5/16" vinyl coated chain that I picked up at lowes. The vinyl coating isn't much but I haven't had any issues with it freezing down yet. I simply keep it in my vehicle as a tow chain and throw it in my sled when I head out on the ice. No need to sew it in, simply drape it around the skirt as needed. Works great.

[spoofhoundicefisher]

the chain works great.  snow is hit or miss down here sometimes and dont like putting the slush on the shanty flaps as it is has quite a few years on it and it freezes and tears when it is time to go home.  has anyone ever or know if they recover their shantys with some different material like the insulated material that is out now and is very cost effective.  i have an old dave genz fish trap and it fishes 3 very easily but the fabric is getting very thin.

[chilly-willy]

I use a 15ft section of 5/16" vinyl coated chain that I picked up at lowes. The vinyl coating isn't much but I haven't had any issues with it freezing down yet. I simply keep it in my vehicle as a tow chain and throw it in my sled when I head out on the ice. No need to sew it in, simply drape it around the skirt as needed. Works great.

good point but mine has no door to get out and do that so mine is basically sewn in lol's ...


by the way keeps breaking fishing rods every time I flip it over got to find a better way to store the rods lol's..