Thinking about building a hardside...

[BrianF]

I have, use, and love my portable.

However, every year I am closer and closer to building a hardside. I don't like the idea of leaving it anywhere though and that is what has stopped me each time. However, it would be nice to build and bring out for derbies and long day trips and probably the only way to go for night fishing. If I make it lite enough and serve multiple purposes it may justify building.

Idea is to build something as big as possible that will fit on my current trailer (5X8) and also house my snowmobile at home (off season) as well as on my way to the ice.

Project / plan:4X10, 2x6 pt runners, 2x3 cross members, 5/8 pt floor, 6' 2x2 (2'OC) wall framing, 3/8 t111 siding, 2x2 (2'OC) metal roof (3/8 ply under).  Doors and windows and one end will open to ramp (for sled). I'm guessing that it will weigh around 800 pounds???

Am I nuts in thinking that this will be lite enough for 2 people to load / unload on to my tilt trailer? I would not leave it anywhere longer than a week or two if at all.

Or should I just stick with my portable and buy more lures. 

-Brian

[sarniajeff]

Hey Brain
I too love the mobility of my portables but would love to have a hardside as well.
The Hardside for me would have to be large enough to house 2-4 people and be adequate to use for extended overnight trips.
One of my favourite places to fish is a 5-6 hr drive from home. Each year I spend a decent amount of dollars renting from an outfitter for my extended stays. Many times I feel as though I'm wasting money on renting when I could invest that cash on my own hardside.
This year I will be staying 2 weeks and potentially 2 other smaller trips to Lake Nippissing here in Ontario. This adds up to considerable costs that could go toward my own hardside.
I retire in 6 years and that may be the time to make the move to my own hardside. At that time I'll be able to spend more extended times staying on the lake. I'm fortunate too, that my wife enjoys the fishing and snowmobiling that area has to offer.
Because of the distance from my residence I will have to arrange a place for storage during the summer. I've even thought of making it large enough to accomodate summer time visits and have it on a campground close to the waters edge. My present outfitter has just such a place and may have to discuss my plans when making my first visit this season.
The mobility of the portables is important for consistant fishing success but the hardside with it's comforts and square footage offer things a portable was never meant for.
To have both would certainly be the ideal setup.
Regarding your question about weight and 2 men being able to put it on a tilt trailer. I've heard of others that have mounted a wench, like that used for boats, on the trailer to assist in the loading.
As for leaving it on the ice, I've heard of very few issues regarding unwanted visitors/vandalism as long as you don't leave valuables in the shack or at least keep them out of site. Locks only keep honest people honest.
You may want to go a little wider than 4'. Even 5'  or 6' will make a huge difference in how much bigger the shack will feel.
Good luck with your project and 2009 season.

[BrianF]

Thanks.

Vandals are everywhere though. It is not terrible here but... I trust that 99 percent of the people that enter the ice have respect for others and their property but know that 1% or more are out there without. Last there was a pretty good handful of shanties on our big lake in NH (Winnipesaukee Lake) that got broken into / damaged. This is a rural / lake community too.

I also have a thing about staying mobile. I like fishing for different species and different styles, waterbodies, etc. But it sure would be nice on a planned cold outing to bring a small home out there.

I thought about the winch idea too (but electric). That might work... If I can put a 2K pound boat on a trailer 30+ times a year then I should be able to put a 1K house on a trailer 5-6 times a year.

[mparzick]

this year i am building my second hardside,the first i put together with job site scraps.(carpenter)
built in hurry to get on ice.stove made out of 5 gal metal buckets,small 14x20 window just the basics.
did the job got us out there.both are 8x10, new is going to be a little nicer,paint,48x20 window.plus
donated parts out of my 72 Winnie or as wife calls it the piece of shed her dad gave me.got the propain/12v
furnace,12v lighting,table, and what not.wife is even sewing me curtains,cushions. not sure if I'm going to put stove oven
in there it is also 12v/propain.we put it out on a lake about 1 hr away.hoping to stay a couple nights.
i have to say that i own a portable,but it cant really beat the hardside experience.