went out with my new shappell fx100 knowing of a rain sleet and snow front coming and said no problem i have my trusty ice house. wrong answer, started raining and all the roof seems (which you can clearly see daylight thru) started leaking water all over my things i was keeping out of the rain. i wanted to let all the water out some how like a bilge pump or drain plug or bail with a cup. ended up using a wash cloth to soak up some of the water and wringing it out over and over. was not getting much fishing done and it was pissing my off the longer i tried to fish. the roof seams also leak when snow is on it and melts from heating the shanty. another weird thing they did was do a folded double stitch in certain areas and those areas can not leak. all they had to do is use that stitch every where, but choose not to. i wanted to convey that to them, but their spoke person basically cut me off and only wanted to tell me what to do about it.
single stitch seam leaking severely
heres their double folded double stitched seam next to their single stitch. notice no leaking and no day light at double folded double stitched seam (in corner)
heres the kicker, i called Shappell Corporation:
3562 Jefferson Hwy.
Grand Ledge, MI 48837
[email protected]888-571-1144 - USA
and told the lady who answered what is going on. she jumped me and said it is an ice fishing shanty not a rain shelter. i told her the roof seams leak when snow is on it too and she said take it back where you bought it because if she sends me another one it too will leak. i told her how you can see plenty of daylight thru the seams and she would not say any thing other than get my money back. i mentioned to her, after she tells me its not for rain or snow that my other shappell does not leak like this one does. she says oh what product is it. i said the dx3000 and she again said return it to place of purchase. i called my place of purchase ( a friend of mine) and asked if he would get his money back or not. he said it will take several months to find out if he will. he said thats just part of doing business and bring it back.
i guess i want to mention all of this to those who might be thinking the same thing i was thinking, to not buy one of these shelters to get out of the elements as they FAIL to protect you and your gear. btw, the shappell spokes lady said to put seam sealer on the seams until i mentioned all of the daylight coming thru them.
some one asked about these earlier and i had not had the chance to field test it enough to know what i know now. i did have more cons than pros at that time and after posting and reading what i wrote i came to realize it must not be that great when there are by far more cons than pros.
i am on the look out for a real ice fishing shelter, if any one knows of one that is a flip over and light weight and does not leak at the seams, please let me know.
if any one wants this shelter, its on the block for 150.00 w/cover for a short time. used it about 10 times. wont be around here long as i can get all of my money back from my friend who sold it to me whole sale. i would rather take a lose than making him take one. kind of in a dilemma.
update for Minnowhead:
the fabric is great and i could not ask for more out of it. it will condensate when its heated and cold out side is all.
i called mark at shappell a moment ago and asked if they can make a change for the roof stitch to be double folded and double stitched like the rest of the shanty is. he claimed he didn't know it was that way and blamed it on the chinese and said he would see what he could do.