Thinkin about building a permy this year

[98600xc]

I started college this year and live right on a good fishing lake and I figure I will spend alot of time fishing this year and that it would be nice to have a permanent house.  I was thinkin about building one out of an old camper. does anyone have suggestions or better ways to build one? thanks and pictures are always good!

[surflizard]

Sounds like a plan 98600xc, check out the equipment threads, they have a lot of info on all types of shanties. Run a search too, there is also stuff in the archives. Good luck and keep us updated ! 

[98600xc]

Sounds like a plan 98600xc, check out the equipment threads, they have a lot of info on all types of shanties. Run a search too, there is also stuff in the archives. Good luck and keep us updated ! 

will do!

[Ty]

I am currently working on converting an old camper into a perm, check out my thread for ideas.

[IceBalls]

How do you handle the fact that the camper floor is about 18 inches over the ice (if you don't want to invest in making it lower itself to ice level) 

[icefishingking62]

iceballs.. idk how hes doing it but what i did was cut sum plywood about 18inch wide and put hinges on them so when u get out to where ur gonna fish u can fold them down and kick a lil snow up and keeps all the wind out

[Rassy]

the guy who put a camper shanty up beside me last year just had some hole sleeves that went down to the ice...

[98600xc]

you can put sleeves or just bank the walls really good. Both workd when I used my neighbors camper...

[Madpuppy]

Cut the bottom out of a 5 gallon bucket and cut your holes in the camper so the rib of the top of the bucket rests on the top of the cutout and you're set. push a little snow around the gap and it's windproof. If a 5 gallon isn't long enough use a 6 gallon.

[edfalc]

Cut the bottom out of a 5 gallon bucket and cut your holes in the camper so the rib of the top of the bucket rests on the top of the cutout and you're set. push a little snow around the gap and it's windproof. If a 5 gallon isn't long enough use a 6 gallon.

this is exactly what i did but i used 6 gallon buckets and it works great.....i will try to post pics

[eriksat1]

I'm thinking of building a new one also. My old permy is way heavy and need a good foot of ice to pull out. My new goal is easy to put up and take apart, light weight, insulated, and wood stove. Must be big enough for at least 5 people to stay warm and drink beer. I want the ability to get it out on the ice early on maybe 4 inches. even if I have to bring it out in sections, with walls held together with pins and spring clip type cotter pins. I have 2 portables but I want something big that I can leave out on the ice.

[snowman6902]

I like where your head's at ericsat1. Beer drinking room priority number 1! Hahaha!!!

[rickl1968]

Must be big enough for at least 5 people to stay warm and drink beer. I want the ability to get it out on the ice early on maybe 4 inches.

EEEK!   .......   5 people drinking beer in a shack on 4 inches of ice 

[pfscott]

Drink light beer! But, anyway, my permy is an old camper, and it has drop tubes made of heavy plastic pipe. It works pretty good. However, it does take a foot of ice before I pull it out for the season.

[eriksat1]

EEEK!   .......   5 people drinking beer in a shack on 4 inches of ice 

Actually you can drive a pickup truck on 5" of good ice. Not that I would but 4" of good ice is very strong.

[surflizard]

I saw a guy try that here last year with an F-350 with a 10" fisher plow on it, Nice $50,000 depthfinder ! 

[jasond37]

I know I wouldn't bring a shack like that on 4" of ice.  I don't usually bring myself on 4" of ice.  Those camper frames are pretty heavy duty.  I don't even drive until there is at least 14"-16", but that's me.  You can expect to find half that on that same lake, almost a guarantee.  Anyway, back on topic, another way to combat the wind/snow is to have a skirt that either will fold down or store inside the shack.  Those camper frames sit kind of high, and a few rips of plywood with 1" foam glued to the inside would work great.  Similar to a skirt you'd see on a mobile home.  I would still use hole sleeves, they are nice at any height.  It is quite a bit of work to gut those things and convert, a lot of garbage to throw away.   

[SPADED]

I am currently working on converting an old camper into a perm, check out my thread for ideas.

x2... ty's shack is really coming together,and should give you a few great ideas

[Rebelss]

Actually you can drive a pickup truck on 5" of good ice. Not that I would but 4" of good ice is very strong.

That would be a death sentence.
Let's get off to a good, safe start this year....

[jascpa099]

I saw a guy try that here last year with an F-350 with a 10" fisher plow on it, Nice $50,000 depthfinder ! 

Yeah, that is not a pickup...that is a heavy duty depth finder!!

[eriksat1]

That would be a death sentence.
Let's get off to a good, safe start this year....(Image removed from quote.)

Not to start an argument but if I waited for 4 inches I would miss the best early ice fishing. I'm talking clear as glass hard ice we get here. I have seen a car with 4 people in it drive across the lake on 3" I was amazed at the stupidity but they made it without falling through. If you want to get technical no ice is safe, just stay home. in my post I did say I want to build a very light weight shack like 1/4" paneling with maybe styrofoam for insulation. My heavy shack I wait for 12"

[Rebelss]

Not to start an argument

Me either. Just don't want to be pulling any more bodies out of the water that thought 5" or so inches of ice were safe for their vehicle. Whatever it takes to keep people safe comes first in my book. To each his own. 

[ice dawg]

Actually you can drive a pickup truck on 5" of good ice. Not that I would but 4" of good ice is very strong.

I have seen a friend of mine drive his diesel suburban on six inches of ice. When he discovered how thick the ice was he couldn't wait to get back to where I was fishing on fourteen inches. Another friend told me that I can land an airplane. I disagreed with him and he said "Believe me. When ya run out of fuel yer gonna land.". I think the DNR info leaves a bit of cushion for safety and I have to admit I have never been the first person to drive onto a frozen lake.

The DNR recommends the following activities be conducted when at there is at least the following amount of good clear ice on the water body.

Less than 4 inches – STAY OFF! There is no reason to test the newly formed ice at this time.

4-6 Inches – Ice fishing, foot travel in single-file lines, and small spaced seating on the ice should be safe, presuming the ice is clear and clean.

6-10 Inches – Snowmobiles and ATV’s can travel safely on good ice that is over inches thick.

10-16 Inches – Small cars and pick-ups can begin to venture on to the ice. However, the DNR states that it is best to avoid driving on the ice whenever possible.

16+ Inches – A medium-sized car or mid-size pickup can drive on good clear solid ice.

[surflizard]

I'll bet the guy who drove a loaded camper School bus out onto the lake one year at a local derby wished he had read that ice safety chart before he submarined that bus in 60 FOW !!  We had one brain dead yahoo put "TWO" vehicles thru the ice on the same lake last year !! I love chasing Trout on first ice, but after having taken a bath or two when I was younger, convinced me to learn to read and check the ice better ! 

[SPADED]

Me either. Just don't want to be pulling any more bodies out of the water that thought 5" or so inches of ice were safe for their vehicle. Whatever it takes to keep people safe comes first in my book. To each his own. 

i think anyone who has worked in law enforcement and actually had to pull a body out of a lake would be on the safe side of the fence.. but 4 inches to walk on?!? that's awful cautious, i have been on 2" and skirted across 1 inch before... i hate seeing the ice sag and dip where im sitting so i dont make a habit of less then 2.. but like surf said,man that first ice is so much fun! i think rebel is just trying to make sure we all live to make it to the st paul ice show

[Rebelss]

i think anyone who has worked in law enforcement and actually had to pull a body out of a lake would be on the safe side of the fence.. but 4 inches to walk on?!? that's awful cautious, i have been on 2" and skirted across 1 inch before... i hate seeing the ice sag and dip where im sitting so i dont make a habit of less then 2.. but like surf said,man that first ice is so much fun! i think rebel is just trying to make sure we all live to make it to the st paul ice show

That would make me very happy.

[SPADED]

PM received rebel... and i would like to just let everyone know.. do as reb says not as i do lol and i think i AM going to visit that memorial at silver lake,maybe post a pic in the shanty in the sky thread.. they may not have been iceshanty.com users but they were ice fishing brothers and the fact that a physically fit firefighter fell thru 4 inches and wasnt able to get out of 6 ft of water,doest give my cigg smoking butt much room for error.not to mention a young boy was with him and lost his life as well..

as rebel told me... dont be a ding dong!

[surflizard]

Well spoken SPADED ! 

[eriksat1]

My guess would be way more people fall through late ice than early ice.

[matt12]

late ice can be vary deceiving !!!

almost lost my ford last year trying to go that one last time  lol luckily i made it on the ice and back off