Wilcraft

[boxcar]

Anybody on here have one? I've been toying with the idea of buying one. Just would like to read some oppions on them.

boxcar

[eriksat1]

I won't even spend that much money on a car/truck.

[lundin-loading]

One of the montana members/sponsors Perch assault is a dealer, shoot him a pm, they seem like they would be the bees knees!! And safe as heck!

[eiderz]

I just got mine a couple of weeks ago. Obviously no ice yet, but testing confirmed that it really does float with two guys. No doubt it has limitations in deep snow/slush but for early & late ice I believe it is the only ride in town.

[eriksat1]

I'm sure I would buy one also if I had a extra $30,000 laying around.

[eiderz]

I'm sure I would buy one also if I had a extra $30,000 laying around.

Not that it's chickenscratch, but they cost closer to 1/3 of that amount. I'm sure you have that much in the cookie jar?

[eriksat1]

Ok now I see them selling for around $12K I thought when I first looked at them a few years ago they were $30K

[eriksat1]

I think for 1/2 that price I could put wheels and a engine on a 12 ft Jon boat. Maybe a future project.

[Rebelss]

Place here in Minnysoda is advertising various demo models from 8G to 12G, ya can get two of 'em and still have enough left over for bait. 

[eiderz]

I think for 1/2 that price I could put wheels and a engine on a 12 ft Jon boat. Maybe a future project.

Interesting you mention that. I looked at airboats, hovercraft and hybrid boat/snowsleds. I have an atv and a regular snowsled. The hovercrafts are finicky and fragile according to guys in a local club, and the hybrids are sort of scary. I was fascinated by the airboats because my duck hunting club is in tidal water where "mudding" it out is a rite of passage, and a regular PITA. One member had an airboat and sold it after one year in favor of a mud motor. Two things turned me off to the airboats.- NOISE-they are loud, even the small ones!- Control-They go fast, but a boat on ice skates (required to keep from freezing the hull to the ice) doesn't stop so well even with the scraper brakes.

Anyway, I look at the Wilcraft, atv and snowsled as toys, the difference being there is a definite safety aspect to the Wilcraft. After having driven it into the lake last week I'm confident that if it breaks through the ice the worst that will happen is we have to fiddle a while to get out. I'm not sayin it's the greatest thing ever built but it's well thought out and other owners I met and spoke with swear by theirs.

I should also mention that based on where I live, looking back at the ice history on some favorite lakes here in the "Land of the Thin Ice" we would have gained a couple weeks on each end, early and late. That in and of itself makes the machine worth it to me.

[da man cave shack]

You could build on heck of a tricked out 6 or 8 wheeler for that price that could have a lot more off season uses as well.

[eriksat1]

Where Im at Deer hunting usually rolls into ice fishing, not much of a wait between the two if any before safe ice. Late ice is what gets spooky to me. I can hold out a couple of weeks for open water, for that price.

[jethro]

Man, even at $12k, that buys a lot of gas. All I do when it's either early or late season is travel up north to where it is thicker ice. Usually you can do this and only have a few weeks of down time. Drive north for safe ice and then drive south for open water.

[eiderz]

You guys are lucky you live in areas with long ice seasons. We get 8 weeks here if we're fortunate, and a week or two of that is junk.

[eriksat1]

I know what you mean I used to live in Illinois, 26 years ago. But I still couldn't see spending $12,000 to fish frozen water a couple extra weeks. I would just hook up the boat and head down towards southern IL to fish open water. But like I said if money was no object, I would buy one in a heart beat.

[Big-D]

If I had the money/when I have the money I would/I'm going to get one! With 2 kids and another on the way I want to introduce the next generation to the sport and make sure we all make it home at the end of the trip! Say what you will, but there is no such thing as safe ice. This vehicle, used responsibly, can make the difference. The extra two weeks it would buy me at either end of the season is the cherry on top.

I hear guys make the same argument about not spending $80+'on a custom rod. My time on the ice is limited and valuable, so I'm going to do all I can to make it as enjoyable and productive as possible. While I'm WALKING on the ice I constantly get passed by others on tricked out atv's and sleds - why not spend maybe twice as much (many times the same) and get the wilcraft! I live within my means, and am trying to pay down debt (student loans, mortgage, car payment) but you can bet your buns I'll have a wilcraft as soon as it makes financial sense (extended wait anticipated). I'm happy for the guys that made the smart choice to buy one - takes too much energy to run around hating.

[jumbo chaser]

x2 if I had the money I would buy one

[eiderz]

Just blowin' my own horn a little.     Had some simple artwork done and posted a couple of photos today.

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=261830.0

[boxcar]

Well if I decide to purchase one, I will use it more then just early and late ice. I agree, I'm not going to spend that kind of money to only gain a few more weeks on the ice.

[HVFD14]

Get in touch with PerchAssault, aka Mike.  He just became a dealer this year for them.  I got to see it last year and it looks pretty dang cool.  He used his as he fished his way back to MT from the Minnesota Ice Show.