Is something like this actually used in some places?

[taxi1]

Can't remember where I got it from. Maybe here somewhere?

Seems like it would be the ticket for iffy ice as long as the ice is smooth or the snow isn't too deep or uneven.

[Ice Scratcher]

My places!

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[taxi1]

My places!

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Is that your picture? Looks like Erie then?

[Ice Scratcher]

Last season..



I really didn't want to be alone, but I inevitably was..

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[RapShack]

Still see them around the Mississippi backwaters once in a while but airboats are more popular these days.

[Ice Scratcher]

but airboats are more popular these days.

So is money! Lol...

Boat, motor, and trailer... $300...needed some work, sold the trailer for $100.. Swapped the 3hp, for a 13hp...

Nothing fast but it beats walking ten miles out, ten in, three guys and gear, two shantys..

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[taxi1]

I think it's pretty cool! Poorman"s airboat?

[WYIfish]

Where do you keep the oars?   Kookie man!

[Sandcountrylivin]

Very cool!!! And the piece of mind of getting in a boat to hit the lake, just seems right. We have a fellow on lake Poygan in central Wisconsin with one. I thought it was the only one in existence until I saw scratchers on here

[stinkyfingers]

I really like the look of that thing. Looks like something one of those Russian back yard engineers would come up with. How's wear and tear on the bottom? Would to pay to put it up on skis?

[Ice Scratcher]

Here is a video of it...

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[Ice Scratcher]

Would to pay to put it up on skis?

It has aluminum runners on the bottom, welded on about two inches tall, and 1.5 wide, capped with stainless...

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[Bumski]

I saw one for sale not to long ago.....Seriously 
Scratchers used to quite popular in my neck of the woods..........
The flatbottom usually sat it a steel frame so you could use in in open water......most of the ones around here used a Briggs and Stratton motor.....
Rode like a rock but worked well.....

[walleyes]

I like em, not much use for them in my country but still an interesting machine.

[taxi1]

Here is a video of it...

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Awesome!

[Ice Scratcher]

Awesome!

Thanks man!!

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[Ice Scratcher]

This is funny, I don't know the guys that made this video, I only knew about it because a friend saw it on you tube, and told me I was in it.. Lol...

First couple minutes are highlights, but my boat shows up again around 12:10...

When lake Erie freezes like that, you can see just about anything on the ice.. Including airplanes...lol..

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[theangling1]

With it being a boat and all, what happens if you hit a thin spot and drop through! Serious question, intriguing concept.

[Super-ice-bird]

With it being a boat and all, what happens if you hit a thin spot and drop through! Serious question, intriguing concept.

I was kind of curious the same thing. What do you do if you hit a thin spot and break through? Your just stuck sitting there in the middle of the lake? Obviously you would not want to get out of the boat to try to pull the boat out of the water. Does the drive work to propel you out of the water or are you just stuck sitting there?

[taxi1]

That's what oars are for?

[wirenut45]

geez, scratcher, unless that   video is jimmied, you,re doing pretty good clip. a running man couldn,t keep up. wish we were allowed to use motors here in pa. oh well, guess the lacrosse express is it. wire

[Chute82]

geez, scratcher, unless that   video is jimmied, you,re doing pretty good clip. a running man couldn,t keep up. wish we were allowed to use motors here in pa. oh well, guess the lacrosse express is it. wire

I often wonder if you could use it in PA..if registered as a boat and has 20hp and or less... but I’m sure in PA if they couldn’t get you for that they find another violation

[icefishman]

I was kind of curious the same thing. What do you do if you hit a thin spot and break through? Your just stuck sitting there in the middle of the lake? Obviously you would not want to get out of the boat to try to pull the boat out of the water. Does the drive work to propel you out of the water or are you just stuck sitting there?

You live!!

[Bumski]

I was kind of curious the same thing. What do you do if you hit a thin spot and break through? Your just stuck sitting there in the middle of the lake? Obviously you would not want to get out of the boat to try to pull the boat out of the water. Does the drive work to propel you out of the water or are you just stuck sitting there?

On the river here the oldtimers always had a Halberd type spike-hook on a 10ft long pole.....I had 1 myself for fishing the open water below the dams in the winter for Walleye.....
You would drag the boat and motor across the thick ice to the edge,get in the boat and push with the pike to the water.....when we were ready to go we would motor as far as possible onto the ice and then use the hook to pull the boat to thicker ice.........
Worked like a charm.....the scratchers would do the same if they went through.....

[DR.SPECKLER]

ice scratcher I'm thinking about building one when I get ahold of a 10ft flatbottom.ive got engines and clutches laying around.was wondering what gearing you went with starting with clutch to jackshaft sprocket teeth,then sprocket teeth to final drive.im going to mount my drive wheel to a old trailer hub/spindle and weld rebar that's sharpened to my metal disk drive wheel.

[Ice Scratcher]

With it being a boat and all, what happens if you hit a thin spot and drop through! Serious question, intriguing concept.

I've only gone through twice, both times I hopped out and pulled it up..  I think it would eventually sink/swamp if left in.. Has some holes, it was whooped on before I got it.. I think they used it for an uphill firewood hauling sled or something in the past.. Using a truck or similar to drag loads up a steep hill, because I know it didn't get like that from fishing or trapping..

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[Ice Scratcher]

ice scratcher I'm thinking about building one when I get ahold of a 10ft flatbottom.ive got engines and clutches laying around.was wondering what gearing you went with starting with clutch to jackshaft sprocket teeth,then sprocket teeth to final drive.im going to mount my drive wheel to a old trailer hub/spindle and weld rebar that's sharpened to my metal disk drive wheel.

I'm not near it at the moment, but a couple things about mine...

It's not homemade, they were made in Wisconsin by a company. Brass plate on mine says Scratcher Products Co. Stoddard WI...

Original engine was a 3hp Briggs, was belt drive from clutch to jack shaft...

Ended up going full chain when I swapped the 3hp (iron) to a harbor freight Honda clone 13hp, aluminum, weighs about the same, if more not much....

Number of teeth on the sprockets I'll have to count, don't remember them...

Although, it went about 14mph, with the old 3hp, it only goes 15mph, with the new 13hp, so I could possibly use a taller gear somewhere.. I know I have the horses, just getting the hooves to the ground is another thing...




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[DR.SPECKLER]

id be fine with 14 mph.probably smaller sprocket on the end drive or bigger on the back side off the jackshaft would gain some speed but I was just wondering what your gearing is for a starting point.so damn cool tho bud!!

[DLB]

When I was a whole lot younger, we used to see several of those on Lake St. Claire.  A few years ago, I saw one for sale at the north end of the lake.  Like a fool, I never stopped to inquire about it.