Track machines, handyman jacks, a chainsaw and big steel pry bars

[curt quesnell]

Thats what it took but the permanent houses are off the lake safe and sound. I also learned about snap ropes.

Its all portables from here on out.

[fivebucks]

And I bet a little elbow grease and sweat...

[Walleyehooker]

wood blocks are cheap lol

[Frank_Walsh]

Any chance you could explain the "snap rope"?

[CANOPY SAM]

I was just discussing this with a good friend of mine. He had to contact the DNR to request an extension to remove his perm from an inland lake. He literally can't get it off due to extremely deep snow.

The DNR said just get it when you can. Don't get stuck, or break stuff just to get it off. I'd imagine there are a lot of folks out there in the same boat, and after this storm, and the wind that's predicted to follow, getting houses off LOTW is going to be a real challenge this year.

Just saw an ad for a nice skid house for sale on LOTW. Great price, you just have to go get it off the lake!!!

Gonna be few days to even open up all the roads up here again, let alone get all the houses plowed out. Good for you, Curt! Smart to get em' off before this next bout of snow and wind!

[ReyNel]

We pulled our houses off on Saturday (the butler grain bin and a wheel house) at Gull rock. We had a skid steer and was that a life saver I haven't seen this much snow in the 11 years we've been fishing there. We also dug out the guy that offered to help pull my sons pickup out a few weeks ago when they got caught in a blizzard out there.

[jerkbait]

Sam, where did you see the add for the fish house? If i may ask

[CANOPY SAM]

JB. I should have said "heard" the ad on KTRF radio. It should show up on their website in the next few days. I think it's KTRFradio.com? Maybe Curt could give you some better intel? It's his "home" station.

I do a lot of looking for stuff there. You can see listings for stuff wanted, or for sale, at their Trading Post thread, or Buy and Sell. Great deals on stuff there!

[jerkbait]

Ah yes. I haved looked there before too.

[curt quesnell]

search the TRADING POST or Buy and Sell on the trf radio website. Lots of good stuff being sold. The following for these shows is huge!

Snap rope is a one inch nylon rope with hooks or loops on each end. It is not real long either 10-15 feet or so. You hook up one end to what is stuck and the other to your snowmobile with as much slack as you can get in the rope. Then you wide open throttle the pull sled, when the slack is gone there is a very brief moment of hesitation and then the stuck thing is stuck no more. One inch rope for a snowmobile for trucks and bombers you can use 2 inch rope. Dont use this on the fishhouse that is still frozen down, use it to pull the house off of the spot and

over the snow pile to safety. It is also great for stuck snowmobiles and stuck cars and trucks.

Doesnt it sound almost as dangerous as a handyman jack.

[Frank_Walsh]

Thanks Curt. Been a party to that process many times, and have the sore ribs to prove it. Just never heard that term, and thought maybe there was something to be learned.

Now, as to stories with a handyman............

[MN Mike]

Anybody wants in on some of the fish house retrieval action, I can accommodate!

This was a few years ago and I'm sure it will be an adventure again this year.....

[hawgchaser]

That's an all-to-familiar sight! A safety note to those using the handyman (hi-lift) type jacks. Put some inch to inch and a half bolts through the base plate of the jack...thread side down. It keeps the jack from slipping on the ice and can save you from a nasty bruise (or worse).

[curt quesnell]

I think the handy man jacks are soooo dangerous, even the most careless person needs to think about what he is doing.

[ReyNel]

Good advice hawgchaser. If possible I drill hole about 1" deep for the foot of the jack set in. As to the point calling them a handyman jack, we have renamed them a widow maker on our farm. They are useful but command respect.

[MN Mike]

In the picture above, we drilled about a foot down for the base of the handyman to sit in, I don't trust them at all.

Mike

[jerkbait]

Curt, I can't belive there is not a video of all your fun and excitement.

[curt quesnell]

I had the camera along but in order to video I would have had to stop working and it was taking 3 of us to get it done. I have a friend who has a great video of using a snap rope to get a snowmobile unstuck in deep mountain snow. I will try to get it.

[McGurk]

...even the most careless person needs to think about what he is doing.

I would say; ESPECIALLY the most careless person needs to think about what he is doing!

Good luck and Godspeed to those in this predicament. It might be worth getting together on shore with others in the same boat and organizing a house removing posse. After a couple of completed moves it would get easier after you got the system down. This forum would be a good place to start!

[CANOPY SAM]

I almost quoted that one myself, McGurk, but you beat me too it! That made me laugh. Reminds me of that line in the movie Roxanne, "I'd rather have a drink with you people, then with the Best People in the World!"

That is a really good idea though. Once you've done a couple, you're pretty much an expert!