Fish house floor plan.....

[fishingguy]

Anyone got pictures, drawings or suggestion for the layout, floor plan ect.. for a fish house. I'm going to start one 6.5 x 12 in a few weeks, and appreciate any ideas on how to lay out the holes, bunks, heater, position of door, and windows, ect.... Thanks for any help!
If you have pics and would like to e-mail them to me. Please do! To: [email protected]

[mrmillelacs]

I am going to start one in july. I have looked at a lot of them and have a pretty good idea as to how to do it. I have found web sites for suppliers of everything i will need except the lumber. I am definately going to start with a road king trailer. My plan is to build the walls knowing where the windows and doors are going to be and putting all the chairs and heater and bunks and creature comforts in after, and the holes last. Ps. If you want, you can borrow this idea: I am buying boat seat pedestal bases and attaching them to the floor of the fish house so i can use my confortable boat seats and be able to swivel around from hole to hole. If you wan you can e-mail me and i will send you the links to some fish house supply sites- [email protected]

[alwayscatchineyes]

I have a 8 by 14 and the extra 2' in lenghth is really nice. My door is opposite the tongue, my furnace is on the tongue wall with the cook stove above that. I have a window on each long side, and don't go cheap with the windows or all you will see if frost out them. My bunks are on the long walls (6' bunks) centered on the wall which are hinged to fold down. With them up you can still fish the corner holes but not the ones in the center since the bunks are over them, but can when down. Lots of cupboard space is important. I have them the lenghth of the long walls. Remember if you are to stay overnight you will need space for sleeping bags and pillows and never go to sleep without both windows open for extra ventliation!!!!!! unless you don't plan to do anymore fishing or anything else. Put a good solar panel on to save alot of hassle of bringing batteries home all the time. Mt trailer is made with angle iron with some exrta bracing here and there. My wheels are 4" back of center that is the center of the wheel is 4" back of center and my 14'er pulls like a dream down the road, but mine is 14' remember don't know if 12' have to do some figuring. My lights are one on each end for the end holes and one in the center for cards and bs'in. A good door is also nice but can get rather expensive, I made mine out of plywood on each side with insulation inside ane 2 by 2's for the frame, but with the price of lumber and plywood right now don;t know if that is the cheapest way right now? A friend of mine has the same fishhouse but his door is on the long side towards the back, I think about 2.5' from the back then put one bunk on the short wall where my door would be then two bunks, one on each side like mine on the long walls for a 3 bunk setup. I just managed to get a lane recliner in mine for the 3rd bunk, pretty comfy. Any other questions just ask. I will try to get some pictures if you want them, let me know.
Oh yea I also have a can crusher in there for all my buddies that come to visit, they never take the empties with them, some don't even bring the full ones, just dig into mine@#@&*!!!

[fishingguy]

Thanks for the responses!
catchin, did you insulate your floor? how did you do it? sandwch foam between plywood? How did you fasten your floor to the frame? bolts all the way thru? Self drilling screws?
mrmillelacs, I would appreciate those links. Keep me posted on your progress, and I'll do the same. Maybe we can use some of each others ideas as we go!
I was thinking of putting one layer of treated ply down for the floor, then insulate from the bottom up between the steel girts of the frame? What do you guys think? Or will the insulation freeze down to easy?
Thanks again for the imput, keep the ideas coming! I would appreciate some pics if anyone had some. My e-mail address is: [email protected] if you'd like to exchange ideas.

[This message has been edited by fishingguy (edited 04-11-2004).]

[alwayscatchineyes]

I used 2 by 4's on edge to make the floor frame, then 5/8 trtd. plywood layed on top and screwed down. Then lay the floor on the trailer and get yourself a good drill bit and drill through the side of the angle iron and run carriage bolts through the iron ind all the way through the 2 by 4's and use washers and bolts to secure it to the trailer. Now start with the walls. I used 2 by 4's for the bottom and top plates and 2 by 2's for the studs. Build the walls then stand them up and fasten to the floor and beef up the corners and screw them together. Make sure everything is flush on outside for the sheeting to be put on later. Now build the rafters, I used 2 by 6's and tapered them from one side to the other to give a little pitch to the roof. Put them up and screw down. now start sheeting everything. I used 3/8 plywood for the walls and roof then painted the walls viking purple. I put aluminum valley tin on the roof and sealed everything with a good silicone. Now for the insulated floor. 2 by 4's are 1 1/2" so if you use a 1" styrofoam and lay on the floor and put 1/4, 3/8, or 1/2" plywood on the floor you will be close to flush with the top of the 2 by 4's, done now to fine tune everything on the inside, which currently is still taking me 5 yrs. to get everything like I want, I add or renovate something every year.

[rattlem'up]

i'm building a fish house currently and i'm just starting on the floor. I plan on puttnig 5/8 in treated plywood on the frame then build my walls (2x4 top and bottom plate, 2x2 studs) and put them up by using self tapping screws that go all the way through the metal. then in the inside of the 2x4's lay 1 in or 1 1/2 in foam then lay your 1/4 in plywood on the top of your 2x4's and screw or nail the plywood to your studs. Thats how i plan on doing my floor. as far as the rest goes i'm thinking about putting a dinette that folds into a bed in front and 2 fold up bunks in the back. The heater on the side of the house. 1 window on each of the long sides. Door in front side by dinette. I am also building a V-front with little doors on the inside to put my propane tanks. It will also help the wind resistance. all comments, advice or pics of fish houses appreciated.
rattlem'up [email protected]

[Ronsay]

GRIZ,

Could you explain how you built the ski's? I have a 16' and a Bearcat snowmobile and would like to build a set of ski's for mine if I could figure out the proper way to construct them.

Ron

[psegriz]

I built my own house bout 8 yrs ago and can tell you that once used for a year I had to make changes. It is 8 x 16 V front with 4 bunks, 8holes, three windows, 3 burner range, homade heater, the wheels are all the way in the back spaced so they tracked my pu.
With the wheels in the back and all that tounge weight you can go through an awful lot of snow when getting it off the lake. First trip to URL made me realize that it don't trailer worth a hoot Added another axle in the middle.
If you don't have something between ice and insulation plan on replacing insulation as I did.
Also I built a set of skies to be straped to the wheels and on for the jack stand that pivots. Why believe it or not I can pull it with my 1976 440 scopion whip snowmobile. Even though it wieghs more than 3000 lbs.
Floor plan door is in the V, the bunks are on the side all the way in the back 2 on each side one on top another all can be flipped up. Holes one in miidlle on back, 3 on each side and one up front in middle. windows are one each side behind V and one in back. Can't have enough cupboard space and don't forget some hooks to hang coats on. I went with gas lights cause I don't like hauling batteries around and don't want to hook it up to my truck. One in front and one in rear. Oh It sprung a leak not long ago so I'm planning on putting a rubber roof on it now, then I'll put new paneling inside. I built my own windows bad idea recommend buying good quality ones.

GRIZ

[psegriz]

Ronsay

I'll try my best to explain. I sold the set I had but my brother is going to build another set for me out of alluminum, he can get it pretty cheap where he works. The ones I had were out of stainless real slippery on snow but awful heavy. They were aprox. 14" and bout 6' long with a bend up front. Used angle iron spaced so the whhels fit just btween them for stiffners the lenght of skis. Then pieces 5" outta fairly thin metal were rolled to wrap around tires were welded to skies where tires are to sit couple lenght of chain welded to top side of them. Use chain binder to cinch tight onto tires. The front ski basically built the same but needs Instead of Straps to hold on to tires a piece of pipe in middle so it will swivel. It has a piece of pipe welded to the bottom that is around a piece of shaft which is welded to the ski so it will pivot up and down. Apiece of pipe that fits just inside or outside of jackstand is welded to shaft or pipe that fits just inside pipe on ski. Set it inside and weld a washer onto pipe on ski to hold into place. Place completed unit onto jack stand Drill hole to put a pin through and can take on off easily. I took a piece of 1/2" rod bent around and welded to front just like on a snowmobile ski to put tow strap onto for pulling. Remember you must have jackstand w/round pipe and it must be real sturdy beacause it just became the hitch your pulling on. I can't pull it on a dead pull starting out so I take off at 90 degree angle to get some momentum then keep it going and don't stop until where your going. For safety sake don't use tow strap with hooks on the ends just loops. BTW it doesn't seem to work well for me in real deep powder snow have a hard time getting enough traction. Also my axle was positioned so aprox 1/3 of weight is on each tire and 1/3 is on jackstand an axle that is more centered might work little different. I don't know of anyone else who has tried it. Hope I explained it OK if not shoot me an e-mail w/your address I'd draw a diagram for you. Also be careful when stopping so ya don't get run over by fishhouse. So if you happen to be onURL and see an old snowmobile pulling the big red crappie hilton, Buddies call it the albatros give me a wave.

GRIZ

P.S. e-mail psegriz at hotmail dot com

[fishingguy]

I talked to a buddy of mine last night, and he suggested to use carpet pad under the carpet for added insulation. Will that wick and hold water and moisture? And start to smell?
I like the idea of using 2x4's for the top and bottom plate for strength with 2x2's for studs. 2x4 studs in all 4 corners, also for strength.
Foam sandwiched with treated plywood sounds like the way to go for the floor.
My frame is 2x3 steel tubing. How do I fasten floor and walls to the frame? Bolts all the way thru? Self drilling screws?
Thanks for all the ideas! Keep them coming!

[Ronsay]

GRIZ,

Thank's for the instructions, I believe I understand what your saying. They would have to be built quite sturdy with the amount of weight they will be supporting.

I like the idea, as you could go most anywheres and not have the weight of a truck pulling the house during early season. If the snow was deeper, you could track a trail with the snowmobile, and then hook up to the house for better traction.

I may contact you in the future if i decide to build a set, to get some advice.

Ron