Looking for ideas. Converting old hardside camper to and Ice House.

[ice_l0rd]

I am looking for some ideas and suggestions on converting and older (70s vintage) 15ft camper to an icehouse. Interested in hearing ideas for holes, sleeves/no sleeves, durable skirting that's easy to handle, and anything else.

thanks

ice_l0rd

[Dan Thiem]

Welcome to FM icelord.

I did the exact same thing you are thinking of doing. I tore off everything away from the main frame. (It was really bad.) Then I framed up a floor and built up from there. My wheels don't crank up, but that has never been too much of an issue. I just skirt the thing all the way around with cardboad and pile snow up against the cardboard. There is no need for sleeves. The floor is only about 12" off the ice. I thought about installing the sleeves but I don't like the thought of a fish flopping around in the tube and falling back into the drink. Without the sleeve at least there's a chance it will fall on the ice if it unbuttons itself. Plus when I open the holes back up I can just throw the ice and slush underneath the shack. Not have to bucket the shavings out the door.

Are you leaving the camper part of it on or tearing it off?

[cold one sd]

I use an old camper and fish through sleeves and it works fine. I haven't had a problem with losing fish while bringing them up into the camper. When redrilling holes, I pull the tubes out, redrill the holes and put the sleeves back down. They are sealed around the holes in the floor with the foam seals that are used for window air conditioners. When you drill holes for the first time you have to clean the holes out, push the sleeves down into the ice cone and then clean the holes out again. The bottom of the sleeve will be down in the ice cone and this makes a wind seal at the bottom of the sleeve. If you clean the ice away from the hole before putting the sleeves down, you will get a draft comming up into the camper. When I want to move, I just pull the sleeves and go. Hope I helped a bit.