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Homemade Floors for Portable Eskimo Ice Shelters

Homemade Floors for Portable Eskimo Ice Shelters

ice fishing huts on a frozen river image by GoodMood Photo from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>

Eskimo Ice Shelters are easy-up style tents used for ice fishing. These shelters keep wind, snow and ice out of the fishing area and provide a modicum of insulation for heat retention. One way these shelters can be improved on for heat retention is by adding a floor. With some basic materials and a few hours' time, you can construct a floor for your Eskimo Ice Shelter.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:
  • Measuring tape
  • 2 pieces 1/2-inch-thick Styrofoam
  • Utility knife
  • 2 PVC plastic strips, 5-foot long by 1/4-inch thick by 2-inches wide
  • Epoxy
  • 1 blue tarp
Step 1
Set up your Eskimo and measure the footprint of the shelter. If you have the original user manual, instead of setting up and measuring, get the dimensions from the manual. Place two pieces of Styrofoam onto a flat work surface and keeping the distances on each piece of Styrofoam even, draw out the footprint on the Styrofoam.
Step 2
Cut out the shape of the floor on the Styrofoam, making sure each piece is cut in the same size as the other. On one side of each piece of Styrofoam, glue the PVC plastic strips to the foam. Let the glue dry and the PVC set. Turn the Styrofoam over. The PVC will act as ice runners when moving the shelter, much like sled runners.
Step 3
Spread the blue tarp out and set the two pieces of Styrofoam over the tarp. Cut out two pieces from the tarp to cover each section of Styrofoam.
Step 4
Set one piece of Styrofoam onto the ground, the two blue tarp pieces and the last Styrofoam piece. Wrap them together like a burrito. Use this bundle to transport the floor. You can wrap and unwrap the floor quickly and easily when setting up your Eskimo Ice Shelter.
Step 5
Place the Styrofoam pieces, with the runners on the ice and snow, into the floor position for the Eskimo Ice Shelter. Place the blue tarp pieces, one on each section of Styrofoam, to complete the floor. Use the loose blue tarps for adjustments where the ice holes and sections of the ice you need to see should be kept clear. Move these as needed.

Article Written By Eric Cedric

A former Alaskan of 20 years, Eric Cedric now resides in California. He's published in "Outside" and "Backpacker" and has written a book on life in small-town Alaska, "North by Southeast." Cedric was a professional mountain guide and backcountry expedition leader for 18 years. He worked in Russia, Iceland, Greece, Turkey and Belize. Cedric attended Syracuse University and is a private pilot.

Write for Trails.com

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