What the heck is this?

[Mark W]

Since the duck hunting season for me is over, it is time to get the ice fishing gear together. In perusing my favorite ice fishing site, I came across this. Anyone know what the motor is that is powering this thing? Homebuilt or commercial? I have no plans to own one but thought it could be used for ice fishing (what a great way to fish early ice without fear of drowning should you break through) and with a paddle wheel of some type verses what is on this thing now may be it could be used to push a duck hunting boat. Might make a big splash but could be cool.


View attachment IMG_4283.JPG

Mark

 

[tod osier]

There was a discussion here a couple years ago, I did a bunch of reading on them at the time. Mississippi river bottoms is the traditional area. Lot of youtube videos on them. I can't remember the proper name.

 

[SJ Fairbank]

It's an ice scratcher, a company used to make them in the midwest somewhere. It was manufactured to be used as pictured, for icefishing. Pretty cool, but they look really dangerous.

 

[tod osier]

don't wear a long scarf when running one, especially if you like to look over the back to see how the saw blade is working ! .

 

[SJ Fairbank]

don't wear a long scarf when running one, especially if you like to look over the back to see how the saw blade is working ! .

I saw one on the ice a few years ago in NY, and thought exactly the same.

 

[Huntindave McCann]

Since the duck hunting season for me is over, it is time to get the ice fishing gear together. In perusing my favorite ice fishing site, I came across this. Anyone know what the motor is that is powering this thing? Homebuilt or commercial? I have no plans to own one but thought it could be used for ice fishing (what a great way to fish early ice without fear of drowning should you break through) and with a paddle wheel of some type verses what is on this thing now may be it could be used to push a duck hunting boat. Might make a big splash but could be cool.




Mark

Yep, that's an "ice scratcher". Everyone I've seen in person has been homebuilt. I can't imagine any of them being commercially produced. Never seen one with much of anything for proper guarding, safety clutches and/or kill switches. Poor man's airboat for ice travel and yes designed as a safety precaution for early ice. Deeper snow starts to limit the usefulness. Glare ice, can more right along as long as you are not worried about no brakes (typically).

Some guys run right on the boat hull. Other designs, the hull sits up on steel runners. The motor can be most any 4 stroke engine you got you can rob off a junk piece of equipment. Couple belts and pulleys, start the engine, pivot the now spinning blade down onto the ice and off you go.

 

[benp]

Do a few donuts and you got yourself a good hole to fish out of

 

[SJ Fairbank]

Another thought Mark-as Dave mentioned they don't look commercially manufactured. Pretty sure I got the idea that someone was making and selling them in the 60's from the guy who, I believe, owns the boat in your picture. If you pm him he might be able to provide more info. I still think it's scary, but hey, it's icefishing!

If you're serious about picking up an early/late ice machine look at the Wilcraft. I have one and it gets me and a buddy on the ice when we wouldn't dare walk. Two guys on two inches. Be ready for sticker shock.

 

[tod osier]

Another thought Mark-as Dave mentioned they don't look commercially manufactured. Pretty sure I got the idea that someone was making and selling them in the 60's from the guy who, I believe, owns the boat in your picture. If you pm him he might be able to provide more info. I still think it's scary, but hey, it's icefishing!

If you're serious about picking up an early/late ice machine look at the Wilcraft. I have one and it gets me and a buddy on the ice when we wouldn't dare walk. Two guys on two inches. Be ready for sticker shock.

Neat machine. What happens when it brakes through and you are floating surrounded by ice? Or do you try to avoid that? I see it has open water ability. How do you get back on the ice?

 

[Lance Pardee]

We had one. A guy in Sabula Iowa use to make them. We'd use it on our 14' flat, We had a carriage it sat on made out of angle iron, but didn't need it on new glare ice. They would really fly across the ice, we used it late season duck, and for ice fishing when ice wasn't safe for walking or when along way away, no one had 3/4 wheelers back then

 

[SJ Fairbank]

Another thought Mark-as Dave mentioned they don't look commercially manufactured. Pretty sure I got the idea that someone was making and selling them in the 60's from the guy who, I believe, owns the boat in your picture. If you pm him he might be able to provide more info. I still think it's scary, but hey, it's icefishing!

If you're serious about picking up an early/late ice machine look at the Wilcraft. I have one and it gets me and a buddy on the ice when we wouldn't dare walk. Two guys on two inches. Be ready for sticker shock.

Neat machine. What happens when it brakes through and you are floating surrounded by ice? Or do you try to avoid that? I see it has open water ability. How do you get back on the ice?

The wheels retract, you use a push pole to get the rear wheels back on ice, then the wheels are deployed slowly while the machine backs onto the ice. There are tutorials on the Wilcraft website. I practiced with it the first year, it takes patience. I wouldn't intentionally use it as a boat, it's the equivalent of a 10' jon. More of a liferaft with self-rescue potential. Your basic icefishing maniac novelty item.

I have gotten myself out on a couple of occasions and used it to get on late ice where other guys were using planks. It is made for glare ice, more than 8" of snow and it gets squirrely although mine is 2-wheel drive. They do make a 4-wheel drive model which a friend in NY has and it does much better. Very cool to drive about the lake with the top up and the heat on, there are windows all the way around and there are holes in the floor to jig through (with plugs while travelling).

 

[Mark W]

Looked up Wildcraft - they are located not even 10 miles from me. Wonder why I haven't seen any around on the lakes. I think I even know who the owner is. Small world.

What I would like is something small that could get me and my gear out onto early ice and early ice with snow. I'm not much into walking towing 50-150lbs of gear behind me and waiting to hen the ice is thick enough to drie n means less weeks of ice fishing. I think it would be great to take the auger off a snowblower, lighten it up somewhat and use it as a pusher or puller or gear and people. Speed isn't important, just get me there and back.

Mark

 

[Michael B]

Why not an airboat? http://www.arrowprop.com/airdrive.htm

 

[SJ Fairbank]

Looked up Wildcraft - they are located not even 10 miles from me. Wonder why I haven't seen any around on the lakes. I think I even know who the owner is. Small world.

What I would like is something small that could get me and my gear out onto early ice and early ice with snow. I'm not much into walking towing 50-150lbs of gear behind me and waiting to hen the ice is thick enough to drie n means less weeks of ice fishing. I think it would be great to take the auger off a snowblower, lighten it up somewhat and use it as a pusher or puller or gear and people. Speed isn't important, just get me there and back.

Mark

Sounds like you're in search of adventure, look up snowdog. That's my next icefishing acquisition. Lightweight, easy to transport and not as spendy as a wilcraft. Saw one but haven't tried it.

 

[tod osier]

Got it, thanks for the tutorial.

Another thought Mark-as Dave mentioned they don't look commercially manufactured. Pretty sure I got the idea that someone was making and selling them in the 60's from the guy who, I believe, owns the boat in your picture. If you pm him he might be able to provide more info. I still think it's scary, but hey, it's icefishing!

If you're serious about picking up an early/late ice machine look at the Wilcraft. I have one and it gets me and a buddy on the ice when we wouldn't dare walk. Two guys on two inches. Be ready for sticker shock.

Neat machine. What happens when it brakes through and you are floating surrounded by ice? Or do you try to avoid that? I see it has open water ability. How do you get back on the ice?

The wheels retract, you use a push pole to get the rear wheels back on ice, then the wheels are deployed slowly while the machine backs onto the ice. There are tutorials on the Wilcraft website. I practiced with it the first year, it takes patience. I wouldn't intentionally use it as a boat, it's the equivalent of a 10' jon. More of a liferaft with self-rescue potential. Your basic icefishing maniac novelty item.

I have gotten myself out on a couple of occasions and used it to get on late ice where other guys were using planks. It is made for glare ice, more than 8" of snow and it gets squirrely although mine is 2-wheel drive. They do make a 4-wheel drive model which a friend in NY has and it does much better. Very cool to drive about the lake with the top up and the heat on, there are windows all the way around and there are holes in the floor to jig through (with plugs while travelling).

 

[Paul Mc]

I can't remember the proper name.

Redneck?

 

[tod osier]

I can't remember the proper name.

Redneck?

No that wasn’t it.

 

[Paul Mc]

I can't remember the proper name.

Redneck?

No that wasn’t it.

Dangerous?

 

[George Goodsell]

Mark,
They're also referred to as "picker boats", I just noticed one sitting by one of the sports shops in La Crosse a couple days ago. Used to be a lot of em on the river but not so much any more. They don't handle the big presure ridges very well. Snowmobiles an 4 wheelers have taken over.

George

 

[Mark W]

Mark,
They're also referred to as "picker boats", I just noticed one sitting by one of the sports shops in La Crosse a couple days ago. Used to be a lot of em on the river but not so much any more. They don't handle the big presure ridges very well. Snowmobiles an 4 wheelers have taken over.

George

Yeah but they don’t float should you go through. I saw a YouTube video of a guy who appears to have just take a Garden tiller, puts it in front of him and lets it pull him across the ice. Lots of ideas out there.

Mark