Ice screws

[Mr.X]

Have used rebar like Scared Silly said in 2013. Have used simple garden anchors screws too. Also, very nice to have wooden pallets to stand on as they give you a place to stay without getting too wet and traction is good without having to wear cleats. This all said - ice screws are pretty nice.

 

[shoredivr]

We plunge cut 4" square holes with the chainsaw about 10 ft back from the edge of the hole, one for each diver including the safety diver. Then take a 2 ft length of 2"x4", one for each square hole, securely (non-slip knot) tie the 3 tether ropes one to the middle of the 2"x4"s. Push one 2x4 down each plunge hole. The wood will float up to the undersurface of the ice, securing the ends of the tether. Getting the wood out at the end of the dive just requires patience and a screwdriver to jab the wood, push it along until the end can be fished out of the square hole, and the tether untied. Cheap, secure and cheerful.

 

[Mr.X]

I haven't seen this technique. Sounds very interesting. Trying to visualize the config. with the three tether ropes attached to the middle of the 2"x4". Would you have a piccie of the setup?

Cheers,

X - not currently under the ice and happy about it.

 

[shoredivr]

You can see the square plunge cut hole with the single line leading out, imagine the 2x4 floating right under the ice. There are three of these plunge cut holes, three lines and three 2x4s
Hope that helps. Safety diver's tether and plunge cut are next to the ice throne.
Making an ice throne is optional.

And yes, that is a nitwit not affiliated with our little project trying to ice fish quite close to noisy bubbly divers. Lake Simcoe, Ontario, a few years ago

 

[shoredivr]

Here's another, you can see two of the square holes and the lines. I agree pallets would be a great addition!

 

[Mr.X]

Here's another, you can see two of the square holes and the lines. I agree pallets would be a great addition!

Thanks so much for posting these pics. Interesting method and certainly less obstructive / no fouling hazard at the surface. I like the ice throne too. But I wonder why no one is sitting on it. Sorry, bad joke.

Cheers

X

 

[shoredivr]

The safety diver was heeding the call of nature ;-) .

No seriously, that was pre-dive.