Ice recovery of vehicle start to finish. (No blame

Forums
Boji Ice Recovery of Vehicle and Wheelhouse
This is very interesting and the skill sets needed to accomplish
this safely is something. Bob Kirschbaum of Bob's Repair and Tow,
Spirit Lake, IA has good information.
(Accidents happen and glad no one was hurt)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgzWFDfj0nQ
Posts: 129
Thank you received: 24
offline
Moderator

Pretty cool stuff, I remember watching a video of a recovery that was done using an A frame type of rig which was then winched and pivoted out of the water/ice.
Posts: 432
Thank you received: 69
offline
User

That looks crazy...If that shack fell through...what makes them think the trucks wont....?
Posts: 432
Thank you received: 69
offline
User

Seems like the cost of recovery would be more than that shack is worth....Just let it go...
Posts: 432
Thank you received: 69
offline
User

Or better yet...Tie cinder blocks to it.... knock the windows out...If it falls straight down..it will provide structure..and be a good spot to fish next winter... ?
Posts: 432
Thank you received: 69
offline
User

Ehhhh.... Your probably right....But thats what insurance is for...lol
Posts: 432
Thank you received: 69
offline
User

I know alot of guys here that would love to find a 78 in that good of shape.
Posts: 6
Thank you received: 0
offline
User

Here is how some Russians do it:
http://youtu.be/c0_oKHARhXw
Posts: 6
Thank you received: 0
offline
User

If you google around you will see many methods for vehicle recovery. The A-frame method is very popular. Diver and a winch works well.

A lot depends on the thickness of the ice, how far out you are from shore, and depth of the water in which the vehicle went down.

Around here you are fined for each day a vehicle is down. The EPA does not want the fluids leaking into the body of water. If the ice is thin the local recovery guys might not touch it until the ice is safe to work on. That equates to big bucks for each day.

Then most insurance companies will not cover you for a vehicle through the ice. I have heard of some guys taking brand new vehicles on early ice and going through.

So they are on the hook for payments on a new vehicle that is totaled, fines for each day it is down until the ice firms up, costs of the recovery itself, whatever fines or tickets they receive for damages to the ecosystem and EPA problems, plus the replacement cost for something to drive even though they are stuck paying for the new one still.

I tell you whut... Y'all just talked me out of ice fishing altogether.

No... I'll stick to my flowing river and my little boat. When the water gets too hard to fish in, it's time for hunting and trapping anyway.
Posts: 121
Thank you received: 3
offline
User

I was surprised when the owner of the company told me that all the vehicles he and his sons drive are ones they recovered. They buy them back cheap from the insurance company. He said once in a while there is some electrical problem but most times they get them running fine. They're mechanics so labor isn't an issue.
Posts: 6
Thank you received: 0
offline
User

Guess i didnt take the time to think it all the way through.....With all that to risk...Ice fishing must be REALLY..REALLY important to some people....No way im driving my new vehicle out onto the ice...

Jessica


Not a lot of risk if you take precautions. Right now the ice around here is 3 feet or more thick. Auger extensions are hard to come by. They fly out of the shops when they get them in.

I do not fish early or late ice. i am neither the first guy fishing in the season nor the last guy.

If you follow the crowd you are generally safer.

You need to know the body of water. You might have thick ice in one spot and thin ice where there is a spring or current. You need to know the ice and the lake. Up to lake of the woods there is a lot of current and unsafe spots. You stay on the roads and trails and stay off the middle of the channels.

Pressure ridges can form where the ice cracks when the ice is growing and two sheets of ice are forced into each other. One goes under the other forcing one up or opening up a crack. They can be hard to see when everything is white. You need to go slow and follow the roads and trails. Hit a pressure ridge at speed and it can ruin your day.
Posts: 432
Thank you received: 69
offline
User

I looked them up, some of the package deals sound really good. Will be there sometime...its on MY bucket list...