Tearing Down (updated)
One of the sad things about the end of the ice season is putting all the gear away. Its obvious that I need to wash down the Jet Sled XL from the last trip to get rid of all the mud, but I started thinking about the rest of the gear.
With shanties, its not all that hard to either, but some things can get over looked. If you have been using them on a regular basis some of these tips can get skipped between trips, but when putting away for the year, its time to stick to the details.
Make sure all the water is out of the tub. Soak up as much as you can, and if still damp, just turn a fan on to finish off the process. Next leave the shanty up for a day, with all the poles up and fabric stretched. This will help dry any water that might have been trapped in the folds while in use. Look for any new holes that might have developed, even with the best care on the ice this will happen to you. Mark these holes for future repair. Its too cold now for glues or sprays to work, so save it for a rainy warm day later. When dry, fold up all nice and neat and if you have a travel cover, there is one more step to consider. If you have cats in the garage, shop or barn, they usually take care of the rodent problems for you. But if you aren’t blessed with such a curse, throw in some cedar wood chips. Not only do they smell better than mothballs, but they work just as well for keeping mice out.
Its also a good idea to run some brand of fuel stabilizer through your auger. Drain what is in the tank back to your fuel container. Mix the stuff in, give it a couple of shakes and then put back in the auger. Run your auger to make sure the treated fuel has gone through the carberator. Cover and store for the year. I use an auger cover from Ready Rig, easy to zip on and off, keeps the dust out, also keeps the spiders from doing any damage.