Self-propelled ice shelter

Abstract

A self-propelled ice shelter includes a frame, a housing and a drive device attached to the frame, and a power source attached to the frame to the drive device. The power source propels the self-propelled ice shelter. A weather stripping skirt substantially seals the space between the housing and the surface on which the self-propelled ice shelter is positioned when the self-propelled ice shelter is stationary. In some embodiments, the self-propelled ice shelter includes a leveler attached to the frame for leveling the self-propelled ice shelter when stationary. The ice shelter includes a template attached to the frame, that is used to mark the position of openings with respect to the footprint of the housing that correspond with openings in the of the housing of the self-propelled ice shelter.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A self-propelled ice shelter comprising: 
 a frame;    a housing attached to the frame;    a drive device attached to the frame;    a power source attached to the frame and to the drive device, the power source for propelling the self-propelled ice shelter.    
     
     
         2 . The self-propelled ice shelter of  claim 1 , further comprising a weather stripping skirt adapted to substantially seal the space between the housing and the surface on which the self-propelled ice shelter is positioned when the self-propelled ice shelter is stationary.  
     
     
         3 . The self-propelled ice shelter of  claim 2 , wherein the weather stripping skirt can be deployed to a seal position and to an underway position which allows for clearance when the self-propelled ice shelter is underway.  
     
     
         4 . The self-propelled ice shelter of  claim 2 , wherein the weather stripping skirt has a substantially fixed height.  
     
     
         5 . The self-propelled ice shelter of  claim 4 , wherein the drive device is movable with respect to the frame between a drive position and a retracted position, wherein the drive device is moved to the retracted position when the self-propelled ice shelter is stationary until the weather stripping skirt forms a seal between the housing and the surface on which the self-propelled ice shelter is positioned.  
     
     
         6 . The self-propelled ice shelter of  claim 5 , further comprising a hydraulic apparatus for moving the drive device between the drive position and the retracted position.  
     
     
         7 . The self-propelled ice shelter of  claim 5 , further comprising a lever apparatus for moving the drive device between the drive position and the retracted position.  
     
     
         8 . The self-propelled ice shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the drive device includes a set of wheels.  
     
     
         9 . The self-propelled ice shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the drive device includes a track.  
     
     
         10 . The self-propelled ice shelter of  claim 1 , further comprising a leveler attached to the frame for leveling the self-propelled ice shelter when stationary.  
     
     
         11 . The self-propelled ice shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the housing of the self-propelled ice shelter includes a floor having at least one opening therein, the self-propelled ice shelter further comprising a template attached to the frame, the template used to mark the position of openings with respect to the footprint of the housing so that an opening may be made in the surface on which the self-propelled ice shelter is positioned that will align with the opening in the floor of the housing of the self-propelled ice shelter.  
     
     
         12 . The self-propelled ice shelter of  claim 11 , wherein the template is a collapsible apparatus capable of a stowed position and a template position.  
     
     
         13 . A method comprising: 
 driving a self-propelled shelter to a position near a desired position on a surface;    positioning a template on the desired position on the surface;    marking the surface of the desired position using the template; and    driving the self-propelled shelter substantially to the desired position on the surface based on the marks made on the surface.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising making an opening in the surface based on one of the marks made on the surface.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein driving the self-propelled shelter substantially to the desired position on the surface substantially aligns the opening in the surface with an opening in a floor of the self-propelled shelter.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising sealing a space between the floor of the self-propelled shelter and the surface.  
     
     
         17 . A method of ice fishing comprising: 
 positioning a template onto an ice surface, the template having at least one marking for positioning an opening to be made in the ice surface;    making at least one opening in the ice surface at the at least one position the template; and    moving a shelter over the opening, the shelter having a floor having at least one opening, wherein moving the shelter over the at least one opening substantially aligns the at least one opening on the surface of the ice surface with the at least one opening in the floor of the shelter.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 marking the ice surface where the at least one opening will be located; and    marking the ice surface to enable alignment of the at least one opening in the ice surface with the at least one opening in the floor of the shelter.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein marking the ice surface to enable alignment includes making at least two marks on the ice surface.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein marking the ice surface to enable alignment includes placing markers viewable from a housing of the ice shelter on the ice surface.  
     
     
         21 . An ice shelter comprising: 
 a frame;    a housing attached to the frame; and    a buoyant device integral to the frame and housing.