# Clam Guide



## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

I bought one late last season but only had a chance to use it once.I've used it a few more time and have to say I give it about a 5-6 out of 10. Sometimes I wonder who designs this stuff and if they really let average Joe test it before it hits the market. The biggest problem........ the seat rack. If you haven't seen or used one.. the frame for the seat is some pretty heafty pieces of steel. While ample in strength it weighs more than the rest of the sled put together. Not only is it too heavy it is located to far forward and makes the sled front heavy when everthing is extended. I "fixed mine by moving the seat to the back edge of the original bracket and adding a short piece of flat steel for the back support of the seat on each side. It actually is nicer because now there is some space inside the sled just below the knees for stuff you don't want to lay on the ice. I'm guessing $20 of aluminum angle would cut the weight in 1/2 and be well worth it. As a matter of fact I will probably make that conversion myself.

Second....the pins on the bows are a bugger to push in... especially with a gloved hand. Some spring tension is nice but I think these might be a bit overdone. Guess I'll just have to buy their little accessories that assit with that problem.


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## Todd_J (Jan 9, 2010)

I have a Guide as well. I completely agree with the seats being over-engineered. Sliding back and rotating is a great feature, but the seats are about 50 pounds of the total sled weight. Even the new ones have a bench that must weigh close to 40 pounds. Silly IMHO.

I removed the second seat to cut weight and only use it when my wife joins me on an outing (about once a season, if that.) I'm half tempted to remove the seats all together and sit on a collapsible aluminum "director's style" folding chair that has a handy table attached to it.http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Outdoors-Deluxe-Large-Chair/dp/B0018JKE8U 8 pounds. Put that in the tub and you are Good to Go.

The spring buttons are a PITA, They sell clip-on button pushers at Scheel's that look like they might be worth it. They are with the clam accessories.


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## Crimsonfisher (Jan 20, 2010)

I registered just to be able to post something on the Guide. Hope the thread isn't so old that you miss what I post. I just bought a clam guide and assembled it. I have run into the same things that you two have.

Yes, the bench seat is very heavy and I am thinking of removing it and either making a lighter weight version, or just using the light aluminum fold out chair that I ice fish with now. If I completely remove the bench seat and the brackets, then there are a couple of things that have to be addressed.

I believe that clam probably made the seat heavy on purpose, to try to balance the setup when the flip up shelter is deployed. The shelter tends to want to lift the back side of the sled. For this, I figured that anchors were going to be needed anyhow to hold the thing in place against wind, so I installed some eyelets on the back side and made some anchors that I can secure it down with to meet both needs.

Also, I wonder if the flip poles and attachment brackets are going to be solid without some reinforcement between the two ends. The two end brackets are just bolted to the plastic sled and it seems pretty strong, but once you start using it will it be strong enough. I think a lightweight aluminum angle between the two brackets would solve worry about this aspect.

I have made a couple of minor modifications to date. I got some 7/8 inch inside diameter rubber tubing (Lowes washer discharge hose I think), which fits snugly over the upper U poles. I put about 5 inch long pieces extending over the end of the pole and not quite to the hole where the lock buttons pop out. This prevents pinching my fingers and I am toying with pushing it over the hole.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

DS -

Amen. I have a 2-man guide from 2003, and I do most of my fishing by foot. It is the lightest, smoothest pulling sled of all yet has room enough to store all my gear (exc. auger, but that rides on top of the seats). The seats are plastic and mounted on aluminum rails. By myself, I can lift a loaded sled (~75#) into my truck bed. Unloaded, I can practically hurl it into the truck. The tarp is a little thin, and it is the old style "U" door, but other than that, my complaints are few.

The new Guides as of say 2005 are heavier, bulkier and as stated above way over-engineered. The new ones are designed as a snowmobile sled for sure. The sled is a "tall" version, whereas the older sleds have lower lips. I have been looking for the old style Guides on Craigslist, and it doesn't seem there are many who want to part with them, like 1-2 a week I think was the average. So there are options out there, but you all seem to have some good ideas on lightening your load.


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## Traxion (Apr 16, 2004)

Gotta agree, the new Guides are way over engineered. I've got one from 04 I think and love it. Size and weight are just right, I can fit EVERYTHING I need and still not have it weigh too much. I too have the seats that mount on the rails and love the setup, I would not buy a Guide with the new seat setup. I actually push my seats all the way back, then lay the auger right over the seat slides. It fits great, travel cover will even go over it.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

I also have the older Clam Guide with the individual sliding seats.At my age.....70 lbs is about all I can lift into my pickup.I can move the seats forward or back to balance the weight and adjust them for comfort with longer legs.


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