SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — From kayaking to walking alongside the river on trails, the Big Sioux is a staple for outdoor activities.
“We just kind of had the idea to utilize the river that we have here in Sioux Falls,” said co-owner of Sodak FloatShack Jeff Horne. “And, we finally got everything in motion to finally start putting people down the river in stock tanks.”
The business is only in its second year, but Horne first introduced the idea to his business partner a decade ago. They took inspiration from other cities’ success with similar businesses.
“Niobrara, Nebraska, is a big tanking community. There’s places in Tennessee, kind of outside of Nashville that do it,” said Horne.
Some customers have even traveled across state lines to experience the Sodak FloatShack.
“We had some people from Minneapolis that came that actually it was on their bucket list to tank. They made T-shirts and the whole nine yards and, there was 18-year-olds all the way to 89 years old,” said Horne.
As far as what exactly you’re floating in, it’s commonly seen in the Midwest- just in a different context.
“It’s a galvanized stock tank that, it’s most commonly used for cattle to drink water,” said Horne. “Otherwise, a lot of people use it for backyard swimming pools. And so, it’ll hold up to about 5, 6 thousand pounds and only needs about a half inch of water to float.”
Ashley Hinker was looking for a way to get on the water and took to social media for recommendations.
“I was on Facebook and I put a little post on there, see if anything like that was around, and someone had mentioned these guys, so I checked them out,” said Ashley Hinker, a first-time customer at Sodak FloatShack.
Hinker and her group brought snacks and energy drinks, but the business provides most everything you need from there.
“My partner and I, we provide a cooler and ice because obviously it’s hot out. We have chairs, life jackets. All you need to do is show up and have a good time, and you’re on your way,” said Horne.
If you’re looking for an activity that involves kids, grandparents and even dogs, they’re welcome on the FloatShack, too.
“We’re also dog friendly, so we’ve had a couple people utilize that option, bring their dog with them,” said Horne.
After you arrive at the launch site and go down the river, Sodak FloatShack transports you right back to your vehicle.
“We’ll trailer the tanks, bring the customers back to archery outfitters here, and then we store the tanks,” said Horne.
And customers say the process of booking and paying is easy and reasonable.
“You just book it online and then you pay for it in advance and then get your reservation, and it’s $35,” said Hinker.
Then all you have to do is keep calm, and float on.
