Smitty sled skis

[EyLayo]

With the ice season ending soon, I want to start looking for used skis to make a smitty type sled. Wondering if those that have one or have used one prefer a cross country or a slalom/downhill ski. I've found several plans online. The type of ski isn't talked about much and I've seen both styles used. Thanks for any input
[signature]

[BRL1]

I had the same question when I started building mine, I used downhill. Partly because they were $5 a set at Savers. But did alot of reading on forums, especially one called iceshanty. The opinion is that the downhill are wider so they float on the snow better than the narrower cross country ski.
[signature]

[EyLayo]

Thank you for the info. I'll start looking for that style then
[signature]

[catchinon]

You probably already know this, but there are always a few pairs at DI. What I want to know is what a good length is.
[signature]

[BRL1]

I'm using a set of Solomon 180 cm (70 in) downhill for my Jetsled XL. I have only had it out a couple of times but works better than just the sled.
[signature]

[fast_randy]

After reading about the Smitty sled here, I built one with a PVC frame that fits my jet sled perfectly. I can just set the jet sled on the Smitty and put the pull rope under the front PVC and go. I used a old pair of my skies that just barely fit in the back of my Toyota. It dose pull ten times easier than the sled alone, even on hard pack snow.
[signature]

[wiperhunter2]

Got any pics of your PVC with skies? I'd be interested in seeing it if you don't mind.
[signature]

[fast_randy]

OK, i'll try. LOL. I still haven't quite got the picture posting down. I get after the first three or four paragraphs of instructions. I just took some pictures with my Kindle and I will go on it and try to post. I didn't have much luck trying to post pictures that were on my phone.

Wiper, if you PM me an email address I can send them right to you and you could post them.

But I will try on my own.
[signature]

[fast_randy]

[signature]
[signature]

[fast_randy]

Yes I can do it with my kindle.
[signature]

[wiperhunter2]

That looks pretty cool, any idea how much it weights with all that wood, looks kind of heavy. Thanks for posting this pics. You will make TubeDude proud with your use of PVC on that Smitty.
[signature]

[fast_randy]

It is pretty light, I'd guess 15 lbs. I just used what I had laying around. Except I did buy the PVC. I turned my Jet Sled upside down and built the PVC frame around my sled. It is glued and screwed with grabbers. I used that "seen on TV" flex glue.

It is easy to load in a truck. Just lift the front up onto the tailgate and go in back and lift and slide it in. But I generally take the heavy buckets and stuff out first, to unload it out of the back.
[signature]

[wiperhunter2]

So all you have to connect the Jet sled to the PVC frame is the pull rope under the front PVC, wow, that's amazing, do you pull it by hand or with a snowmobile?
[signature]

[fast_randy]

I don't have a snowmobile just a Ranger side by side. And when I use it I just slide a 2' 6" piece of 1 1/2" PVC pipe over my pull rope. Just hold the PVC pipe upright and start pushing the pull rope through and it will come out the bottom and then the loop that is left goes on your hitch. That keeps it from hitting you when you slow down or stop.
[signature]

[EyLayo]

Thanks for the tips. I like the weight saving idea of pvc.
[signature]

[Kent]

It looks like the skis are permanently attached to the PVC. Is that correct? I need to make one that I can easily assemble and disassemble because I often fish with two other guys and there is only so much room in the back of the Armada and really no extra room on the trailer.
[signature]

[wiperhunter2]

That sounds like an interesting way to connect your Smitty to you UTV. Have you ever had it come loose as you were towing it?
[signature]

[EyLayo]

I saw a similar idea while driving through some no name Idaho back country. There was a farmer towing a disabled vehicle by himself with his nice expensive tractor. He had a chain threaded through a length of fence post or drill pipe attached to the vehicle and the bucket of his tractor. He slightly lifted the bucket to raise the front of the car to avoid having someone inside to steer it. The pipe kept the car at a distance and prevented it from hitting the back of the tractor when he stopped.
[signature]

[fast_randy]

Yes, the skies are permanently attached. No, it hasn't came off. After I posted about it, I said 2 1/2 feet of pipe, I went out to my garage and realized it was more like 3 1/2 feet. You cut the Pipe so only about 6 inches of your toe loop sticks out. I actually came up with that idea many years ago. We always liked to ice fish Haws Point at Strawberry and after the road to Haws gets snowed in you have to go across the lake. I used my atv then to pull my jetsled.
[signature]

[BURLEY]

I used the cross country skis because they were free to me. Shortened them to just longer than the sled. I noticed that when hauling the sled and gear uphill, the sled had less tendency to slide backwards downhill. Maybe due to cross country design?1st sled so I have nothing to compare it to, but the skis really improved the pull.
[signature]