making a portable slide easier through deep snow

has anyone done any modifications to their portable ice house sleds to make them slide easier through deeper snow? such as a wax or some sort of different material attached to the bottom?

Google Smitty Sled

Spray wax or Armor All help, but a Smitty Sled helps a LOT.

smackemup wrote:

Google Smitty Sled

X2. I bought some used skis at Goodwill…I got three pairs for $10. Grabbed some scrap 2X4’s and some wood screws and threw together a Smitty sled. It pulls much, much easier. If you’re walking on a snowmobile path or road it pulls so easy your rig will run you over when you slow down.

SR

I ran into a guy a few years ago that used water skis for his Smitty. Wider ski and it went over deep snow very well.

Definitely a smitty sled. I just built one up this month and it’s incredible how much easier it pulls through snow compared to the otter by itself!

Make Smitty sled.

My advice is to add 2×2 to the top of the skis, then use 1×10’s to create the sled (connecting the two skis)

Then set your house on top of that Smitty sled and drill screws through your portable house sled into the 1×10’s

Only need 2″ clearance.

They are perminently attached.

Your house is only 2″higher which your shirt will still hit ice.

Weight your skirt with sinkers and grommets so your skirt does not need snow to keep the skirt down when the wind blows.

Why detach the Smitty (most people make them excessively tall)

Make them short and perm attach them.

That’s how I’ve done it the last few years and I can be mobile!!!

I’d just find somebody low on smarts to pull it.

Tom Sawvell wrote:

I’d just find somebody low on smarts to pull it.

What are you doing this weekend Tom…?…

Pack less stuff. A light portable is going to pull considerably better. It amazes me what people drag out onto the ice with them, then wonder why they don’t catch fish as they are immobile. (Not insinuating this is you – but it is a lot of people)

Tom Sawvell wrote:

I’d just find somebody low on smarts to pull it.

Ha! This is what got my friend to finally gets his 4-wheeler fixed!

Definitely smitty sled. Though now I’m thinking I might take a look at incorporating fishbloods ideas-I’ve done that on my small sled and it’s great. Think I’ll mount the shack that way as well.

big_g wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Tom Sawvell wrote:</div>
I’d just find somebody low on smarts to pull it.

What are you doing this weekend Tom…?…

Sitting back with a beer in hand watching people pull portables.

old man had a sled with old water skis on it been working good for 2 decades.

pull easy by hand or behind the wheeler

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

Make Smitty sled.

My advice is to add 2×2 to the top of the skis, then use 1×10’s to create the sled (connecting the two skis)

Then set your house on top of that Smitty sled and drill screws through your portable house sled into the 1×10’s

Only need 2″ clearance.

They are perminently attached.

Your house is only 2″higher which your shirt will still hit ice.

Weight your skirt with sinkers and grommets so your skirt does not need snow to keep the skirt down when the wind blows.

Why detach the Smitty (most people make them excessively tall)

Make them short and perm attach them.

That’s how I’ve done it the last few years and I can be mobile!!!

Do you happen to have a picture of this configuration? My only concern would be if it would still fit in the back of my SUV. With a truck no problem.

Last season, the owner of the bait shop I work at gave me some high density plastic. I guess he got it from a guy across the street who makes commercial kitchen ware or something along those lines. They’re scrap pieces (reminds me of the cutting boards at subway, but thicker) that were to small to use. We put it on the 4 inch side of our 4 by 6 skis of our ice shanty we’re building and it has great floatation so far from what we’ve seen. It’s really stiff, but if you use a heat gun, it makes for easy bending. I’m not sure where you could get some, but I’m sure if you did some asking around or searching on the Internet, you could probably find someone willing to give you some.

“Do you happen to have a picture of this configuration? My only concern would be if it would still fit in the back of my SUV. With a truck no problem. ”

This is what has kept me from building one as well. I have a truck, but drive a car as a commuter. I like my portable setup to be able to fit in the car so I can hit the ice right after work.

My untried solution is ensure its easy to assemble / disassemble with blind nuts and t-handle screws.

I will go and take a picture right now. It will definitely fit in the back of your car still. You mount them exactly like the regular runners or hyfax kits just they’re wider, which gives you great floatation. It does not add any width to the sled, only a half inch of height. When you’re installing them, you’ll have to drill a hole in the sled and the plastic slightly smaller than the screw or bolt you will use. Then use a drill bit that will recess the bolt or screw so it’s not grinding off on the ground. Finally, screw in the bolts and put on some nuts. Lock nuts would probably work best so they don’t by any chance come off. The Plastic is the white stuff that is mounted under the 4 by six in the picture. Maybe you could even spray some silicone water-quart on the bottom of your sled. That’s what we put on the pads of our jet ski trailer so they slide on easier.

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The only problem with trying to go lighter is the Otter Lodge already weighs in at over 100 lbs so leaving things out doesn’t help much.

What I do is on warmer days I just pull out an open otter sled with my auger, minnows, marcum, poles and a couple 5 gallon pails. Going light on the nice days is easy. If it’s cold and I need the lodge it’s time to bring the 4 wheeler. I’m looking at making a Smitty sled, here is some good info.

https://www.facebook.com/search/str/smitty+sled/keywords_top

You can even buy a kit minus the skis from the guy that started the Smitty Sled.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/142216819465?ssPageName=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

thanks for all the input guys. and I’m right with icenutz on this one even with minimal gear in an otter lodge(the portable i have) the thing is brutal to pull out with some moderate snow cover. going to build a smitty sled though with the sounds of it!

You’re welcome! Glad we could help.

Just cut the skis to size of your room available. Mine fits in back of Tahoe.

If you do the sled route you will need some runners for the skis to slide on if going in sideways, the sides like to catch on carpet making it a PIA.

Heres what i built, works good!

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Couple old photos of my sled for you.

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@cpattschull