Smitty Sled V. Otter Sled

troutbum wrote:

Mahtofire,
Do you have issues with your sled sliding around on your smitty frame?

I bunjee it to eye bolts on both sides of the arms so it doesn’t slide. But my shack is pretty heavy. I thought about putting some old carpet or some type of surface on there to help with that but I haven’t had much of a problem when it’s strapped down.

Cross country skis are the way to go. Pics of mine.

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It’s interesting you fellas are having good luck with xcountry, most the forums said to stay away bc of the narrowness.

Goes to show don’t believe everything you read online!

Gerty wrote:

Cross country skis are the way to go. Pics of mine.

Wow. Yours is scary similar to mine. Great minds must think alike.

has anyone tried downhill and x-country? i would think the downhill would sit on top of the snow more

Any physics majors willing to chime in?

Xcountry has less surface, does that equate to less drag?

Biggill & Gerty – care to share your specs? Have a set of old skis and I’d like to build one like one of yours.

Thank you,
Kurt

Kurt,

I can take some measurements when I get home tonight. Pretty sure I made mine by “looking” at all the other pictures on the interwebs. I think my uprights are 2×8’s that are then glued and screwed to the skis. Then the cross pieces are 2×4’s with the bolts added. It works great. Pulled it about a mile on Sunday night and once you get it going it is a breeze.

I’ll get measurements and take some more pictures for you tonight.

I also use Cross country Skis

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I built mine so that I could put my clam on it or a wood top for when I am just going to fish without the shelter. For the wood top I drilled some large holes in the 2×4 for rod holders. I also made it with a auger holder, but I will be replacing this soon since I will be using a drill auger this winter.

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Cross country skis are definitely quite a bit lighter than downhill, so that’s a plus. But not sure they are really designed for breaking trails in thick/drift snow, I think the downhill ski’s width would keep them on top of the snow better.

I think generally cross country skiers are skiing freestyle/skate on groomed trails, OR classic style in tracks.

Seems like people have had good luck with either, so I’d go with whatever you can find free/nearly free on facebook/craigslist.

philtickelson wrote:

Cross country skis are definitely quite a bit lighter than downhill, so that’s a plus. But not sure they are really designed for breaking trails in thick/drift snow, I think the downhill ski’s width would keep them on top of the snow better.

I think generally cross country skiers are skiing freestyle/skate on groomed trails, OR classic style in tracks.

Seems like people have had good luck with either, so I’d go with whatever you can find free/nearly free on facebook/craigslist.

I would agree with this. My Yukon with all my gear, auger, engel cooler full of water weighs more than 100 lbs and my downhill skis have no trouble staying on top of snow. A key to this is attaching your pull rope to the front of the skis and not the structure of the sled.

mahtofire14 wrote:

philtickelson wrote:
Cross country skis are definitely quite a bit lighter than downhill, so that’s a plus. But not sure they are really designed for breaking trails in thick/drift snow, I think the downhill ski’s width would keep them on top of the snow better.

Yep, and there’s a great variation in downhill skis too. From the skinny skis that many of us started on to the new shaped skis where 100mm underfoot is common and some are even wider.

mahtofire14 wrote:

Seems like people have had good luck with either, so I’d go with whatever you can find free/nearly free on facebook/craigslist.

this is probably the best answer. I’m building my smitty this weekend but am a believer in an earlier comment. Skis are designed to flex, especially the first half. I’m going to leave some space and not mount right next to the tips so some flex is possible.

While I’m not handy and no experience with a smitty sled, I sure have crashed my fair share on skis I know what it feels like to smash into a drift or a mogul.

Gerty wrote:

Kurt,
I’ll get measurements and take some more pictures for you tonight.

Thanks, Gerty! Any special glue?

Kurt-

The glue was an all purpose waterproof type silicon caulk. Sorry don’t have the leftovers to tell you what type.

The pictures and diagram should pretty much tell you everything. If you have any questions let me know. Good luck.

Gerty

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Thank you, Gerty!

Hope your ice fishing season rocks!

Kurt,

No problem! Glad I could help. Now that I think about it, I think the glue I used was a waterproof construction adhesive like Locktite PL. Hope that helps.

Gerty

When I first built my smitty, I used 2 skies from the thrift store. It pulled very easy except when I was along some ruts. I then added 2 more skies and had no more problems with ruts. It pulled very easy anywhere except for when no snow or ice. It can be built to fit whatever you want to haul or to fir whatever you want to haul it with. Four skies and some scrap lumber cost me about eight dollars.

Bigfish, I like that idea of adding ski(s). Ya got a pics of that?

Sorry eelpout, My boss made me sell/get rid of all ice fish stuff because “you are to darn old” to be walking on ice.

I had the skies evenly spaced on it. I never drove on ice as I always thought that if I could not walk it, then had no business being there. The extra skies did not effect weight and actually improved use in deeper snow. Used bunny to hold portable, auger and 2 plastic tub to hold everything.

I’ve made/had a couple of smitty sleds and I agree on the x-country skis working better. To me that’s counter-intuitive, but???
Honestly, in the past few years I find myself not walking more than 1/2 mile on the ice, and at one point just had a pair of skis screwed to a couple of 1″x4″s attached to my sled. I found that the rig still stayed up on the snow just fine.
For my portable(you smitty fans will hate this) I actually just screwed skis directly to the sled…honestly it worked awesome!

crappie55369 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>B-man wrote:</div>
A Smitty with an Otter on top

I built mine out of aluminum angle iron

What he said. Built mine using old skis and some scrap lumber

What crappie said exactly !

I use the largest and heaviest Otter made with revisions that really increased the weight. I have trouble in deep, wet snow and looking to get 175# plus elevated. Do you have pics of yours?

To really stir the pot. I have found wooden water skis to be ideal for constructing a smitty sled. Couple years ago waited for a 8-10 inch snow. With identical loads. The water ski equipped smitty sank in the snow less that snow ski version. Tows just as easy and with push bar attachment even easier.

nice sled did you weld it i don’t see any thing

Eelpoutguy wrote:

Kinda my question.
What skis work the best in, lets say “semi deep” snow with #75 lbs of equip?
x-country, down hill, snowboards, water skis?[/quote

IMO downhill ski’s I put my Otter Cottage on mine and don’t have any problems pulling it through snow. But to me the hardest part is walking through the snow with the boots on. The pulling part is the easiest part of the whole thing.

glenn-d wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Eelpoutguy wrote:</div>

Kinda my question.
What skis work the best in, lets say “semi deep” snow with #75 lbs of equip?
x-country, down hill, snowboards, water skis?[/quote

IMO downhill ski’s I put my Otter Cottage on mine and don’t have any problems pulling it through snow. But to me the hardest part is walking through the snow with the boots on. The pulling part is the easiest part of the8whole thing.

x2 on the downhill skis . Made 2 Smitty rigs with 2 different length downhill skis. And they both work great with heavy loads , used 2×8,s for risers .

Don Meier wrote:

Eel pout go to Ice Shanty.com they have it all on the Smitty Sled including Smitty himself . Looks like there are 100 ways to make them. Ice Scratcher has designed one with plywood risers and angle iron bed rail. It is one support for each ski. He says by keeping the weight on the part of the ski where the bindings where allows the skis to work the way they were designed to. It allows them to flex front and back . Check it out there are numerous photos and design ideas.

Agree on that smitty sled thread. It’s interesting because it chronicles the history of the first one through all of the variations and improvements people have made to them since then. Hours worth of picture viewing and reading.

Another option that I have no experience with is coffee table hinges mounted to your sled with skis attached.

You pop up the hinges to elevate the sled, then drop back down for fishing.

http://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/a-smitty-sled-without-the-smitty-sled/

Hands down a Smitty Sled is the way to go! You’re talking the difference between a heart attack or a good day on the ice. I have a video taken with a pistol bit auger, Milwaukee drill, Otter Monster Lodge Hub 2 tripod chairs, buddy flex heater, otter rod case tacklers, ice scoop and a partridge in a pear tree, all being pulled by my middle finger.

Mark

I even use my smithy sled behind the atv it sits up higher and less slope is sprayed all over the sled cover.