Smitty Sled Advice

Hi all,

I'm going to attempt building my first smitty.
And was wondering about the length of ski to use and where the box part should sit on them ? Center, more to the front, or more to the back etc.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Ray

distribute weight towards the end, easier to go over snow banks.

Most are built so the sled is over the skis evenly front to back. When you load it you can experiment with weight distribution according to the conditions. I find when i load mine i put the heavier weight just off centre to the back which makes it easier to pull it over drifts and up hill. But not too much weight too far back so it doesn't flip backwards on you lol.

The first one I made I used cross country skis and it worked ok ...the one I have now uses youth downhills and I find it much better

I went with x country skiis , weight --slightly-- back, and as long as I can fit in/on my car.

Waxed properly, and it pulls ME out to the fishing grounds

What length of ski did you use?

https://imgur.com/a/pqx8V
Keep it simple.

Make the width of the sled wider than the tracks you leave in deep snow -- prevents the sled from tipping (it will be top-heavy).

I Dont have that problem at all and mine dont extend past.

I Dont have that problem at all and mine dont extend past.

KP: Your cross members have a good length (file photos) to make it look stable. If you never had you sled tip or list when pulled in deeper snow that's good.

Thank you for all the great advice!

But I still don't know what length of skis I'll need?
4ft, 5ft, 6ft ?
Also how far apart would you put the upright 2x6 or 2x8 blocks?

rd21: The length of the ski is usually dependent upon your luck finding a FREE pair of skis!
Even If you get longer (eg 190 cm) they will likely pull easier over rougher pack ice. Shorter is lighter and less drag to some extent.
The one factor of length to consider is fitting them in your vehicle. A buddy had a Ranger with a cap and he had to shorten the skies to fit. You want your skies to sit low in the back of the truck or SUV. Here's hoping never, but if an accident happens skies riding on top of a load or seat high in the vehicle become projectiles. Be safe in transporting.
Good luck on the build. Throw on some loud paint to "pimp" your sled and post pictures of the final product.

5 to 6ft ski's for sure.......2x6 or 2x8 is up to you. Obviously one will give you more clearance...
Now go get it built.. Lol
Just pick up paint and the last of the hardware for this one...

x2 to Newburg.

A person's weight is a factor when selecting the length of ski, and the same can be said with smittys. A longer ski can 'float' more pounds over snow. I tend to pull the whole garage out, so the weight can hit 110lbs (170 if the niece is coming along ) My smitty has xcountry skiis that i cut to 160cm so I could fit them in my car. I wax them often, and find it pulls extremely well.

The space between the front and back supports shouldn't matter, just space them according to the storage platform you want to put on your sled.

Downhill skiis are wider then x-c, so they would float over snow better than x-c skiis of the same length, but are heavier.

If you go with downhill skiis, try to find the old straight ones. Most skiis of the past 20 years are parabolic (fat in front and behind, narrow in middle), they're designed for turning, not speed.

Critical point: When building, make sure the skiis are PERFECTLY parrallel and flat to the ground. A smitty with a 'stanky leg' is no fun

Hope that helps

I made one with a set of junior skis to lighten things up but it doesn't float nearly as nicely as my old full size one. I'd go with whatever free adult size downhill skis you can get your hands on. As for how far apart for the blocks? You want the cross members close enough together that there is room for your sled to move a bit without falling in between on hills or bumps.