Adding skis to Portable shanty.

[stuckinohio]

So ...
I have skis on my two equipment sleds that I did years ago.
Last year I bought a Clam scout Xl and I am thinking of adding skis to that. This time, I am asking for pro tips.

The one thing I found an issue with my first sleds was that in deep/soft snow, the skis would just cut down and the sled would end up plowing worse than with no skis.

Tip?

Use higher brackets or more skis?  I really would like to do it right this time.
Appreciate the help

[Rebelss]

Higher brackets will just make it worse. It'll tip way easier. Softer snow = a wider ski to distribute out more weight. Narrowers are better on groomed trails....if its really deep and soft snow....snowshoes!    My old Shappell DX 4000 had nice pop-down wide skis....but in deep stuff, it would sink too, if it was loaded up a lot.  Just ask any of us that have skied for many years.....and there's my .02!

[Iceassin]

Not really sure on this but maybe you could go with snowboards? They are wider giving you more surface area to contact but not as long soooo... Also maybe figure out a way to keep the tips of the skis up as high as possible to reduce the plowing effect...again 

[DrummerManDrew]

More surface area could be the answer. Maybe something to consider is where your pulling the load from. When I built a smitty I attached the pulling ropes to each ski in the front so when I would pull it would naturally guide the ski upward. I would think that if you were to pull from the top of the sled that could encourage the skis to move downward causing the plowing your referencing?

Unless your pulling in serious powder conditions 6-8” off the skis I would think be just fine.

Here’s some picture of how I had this sled rigged up and had to go back and rework the ropes to run through the tips of the skid with eyelets bolts...

[stuckinohio]

Higher brackets will just make it worse. It'll tip way easier. Softer snow = a wider ski to distribute out more weight. Narrowers are better on groomed trails....if its really deep and soft snow....snowshoes!    My old Shappell DX 4000 had nice pop-down wide skis....but in deep stuff, it would sink too, if it was loaded up a lot.  Just ask any of us that have skied for many years.....and there's my .02!

So snowboards. Great idea!

[stuckinohio]

Here is a pic of a sled I found on here somewhere last year.  I thought this would work great.  However, I would change the conduit frame so that the stabilizer bar across the front, on the bottom, would be on the side, attached to the ski's, so that it didn't plow snow.  I would keep the one on the top in the front and back, to keep the skis from spreading.  So basically, I would take the front and back U shaped conduit and run it down the sides of the sled and keep the top bracket on both the front and back.

I did that. Disaster!
I went to skies with a 2x4 spacer. Better but no go in deep/soft snow

[stuckinohio]

Not really sure on this but maybe you could go with snowboards? They are wider giving you more surface area to contact but not as long soooo... Also maybe figure out a way to keep the tips of the skis up as high as possible to reduce the plowing effect...again 

Bingo!

[stuckinohio]

I saw the same.
I drilled a hole in the front of the skis and put eye bolts in them, which did improve.
Just looking for better. Thanks

More surface area could be the answer. Maybe something to consider is where your pulling the load from. When I built a smitty I attached the pulling ropes to each ski in the front so when I would pull it would naturally guide the ski upward. I would think that if you were to pull from the top of the sled that could encourage the skis to move downward causing the plowing your referencing?

Unless your pulling in serious powder conditions 6-8” off the skis I would think be just fine.

Here’s some picture of how I had this sled rigged up and had to go back and rework the ropes to run through the tips of the skid with eyelets bolts...

[fishinator]

More surface area could be the answer. Maybe something to consider is where your pulling the load from. When I built a smitty I attached the pulling ropes to each ski in the front so when I would pull it would naturally guide the ski upward. I would think that if you were to pull from the top of the sled that could encourage the skis to move downward causing the plowing your referencing?

Unless your pulling in serious powder conditions 6-8” off the skis I would think be just fine.

Here’s some picture of how I had this sled rigged up and had to go back and rework the ropes to run through the tips of the skid with eyelets

This. And load your weight towards the rear. Not perfect but it helps

[hardwater diehard]

I use 6" uprights on my Smitty Sled..no problem in moderate snow ..up to a foot ..after that gets tougher ...a 14-16 foot rope is a must ..tied to the skis/knot on top ..so that you will be pull up on the skis . weight to the rear . 8" risers would be fine just make sure you wide enough so not to be top heavy .