I made one for a Clam Scout and made the riser about 7" and it worked great. Used it all last year in some deep snow and found it much easier to drag through the white stuff. I went to a ski shop and got an old pair of "shaped" skis for free that had a wide shovel which helps a lot to float the sled. I would recommend using a wider downhill type ski over a narrow cross country ski. The ability to ride up in the snow makes all the difference.