Ideas for a faster sled

[fishtrap2]

Now that I'm not driving out on the ice any more, I find that I have to drag my sled a long way. The bottom of my fishtrap is a little chewed up and it doesn't glide as nice as I think it could. Has any one tried ski wax? -just looking for ideas.
-thanks

[kslipsinker]

The base on most portables is HDPE, High Density Polyethylene. It will get gouged up dragging across all the rock and gravel on the snowless shorelines. The material is tough, cheap, and will not dry out and become brittle. If you wanted to decrease drag, spray the bottom with silicone or vegetable oil. I don't think you will be able to tell much difference. On my portable the holes in the base give most of the drag in snow even thought they are covered with wood. Put the heaviest part of the load to the back of your sled to make it pull better in snow.

[hawgTime]

http://fishingminnesota.com/ubb/Forum30/HTML/000926.html

[Guest]

I can tell you how to keep it from getting all chewed up. On otter sleds there are aluminum slides that fit into the grooves on the bottom and attached by rivets. The only problem is that they sell for much more than people want to pay. Heres the answer. Any hardware store carries the aluminum pieces, the only difference is that the ones at the hardware store aren't bent to fit the curve of the sled. Bend them yourself. After you have the pieces bent to the correct curveture, drill wide holes half way through the aluminum. You need to do this that your rivets are flush with the slide. This very cheap. The whole project is about 15 bucks. I did it to my otter sled right when I got it so that I didn't tear it up on the busted ice on Millacs. It works great to guide the sled in line and pull easier in most conditions. Matt

[fishtrap2]

Thank you for the ideas. I think I'll try the sheet metal idea. Not worried about it blowing away(ice anchors).

[Guest]

Fishtrap2, I have a Trap2 and put two Hy-fax runners from a snowmobile to the bottom, Rivited them in and have not had any problem with tearing up my sled after. Cost was around $15.00 for the all the hardware.