Garry B
01-01-2011, 05:36 PM
Just wanted to post a few pictures of the sled I designed and my brothers put together this week. I designed it using Google SketchUp. Worked with Dawson from Redwood Plastics to decide on material. Then we put this contraption together.
The sled is entirely made entirely from UHMW polyethylene (http://www.redwoodplastics.com/products/uhmw-polyethylene/recycled-uhmw-repro-uhmw/). [Right now the stiffener running across the front is temporary 2x4" since I made a slight material miscalculation and ran out of 1x2" stock]. It's also missing one center runner for the same reason. These will be added soon. The floor disengages from the front two pull rope tie locations and then lays flat. The sides then fold down into the floor on a piano hinge for easy storage in tight spaces and easy transport. The piano hinge will likely rust in time but is easily replaced.
I can drive right in the back with the wheelchair. Get tied down easily to the nylon webbing in the four corners . I don't get out of the sled once on the lake. My brother popped a hole beside me and I fished there. When we want to move a short distance the sled pulls very easily. When it got cold we opened our 6 man tent and lifted it right over top of me in the sled and fished inside. There was still plenty of room.
It's first two trips out proved it to be very tough. The area just after the access onto Hasse was pretty scruffy and chewed (ruts and flood water) up but we didn't tip and the sled held together without trouble. Further out we hit 2" of powder and it was smooth going. 6" of powder was OK too but the quad needed to be in 4 wheel. The worst was the gnarly ruts. If my brother drove the quad slow it was OK. Other brother stood on the back of the sled and held my chair to stabilize things. Still need to add some grip tape for the person standing behind me.
All in all the sled and all the other equipment we built and adapted worked well (room for improvement though) and we had a great time. We caught a bunch of those Hasse micro perch and now just have to find a place where there's some bigger perch!
I'm looking for a shop that can make a hitch on my van so I can mount a rack to carry the sled at the rear of the van. I can't just bolt a stock hitch in place because the van has been adapted for a wheelchair ramp and the gas tank has been moved to the rear. I contacted the mobility company and they said a hitch to hold a bike rack is OK but not for towing something. They don't do those hitches though. Could someone point me in the right direction for a shop that can do such work? Thanks.
Here are some pictures.
Front view of sled:
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n554/garryb_9/Folding%20Sled/Frontviewofsled-01.jpg
Another front view:
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n554/garryb_9/Folding%20Sled/Frontviewofsled-02.jpg
Side view:
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n554/garryb_9/Folding%20Sled/Sideviewofsled-01.jpg
Just drill hole beside sled:
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n554/garryb_9/Folding%20Sled/Popinhole.jpg
Attachment for holding rod [will be modified - didn't work perfectly - did manage to catch though]:
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n554/garryb_9/Folding%20Sled/RodAttachmentandReelGuard.jpg
Reel handle cup. Worked well but had to be reshaped on-site so ends are flared out more than intended. The cup idea turned out well:
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n554/garryb_9/Folding%20Sled/ReelHandleAttachment.jpg
Also visible in the above two pictures is the webbing that goes around my chest and the attachment apparatus where the rod attaches to it.
I am very thankful to my wife, daughters and brothers who built these things. Without them it would not have been possible. [B]They did a great job!
The sled is entirely made entirely from UHMW polyethylene (http://www.redwoodplastics.com/products/uhmw-polyethylene/recycled-uhmw-repro-uhmw/). [Right now the stiffener running across the front is temporary 2x4" since I made a slight material miscalculation and ran out of 1x2" stock]. It's also missing one center runner for the same reason. These will be added soon. The floor disengages from the front two pull rope tie locations and then lays flat. The sides then fold down into the floor on a piano hinge for easy storage in tight spaces and easy transport. The piano hinge will likely rust in time but is easily replaced.
I can drive right in the back with the wheelchair. Get tied down easily to the nylon webbing in the four corners . I don't get out of the sled once on the lake. My brother popped a hole beside me and I fished there. When we want to move a short distance the sled pulls very easily. When it got cold we opened our 6 man tent and lifted it right over top of me in the sled and fished inside. There was still plenty of room.
It's first two trips out proved it to be very tough. The area just after the access onto Hasse was pretty scruffy and chewed (ruts and flood water) up but we didn't tip and the sled held together without trouble. Further out we hit 2" of powder and it was smooth going. 6" of powder was OK too but the quad needed to be in 4 wheel. The worst was the gnarly ruts. If my brother drove the quad slow it was OK. Other brother stood on the back of the sled and held my chair to stabilize things. Still need to add some grip tape for the person standing behind me.
All in all the sled and all the other equipment we built and adapted worked well (room for improvement though) and we had a great time. We caught a bunch of those Hasse micro perch and now just have to find a place where there's some bigger perch!
I'm looking for a shop that can make a hitch on my van so I can mount a rack to carry the sled at the rear of the van. I can't just bolt a stock hitch in place because the van has been adapted for a wheelchair ramp and the gas tank has been moved to the rear. I contacted the mobility company and they said a hitch to hold a bike rack is OK but not for towing something. They don't do those hitches though. Could someone point me in the right direction for a shop that can do such work? Thanks.
Here are some pictures.
Front view of sled:
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n554/garryb_9/Folding%20Sled/Frontviewofsled-01.jpg
Another front view:
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n554/garryb_9/Folding%20Sled/Frontviewofsled-02.jpg
Side view:
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n554/garryb_9/Folding%20Sled/Sideviewofsled-01.jpg
Just drill hole beside sled:
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n554/garryb_9/Folding%20Sled/Popinhole.jpg
Attachment for holding rod [will be modified - didn't work perfectly - did manage to catch though]:
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n554/garryb_9/Folding%20Sled/RodAttachmentandReelGuard.jpg
Reel handle cup. Worked well but had to be reshaped on-site so ends are flared out more than intended. The cup idea turned out well:
http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n554/garryb_9/Folding%20Sled/ReelHandleAttachment.jpg
Also visible in the above two pictures is the webbing that goes around my chest and the attachment apparatus where the rod attaches to it.
I am very thankful to my wife, daughters and brothers who built these things. Without them it would not have been possible. [B]They did a great job!