Building skis for dog sleds

[czydrm]

Hey guys,

I know building dog sleds is a bit out of the ordinary in your circle but I hope it will spark your curiosity enough to help me out a bit.

I've been racing dogs for about 15 years. Most of that time I have been good friends with one of the best sled builders in the sport. He and I have been talking about a new sled design and I think a better ski is critical. There has been a bunch of debate on what ski profile will work best but since we don't know any engineers I thought I would come to you.

My first question to all of you is this..... what ski is fastest on hard packed snow?

I suspect a longer, wider ski would be fastest and my buddy Doug, thinks a narrow ski is best.

What say you?

Thanks in advance.

JC

[MontuckyMadman]

I think if you think of nordic skis they may run faster but not necessarily what I think you are after. Surface area is what holds you back.

I dont know anything about these.

looks like contemporary sleds are on the right track.

[endre]

long and narrow skis are faster.

[dorabito]

Usually long and narrow skis are faster than wider and shorter ones, but if you do them too narrow, you could lost a lot of stability (I don't think it will be a problem on sleds) and if the snow is soft or wet you could sink. Also the layup is important because you should have some flex to absorve irregularities on the ground, but if they are too flexible, it 'll be almost impossible to turn with. I reccomend you to look for inspiration at Downhill Race skis (they are very large and stable) or cross-country skis (if you want to race on packed snow, this will probably be the best option, because they are designed not to glide, but to walk, so they are light and easy to drive)

Good luck with your project