Roscoe, that ain't a bad idea at all!  I might try that as well. I have an extra set of training wheels laying around right now because my daughter doesn't need them anymore. It'll be trial and error for me if I use them though.  I did see one smitty build somewhere where they had wheels attached to it and they easily were removed once they got to the ice, but I don't remember where I saw that.

  I'm presently building a Smitty . Thinking about portable wheels attached to pull across parking lots , etc. looking at a pair of adjustable training wheels from Walmart. the wheels are plastic hubs . Just wandering if anyone has tried these and if they hold up. Or if anyone has any suggestions.

Built one last winter and it is great. Can't believe I didn't make one years ago.

If anyone is looking to make one, ad for free downhill skis was just listed on Craigslist

https://appleton.craigslist.org/zip/d/waupaca-down-hill-skis/7174542154.html

Funny.... Grizwald your sled is the exact same I did..  same otter sled as well!! I used 2x8s for my clearance however.   These things pull great even on uneven ground 

Just used cedar deck boards, 5 1/2 inches wide. Suprised at how well it floated on snow. Even loaded with gas auger, vex, thermos, tackle and cooler for fish. That was through foot of snow. Maybe sunk 3 inches max. Running the drag rope through skis did help a lot. I used x- country skis and counter sunk deck screws in bottom of skis. No drag on screws.

So in deep snow, the skies are going to sink a certain amount. Any thoughts on how tall to make the boards that attaches to the skies, so the sled your putting on top of the smitty doesn't snowplow, or drag on the top of the snow.

“A sled for a sled...seems a bit redundant.”

Not at all. A traditional sled has a large contact area with the snow/ice/ground. What this does is reduces that significantly. With a traditional sled you could easily end up plowing snow with the front as it’s pulled. With this type nothing is being plowed because the surface area contacting the snow is greatly reduced. 

I’d estimate that the amount of effort needed to pull a loaded up sled set on skis is reduced by 70%-75% over pulling that same sled loaded the same way without skis. It is a significant difference and worth the time spent throwing one together. 

Hunter&Hound try pulling a loaded down sled without the skis and then one on skis. Night and day difference. Also, the Otter can be easily removed to be utilized for other things still.

Here is the sled I built this year. Waiting to try it out in Illinois.

A sled for a sled...seems a bit redundant.