How to build your own children's cross-country skiing pulkka

by Dick Kloepfer

The author pulling his grandchild in a pulkka adapted from a commercial sled. Fig. 1: Attach the pull rods to the sides of the sled using clevis pins, clips and washers. Fig. 2: Mount children's skies and wood blocks to the bottom of the sled.

When my granddaughter was just about 2 years old, she wanted to go cross-country skiing with grandpa. I was not ready to spend over $100 for a pull sled that would only be used for a short time. But when I saw a small child's plastic sit-it sled on clearance for less than $5, I got the idea to build my own Finnish Pulkka a Laplander-style pull sled.

I purchased four pieces of electrical tubing and joined them into two pull poles with a connector. Each tube was 5 feet in length making the pull poles 10 feet long so that the ends of the skis would not be in the child's face.

I drilled through the connector and pole ends so one half of the poles would be firmly bolted onto the connector and the other could be removed for travel by using a bolt and wing nut.

I flattened the other ends of the poles so they could be attached to the sled and a pull belt.

I just used an old leather belt that I had lying around and with two short bolts and lock washers I fastened the belt to the poles.

The other flattened pole ends were fastened to the sides of the sled by using two clevis pins and clips, fender washers and neoprene washers (fig. 1). The poles can easily be removed from the sled for travel and storage.

Cut slots on either side of the seat back and slide a Velcro belt through to serve as a safety belt for the child.

The sled worked great but ruined the classical ski tracks. So, I found an old pair of children's cross-country skis and mounted them to the base of the sled by blocking them up with wood scraps (fig. 2). I mounted the skis the width of the Tid Tech track setter (about 9 inches on center). By adding the skis, the sled tracked great and no longer messed up the tracked trails. I figured that the skis could also be used later when my granddaughter was ready to ski.

Later I purchased another larger plastic sled to replace the smaller sled as my granddaugter grew.

I did not keep track of the cost, but I am sure it was well under $15 to build the Pulkka so the whole family could ski together.

Dick Kloepfer, 69, of St. Germain, Wisconsin, is the former groomer for the Shannon Lake ski trails. A frequent ski racer and age-group winner, Kloepfer skied the Norweigen Birkebeiner in Norway at 60 years of age. He was selected as the honorary athlete to light the torch for the 2005 Badger State Winter Games.
 

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