AS ONE SKILLED IN THE ART

AS ONE SKILLED IN THE ART, IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME that the 1970-71 Polaris track cleat replacing a wear rod on the ski and the 1981-1984 / 1987-88 Ski Doo skis are mini-versions of what Simmons claims to have developed.

Dual contact surfaces on snowmobile skis, that are not directly under the center of a snowmobile ski, have been around since the Arctic Cat, 1963, 170-Cab- ski. Arctic Cat made the ski without patenting it. That means anyone can make concave dual runner skis. To get a patent you have to bring something new and unique to the table.

Like the Gen-3 the longer host bars, were correctly placed on the inside keel, of both Ski-Doo ski models. The center of the longer inside keel, of the Gen-3, is 1 7/8" closer to the center of the sled.

The 1981-84 Ski-Doo, Blizzard host bars were ½" dia.

The 1987-88 Ski-Doo Escape host bars were 3/8" dia. The lower profile of the 3/8" host bars reduced the effort to turn the handlebars, compared to the ½" host bars.
The host bars helped hold the snow in the center channel creating flotation.

1963 Arctic Cat ski

1972 Richard Labelle patent

2005 Polaris IQ ski #1, 2005 Polaris IQ ski #1

Used Pilot SL ski

Dual Runners

Simmons Website

My two cents worth

Obviously, the wider and deeper the concave channel the better the flotation. The most significant downside is the inside host bar is closer to the center of the sled than a center keel ski. The wider the gap the narrower the functional ski stance is in corners. That means turning at speed will be reduced because most of the weight goes onto the inside host bar of the outside ski, while at the same time weight is significantly lighter on the outside host bar of the inside ski.

Slim Jim – Ht - 9/16" / gap – 1 1/16"

Cleat – Center Ht – 7/16" / front & rear Ht – 3/16" / gap – 1 1/16"

Super – Minni examples

Ice Skate Blade designs -

Roetin – Ski-Trac – new photo - 1972 only 9" long, blade -1/8"

Rod taken off an old RUPP ski, found in salvage yard years ago

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