Starting out you are going to need a basic idea of design that you want. For the purpose of this article, we will demonstrate a flat 40-foot slider. Once you get the design that you want you need to get the materials. The 40 foot flat slider will require the following materials from a do-it-yourself department store (all wood should be pressure treated to keep it lasting longer):

• 4 – 20’ lengths of 3” PVC
• 8 – 10’ lengths of 4x4
• 1 – 5lb box of 2 ½ galvanized wood screws
• 5 – 12’ 2”x8 boards – try to get semi- straight ones
• 2 – 8’ 2”x4”s

• Cordless drill (you are more than likely not around a power outlet,
  more than one will help the project go quicker too)
• Cordless circular saw
• Chainsaw
• Belt sander or other sanding tool
• Sledgehammer

Once you have all of your materials and a few riders together your total build time (if you have 4 or 5 people) should only be 1.5 hours.

Step 1 – Find the site that you intend to install the slider. Once you have that defined you need to find out the depth of the water. It is obviously easier in shallower water to install the slider. As long as the water is around 3-4’ deep you should be all right. The rule of thumb is to be at waist depth.

Step 2 - Take your 4x4 posts and saw off a section on each end with the chainsaw to make a spear-shape. Don’t remove any of the length of the posts. (Another group can be working on step 4) Once you have each of them cut at the ends, take one post and sledgehammer it into the mud or sand until it will not drive any deeper. Make sure to put a block of wood on top to actually pound on, and keep the posts perpendicular to the water for sturdiness. You want it to be a few feet out of the water at this point. Then take and measure out 39’ in the direction that you want the slider to go and drive in post #2. Take and nail 2 nails onto the shore-side of the post, then take a 40+ length of rope and wrap one end around the nail on post #1 and stretch it tight down to post #2 and wrap the rope around that nail. You will now have a straight line to use to install the other posts. Starting on one end move in 7 ½’ and start pounding in the other 6 posts.

Step 3 - Now you have all of the posts installed, you need to decide how high off of the water you want the slider to be. You will have another 6” or so on top of whatever you leave, so keep that in mind. Also keep in mind that the water levels could change, so don’t put the slider too high if you the lake/river level could drop soon. The slider in the photos was installed at 2’ off the water, but got as high as 2 ½’ and as low as 6”. Once you have the desired height in mind, measure off each post and cut with the chainsaw.

Step 4 – Take the PVC and lay it out side by side to be 40 feet long. Then lay your 2x8 over the top of the PVC. Have someone hold the PVC in tight together to keep any gap from being between the two PVC pipes. Make sure to take the extra time to line them up and center them on the 2x8. Take your screws and start screwing the PVC to the 2x8. Eyeball each screw to make sure it is centered on the PVC. Repeat this process until all of the 40’ of PVC is on the 2x8’s. It is best to use the 12’ 2x8 so that the PVC joint is not at the same point as the 2x8 joint, giving the PVC joint less flex.

Step 5 – Now take the PVC to the posts and lay it on top of the post to make sure that everything lines up. Next take the left over 2x8 and 2x4 and cut them into 8 – 7” pieces each. Screw an the 2x4 piece onto the 2x8 piece from the backside of the 2x8 using 2-3 screws, repeat this for the other pieces. With these supports you have made, place them on the bottom side of the 2x8 holding the PVC and line them up to be on the inside of the 2x8 on each side and butted up against the post. Screw the support into the post and into the 2x8 on each place where a post supports the PVC. You can create additional supports if you feel they are needed to put on both sides of the inside posts.

Step 6 – Lastly make sure that no screws or other sharp edges are exposed on the slider. Also sand down the PVC to take some of the smooth finish off it. Spend extra time on the joints to get it as smooth as possible.

Step 7 – Put on a helmet and go tear it up!

This slider is very easy to build and does not require much money or time. This design can take and be improvised adding a dragon on one end or you can make it 100’ if you want. The advantage to having both ends the same is that you can get twice the slide time hitting it from both directions. . Improvise and create the slider that best fits your riding level and needs/wants.

Soon we will show you other types of sliders and how to build them. Enjoy our pics of us hitting the slider.