iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

this is a work in progress, more to come...

I went out for a couple of rips, tuning the 38 boat, thinking the sail is really flat for sticky slush, and coming out from under the weather shore, she was really unresponsive, almost standing still, and then I hooked the first gust....

After a couple quick stops for minor tuning changes, mast tip forward, ease the sides a hole, tighten the outhaul, the little sleigh runners locked down. An Angle runner locking down on slush, like runners do on black ice, mast bending nicely, and one runner flying... I did a couple two (hiking) and three runner drifts in some big shots, and found if I eased the sheet she just went faster.

Returning to the boat park and thinking, damn this is still a Gold Fleet program on a muddy track.

Hutt was kind enough to identify a new and dangerous crack between Robinson's Bay and Spirit Island, glad he's ok, and the boat won't need too much work. We all got to watch the 1.5 mile walk of shame.

An entire afternoon of thrill rides, but at the essence it was nothing more than Me and Kennedy doing what we've been doing for years, grabbing the great spring ice whenever we can.

Some of the Sailing School kids who'd been out Saturday were back out sailing on plate runners, three of them went out for a rip, and I says to the fourth, "Kid, it's just ripping out there, take my boat and go TURN IT ON... you sail angle runners a bit differently..."

He took it, after about 5 minutes, there he was, mast out and holy moley, flying, I didn't think he had stones like that, reminded me of KA 1's first sail. :) He'll be back to race.

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