iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

Update: The next installment in the saga: Repairs Begin...

In the first outing of 2011 a large crack opened up during the first DN race. I hit it on my last downwind leg. I don't really remember much other than seeing a small bump on the ice ahead of me, then a "bang!", and the next thing I was sliding down the ice backwards (still in the cockpit) with my plank sitting on my chest. I was logging the race with my phone's GPS, so you can check out the track.

I took the boat over to Jim Nordhaus' "Boatwerks" shop Sunday, but I was too sore to do much with it then.

Monday night I headed over and started assessing the damage. I took some photos and put them into a gallery.

You can get an idea of the force from the shape of the port hull-plate. The starbord one simply ripped off and disappeared in the crash.

It looks like the plank is toast. There is considerable crushing just inside the chock, and a major split/crack runs from the outboard end almost to the center. I was amazed that it actually cracked through the area where the chock was through-bolted.

The hull fared much better.
I didn't see any serious structural damage, just some gouges, scrapes, and holes in the bottom.

Tonight the repairs will begin...