iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

At this moment, our recent promising venues are under attack of a snow event… as of 4:00 Tuesday, Local time.

We really won’t know until morning. Intermittently we’ve had a number of locations become suitable and then immediately unsuitable,

Here’s what I see so far…
Lake Onalaska near Lacrosse, WI was reported to be boatable, right now @ 0930 , snow is forecast, contingent on that, this must be considered a primary site (under threat of snow,it will be inspected again at in late morning today)

Green Lake, Spicer MN, Froze Sunday Night, as some of those areas got less than 2" of snow, an immediate inspection is called for.

We've had encouraging inital observations on several lakes...

Clear Lake,in soon to be annexed, IA, was reported to be very attactive looking on a drive by... we're soliciting ice reports there.

Pepin, at Lake City, for no particular objective reason, Pepin, bless her, freezes in lovely sections about a week apart... somebody ranked by the fleet will drive, walk, and report tomorrow.

Central MN Lakes, e.g., Gull, Battle Lake, Ottertail, Big Cormorant, The main body of Gull was reported frozen after the snow... Ottertail, Battle and Cormorant were reported open prior to the storm.

Here's the process... I recommend we all send everybody we know in minnesota an email and ask them if their lake's frozen in the last 24 hours, we've gotten some endouraging info so far,

based on what we learn today we'll dispatch ice checkers for tomorrow, and accumulate some actionable information...

I expect we'll see people sailing on Wednesday, to check ice suitability for the upcoming Great Western Challenge Regatta!

It's gonna be amazing!

4695

Greetings,
Hopefully this isn't to redundant, I scanned posts back a year...

I am very interested in boating, almost bought a Slicer this morning... Anyway, With the cost of some boats starting in the 1000's what's a new boater to do. The money isn't really the problem but I don't want to over buy if it's only a few times a season which brings me to my first question. Now that Saint Paul, MN has snow and little ice is the season over before it started?

I am an experience furniture maker and novice welder with a substantial supply of tools and what I believe to be full plans to a DN60.

12 DNs showed up early in the day in hopes of sailing before the snow moved in. Some new faces, which is great. Unfortunately, the snow came early and it become an exercise in setting up and tearing down the boats. Such is life.

So the iceboats packed it up and the kiteboarders moved in. For the record, there are three significant holes.

Browner
5298

November 30, 2007

Buffalo was showing circa 20% open water so we played it safe and convened on Swede Lake. 6-7 DN's turned it lose on ice grade 8 of 10. Thickness is 4-5 inches.

Wind was up, 12G15, so were the speeds!

There are three smallish open areas marked by red cones so keep a look out.

5 boats are set up for an early AM session before the snow flies.

Vi ses i Sverige!
Pics here:
Svenska Sunset

Adam
US5366

Sad to report that many areas of swimmable water are still visible from my 40 ft altitude on the south shore. They are large and wide spread, so extra pfd's should be loaded when it does firm up. I'll post if anything looks boatable after this weekends (hopeful) non-event. If any of the sailors from 30 years ago get nearby, give a hail 952-442-4741--I've retired to cruising status only.

FYI, Icemaker text says FLU recovery therapy moving to Swede lake near St Boni. Passing it on.....

Rumor has it that iceboaters all over the Minnesota area are calling in sick, with the flew, as they'll be flying all over Buffalo Lake in Buffalo this afternoon. Hehehehe.

At least half a dozen DN's are expected to meet at Sturgis Park, Buffalo MN around noon today and rip around on what looks to be a perfect sheet of ice, for now. It's gonna be amazing...

On that note, we expect most of Minnesota to get dumped on by a developing low pressure system. Ice Checkers/Observers are encouraged to check in Sunday afternoon...

WE NEED TO FIND A LAKE CURRENTLY OPEN, AND LIKELY TO FREEZE SUNDAY OR MONDAY NIGHT. Of course, this being Minnesota, there are about 100 of those in inventory right now.

anyone interested? tom 612-432-8124

Kattack (www.kattack.com) is providing race tracking and replay for first ever Ice Opti North Americans being held in conjunction with the GWC. Some of the DN rock starts are doing a debrief and interactive training session at the kid's pizza party Sat. night.

I will have extra GPS units for any DN-ers that would like to give it a try - or bring one if you have one. It's great to watch the replay, relive how you smoked the competition and see who got max boat speed bragging rights. I'll try to find a place to show a replay (hopefully at the bar) on Sat and will publish the tracks to our web site so you can watch on-line at work on Monday. There's More....

This morning Buffalo Lake, Buffalo MN appears substantially frozen... I walked out until I found ~1.25" ice, and found prudence right there (possibly a first for this sailor), based on the NWS Forecast for Buffalo, MN... I'd be thinking we'll walk seriously on it Thursday evening, after the chance of snow tonight and make a decision where to sail this weekend in anticipation of the Great Western Challenge Regatta.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 8. Wind chill values between -7 and 3. Blustery, with a west northwest wind between 11 and 21 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Hello, Sailor! Ice Report, Sunday November 25th 2007, Lake Christina and Dead Lake, Minnesota!

KA 1 along with an '07 rookie racer (without numbers) and I made a quick run up I 94 to the new ice on Lakes; Christina, at Ashby MN and Dead, just north of Ottertail MN, today.

Conditions at 3pm today are: Partly Cloudy, 42 F, 8 C, Wind S 15 G over 20.

Approaching Exit 77 on I 94 the ground is barren, many of the ponds and smaller lakes approaching Ashby are frozen. The smaller bays of Pelican Lake, visible from the freeway are frozen, the main body remains open.

Pelican Lake: Two small boat trailers are parked at the Pelican Public Access along Highway 78 on our way to the Coot, we turned right at Ashby and drove along the North Shore of the North Arm on Pelican Lake, one fisherman was seen just pulling the first portable fish house of the season out on the ice. The ice looked pretty rough along shore near the Ashby Resort, and we did not stop.

O.K. you guys are heading out to scream around up north, and I'm just getting around to gluing up my new plank.
I'm following the procedure written by Paul Goodwin on the DN BBS, I have the ash and clear pine slats cut planed, joined and glued to form the skins and core, and I have a good staight I-beam to clamp them to, but I don't feel I have a good handle on the amount of camber, expected spring back, and amount (if any) gull wing.
Anyone got 2 cents?

THE SEASON IS AT HAND!

Locals report Lake Christina, Ashby, MN is COMPLETELY FROZEN OVER THIS MORNING, was substantially frozen yesterday morning, Current temp is 16 degrees F.

Additionally, Dead Lake, where we sailed last year looks substantially frozen according to local non sailors this morning.

A sailing/ice checking expedition/ is scheduled for Sunday!

As it stands right now, three sites are currently at the top of the primary site for the Great Western Challenge Regatta,
1. Lake Christina, Ashby MN
2. Dead Lake, Maine, MN
3. Buffalo Lake, Buffalo, MN