iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

I am looking for feedback on whether or not there is any interest in creating a more formal Ice Boat Club for the Minneapolis area. I am one of the new owners of the Shorewood Yacht Club. We have a very nice clubhouse and would be willing to host weekly or monthly meetings. The club house would also be a good warming house when Lower Lake Minnetonka is sailable. Jim Johnson is moving his store(Seven Seas)into our lower level. He should be completely moved by next week. Jim indicated that he would be willing to open the store on meeting nights. I will post a poll on this site, also please email me with any suggestions.

Update
Fergus Falls, Mn
Saturday 8:00pm
In a move that would only make sense to iceboaters... we're moving the regatta to Buffalo, MN... Sturges Park, MN Hwy 25 Buffalo, MN

Start, Race 1 11:00 don't be late...

Consensus wake up calls for 0500, boat tear down in Dead Lake, Shuffle off to Buffalo, and get together an do it again. Hmm. coffee, personal hygene, xx min 25 min to the launch, 30m min for boat tear down, a tank of gas, a little food, 3 hours in the car, half hour to set up... leaves about nine minutes to sail out to the course and check the wind.

As alway... sailors of all abilities are welcome at minnesota ice sailing event.

I work for a guy who has a cabin on the big peninsula that divides the east and west arms of Dead Lake. A friend and I have Nites and are driving there Fri. to do some sailing and watch the regatta. There are two extra beds available and a big living room if anyone wants to crash on the floor in sleeping bags. 50 feet to the ice. There's also a boat ramp on the east side of the peninsula. It could also be used as a place to warm up during the regatta. -Craig Young, Nite 483 Hudson WI 651-261-3196 biplanes.forever@earthlink.net

I hope you all are up for some camera time this weekend, as we will be shooting footage on and off the water er...uh..ICE!. I will have a few cameras on the race course and will be looking for interviews with as many of you as possible over the course of the regatta.

I am in talks with a few networks about a 6 episode series titled "Frozen Adrenaline" The Quest For the DN World Championship Title. If we arent going to do the show I will be turning the project into a documentary film so either way a great project is in the works that will benefit the sport of iceboat racing, more importantly DN iceboat racing! I hope to gather some incredible footage this weekend, so your support is greatly appreciated. Don't be shy!

This just in from 4695's dad, Sweet ol Bruce...

From: bruce
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 3:59 PM
To: 4695
Subject: Re: Collin's Landing

Hi, 4:00 PM

Just got back from a trip down to Collin's Landing. The lake looks like a big mirror. It sure looks like a perfect spot for your event. I did not walk out to check the Ice, you guys can do that. We got some rain last night and again this morning, a little drizzle thru the day and nothing else. We are supposed to get some cold weather so it should be great if we don't get too much snow.

Bruce

sold

You're sick of hanging around and you'd like to travel...

Might as Well...

You know all the rules by now
and the fire from the ice...

Takes time - you pick a place to go
and just keep Truckin on...

We need a travelling sound track for all you guys coming up for the regatta, we'll try to get something put together...

:) Who else, the Grateful Dead, for our Dead Lake Regatta Sound track.

4695

We're expecting a huge event, unprecedented indications of attendance from sailors around the world, Join us in Kicking Off the 2006/2007 North American DN Season

Intial feedback from sailors, 65 have confirmed they expect to be on the ice, 5 or 6 Europeans, an Aussie skiff sailor, 6 former Continental or World Champions ... we expect it to be a great fleet, great event on great ice.

If you're planning on sailing, please advise... we have things to plan that really require something of a head count.

Restating pertinent details as they currently stand... no change from Now ammended Notice Notice

Three DN's are out on a course sailing their 6th race... on the West Arm of Dead Lake near Fergus Falls... winds are North at 10-15 mph...

Marks are set about a mile apart, the ice is thin but judged today to be suitable ("it's fine") by 4691, 4824 and National Secretary 5214.

We have SUITABLE ICE which has been sailed by ranked sailors!

Additionlly a back up location with possible sail in sail out accomodations is being checked in the morning.

The a final location decision shall be made no later than Wednesday Noon... in order to assess the impact of the weather system which may be an influence.

623 AM CST SUN NOV 26 2006

...A WINTRY MIX OF FREEZING RAIN AND SNOW LIKELY OVER MUCH OF THE
AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY...

A COMPLEX WEATHER SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO
TUESDAY. WHILE THERE IS A GOOD CERTAINTY THAT THE STORM WILL
IMPACT THE AREA THERE REMAINS STRONG UNCERTAINTY IN THE TYPE AND
AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION.

LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP OVER EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA MONDAY NIGHT
AND THEN MOVE TO NEAR FERGUS FALLS TUESDAY AND THEN TO KENORA
ONTARIO TUESDAY NIGHT. WARM AND MOIST AIR WILL RIDE NORTH INTO
EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA

Succinctly, There are 4 lakes under observation with Big Sailing Areas That Are Currently Frozen in the general area between Fergus Falls and Perham Minnesota. The single big area without a visible hazard is the West Arm of Dead Lake... Casey Jones you'd better watch your speed...

There are two suitable launch sites, a public access, and a small resort store (open) with some ammenities, (byob) called Collins Landing... 23 miles from Fergus Falls. Today's walk out... more ice than I've sailed on in 5 or 6 venues including last year's Great DN Western Challenge Regatta. heed this, it's early, it's thin, it's subect to change.

4695 is in west central minnesota checking ice... ONE LAKE IS CURRENTLY SUITABLE, WE WILL SAIL THE BEST LOOKING LAKE TOMORROW

Additional details will be posted after ice checking is complete this afternoon.

Who's in?

Ice is Nice.

4695

Current temp: 20D F, Calm

A brief drive yesterday yielded two lakes which show great promise as sites for next weeks Great DN Western Challenge Regatta.

Christina has lost some ice, significant open water was visible from the launch site.

Dead Lake, West arm, was completely frozen yesterday afternoon / sunset and show great promise as an alternate location. Suitable size (about 2 miles across), launch site with ammenities, current ice. yahoo map dead lake

I am pleased to announce the 2006 Great DN Western Challenge Regatta is ON. Starting Dec 1, 2006, the primary site is changed to Collins Landing, West Arm Dead Lake, Maine, Minnesota

The lake was sailed by 3 gold fleet sailors on Sunday Nov 26 who characterized the site and ice as "Sweet"

Given we're have four frozen lakes also under observation, that are potentially suitable and a now very favorable forecast (I don't know what that really means in the face of a major iceboat regatta) We're pretty darn sure it'll be Epic.

The event headquarters is the Fergus Falls MN Best Western Motel, 925 Western Avenue, Fergus Falls, Minnesota, 56537-4803, Phone: 218-739-2211 Fax: 218-736-2533