iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

who has some smooth ice after this tropical heat wave we had last week? (I am still trying to remember the last time I drove through a rainstorm....in February....in MN!)

4864

Would anyone know of any iceboating activity, formal or otherwise in/on Lower Penisula of Michigan this wkend????
Have an OLD DN which is not as yet restored so son and I would just like to drive up from Cincy,Oh to observe or (maybe ) beg a ride (if winds not high).We are very careful and conscientious.

I have a speaker coming in to Alexandria, MN (Arrowwood) from San Diego on March 11. He'd like to stay over and try some iceboating. Dude is an experienced sailor and is intriqued by us northerners and this activity. Is there anybody around who'd be up for introducing a true 'character' to the sport? He's flying into/out of Fargo but would consider the Twin Cities if it would help. I'd be available to help/watch/push/whatever. Contact me at dave.sornsin@ulteig.com or 701-371-0643. Thanks! Dave

We now have lots of photos (118+-)of last weekends NA's on www.gtiyc.com and will be adding action close-ups as time permits.

Keep'em Sharp
Corey Hughes, Nite 341

Sailed Onalaska this afternoon. Ice was very good. Very minimal snow patches. Ice has very small texture.
Wind conditions today: 20 gusting to 28, a real exciting ride.
Onalaska Ice Yacht Club will reconvene on Sunday.
Good sailing to all.

DN 4056

From http://iceboat.org/

NIYA Called ON for Oshkosh, Feb 18-21, 2005

Directions to Launch Site:
Hwy 41 North to 9th Street East into Oshkosh. North on Main across bridge to first right Ceapee east, left onto Rosalia, right on to Wagoo. Wagoo goes directly to lake. Take bridge across crack.

Lodging:
Super 8 920-426-2885
Hilton 920-966-1300
Americinn 920-232-0300

I concur with Mike. Since I have a day job so I went sailing last night from 6-9pm on the main lake with blinky lights on, clear skies full of stars and a half moon it was awesome!!! The conditions (5-8 mph) provided great recreational sailing there are a few places on the main lake with good sheets of ice and other places which are 50/50 ice/ruff ice. I think by the weekend most of the ruff spots (old snow) will have broken down (sublimations) and the lake should be in great shape. We plan on sailing Friday afternoon again. My boat is set up in Cottagewood. See every one this weekend.

I spent most of Tuesday out on Minnetonka on my DN. The whole lake is very sailable. Its very smooth between the remains of the drifts. The drifts are pretty rough but don't slow you down much and I didn't see anything that looked like a boat buster. The pressure ridges have pretty much disapeared so you can tour all the bays, I even went through the Main Channel and sailed Crystal Bay. (left a little mast paint on the bridge bottem to get through)
We got the Skeeter set up last night so hopefully we'll sail that today.

Sunday the rain knocked the snow down on Pepin so we could get out. We had the three stern-steerers: Penquin 32', Comet 25' and Rum Runner 33' out along with a DN, Steve Wilcox's Arrow and the two skeeters. With his new gaff rig, Bob Church managed to get the Penquin up a couple of times. Good sailing and a great time if you didn't mind the rain. The lake was clear by about 4:00 but Pepin only got an inch or so of snow on Sunday night so it may still clear by the weekend. I will try to post again Friday with conditions.
Ed

Am wondering why there are no cables from bow to far ends of runner board ends? (for strength; not for adjusting but guess could be used for fine truing).
Could it be for safety in case of hitting an ice ridge...ie does one want the runner board to detach?
Gene; Cincinnati, Oh

Thanks to 5214 for posting a report re the regatta. Wanted to come up to watch (the worst kinda way) but personal circumstances wouldn't permit (no, not the wife!!!).
So really appreciated the photos and learning of the White Birch Lodge. Checked out their web site too.
Have an old (OLD!!!) DN that this site has inspired me to recondition. Know it can't be competive...just for fun!!
Best regards to all the racers and hope all get back home safely. Gene...Cincinnati, Oh.

FYI, smaller ponds/lakes west of Willmar, MN are snow free. Lakes around Willmar still have snow drifts on them but could be gone by Sunday if it rains. Lac qui Parle, a large lake near the SD/MN border,(near Montevideo) would have been sailable today but a little rough. 7 on a scale of 10.

The problem for the snow free zone trending SW of the Twin Cities is there are few large lakes!

We just got done with the registration and it looks like;

40 boats in gold
34 boats in silver

The ranking cut-off was around 33.

The ice is great here on elk lake, mi. It's got a small dusting of snow and it's got a slight bumpy surfice. It's supposed to be 10mph wind tomorrow and around 40deg so it should be pretty nice.

The venue is a great venue. We are in the white birch lodge and have the boats parked right in front of the hotel. We are sailing just out past the point. It's the first time I've been to a regatta where you can launch right from your hotel room.

I'll point the web cam towards the lake tomorrow.

Elk Lake, Mi

new web cam technology going...

this time it's an actual web cam.. with 3sec updates..

http://iceboating.net/live/webcam.cgi