iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

Set of 3 36" Stainless Angles for Sale,

Hard Rock Maple bodies, 316L stainless with studs welded, sharpened to 100 degrees,

with cover (of sorts) and parking brake. First $700 will own them

Contact me at Six onetwo 868 seven947, worldiceracingcircuit(at)gmail

Will send photos by email they're not uploading here.

Think Ice

Fifty DN's set up on the Legendary Lake Christina's most alluring ice, 20n more in the parking lot, more on the road. A perfect sheet of ice more than 5" thick, a warm breeze at 10-15... sailors from three continents, six or so countries, ready to celebrate the Season of Joy, IceBoating!

Everything is shaping up for Epicity starting about sunrise today.

The Great Western Challenge Regatta™ 2011, Milepost 8, Lake Christina, Ashby, Minnesota. First race 10:00 Two Fleets Planned. 10-15 rookies waiting in the wings for that first sail...

Short course sailing will be entering it's exciting 6th season this winter, after 5 seasons of development here in Minnesota, and The IceMaker's working on another season, like the ice it's crystallizing now.

The project has spawned other short course experiments in Canada and Sweden, it's not going away, it's growing, evolving, changing and getting better across a broad audience. While our track racing was shortened last winter, track development continued, we saw 50 mph laps on the oval with 4 boats on the track at one time.

Thoughts on measurement, a Haiku on Epicity

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Richter Scale Earthquake
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane
How to weigh EPIC?
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(c) 2011 Mark "The IceMaker" Kiefer, Milepost 8, MN All rights reserved

While I'd love to get into the shop and get the old "38" boat ready for an Ice Checking and Regatta planning trip, and I sure hope to get to the ice...

I have this nagging feeling the while everybody's going to grin after the weekend up north...

That "Panhandle Hooker"... will that buzz killer depression storm show up again? Which are the next 5 to freeze if we lose what looks like top of the Epicity Scale locations in the works. http://www.iceboating.net/node/2916 Will she stay away?

Get the ice when you can. Let me know what you're finding...

My thanks to a new sponsor for the IceMaker's reports and blog postings, Jeff Kent of Composite Solutions for his generous support.

If you're interested in supporting the IceMaker's initiatives to tell the story of IceBoating to a larger audience, and the opportunites at hand to so so, please contact: Mark "The IceMaker" Kiefer worldiceracingcircuit (at) gmail.com or call / text (6 one two) 840 9855.

Upcoming publications this week:

Today's Ice Report 11/22
History of the Western Challenge 11/23
Today's Ice Report 11/23
The IceMaker's Blog 11/23
Today's Ice Report 11/24

1. There's no Wall to run into.

2. Bigger courses and fleets are possible.

3. GPS Tracks from Clear Ice Short Course Races tell organizers what they should really be plowing for courses, when the time comes.

4. It's cheap easy and fast, just like laying down a starting line.

5. It's better on small ponds, more places to sail = more times to sailing.

6. You'll feel better letting somebody sail your boat there.

7. It's easy for rookies to sail, and as they have nothing to run into, much safer for them and others.

What were they thinking? Or were they thinking at all?

We have a DN Class Association that Governs the Class and here's why;

"With the following stated purpose.

'To promote, protect, and perpetuate DN one design iceboating, to advance the art and skill of DN Ice Yacht construction and sailing aw well as the future development of the DN Class Ice Yacht and the sport of Ice Yachting on all the hard waters of the world.'"

Sound nice doesn't it, what a laudable reason to exist, it's not the mission, that's subordinate to the charter.

As the big press to identify a site for the DN Worlds which begin late this week, sailors will be out on thin, perhaps perilous ice in two or three time zones of North America looking for that elusive combination of: a perfect sheet of ice, big enough and thick enough; a forecast that is dry enough, warm and windy enough; a launch site that will accomodate the fleet, friendly locals, and all the other variables... some of the areas being scouted are believed to be very thin, freshly frozen sheets of ice.

I spoke with 4691, somebody has the runner mold, but who?

I'm building a few sets of inserts, and one or two sets will be available this month. will post photos of progress...

4695

The weekend snow storm was a bit problematic, many lakes need to be walked upon to see what we're looking at for inventory...

Ten Mile near Hackensack, Walker Bay of Leech Lake and some of the Pools on the Agassiz National Wildlife area near Thief River Falls show promise but are uninspected, it gets cold up there...

Given the drive by look of Minnetonka, there may exist some lakes that are suitable in the Metro Area, including both Minnetonka and Pepin may show promise based on Satellite Imagery... but are unchecked at this time.

I'm looking for a DN Boom, used might be fine, contact the icemaker at mark (at) onemorebid.com

4695

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....