iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

Took a chance to drive down to Lake Pepin to see what the ice looked like on Lake Pepin after the New Years Snow/Sleet/Freezing Rain came through the MN/WI area on New Years afternoon. The ice was fantastic on Sunday. Miles of clear hard ice and no fish houses to avoid! Sailed the northwest end northwest of Lake City, MN off a boat landing NW of the City. Bring your shoe ice cleats because everything is coated with a half inch of ice. It will work for DN's but anything on a trailer will need to find a flat approach to the lake at another location.

us4864

Quantum Inland Sails has 2005 Flat (Speed) Sails in inventory and ready for the 2005 World and North American Championship. Contact Jim Gluek to get one of these great sails. Quantum Inland uses the best cloth, superior sewing and special service for all of their iceboat sails. 2005 Race sails include windows,numbers and a bag. Racing battens are also available.

Quantum Inland Sails
Jim Gluek
Phone: 262-646-7610
Fax: 262-646-7611

I sailed my Skeeter and DN on Main lake, Wayzata bay, Excelsior bay, Gidions bay and all points in between today. Main lake is pretty awsome with the best ice along the Deephaven shoreline. There are many frozen drifts here and there, but easy to sail around. Also some pretty rough areas in the slot between Greenwood and Big Island. We crossed the pressure ridge between Big Island and just south of MYC easily right near Big Island. No ridge between Wayzata and Main lake, a large ridge between Brackets Point and Big Island. I didn't try to find a crossing there but did find a good spot earlier

Went sailing yesterday (Wed) on Excelsior/Gideons and slot. I setup at the public beach to the West of Tonka Bay marine. Good launch site. The ice in front of Tonka Bay Marine is smooth, but a relatively small area. Gideons is also very smooth. There are some extensive rough spots just outside Excelsior bay heading towards Wayzata down the slot. All the wind right after the initial freeze seems to have pushed a fair amount of ice around, hence, the rough spots. Didn't have a chance to venture to the main lake, because the wind was dying in the slot and it would have been a long walk back. There are some good lanes out there, but no big sheets of ice to make a big racecourse. I will be heading back this afternoon and hopefully the rain will have smoothed some things out.

For Sale: Nite #396; dark green hull, Sitka mast, “Slocum” plank, two sails w/ battens, tapered mainsheet, runners, mooring cover, mast bag, plank bag, cockpit cushions. $4,700.
Contact Mike Bloom at(612)598-3800 or mike.bloom@prodigy.net

Looking at sailing on Clear Lake this weekend.
LaCrosse WI area is snowed over.
Any reports will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Chip
DN 4056

Just checked Syracuse Lake, 3rd day since freeze.
2-1/2" of mirror smooth, clear, NO SNOW, ice.
Cold temp tonight should bring ice up to specs.
Looking for nearby iceboaters to sail with soon,
before the s-stuff messes things up. Skimmer skates
are razor-sharp-ready, though frame paint went bad.
"Wet Paint" DN (aka "Black Ice" last season) has:
New paint, updated sail, softer plank & springy front chock.
Refinished wooden mast w/ new stainless collar,
reworked boom w/ new jaws. All new blocks last season.
Braided mainsheet still in good shape. Let's Sail!
Happy Holidays! (Seed Ice Crystals: * * * * * * *)

Two questions for anyone who might know:
Is there ever passable ice under the Narrows Bridge? If so, any idea what the clearance is?

I suspect there might be too much water circulation there to allow thick ice, but I was just wondering if moving from Upper to Lower Lake Minnetonka was possible without breaking down the boats.

We are attempting to put together a data base of all Michigan NITE owners. If you are one, or know of one, please forward as much contact information as posible to info@gtiyc.com.

Thanks,
Corey Hughes, NITE 341
gtiyc

Sunday's forecast is temps in the 30's, and no Vikings game. Looking for some racing. Spring Park Bay is great, but can set up anywhere. Who's in?

Nite 559

I just got off the ice. Sailed out in front of Excelsior Bay, Guidions Bay along Tonka bay and Greenwood. Very smooth hard ice. Very clear. Some shallow drifts along the shorelines. Ice is a good 4"-6" thick.
Sailed Wayzata Bay yesterday, it was good but not nearly as smooth as near Excelsior. Also, the drifts in Wayzata are very dense. Other than my cousin and his Nite I didn't see any other boats out yesterday or today.
Michael

copied from the IDNIYRA bbs.
http://cerebus.winsite.com/laser/DNboard/mesgMain/2306.html

Posted by: Paul Goodwin on November 30, 2004 at 12:57:16:

The cut-off date for entry forms (without penalty) is December 31, 2004.

You can get the Notice of Race and Entry Forms for the
Worlds and North Americans on the IDNIYRA-NA website:

http://www.idniyra.org

Looking for some runners and chocks for a DN....

Looking for a cheap but solid DN for my first ice boat.

Located on Harrisons Bay, Lake Minnetonka

you can contact me at:
http://www.therockwells.net/contactus/index.asp

thanks,

Eddie

FUN, ICE & Wind on Sunday! 6 DN'S sailed from noon till dusk. Ample sailing area & ice is smooth from shore to shore.

HUTT