iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

Ice is snow-free as of this moment, smooth, pebbly surface.
Sailing Friday, Saturday, Sunday as wife permits.
Wind predicted @ www.weather.com Zip 46567
Friday 7-10 mph, Saturday not posted yet.
Standard Ice Disclaimer applies, but fisherdudes report thin spots to be 4" thick, other areas more like 10"
Scott C

I don't know when you cease to become the "defending champion" and atain some higher plane, but since all the records of the NIYA I can find (in a minute of searching the Internet...) show JD as the winner of the Northwest DN class I guess some kind of congratulations are in order!

Cheers,

Geoff S.
US-5156

22 Great days of sailing.
We have some snow cover, but still some great sailing out there.
The conditions change daily with the wind direction.
Some days the north end of the lake has 90% snow cover 1/2" to 1 1/2" deep, then the very next day if we get a wind shift we have 60% cover with drift up to approx 2". On average most days we have about 80% cover and snow cover ranging from 1/2" to 2". All the snow is very light and fluffy, that's why it blows around and changes so easily. We've added some pictures to the photo gallery...even one ooops shot!

Left work early on Friday to setup my boat at the Allen/Pratt location in Cottagewood in hope of a sunset poach. After setting up the boat the wind came up and it was time to sail. Had a beautiful sunset cruise with the orange light glistening off the smooth ice.

Main Lake:
Condition good with some isolated rough spots. Not regatta conditions, but great recreational sailing. Ice is a little rough closer to Arcola bridge, but at the Northhome end of the lake the ice was good.

Big Island Slot to Excelsior:
Very rough from multiple car & snowmobile tracks. Not very fun in a little DN. I think I loosened a couple fillings.

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