iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

Lake MacBride: currently all clear of crust and snow so it's fast, but bumpy. An incredible 18" thick!

10 am start time for Sunday.
3 races in each fleet.
Results
http://jpvm.org/results/2018/IDNIYRA/Great%20Western%20Challenge.html

To paraphrase Yogi Berra; " It is difficult to make predictions, especially about the future!"

The current storm heading our way is a concern. Will it be rain or snow or miss us altogether. Who knows. As a result, it looks like we may need to wait until Thursday, and maybe even Friday noon, before Western Region Commodore Dan Hearn is able to make a regatta decision. Stay tuned!

Think Ice!

"Today it's time of glory is past and forgotten"

Check out the first minute of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9Y14FPlXUw

Fun video from the Canadian National Championships held in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Video courtesy of Alan Auld at Imagine Films. As you can see the scenery was spectacular. We sailed on beautiful ice, in a moderate breeze, with clear skies and 35 degree temps.
https://www.facebook.com/ImaginePhotoCinema/videos/vb.521807631204926/15...

Almost every lake right now is picture perfect.

A perfect 10, ice and weather.

Lake MacBride 8" thick, no snow, a near 10. I've learned to hold off when the temps are below zero. The Coralville Reservoir left behind 50 yards of sheet ice when it dropped, making access problematic. Might be good for Nordic skating until the wind picks up.
Rolley

What's an iceboater to do when the lakes melt?

You could get a foiling Moth or catamaran, but for a bunch less $$$ you can hit a local parking lot in a blokart like Jim Nordhaus (US-5566) and I did a few weeks ago:

For Sale - angles and insert runners

1.) I have a really nice set of angled slush runners for sale with carrying bag. The bodies are birch veneer and the angles are stainless. They are pretty light, sides weigh about 4.5 lbs and steering 5 lbs. No nicks on the steel. I am located in Minneapolis and am willing to ship, CONUS only. $500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-ts=1422579428&v=5p0mJpDpHwk&x-yt-cl=8...
Here is a video from last week on Blanche Lake.

I'm planning on sailing Grand Lake (between St. Cloud and Cold Spring) on New Years Eve day. No snow last weekend this far Up North in Minnesota. I don't care if I can't use my insert runners, because I haven't bothered to make any. Barely an inch of snow this past Sunday on some pretty good ice in my opinion. Looks like anything South of that got a few inches. No where near 9.95 on the ice scale. Guessing around a 3 or 4. Forecast is temp in double digits and the same for the wind.

But what do I know? I'm going sailing. I love America.

-Randall US4470 (not current)

Mr Miller, (and others)

First of all, thanks for introducing yourself. I've been lurking for several years, so I recognize some names (yours for one) but others I need to search out. And thanks for pointing out my stupidity of not realizing that not only can you not fit 80 iceboats on Bald Eagle Lake, you can't sail One on an official course. Not the point I was trying to make. Sarcasm is difficult in the written medium.

Once again, the issue of my post was not "where is the good ice". Lake Kegonsa looked beautiful in the pics on the 4LIYC site. The issue is spreading the word.

Greetings fellow sailors,

I'm a bit of a newbie to ice boating (this is my fourth season on the ice, only built one DN). I understand the need to move regattas to alternate locations due to weather or other conditions. Is there a reason that the weather or ice conditions Necessitate a move from MN to WI? I understand that Lake Kegonsa has good ice. Is Lake Christina or Green Lake unsailable (how about Buffalo?)? Last posts here don't sound bad to me.

Racing Nites is on the increase, most notably on Bald Eagle in Minnesota and Green Lake in Wisconsin. So much so that the fleet has made plans to split into gold and silver fleets at the Nationals if need be. And much of the increase is coming from Nite owners who've been cruising around for years. Turns out that comfy cruiser is already set for racing.

So the Nite fleet has built a new website with emphasis on helping the new racer join the fleet. Should also make it easier for people to know when and where the regattas are being held.