the IceMaker's blog

The Great Western Challenge Regatta, Outlook

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:19:10 -0600

At the time of this post, we have abundant ice in Minnesota to look to for the Great Western Challenge... Today's Modis Imagery at 250m resolution clearly shows frozen lakes including Dead, Christina, the East End of Minnewaska, ect. where we know the ice is more than 5 inches in a different color than lakes that have recently frozen and have less than 4 appear to be the same color as open water.

1. We have a lot of ice, more coming soon.

2. There are two weather threats on the event horizon, with a 50% chance of light snow on Sunday this week, where they expect any accumulations will be east of a line from St Cloud to Fairmont, (placing Buffalo at some risk) and an Alberta Clipper System coming thru the State on Wednesday... though some models are showing this weak system staying north of the Minnesota Canada Border. Sure to be followed by some Arctic Air...

Finding the ice, that sweet first sail, and screaming in the woods...

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:37:24 -0600

Christina, just as I'd imagined... hours of 50 mph formation flying, just checking for flaws, and ripping ... open in seperate window

...and this dairy farmer parks his John Deere tractor, right across the road from Milepost 8, with shitty boots and the clothes a dairy farmer wears to work, he ambles across to find two totally spent DN sailors resting in the ditch, he stops, hands on hips looks at us, the two DNs on the ice, surveys the lake, and sits right on down in the ditch with a sigh, he looks at 5366 and me and says, "I was expecting to see you guys today, she froze in tight on Monday, and I just knew you'd be here today... I suppose there will be more of you tomorrow too."

Western Challenge Update - Smells like Buffalo

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 06:59:49 -0600

Today Iceboaters from Minnesota will be walking, and hopefully sailing on at least two lakes. I look forward to reporting that Lake Christina is in most excellent condition later today. I expect to hear similar reports from Swede Lake.

The weather outlook is favorable for the next two weeks, and we should start seeing other lakes kick over in the next couple days... I expect Buffalo will freeze on Monday or Tuesday, lagging Christina by a week. The lead up week to the Great Western is supposed to be quite cold with overnight lows in the single digits.

Where are we going to sail this mythical event? It just smells like Buffalo this morning... It's certainly not official, but it sure looks like it's lining up that way.

Predictions, like walking on thin ice, are not recommended...

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:54:56 -0600

Its been 23 degrees F. for the last 70 hours or so near Mile Post 8, Lake Christina, Ashby, MN.

I called Ruby's City Restaurant in Ashby MN late yesterday, Christina was still open yesterday morning. (Ruby's City Restaurant is an Icemaker's 3 Star Restaurant, one of the few places worth having breakfast between Minneapolis and Seattle, a scant 3 miles off I 94)

If my math is right, always questionable, since math is hard, and underlying assumptions are right, more suspect.

Prediction: Lake Christina, that cold heartless wet spot, will be frozen at first light this morning, though not quite completely, her pleasures await, and nobody's going to jump on her...just yet, I do expect somebody will piss on her this week.

A new spin on Fleet Growth - The Devil's Playground?

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 03:10:31 -0600

Several of us; The Reverend Petey, at Head Injury Media, Aussie Peter Norton of RumJungle Media, Geoff S, and myself for sure have been talking... about "Telling The Story", the story of iceboating, like with all this ice, and all this sailing, the speed, the thin ice, there's a couple great stories to be told. ...like just checking the ice

HINT: Open hyperlinks in separate window, you should be able to leave the sound on.
1. Right click Mouse when cursor is on Hyperlink
2. Scroll to Open in New Window,

Self Rescue - If you don't know, DON'T GO!... or how to be your own best friend!

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 09:07:25 -0600

Link to page: Self Rescue or How to be your own best friend!

http://www.iceboating.net/node/2323

A reprint of Bob Dill's excellent article from the IDNIYRA Site, and a couple other thoughts.

Minnesota Ice Sailing Association - Strategic Overview

Sat, 21 Apr 2007 13:50:13 -0500

“…and one of us will win!” The softer side of hardwater racing.
Parts of this date from 1992 and I cannot speak to the prior evolution of the sport locally; these are my observations.

John Dennis and Jimmy Gluek suckered me into test sailing a DN Iceboat on Medicine Lake Minnesota in the spring of 1991, it was a great spring day, blowing 10-15 mph. I tried it once and owned a boat that very day and have every day since then. What a hoot, it still is.

I did my first real regatta sailing in ‘92 at a Western Regional Regatta on Lake Winnebago, 50 boats a fleet and two full fleets, maybe 7 guys from Minnesota went; JD, Meyer, Dick Hatfield, the Doctor, and Bruce Smith & Myself. It blew and we all had a riot. Of course I recall we all pretty much got our asses kicked by the Michigan & Wisconsin guys.

on EPIC

Sat, 21 Apr 2007 13:02:38 -0500

Photo Credit: Geoff Sobering

The Weather Channel announced the Series "Epic Conditions", in January of this year,
The Weather Channel
updated 1/08/07
Epic Conditions

Coming in early 2007, dates and times TBA
The Weather Channel will follow thrill seekers such as sailboarders and mountain bikers. (Genres: Human Interest, Lifestyle).
____________________________________________________

I've repeatedly had a giggle over the blistering I've taken by some of the more stoic iceboaters, about the use of this particular word,... and about the use of hyperbole in promotional arts.

How bout that weather...

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 21:15:39 -0600

It's been a bit chilly up here in Minnesota... a big chunk of Superior's frozen... to our delight as iceboaters... we'll be there real soon.

Just got this from my Dad, Sweet ol Bruce,
and thought I'd share:

How About That Weather????

60 above zero:

Floridians turn on the heat.

People in Minnesota plant gardens.

50 above zero:

Californians shiver uncontrollably.

People in Duluth sunbathe.

40 above zero:

Italian & English cars won't start.

People in Minnesota drive with the windows down.

32 above zero:

Distilled water freezes.

The water in Bemidji gets thicker. (there's 4" of ice on Lake Christina)

Fleet Growth Ideas.

Wed, 13 Dec 2006 11:11:21 -0600

A while ago, a guy named Michael Porter wrote a couple books on Strategy. I suspect I'm the only DNer in Minnesota who's read his work, at least some days it seems that way...

Nonetheless, we've applied some of his ideas with success in growing The Great DN Western Challenge Regatta ... and more importanly in growing the depth and breadth of participation in the DN Fleet in Minnesota.

Highly recommended reading if you want to grow the sport in your area. It also applies to business. Tip of the Helmet to him.

I'll attempt to outline this in detail when time allows.

4695

Global Warming: Where will we be sailing Dec 1 in 10 years?

Sun, 26 Nov 2006 16:53:12 -0600

I just wonder...

is tracking the first boatable ice or better... where are we sailing on Dec 1... could be as far south as Peppin, OshKosh, or Iowa...or further North... a good measure of global warming?

My guess is you guys will all get to sail on Devil's Lake, North Dakota at least once, on our way to Canada, eh.

It's really big, really shallow in many bays, and they've got a history of iceboating there that goes back to the 1870's the smaller bays are reported to be frozen now.

some thoughts on the western challenge regatta

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 11:05:07 -0600

----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Kiefer
To: JOHN LOOMIS
Sent: Thursday, November 24, 2005 1:39 PM
Subject: Western Challenge Regatta

John,

Thanks for volunteering to serve as Regatta Chairman for what, if memory serves, is our 12th western challenge regatta with an international field.

At the North American Championships, they have a special name for DNers who didn’t sail the Western Challenge Regatta…

The Bronze Fleet!

To me, this regatta is all about winning the North Americans!

Just like the Minnesota Ice Sailing Association, this event is almost entirely of evolutionary structure, There’s really no job description for the regatta chairman, it’s a whatever you think is important, and largely ceremonial role.

DN Western Challenge 2004 Planning Blog

Fri, 19 Dec 2003 08:32:37 -0600

Several areas to discuss w the members...

1: Corporate status... right now we're probably an unrecorded general partnership, from a legal entity perspective... given the size of the fleet attending our western challenge event, perhaps we should consider incorporating the organization.

2: It's a royal pain to try to score boats, and my understanding is, this is thought as a good thing to do... even if we insist there are no "bragging rights" that come from this event. One thing that would simplify the process is simply registering boats that wish to sail. Capturing name, home town, sail number, etc.

Regatta Plans - Western Challenge

Tue, 02 Dec 2003 10:44:41 -0600

- JD will update the trophy, engraving DN Western Challenge for name, and prior winners, such as they are.

- Stephanie will append housing list & prices by noon today, forwarding for posting to this site.

- Additionally, a site for the saturday night clambake will be determined today for posting to the site.

- Dr. & JD will confirm locations of marks & starting blocks & flags prior to Friday.

- Gaps remaining: Race officer(s) of course we expect we may have to split the fleet, due huge turnout expected. If this is the case, we can split the administration... in the alternate, we'll use the "maine plan" for self officiating, using either a toss or average points awarded for the scoring competitor.