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I guess we just have to go make some ice. : )

Submitted by the IceMaker on February 1, 2008 - 15:21. Ice Conditions

From US 5366

Lake Calhoun in MSP is 20% clear, with some junk dry snow on it.

It has been decided. We will flood part of Lake Calhoun tommorow, Saturday.

(with 5 hp, 150 gpm pump)

But with it we can pump 40m**3 of water (11,000 gallons) in an hour. This will cover an area of 160 meters x 40 meters under 6mm water, per hour.

So in three hours we will have "rained" a quarter inch on an area of 320m x 80m. (1000' x 250').

It wil be 27F in the day and 10F on Satuday night and hopefully the chance of snow is just that.

We will meet at noon on Saturday on the west side of the lake (west calhoun parkway).

We need.
Pump and hose, and gas (Adam)
Ice auger (Andy M)
Brooms to spread water (I have a few, we need more)
Sleds
People
Beer.

end of message...

please coordinate with 5366 or 4695 if you have something to bring to the effort.
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It's a great exeriment. My thinking is we'll know how big an area we can make into a sailing surface with some flow from a 200 gpm pump and some very low tech agitation. And maybe we should capture some snow moisture content and temperature (snow, ice and air), start posting some data? Me I'm bringing a rake.

By Sunday we'll have a pretty good idea of the scope the project.

of course, there's always scrapbooking, or driving to SE Iowa.
see blog post, SE Iowa
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Carpe DN

4695

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Observations

Submitted by the IceMaker on February 2, 2008 - 16:40.

Five DNers on Lake Calhoun Today, armed with one 150-200 GMP pump, directly discharging from the pump, b(no hose) and brooms, we ran almost 50 minutes before an electrical issue, (we suspect the magnito don't like getting wet), we were able to "surface" a couple thousand square feet of lake. Lake Calhoun Icemaking Experiment

Conditions: there's 1 - 1.5 in of corn snow sitting on 22 - 24 inches of ice. w some bare spots, the consensus was in 10 mph of wind, the lake is sailable now.

The pump

We won't know until tomorrow how it settles out or spreads.

Observations:

The water needs to get farther away from the hole/pump system, a 50' hose on the pump will allow for a much larger surface area to be groomed over the same period of time. We used brooms today to sweep it outward, a system that Curlers might be comfortable with, but it seemed out of sorts for DNers.

I'm guessing that with just this pump, attended, an good dispersion system, say 50 ft of hose, we can surface 4-5000 sf an hour or about 30,000 sf per day, per pump.

Conclusion, Tentative,

If we can actually get up to 4,000 SF (370 M^2) per hour of surface done, there are about 70 pump hours in conditioning a 25,750 M^2 Track. 10 pumps, all must be attended, will require about a day on the ice to make a track.

Complimented with a track grooming machine to aid in spreading water and mixing of water with snow more efficiently, running 8' wide at 15-20 mph significant time reductions may be possible.

snowgroomers.net grooming equipment

It seems possible to groom the ice for short course racing, in terms of scope, something under a day, with maybe a dozen people who want to sail, with a course something like a half mile oval.

More experiments must be done to develop some real metrics and define a process that provides the boatable area.

At least one sailor was ready to characterize the adventure today as a bust, I see merit in an experiment with more robust equipment, multiple pumps, an ATV and a pull behind groomer.

We know a lot more than we did this morning, will know even more tomorrow.

4695

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Anything new from Sunday?

Submitted by GeoffS on February 4, 2008 - 14:33.

Did you try anything more Sunday? How did the patch you "surfaced" Saturday look after refreezing?

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not good

Submitted by mikemcDN on February 4, 2008 - 19:14.

i walked out to the patch Sunday afternoon and the ice was frozen but really rough and lumpy...

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Well, that's start...

Submitted by GeoffS on February 4, 2008 - 23:03.

... converting snow to any kind of ice is a step in the right direction.

It sounds like some kind of post-slushing grooming/surfacing is called for.

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$0.02

Submitted by the IceMaker on February 2, 2008 - 06:40.

"I wouldn't have seen it if I hadn't believed it."
Marshall McLuhan

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Why should we want to Groom a Race Course?

Submitted by the IceMaker on February 15, 2008 - 06:30.

Western Regional Regatta > Postponed One Week!
Submitted by 4695 The IceMaker on February 15, 2008 - 05:54.
Ice Conditions
Western Regionals Hotline recording for Thursday, announced another postponement... it's Izzy's intent to stagger the Western and Central Regionals to allow people to attend both regattas.
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February 13, 2008
Renegade Regatta Postponed
Via Ron Rosten: The IRIYA championship Regatta has been postponed for another week. Please check back on Sunday, February 17th at 1:00 PM central time for the next update.
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February 12, 2008
ISA Postponed
The ISA has been postponed until February 22,23,24, 2008. Check the answering service at 608-838-3861 after 1:00 P.M. CST on Sunday, February 17, 2008 for the next update. Too much snow on Geneva Lake.
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February 11, 2008
WSSA Regatta Postponed
The WSSA Annual Championship has been postponed until February 22nd, 23rd and 24th, 2008. Further information will be available after 12:00 pm on Sunday February 17th at any of the following, (262) 203-1997,
(414) 520-1190 or www.iceboat.org
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February 10, 2008
Northwest Postponed
Via Paul Krueger: The Northwest Ice Yacht Regatta has been postponed until February 22,23,24, 2008. Check the answering service at
608-838-3861 after 1:00 P.M. CST on Sunday, February 17, 2008 for the next update.
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February 6, 2008
Central Lakes Ice Opti Regatta Postponed
Notice of Race
Via Sara DeClercq: "I am very sorry to report that we have to cancel the Ice Opti Central Lakes Regatta this weekend. Northern Michigan did not get the snow that we did in Detroit, but the ice on Elk Lake is too rough to run a regatta on. Ron says we could sail for fun, but not race. We are going to try to reschedule the regatta for the weekend of March 1, 2008."
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February 6, 2008
Western Regionals Postponed...

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Western's postponed again!
Submitted by Mike DN on February 1, 2008 - 13:55.
Regatta Info
The Western Region hotline reports as of Friday morning Feb 1, they again had a snow event in Southern Wisconsin and Northern Ill. The Westerns are again postponed, awaiting suitable ice.

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Western Regionals Postponed...
January 23, 2008, 05:24:07 PM ยป
Almost a go in Menominee this weekend, but no dice...

Via the WR hotline: Postponed another week to Feb. 2nd & 3rd.
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January 5, 2008
Western Regional Regatta Postponed!
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It seems pretty obvious, postponing doesn't cut any ice with me.

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