iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

looking at uppper lake, spring park, set up at ramp on hwy 15 or at doctors moms house. dr. checking ice tonight, should be good. let the germans know to use caution or you can find a hole or open crack. main part of lower lake still open. tonka bay is frozen. tom meyer

For almost a decade we've been musing about some alternative sailing tracks which allow sailing on smaller areas, expanding the season, fun to sail, reducing the potential for collisions, creating a course that might be easier to televise, more interesting to watch and fun to sail.

A couple experiments have been conducted which seem to be acceptable to the sailors. Based on a regatta on Elk Lake a couple years ago, JD, and 5214 suggest this combination as an experiment:

"Dirt Track" Sailing
- Windward / Leeward Course,
- Marks ~ 1/8 Mile apart (or ~200 yards)
- Six - Ten Boat Fleet
- All boats start on Port (reducing the number of port starboard crossings on the first beat)
- Ten Lap Course

Rumor has it that Lake Minnetonka froze the other night as one big beautiful sheet of ice. If the main lake is sailable, then we'll be sailing out of Allen/Pratt location in cottagewood. Cottagewood USA Launch Site

Other options could be
Wayzata Yacht Club

Spring Park Bay Landing

So has anybody been out to check the ice on area lakes.

Thanks,
Dave

Me and Tom & Tom were driving home from Fegus tonight.(Sat.) Stopped at Buffalo Lake on our way back tonight,at 10:30pm.From launch site. the ice is absolutley sexy. There is no snow or drifts. The ice is absolutley smooth black ice as far as we could see. The ice appears to be about 2-3" thick. It was dark we only walked out about 50 feet. the Temp. was 15 deg. a heat wave after a day at Dead Lake.
From what we could see this is going to be some awsome ice for sailing tomorrow. Further investigations should be made in the daylight.
For those of you who couldn't make it up North to Dead Lake, here's your chance to get out for some of the best looking ice there will be this season. Everyone from Dead Lake is coming down in the morning. Load up your boats kids it's is going to be a blast out there.

10am Friday
Swede Lake- Completely frozen over with smooth ice about 1 1/2" thick in 5' of water. 2'-3' cracks appeared when I chopped through.

Whale Tail Lake- Completely frozen over with smooth ice (choppy around shore) 2"-2 1/2" thick in 5' of water. Ice is stronger than Swede, didn't crack when I chopped through and withstood a few lackluster jumps. (I'm such a chicken)

This just in from 4695's dad, Sweet ol Bruce...

From: bruce
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 3:59 PM
To: 4695
Subject: Re: Collin's Landing

Hi, 4:00 PM

Just got back from a trip down to Collin's Landing. The lake looks like a big mirror. It sure looks like a perfect spot for your event. I did not walk out to check the Ice, you guys can do that. We got some rain last night and again this morning, a little drizzle thru the day and nothing else. We are supposed to get some cold weather so it should be great if we don't get too much snow.

Bruce

Three DN's are out on a course sailing their 6th race... on the West Arm of Dead Lake near Fergus Falls... winds are North at 10-15 mph...

Marks are set about a mile apart, the ice is thin but judged today to be suitable ("it's fine") by 4691, 4824 and National Secretary 5214.

We have SUITABLE ICE which has been sailed by ranked sailors!

Additionlly a back up location with possible sail in sail out accomodations is being checked in the morning.

The a final location decision shall be made no later than Wednesday Noon... in order to assess the impact of the weather system which may be an influence.

623 AM CST SUN NOV 26 2006

...A WINTRY MIX OF FREEZING RAIN AND SNOW LIKELY OVER MUCH OF THE
AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY...

A COMPLEX WEATHER SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO
TUESDAY. WHILE THERE IS A GOOD CERTAINTY THAT THE STORM WILL
IMPACT THE AREA THERE REMAINS STRONG UNCERTAINTY IN THE TYPE AND
AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION.

LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP OVER EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA MONDAY NIGHT
AND THEN MOVE TO NEAR FERGUS FALLS TUESDAY AND THEN TO KENORA
ONTARIO TUESDAY NIGHT. WARM AND MOIST AIR WILL RIDE NORTH INTO
EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA

Succinctly, There are 4 lakes under observation with Big Sailing Areas That Are Currently Frozen in the general area between Fergus Falls and Perham Minnesota. The single big area without a visible hazard is the West Arm of Dead Lake... Casey Jones you'd better watch your speed...

There are two suitable launch sites, a public access, and a small resort store (open) with some ammenities, (byob) called Collins Landing... 23 miles from Fergus Falls. Today's walk out... more ice than I've sailed on in 5 or 6 venues including last year's Great DN Western Challenge Regatta. heed this, it's early, it's thin, it's subect to change.

4695 is in west central minnesota checking ice... ONE LAKE IS CURRENTLY SUITABLE, WE WILL SAIL THE BEST LOOKING LAKE TOMORROW

Additional details will be posted after ice checking is complete this afternoon.

Who's in?

Ice is Nice.

4695

Current temp: 20D F, Calm

A brief drive yesterday yielded two lakes which show great promise as sites for next weeks Great DN Western Challenge Regatta.

Christina has lost some ice, significant open water was visible from the launch site.

Dead Lake, West arm, was completely frozen yesterday afternoon / sunset and show great promise as an alternate location. Suitable size (about 2 miles across), launch site with ammenities, current ice. yahoo map dead lake

Sunday 1000 local time, 30 d F, wind calm,

Most of the lakes visible from I 94 are substantially skimmed over

Pelican appears 100% frozen, there are no fish houses yet in narrows

Lake Christina appears a sheet of glass.

I Walked out ~ 25' from the launch site onto the optically clear ice, the crystals are about 16 - 18" in length

The ice bears weight and cracks under foot, quite elastic, appears less than 1.25" alone I didn't feel terribly adventurous this morning.

Depending on low temps during the week, I plan to set up on Friday and try the ice...

We are less than a week from suitable ice... sharpen up them runners girls

A call to the City Restaurant in Ashby this afternoon...

Lake Christina was completely frozen during the cold snap, it appears to be frozen over now, but it's been warm.

No sailors have viewed the ice as of yet...

expect an update over the next couple days...

ice would sure be nice

4695

Milepost 8, Lake Christina, Ashby, MN

At the launch site there is a skim coat of ice extending about 100 yards into the lake.

Forecast temps for the next two weeks have plenty of below freezing opportunities...

http://wwwa.accuweather.com/forecast-15day.asp?partner=accuweather&trave...

If Christina freezes this week (and it's certainly plausible) we could concievably be sailing Nov 11th.

ice is nice

4695