iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

The other posts for Elk Lake were getting so long it was getting hard to find the newest update...So This is the new report.
We have still been sailing every day. We got in 40 miles of sailing today before the winds died down. We also saw 2 DN's running around out there. I assume from the local club, but I am not sure because I was having too much fun to stop. Unfortunately when we went in for lunch the wind died down. It's early still so if it picks back up we'll head back out. Winds ranged from 6-10 most of the time, but we did have about a half an hour with frequent gusts to 13 mph. The wind meter shows 10 minute averages too, and when we came in it showed the averages to be 9mph a couple times and 10mph a couple times.

WONDERING IF ANY ICE JUST SOUTH OF THE TWIN CITIES PROFITTED FROM THIS MOST RECENT THAW? PEPIN , ALBERT LEA, OR PLACES JUST WEST OR EAST? TALKED TO AN IOWAN WHO SAID OKOBOJI AND CLEAR LAKE WERE BEYOND SAFE TRAVEL ,EVEN FOR A DESPERATE ICEBOATER.FORECAST THRU WEEKEND LOOKS PROMISING IF SOME DECENT ICE DOES EXIST.PLEASE GET OUT THE WORD IFYOU KNOW OF IT'S WHEREABOUTS. THANKS,DN904.

After a great day of kite skiing on Minnetonka yesterday in the warm weather the snow has been replaced with water. The drive off the lake yesterday in 3-4 inches of standing water was a little eerie but I knew a little cold weather would change all of that.

This morning when I drove through grays bay on hwy 101 the ice looked perfect for our other winter sport "Ice Boating". The ice was white in color and was smooth as far as the eye could see. Hopefully it was cold enough last night to freeze the standing water all the way through.

Surf is up on Lake Minnetonka!!!!!!

PS The ice is still 18-24 inches thick.

GEOFF,
SINCE YOU ARE BACK THERE AND IF YOU WERE A BETTING MAN, WHERE WOULD YOU SUSPECT ISA TO BE HELD IF IT HAPPENS? AM IN VAIL COLORADO & WE ARE WAITING FOR 2 LARGER LAKES IN THE STATE TO SOUP OUT & GIVE US SOME WHAT OF A SPRING SEASON. IT HAS BEEN THE WORST EVER. KONR AKA SAILSMAN

We sailed and had a blast today, the wind picked up for a little while. The winds were between 5 and 7mph gusting to 10 or 11 most of the time. I posted some pictures in the photo gallery, we had 6 boats out here today and we were just going to get set up for the weekend. We didn't really expect to get to sail...what a great "bonus " day.

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

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.

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

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

FYI, smaller ponds/lakes west of Willmar, MN are snow free. Lakes around Willmar still have snow drifts on them but could be gone by Sunday if it rains. Lac qui Parle, a large lake near the SD/MN border,(near Montevideo) would have been sailable today but a little rough. 7 on a scale of 10.

The problem for the snow free zone trending SW of the Twin Cities is there are few large lakes!