I was sailing on Norton Reservoir (MA). The ice was about 2.5..3.0 inches of black ice. However, the Resevoir was known for having "springs"...and it was shallow. There had been holes that had re-frozen overnight...to LESS than 2.5 inches...and then a dusting of snow. Voila.
I was sailing a DN Iceboat. The wind was light....the ambient temp was maybe 40. I sailed over that spot and
Slow Landed in the Skimmed over..and snow dusted over
refrozen hole.
I was wearing a snowmobile suit. Upon entry into the water...There was the expected
"Shrinkage"..
but then it wasn't so bad. The boat went into the hole and tipped over..with the 16 foot long mast laying over to one side..onto good ice. I was able to walk over the sail up onto the ice and escape.
After I
walked out, my friends and I had to figure out how to get the boat out of the water.
Decision: I would
Go Back in the water and "pull the pins" to release the rigging so the boat could be slid out. It worked.
BTW: The snowmobile suit worked a little like a wetsuit...once the water entered the suit, my body warmed up the water enough to prevent total shock. Just rememberin....
NB