2009 Ice-In

Island Girl · 01-01-2009, 08:06 AM

It is time again to watch the lake freeze over. This is the thread to make comments about this year's Ice-in. The Ice-In page is now up with webcams from all over the lake and a daily picture taken by DRH from a secret location in W. Alton. If anyone else would like to contribute a daily picture I can set that up for you.

Here is hoping for a quick and solid freeze... warm up those snowmobiles!!

IG

http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/icein.htm

Blue Thunder · 01-01-2009, 11:41 AM

IG,

The link below your signature has an extra letter thereby rendering it inoperative....

BT

Island Girl · 01-01-2009, 11:43 AM

Thanks BT... I fixed it.

IG

Island Girl · 01-02-2009, 12:56 PM

It looks like a lot of the broads is iced in... the mouth of Alton Bay however is still very fluid. CLA... is it really going to get very windy in the for the next 48 hours?

IG

This'nThat · 01-02-2009, 03:45 PM

People are walking about; fishing; and riding ATVs on Alton Bay today.

gtxrider · 01-03-2009, 07:19 AM

Walking on the ice may be OK but keep the Jimmys OFF

Little Bear · 01-03-2009, 12:29 PM

Broads are wide open again because of the wind.

Jed101 · 01-03-2009, 03:21 PM

The ice is holding in the broads from Ames to Diamond The wind is up and it has not broken up.. Lets Hope it locks in!!!

Definitely NOT safe to walk upon!

phoenix · 01-03-2009, 06:46 PM

just think in 29 days we will start the ice out contest

kayakn · 01-04-2009, 03:14 PM

Wind is chewing up the ice.

Just came back from a walk down Smith Point. Broads side of Diamond is wide open. There is a swath open all the way around Diamond. Still solid for the most part between Rattlesnake, Sleepers and mainland. A few spots starting to open.

Webbsatwinni · 01-05-2009, 03:07 PM

It's hard to tell from here, but it looks like the ice is holding around the lake (even the broads) when looking at the web cams.

Is that the case?

Island Girl · 01-05-2009, 03:57 PM

It looks that way to me, except for the broads cam... it is hard to tell if that area south of Welch Island is completely open or just rutted ice. Does anyone at the lake see water there??

IG

Major problem · 01-05-2009, 05:12 PM

I happened to be looking at Bear Cam today just before 3pm.
I saw 3 ice boats.

lakershaker · 01-05-2009, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Major problem

I happened to be looking at Bear Cam today just before 3pm.
I saw 3 ice boats.

I just was looking at the Black Cat timelapse and saw a few going by there also - just after 1:00 and 2:00. I'll let the ice thicken up a bit myself before going out there...

BoulderBronco · 01-05-2009, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Major problem

I happened to be looking at Bear Cam today just before 3pm.
I saw 3 ice boats.

Thats just crazy. Why risk it. There can't be more than 3" and probably barely any in the high current areas. Not smart. Who's going to be the first moron to go through the ice this year? Any day now.

Webbsatwinni · 01-05-2009, 07:11 PM

Did anyone get a screen shot of the ice boats? I was in a meeting and missed all the fun. Darn work, it seems to always get in the way of daydreaming.

I'm no expert on the ice (I'm lower than a novice at that), but isn't it way too early to be on the ice in that area? But I am ready to snowmobile to the island when the ice is!

Pineedles · 01-05-2009, 07:28 PM

Excuse me for not knowing, but what is an "Ice Boat". Do you mean a Skidoo skimming? That, I understand , and understand it is dangerous.

BoulderBronco · 01-05-2009, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pineedles

Excuse me for not knowing, but what is an "Ice Boat". Do you mean a Skidoo skimming? That, I understand , and understand it is dangerous.

It's basically a small one person sail boat with skates under it. One skate in the front and two in the back.

RI Swamp Yankee · 01-05-2009, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoulderBronco

It's basically a small one person sail boat with skates under it. One skate in the front and two in the back.

Here is one like that on Alton bay, Feb 22,2006.

codeman671 · 01-05-2009, 09:36 PM

As Boulder Bronco mentioned, an "ice boat" is typically a sail boat on skates, although they can be configured differently.

Check out http://www.iceboat.org/faqiceboat.html for pictures and details.

An ice boat on Winnipesaukee is usually useless as they are good on flat, clean ice only. Not something we are used to here...

They are non-powered and do not float. They are definitely not meant as a safe means of transportation. They are quite tippy. The first picture by RI swamp Yankee were hovercrafts on Alton Bay. The second? Who knows? A bit airboat? A bit ice boat? An accident waiting to happen?

Formula260SS · 01-06-2009, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RI Swamp Yankee

Here is one like that on Alton bay, Feb 22,2006.

If thats what was out there then those guys are just a little nuts

Blue Thunder · 01-06-2009, 07:25 AM

This has been posted in the past but I think it's worth a refresher course for all of us that venture out on ice.

http://www.almanac.com/edpicks/safeicethickness.html

Blue Thunder

Mink Islander · 01-06-2009, 08:13 AM

It suggests at least 4 to 6 inches of black ice for ice fishing/walking on the ice. It offers other important safety information that's worth reading, even as a refresher.

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fish...ety_on_ice.pdf

Personally, I wait for at least 6 inches measured off Cattle Landing before heading out to Mink and I ALWAYS test the ice along the way the first trip out. Ice thickness can vary by several inches over that 2 mile trek. Carry ice awls -- they could save your life.

Please be especially careful heading out at night or blazing the first tracks over unfamiliar areas this time of year. For example, I've hiked out to Mink in the past only to find the ice between Mink and Jolly to be at best 2-3" thick (vs. 7"+ elsewhere on my hike out) - passing snowmobiles were literally creating wave action on the ice. I remember thinking they were taking far greater risk than they realized. Sadly, hardly a year goes by that someone doesn't die in the Lakes Region from a mishap on the ice.

Given the forecast, we should have a very solid base (>12 inches) by mid January -- Nice!

Major problem · 01-06-2009, 08:21 AM

Watching the time-lapse pics on Bearcam, I saw the group turn around before the ice-surface water flow.

I've never tried it but my understanding is that these things can get up alot of speed up so maybe the skimming effect helps save them. The stopping/turnaround thing these guys did may have made them vulnerable.

A quick search on google gave me this link to their sport.

http://www.iceboat.org/faqiceboat.html

I"m sure there are many more.

And yes, although I've taken many chances in my life, I'm sure I wouldn't have been out there doing that yesterday without a lifejacket or even a full exposure suit.

Three of my favorite pics from winni.com are of vehicles that went through the ice. I can't find them in the gallery to link to. I have local copies I can repost. I think they're from '03

jeffk · 01-06-2009, 09:57 AM

Just looking at the ice boat I would think that if it did break through the ice, OK maybe it would float. But how would you get it out of the hole in the ice? I would think the skates would get hung up on the edge of the ice and make it impossible to get out. So you would end up floating in a hole in the ice surrounded by unsafe ice. This is sensible?

It seems to me that others have mentioned how they use a flat bottomed boat and push themselves along. If the ice breaks the boat can be maneuvered back on top of the ice because there is nothing on the boat bottom to get hung up.

I'll take the hovercraft, thank you very much.

RLW · 01-10-2009, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

This has been posted in the past but I think it's worth a refresher course for all of us that venture out on ice.

http://www.almanac.com/edpicks/safeicethickness.html

Blue Thunder

Thanks for the refresher as one does have a tendency to forget from year to year.

mcdude · 01-12-2009, 09:36 AM

Dave Emerson, of Emerson Aviation, officially declared Ice-In on the BIG Lake early on Friday Morning, January 9.

click here to read the CITIZEN ARTICLE

photo by Dave Emerson

PLEASE NOTE...

Quote:

Next week will be bringing in a cold front into the region, but people shouldn't move onto the ice quite yet. The ice should be several inches thick, rather than the one or two inches that some areas are right now.

RI Swamp Yankee · 01-05-2009, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pineedles

... what is an "Ice Boat". ..

From Meredith a couple of years ago.

codeman671 · 01-05-2009, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Webbsatwinni

Did anyone get a screen shot of the ice boats? I was in a meeting and missed all the fun. Darn work, it seems to always get in the way of daydreaming.

I'm no expert on the ice (I'm lower than a novice at that), but isn't it way too early to be on the ice in that area? But I am ready to snowmobile to the island when the ice is!

If you go to the Black Cat site and run the time lapse, in the first few frames that flash you will see an ice boat or two (with a sail). I just did it and could still see it. I don't see a way to freeze the frame but I am sure it can be done by CLA.

fatlazyless · 01-05-2009, 10:29 PM

I saw one of the ice boats up close, loaded onto a car roof rack, and it was an old, all wood boat, with a skinny hull, wood spar, three runner blades and one sail. It looked like it would float.

Ice thickness guesstimate, about three inches?.

Formula260SS · 01-05-2009, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoulderBronco

Thats just crazy. Why risk it. There can't be more than 3" and probably barely any in the high current areas. Not smart. Who's going to be the first moron to go through the ice this year? Any day now.

The idea with an Ice Boat is if the ice does break you float

01-01-2009, 08:06 AM	#1
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,352 Thanks: 18 Thanked 535 Times in 179 Posts	2009 Ice-In It is time again to watch the lake freeze over. This is the thread to make comments about this year's Ice-in. The Ice-In page is now up with webcams from all over the lake and a daily picture taken by DRH from a secret location in W. Alton. If anyone else would like to contribute a daily picture I can set that up for you. Here is hoping for a quick and solid freeze... warm up those snowmobiles!! IG http://www.rattlesnakecam.com/icein.htm __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade Last edited by Island Girl; 01-01-2009 at 11:43 AM.

01-01-2009, 11:41 AM	#2
Blue Thunder Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Eastern MA & Frye Island/Sebago Lake, Maine Posts: 951 Thanks: 252 Thanked 351 Times in 158 Posts	oops IG, The link below your signature has an extra letter thereby rendering it inoperative.... BT __________________ " Live for today because yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come"

01-01-2009, 11:43 AM	#3
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,352 Thanks: 18 Thanked 535 Times in 179 Posts	All fixed now Thanks BT... I fixed it. IG __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade

01-02-2009, 12:56 PM	#4
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,352 Thanks: 18 Thanked 535 Times in 179 Posts	Ice is nice It looks like a lot of the broads is iced in... the mouth of Alton Bay however is still very fluid. CLA... is it really going to get very windy in the for the next 48 hours? IG __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade

01-02-2009, 03:45 PM	#5
This'nThat Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 534 Thanks: 19 Thanked 134 Times in 61 Posts	Out and about on Alton Bay ice People are walking about; fishing; and riding ATVs on Alton Bay today. Attached Images

01-03-2009, 07:19 AM	#6
gtxrider Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Piscataway, NJ Posts: 1,030 Thanks: 2 Thanked 46 Times in 24 Posts	Lookin' Cool Walking on the ice may be OK but keep the Jimmys OFF Last edited by gtxrider; 01-03-2009 at 07:20 AM. Reason: typo

01-03-2009, 12:29 PM	#7
Little Bear Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 579 Thanks: 125 Thanked 247 Times in 133 Posts	Broads are wide open again because of the wind.

01-03-2009, 03:21 PM	#8
Jed101 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Ice from West Alton ...to Ames Farm..To Diamond & Rattlesnake The ice is holding in the broads from Ames to Diamond The wind is up and it has not broken up.. Lets Hope it locks in!!! Definitely NOT safe to walk upon!

01-03-2009, 06:46 PM	#9
phoenix Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: phoenix and moultonboro Posts: 1,556 Thanks: 61 Thanked 276 Times in 194 Posts	just think in 29 days we will start the ice out contest __________________ it's tough to make predictions specially about the future

01-04-2009, 03:14 PM	#10
kayakn Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Laconia Posts: 68 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Windy Wind is chewing up the ice. Just came back from a walk down Smith Point. Broads side of Diamond is wide open. There is a swath open all the way around Diamond. Still solid for the most part between Rattlesnake, Sleepers and mainland. A few spots starting to open.

01-05-2009, 03:07 PM	#11
Webbsatwinni Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Lebanon Ct and Rattlesnake Island Since 2007 Posts: 610 Thanks: 180 Thanked 137 Times in 72 Posts	It's hard to tell from here, but it looks like the ice is holding around the lake (even the broads) when looking at the web cams. Is that the case?

01-05-2009, 03:57 PM	#12
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,352 Thanks: 18 Thanked 535 Times in 179 Posts	Could be It looks that way to me, except for the broads cam... it is hard to tell if that area south of Welch Island is completely open or just rutted ice. Does anyone at the lake see water there?? IG __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade

01-05-2009, 05:12 PM	#13
Major problem Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Brockton,Ma, N Conway & Guilford,NH Posts: 53 Thanks: 24 Thanked 7 Times in 6 Posts	I happened to be looking at Bear Cam today just before 3pm. I saw 3 ice boats.

01-05-2009, 07:11 PM	#16
Webbsatwinni Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Lebanon Ct and Rattlesnake Island Since 2007 Posts: 610 Thanks: 180 Thanked 137 Times in 72 Posts	Did anyone get a screen shot of the ice boats? I was in a meeting and missed all the fun. Darn work, it seems to always get in the way of daydreaming. I'm no expert on the ice (I'm lower than a novice at that), but isn't it way too early to be on the ice in that area? But I am ready to snowmobile to the island when the ice is!

01-05-2009, 07:28 PM	#17
Pineedles Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Moultonborough & CT Posts: 2,545 Thanks: 1,072 Thanked 668 Times in 367 Posts	Ice Boat? Excuse me for not knowing, but what is an "Ice Boat". Do you mean a Skidoo skimming? That, I understand , and understand it is dangerous.

01-05-2009, 09:36 PM	#20
codeman671 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,502 Thanks: 221 Thanked 816 Times in 489 Posts	As Boulder Bronco mentioned, an "ice boat" is typically a sail boat on skates, although they can be configured differently. Check out http://www.iceboat.org/faqiceboat.html for pictures and details. An ice boat on Winnipesaukee is usually useless as they are good on flat, clean ice only. Not something we are used to here... They are non-powered and do not float. They are definitely not meant as a safe means of transportation. They are quite tippy. The first picture by RI swamp Yankee were hovercrafts on Alton Bay. The second? Who knows? A bit airboat? A bit ice boat? An accident waiting to happen?

01-06-2009, 07:25 AM	#22
Blue Thunder Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Eastern MA & Frye Island/Sebago Lake, Maine Posts: 951 Thanks: 252 Thanked 351 Times in 158 Posts	worth repeating This has been posted in the past but I think it's worth a refresher course for all of us that venture out on ice. http://www.almanac.com/edpicks/safeicethickness.html Blue Thunder __________________ " Live for today because yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come"

01-06-2009, 08:13 AM	#23
Mink Islander Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 753 Thanks: 59 Thanked 271 Times in 129 Posts	NH Fish & Game flyer on Ice Safety It suggests at least 4 to 6 inches of black ice for ice fishing/walking on the ice. It offers other important safety information that's worth reading, even as a refresher. http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fish...ety_on_ice.pdf Personally, I wait for at least 6 inches measured off Cattle Landing before heading out to Mink and I ALWAYS test the ice along the way the first trip out. Ice thickness can vary by several inches over that 2 mile trek. Carry ice awls -- they could save your life. Please be especially careful heading out at night or blazing the first tracks over unfamiliar areas this time of year. For example, I've hiked out to Mink in the past only to find the ice between Mink and Jolly to be at best 2-3" thick (vs. 7"+ elsewhere on my hike out) - passing snowmobiles were literally creating wave action on the ice. I remember thinking they were taking far greater risk than they realized. Sadly, hardly a year goes by that someone doesn't die in the Lakes Region from a mishap on the ice. Given the forecast, we should have a very solid base (>12 inches) by mid January -- Nice!

01-06-2009, 08:21 AM	#24
Major problem Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Brockton,Ma, N Conway & Guilford,NH Posts: 53 Thanks: 24 Thanked 7 Times in 6 Posts	Watching the time-lapse pics on Bearcam, I saw the group turn around before the ice-surface water flow. I've never tried it but my understanding is that these things can get up alot of speed up so maybe the skimming effect helps save them. The stopping/turnaround thing these guys did may have made them vulnerable. A quick search on google gave me this link to their sport. http://www.iceboat.org/faqiceboat.html I"m sure there are many more. And yes, although I've taken many chances in my life, I'm sure I wouldn't have been out there doing that yesterday without a lifejacket or even a full exposure suit. Three of my favorite pics from winni.com are of vehicles that went through the ice. I can't find them in the gallery to link to. I have local copies I can repost. I think they're from '03 Last edited by Major problem; 01-06-2009 at 08:50 AM. Reason: typos

01-06-2009, 09:57 AM	#25
jeffk Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Center Harbor Posts: 1,172 Thanks: 206 Thanked 437 Times in 253 Posts	Just looking at the ice boat I would think that if it did break through the ice, OK maybe it would float. But how would you get it out of the hole in the ice? I would think the skates would get hung up on the edge of the ice and make it impossible to get out. So you would end up floating in a hole in the ice surrounded by unsafe ice. This is sensible? It seems to me that others have mentioned how they use a flat bottomed boat and push themselves along. If the ice breaks the boat can be maneuvered back on top of the ice because there is nothing on the boat bottom to get hung up. I'll take the hovercraft, thank you very much.

01-05-2009, 10:29 PM	#30
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,768 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 300 Thanked 1,018 Times in 740 Posts	I saw one of the ice boats up close, loaded onto a car roof rack, and it was an old, all wood boat, with a skinny hull, wood spar, three runner blades and one sail. It looked like it would float. Ice thickness guesstimate, about three inches?. __________________ ... down and out, liv'n that Walmart side of the lake!