DN NA Class

The quest begins soon. We will be looking for suitable (best) ice, ability to set a mile long course in every direction, safe ice, with good access. The perfect venue has black ice, no snow, a resort open with lots of cheap rooms, a meeting room, bar, banquet facility, lake access. Weather would be a long term forecast of no snow, winds between 7 and 18 mph and temps in the range of 25-32 F. if you see all this, call Asap

Please look at what is or could be sailable in two weeks and let your regional vice Comodore know. The venue is chosen by the executive committee based on reliable input, the ice having been sailed, and other considerations at conference calls. The calls begin next Wednesday.

Would love input on long term likely options.

If there was a Ballet nearby the venue would be a 10!!

The western region is looking frozen and snow covered. Green Lake locked up in time to catch the last two snows.

Thunder Bay or Montana are being sailed. What's near you?

First conference call for ice selection is Wednesday evening January 19.  Please get updated ice reports to your regional commodore in time for the call.

CANADA
Claude Morin
Email: claudejmorin@netscape.net

EASTERN LAKES
Eben Whitcomb
Email:  eben3@comcast.net


CENTRAL LAKES
Richard Potcova
Email: rpotcova@comcast.net


MOUNTAIN LAKES
Bill Van Gee
Email: dn3435@juno.com

WESTERN LAKES
Ken Smith
Email: kendnsmith@yahoo.com

Since Thunder Bay may be the spot once again.... Can we run a championship regatta with 4-12 degree F temps blowing 3-15 mph (Q) 

Respectfully, Chad Atkins
                   US 4487

Unfortunatly Thunder Bay took a hit of snow yesterday, 10 cm in total.Not sure how much fell on the Lake.I guess the Thunder Bay contingent (me myself and I ) will be making a few calls today but probably will not be able to access the situation first hand untill the weekend.

I think this is the year we should go so far west we circle the globe and end up in Nova Scotia.  I know they don’t have too many Ballets there, but they do have lots of sheep for the adventurous among you.    In fact, you should all start driving east now.

Cheers,
US 5193

Don't give up on Thunder Bay yet.There is a lot of area to search.Some parts of the Bay where not frozen ,so unaffected by the snow.Cold clear weather forcasted right thru to next week is sure to lock up some new fresh ice.
Phone call this morning out to Mink Mountain resort brought some good news,stay tuned.

Not sure what your point is here Chad,are you worried it would be too cold.I was out in that same weather this weekend and dressing properly made it very tolerable.In fact I got in 4 hrs of sailing each day.

Hi Mike,
The DN class has no official cut-off for wind and temperature but a commonly recognized cut-off is no racing with temperature at 10 degrees F. or colder.  That is an official rule in some iceboating clubs and associations.  Occasionally light winds allow racing in colder temperatures.  When cruising, one can stop at will.  When racing you're committed to four or six miles. 

 One of the things that has been learned over the years is that sailors have experienced long term lung conditions attributed to sailing at low temperatures.   And, of course, the volunteer race committee and scorers need to be considered.  If asked to serve in too harsh a condition, they may not want to return in future years.   

Competitors are always wishing for Chad's ideal conditions and understand the probabilities are low.  Organizers do the best they can meet the expectations of the competors.

Sale safe!

Madge,
My earlier post was tongue and cheek, but you have to realize Thunder bay is at one corner of the iceboating realm.  Nova Scotia  , Canyon ferry Montana, and Maryland/Delaware are the other borders .  It is a big box.    Are you willing to drive 35 hours each way to the worlds?  Wisconsin, while not exactly close is a lot more central to most iceboaters and that is a consideration.   If the worlds are in thunder bay, we will be there sometime Friday evening,  but I would prefer a location more central.

The second point about temperatures is valid.  Usually the class won’t race when it is less then 10°F.  Will we sail/ scratch race in much lower temps of course, totally different animal.   Could the class change this if they wanted, yes they can. 

There is a reasonable safety concern in these conditions.   Think about it, you are wearing track shoes, and a skin tight racing suit if you want to be competitive.  You are alternatively exposed to wind chill of 35-60 mph for an 18-20 min race if it is windy.   
In a light air regatta, you are going to be running a lot, when you are over the ventelatory threshold and breathing 5 deg air you are reducing core temp very fast.   You are also inducing long term damage to lung tissue as the surface area of the avioli are very large and thin. 
This is the reason you sometimes  cough up a little blood after a hard run in very cold temps.   

Plus the RC and volunteers are  none too happy about it.

Cheers,
US 5193

Do not throw the towel yet!  The US east coast received rain yesterday and it might have resurfaced some snowned in lakes. In addition, Champlain's got three open sailing spots.

We're monitoring Valleyfied QC (new ice) and Kingston ON (open again after strong westerly winds blew the thin plate out last night) for new ice

The above regions are expected calm winds and cold temperatures that might give us what we all crave for....

Claude
KC5001