when do you tell the world about your ice?

[DN5358]

Recent conversations have prompted this question, especially considering our lack of ice recently.
When do you inform the masses that you are checking, sailing, etc.
Before or after you find suitable ice?

My position is let the world know with full disclaimer.  Such as..... We're planning on sailing Lake A on Sat, drive by today appeared to be a 5 or 6.  We'll give a try at noon, join us if your desperate, you just might have a good day of sailing.

It is hard enough to find time and ice to sail, it seems if all potential ice is know, then potential ice time is greatly increased by all. 

Case in point - St. Martins Bay last weekend.  Total crap shoot on if we would have wind.  Those who knew and made the trip where rewarded with good wind for the rough ice conditions on Sat.   Twice the number of boats would have been a blast for those participating. We are a racing group and the more racing the better it is.

When  and how do we spread the word?

That's enough web time, time to go change the bearings on the trailer....

David

[sieglege]

David and I have been discussing this topic on our drives to sailing sites. Ice reporting - or lack of it - is still a challenge.

How many times have we had a free day or weekend but not seen any report, only to hear after the fact that there was sailing somewhere?

My vote would be to report on "maybe" sites and let people make their own decision based on their schedule, driving distance and desire to sail. Waiting until the next day....well it's just too late - we've missed a potential day of sailing. I don't want to keep "chasing ice" as my wife says, but if there is a reasonably chance for good ice and some degree of safety (or disclaimer), then I'd like to be informed.

And as a class, we also need to better take advantage of technology that wasn't available even a few years ago. Most of our region now has complete data connectivity via cell phone, and smart phones are conservatively expected to have 50% market share by end of 2011. We have facebook, twitter, google maps, text messaging, and many other platforms that we can use to (passively) "push" ice reports to all interested sailors instead of requiring active and multiple checks of the forums (which are not mobile web friendly) or ice line. Many of these technologies are good solutions for "many-to-many" reporting, where we collect information from many sources and push it to many recipients. The phone hotline still has a place, but the web can offer much more info (links to maps, infrastructure, local weather, etc.).

I've experimented a bit with some mobile friendly web pages (I have a Central Ice twitter account and some mapping experiments), but I think the effort would be better if we had some additional talent out there working together as a class. Maybe make this a goal for next season to have this in place.

Do we have some web programmers out there who could help? I can offer web design (but not the programming) and server space.

[KB [us5219]]

I think many experienced ice checkers are hesitant to report on ice conditions, for fear of people traveling and finding they are not quite as advertised.
First and foremost if there is NO OTHER ice reported... by all means make a report on sailable ice or ice that is about to be sailed!!
Many people will travel 1-3 hours to sailable ice rather than 4-12 hours to the best ice anywhere.  So good local options are important and need to be shared.
There is some fear that perhaps an enthusastic sailor might "over report, or over rate" the ice, but those of us who are serious about making a trip will dig deeper and make some phone calls before risking time and money.
My vote is:  If you are sailing it,  Tell us about it!  Thats what the ice reports section is for, right?

[DN 5449]

I would report ice more often,but really I am only reporting to myself.

[Bob Gray]

   I live in Northern Michigan and do a fair amount of ice reporting. I send an email out to about 50 sailors in the state when we have raceable ice. I am reluctant to send it out unless the ice has been sailed or if it is very obvious that the ice is good. It's a hike up here and I hate to get expectations up unless I'm sure of the ice. Ice reporting is very subjective and I normally would rather under rate the ice and not advertise it then have people drive 4 hours and be disappointed. A case in point is St. Martin's Bay last weekend. We had a ball sailing it but we decided that it was rough with enough launchers that it would be dangerous to race in over 15 mph winds.
   In the future I will report more ice but make sure people know if:  1) has it been extensively sailed. 2] has it only been walked on. 3) could it be raced. 4) Is it only good for cruising 5) and finally the normal how thick it is, how much snow is on it and the very subjective 1-10 rating. Anybody looking at an ice report must realize the reporter is giving only his/hers opinion and that might vary considerably from yours.
                                               Bob US 65

[DN5358]

I would report ice more often,but really I am only reporting to myself.

Keep them coming Sunshine!