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Elk Lake Michigan Iceboating has moved to a new server! Our new address is http://elklakeiceboating.com
Be sure to change your bookmarks and spread the word. We will no longer be updating this address. For the latest Northern Michigan Iceboating info and to see where we are sailing our ice boats. Visit our new link. You will find, free plans, photos of iceboats in Michigan, videos of Elk Lake Iceboating along with other Michigan lakes. Our Elk Lake Michigan iceboating website is updated several times a day. If you are looking for Michigan Ice reports, Iceboat sailing locations, Iceboat building help, free ice boat plans and iceboat construction photos you can also join our Michigan Ice boating / J14 message boardAs Iceboating Events happen in Michigan this is the #1 website for news and photos.
The live cam at the bottom of this page will be broadcasting when we are sailing. Michigan Ice Reports will still be found on the Michigan Iceboating Message board.March 10th 2009 We were just on the lake tying down Rob's iceboat.. The snow is wetting out nicely. About 95% of it has wetted out completely. There are a few spots not as wet as we would like, but it is 44 degrees here right now and still drizzly. It will not go below freezing until 4am, so with that many hours left of warm temps we expect the snow to all be really good and wet. It is already plenty wet enough to refreeze to snow ice, but if it gets even wetter we may get gray ice out of the deal. By the time the winds come tonight the top surface should already be freezing so we shouldn't get any waves or ripples at all. If it was just water sitting on the lake it could happen, but this is not going to melt down to just water. So far it is going as planned (what a huge surprise that is) this weekend is looking good for iceboating. We will update before dark again, if the camera will pick it up as something other than just gray I will get a photo before dusk.
March 9th 2009 As most of you know we had a horrible snow storm last night. When we woke up this morning there was still some bare ice despite the amount of snow we received. As the day has worn on with 40 degree temps and bright sunshine the snow has started melting nicely. Approx 30% of the lake is bare ice or slush that will freeze into bare ice Wednesday night with temps between 0 and 7 degrees in the area. From Tuesday night through Friday night we remain below freezing with very low lows. Tuesday is supposed to be 45 degrees with a chance of rain so before the big freeze we will lose even more snow. High winds (gusting to over 40mph on Wednesday) will help the freezing process. Plan on iceboat sailing the March Thaw weekends starting March 14th-15th,
barring anything unusual we should have some fantastic pleasure iceboat sailing ice. We will keep you updated on conditions as next weekend gets closer, but come sail Elk Lake in March while you can. No one knows how long it will last. The weeks in March here at our place on the lake can be some of the most fun iceboating of the year.
March 8th 2009 We had such a fun day iceboating today. There were about 10-15 people here sailing. Rob brought some friends from Ohio. Below are some photos and videos from today.
March 5th 2009 Today Walt, Rich and Helmet Guy (Rick) are getting Jack's iceboat Magic and the trailers off the ice in case we get the rain that is in the forecast and the shoreline deteriorates. It's easiest to get the trailers off now, just in case. The rest of the ice boats will be moved in towards shore approximately 100 feet. That way if there is good ice this weekend, we can iceboat. If the ice is bad, the boats are only above approx 2 feet of water. Right now there is alot of gray slush areas showing and it is 43 degrees and cloudy.
February 27th 2009 "Sail the March Thaw the 14th and 15th" March thaw weekends are almost here !! During March each year our snow melts and we have some of the best sailing of the year on the north end of Elk Lake at the Jacobs' place. Come join a great group of iceboaters, for fun, great sailing and free food provided by your fellow iceboaters. There is no place like the Jacobs' place on Elk Lake for iceboating in March. Stay tuned to this site and the Michigan Iceboating forum for updates on when we will start sailing. Plan on sailing Elk Lake March 14th and 15th and continue as long as conditions allow. Below are a couple photos from the last 2 years.
February 26th 2009 For those of you who were here at the party you know there was a guy here who did a video interview about ice boating of Jack. He also recorded the award presentation to Jack that was done by Mike, Al, Larry and Rich. Below is a still he grabbed from that video. As soon as the video interview is online I will post the link to it.
Photo of the award that was presented to Jack is below:
While we are waiting for sailable ice on Elk Lake..The NIYA has been called "ON" for Lake Geneva, Fontana WI. Check out the ice boats already sailing there on the LIVE CAM.
February 23rd 2009 Here is the video from Sunday of the high tech straightening method for iceboat aluminum masts.
February 22nd 2009 Despite blizzard like conditions and visibility for part of Saturday we had a fantastic turnout and everyone got to sail before the storm and some during the storm. We woke up Sunday morning to drifted deep snow on the lake. Rob (FA-1) and Phil (DN) got to iceboat on Sunday. After sailing we brought iceboat parts in the shop and worked on them as a group. See the video below of Sunday and check out Rick's Flickr Page for photos of both days.
February 21st 2009
Quick update: We iceboated all day, approx 35 to 40 iceboats showed up despite the blizzard like conditions and I think everyone sailed. Still some iceboating at 5pm. Lots of video and Jack's award being presented will be posted later. Here is a link to Rick's (helmet guy) Flickr page with tons of photos from the lunch/door prize time.
Video #1
Video #2
Video #3 is embedded below. It is a must see. Mike, Al, Larry and Rich presented Jack with an award and then at the end there was a special award for Larry
February 20th 2009 = WE ARE SAILABLE!!
Todays Video
There is currently a DN iceboat and about a dozen bigger boats out there sailing right now. If you were waiting to see if we are sailable before heading north...we are! There are people everywhere here already today. We have 2- 2 1/2" of snow that is not stiff on the west side of the lake. We will update when they come in and give a report. We do need 10mph of wind, but check sailflow.com for their wind forecast and we should have that all weekend.
Update 5pm Thursday:Good news so far. Mike walked out on the lake. We have approx 2" of snow that is easily sailable as of right now. We could be sailing this evening, but visibility is still bad due to the fact that the winds are still blowing the snow south on the lake. Winds are supposed to stay high tonight so we may lose even more snow. If we do not get any significant accumulation tonight we plan on iceboating tomorrow. The snow in the pits is deeper, but not too deep. We didn't measure it. Conditions are changing by the hour. We will update tomorrow after getting a boat on the lake. Wind forecasts look great for the weekend and more people are already arriving!
February 17th 2009 We didn't think it was possible to top Sunday, but today probably did. Another great day iceboating Elk Lake. The snow is three quarters of an inch, the ice is smooth most places. It's just fantastic. There is really nothing you could do to improve the conditions we had today. You couldn't even tell the snow was there today. 3 videos will be posted tonight and photos will be on the Michigan/J14 message board shortly.
Our ice report for February 15th is:
If you were not here you missed one of the best sailing days of the year!! People were here from very southern Michigan, southeast Michigan, TIYC members and locals. Everyone had a great time and pleasure sailed for up to 6 hours straight. I don't know how it could have been any better. 6-13" of ice now. Less than one inch of light snow. Scroll down for video.
February 15th 2009 Here are 2 videos from today's iceboating, by the end of the day less than 1" of snow out on the lake and less than one and a half inches of snow in the pits UPDATE 1pm: I was just on the ice getting some video. Midday report from the sailors here is that the ice is smooth and fast with the occasional slightly bumpy spot. Snow is not a factor and no where reaches over one and a half inches. Most spots are under 1". If you are not here you are missing some fantastic sailing. People from the TIYC are here, people from southern Michigan and some locals. Finally, sailing as we know it on Elk Lake!! The iceboating here is GREAT!! Ice is good, very little fluffy snow, no hazards on the north end.
We could not ask for better conditions, no drain holes smooth ice in most spots, a couple bumps here and there.
Our ice report is: If you were not here you missed one of the best sailing days of the year!! People were here from very southern Michigan, southeast Michigan, TIYC members and locals. Everyone had a great time and pleasure sailed for up to 6 hours straight. I don't know how it could have been any better. Check out some photos from today on the Michigan/J14 forum and I am currently loading 2 or 3 videos from today to youtube. Only 1" or a teeny bit more of light fluffy snow.It does not affect the sailing. 8-12" of ice.
February 8th 2009 Video of Jack and Rich sailing Elk Lake today. The ice is solid. No snow, slush or shell ice
February 8th 2009 Elk Lake ice boating video and photos from today
February 7th 2009
Here is the video of Larry having a blast literally screaming across Elk Lake. Turn up the sound and listen carefully for
the screams of excitement YEEHAW !! There are also photos beneath the video.
January 18th 2009 It finally feels like iceboating even though there was no wind today and we got some snow last night. Everyone set up the boats, hung out, visited. Then Jack wanted burger and fries from the Towne Club. It just feels right. While we patiently wait for wind here are a few photos from today, you can see the snow right next to were I used the snowblower. It's is obvious that there is not much there even though it's the pits. Maybe 3".
January 8th 2009 Be sure to pick up the February issue of Lakeland Boating. It has a nice one page article about Elk Lake Iceboating and our Elk Lake Iceboat Party February 21st and 22nd. The photo they chose to use is one I took a couple years ago that has Jeff's J14 #57 in the foreground and DN's in the background.
Click here to see the large version
Click the button above to join our Michigan Iceboating and J14 Ice Boat website.
You will find accurate
detailed ice reports from all of Michigan. We have experienced ice checkers in
every area. You will also find reports from as far west in the USA as
Montana and as far east as Long Island.
Also you can print free iceboat
plans, get building help for your iceboat and check out photos of
iceboat
construction. The site is free to join and moderated so you won't get any spam
Jack sailing his twin masted iceboat on
Lake St Clair in southeast Michigan
Black Ice doing some amazing hiking on Bass Lake in Elk Rapids, Michigan with 5" of snow. Make sure to watch the entire iceboat video. The hikes get bigger as the video goes on.
Jack, Al, Larry, Rich, Mike, Ed and others enjoying one of the most fun sailing days of the year.
