........joe windsurfer BLOG........: Montreal Ice Boating

This year winter got off to an early start. November saw ice n snow. Today on Wednesday, December 19th in 2018 I went to the Baie D'Urfé Bay (yes, that is a double bay) to check out the ice boating. Mr. Ed from work told me yesterday about the facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/Montreal-Ice-Boating-Association-173065176075528/

and there was a conversation/post on-going that they would meet at the aforementioned bay n day at 10 o' clock - n that's taday fo me.

So, I showed up with my Nikon D200 , two lenses and GoPro with no SIM card 😕
(that last one was obviously NOT on poipuss - and fogot me cleats too).

Vehicles were arriving at about the same time as me ...
Looks easy enough to transport on top o' the car.

Others were setting up with one wife in the warm car.
(On re-read that last line sounds just terrible LOL)

Her husband was here for his first outing on an Austrian made ice sled ...
(okay - they call 'em boats)

Clique on pics to enlarge

Some had their ice boats already assembled and parked next door at the marina...

The group was VERY friendly and explained that there were stringent rules in the size of the sled, mast, cross plank, runners, etc. Seems to be the most common international DN class is what these folks were all riding. The fiberglass looking boats are made in Poland (42 pounds if i am not mistaken) and all the dudes have their racing numbers starting with KC, as in Kingdom Canada - what the heck ?? Yes, the masts are often made with carbon - as were some parts. The sail one fellow was using on these Polish boats was quoted as being 60 square feet. I think it was André who said just divide by ten and he is pretty close. It is 5.57 square meters, but looks larger than my 6.4 sail !!!

The wind was VERY light and coming out of the East. Some folks walked/slid their boats out and André ran it out and jumped in ... Read on wiki that these boats can go ten times as fast as the wind. The ice on the other hand was quite good - they gave it 9 outta 10 on their facebook ...

They did pick n choose where they went and will be back tomorrow too !!

Mr. Ed asked where is my windsurf sled ? Left it up north $%^&*

Actually wind was too light for me !!!