Sailing an AI in BC, or another cold place?

I live right next to Lake Ontario, so we don't really do much waiting for a thaw. We do more waiting for the water to be warm enough not to kill you.

I don't think you could convert the Bravo to an ice sailer, the roller furling main would probably appeal to someone making one from scratch though. I wouldn't mind trying out an ice sailer, I know they do that a lot on Lake Simcoe which is just north of us.

_________________

Cewl (way cool).

Yah it was just an idea plus the mass of the cat would get you flipped over before you hit 30 mph. Just wondered if you thought of it.
Most Ice boats are a very low profile tri hull almost like an arrow, that is, the 2 skates spread as wide apart on the aft to allow for counter balance, as you cannot ever hike at high speed in a high speed ice boat.

The weight has to be positioned over the front skate (and on one aft skate to reduce surface contact) on a very shallow hull profile to knife into the wind to allow steerage.

You are going to go way faster than the apparent wind, thus a sharply back angled mast and heavy duty sets of full Battens to reinforce the sail or it will be ripped to pieces. The main sail will also need at least a 6 to 1 or 8 to 1 mech advantage on the main sheet. Full face helmets will also be needed. Having a plexi dome from a jet fighter wouldn`t hurt either...as the wind chill factor can get well into the -60`s.

The trick is WHEN and where to do this. Alberta is perfect for this sport as they sometimes get really warm Pacific Chinook Winds that melt the ice on the big Lakes in the day and those same Lakes refreeze the same night into a mirror finish.

If it is a frozen Òh Henry`Bar, you are in the suicide zone....

Have fun on Lake Simpcoe! Let me know how it goes (if you`re still interested)

Take care bud
Fred

_________________
Always looking for ways to make good things 'Gooder'

How is it a drier boat? In higher winds it capsizes 100X easier.

You sit MUCH higher out of the water, the splashes come on the opposite side of where you're sitting, and it really doesn't tip as easily as everyone on this board seems to think it does. It's very controllable.

In higher winds on the AI, I might as well have gone swimming! In the Bravo, if I do tip it, (and most of the time I can avoid this, even in higher winds) I usually can manage to stay up on the boat, out of the water, and only dip in and out from the waist down when I right the boat. There's also no fabric tramp, so any water splashing into the middle of the boat doesn't splash you through the lacing. Higher winds lift you further away from the splashes. Believe me, it's much drier!

Look at my picture below, I'm nowhere near the splashes. If you don't want to tip the Bravo, you can sail more carefully, or reef the sail. If the sail is reefed, I don't see how it can tip.

_________________

Hello from just a little south. Been doing the AI in and around Puget Sound for a couple years now. Opted for a Palm "non breathing" dry suit (not GoreTex) not only cheaper, but was the only one that did not fit like a tourniquet around my neck! Unfortunately, as soon as the air temp comes up when you are pedaling, that dry suit gets way too hot! Opting for the paddle jacket/wader combination like Woodtracker, but haven't had to don it yet! been way too nice. Also just picked up a TI, you might want to consider it even for single handling. Rides much higher without needing to be a trapeze artist, and carries a lot more weight. Finding that March to November is quit do-able, with an occasional winter romp as long as air temps are 40 F or better. Around freezing the wind chill takes too much toll, sucks the fun out. Not to mention that the days in winter are crazy short, and shorter the further north you go.
I agree with the WEAR the Prevents Frigging Drowning device concept. Mine has a marine radio, whistle, and Garmin Edge 305 strapped to it. The Garmin is a bike computer, but works well on the Hobie. Neat to upload tracks to google earth.
Another thing to look into is the Marine Mammal training/cert, keep you out of trouble with the Orca police. Big pod of them between you and the San Juans, and they are naturally curious about the Hobie. Watch out for rogues (the ones that run in very small groups - they eat seals, where the pod previously mentioned goes after salmon)

Last bit of advice would be run in pairs or better - safety in numbers!
Welcome to the Great Northwest, eh!