Først/First!

Photo: Kai Linde – posted on Isseiling Salten Facebook Page

The iceboating season began in Norway today!
Are your runners sharp? Ice is just around the corner for all of us here in North America. Get ready for the season by attending an iceboat swap meet in your area this coming weekend. The Skeeter Iceboat Club is holding theirs in Williams Bay, WI on Sunday morning, November 4.  More information.
Here’s a list of swap meets across the country taking place this weekend.
From the Norwegian ice sailing Facebook page Isseiling Salten

Then ice sailing season is open! Beautiful “Black ice” About 7 cm on kosmovatn. It blew fresh breeze lake on rognan, but almost too small to sail on kosmovatn. Further out on the lake, the wind came from all sides and very uneven….. I’m glad I took the day off and took the chance to try valnesfjord the ice for thaw set in now tonight.

Wingra First

Photo: Mike Barnett

Our littlest lake came through and provided the first opportunity for ice sailing in the Four Lakes region. Lake Wingra is in the heart of Madison near Edgewood College and our local DN fleet took full advantage in a nice breeze.

First Minnesota Nice Ice!


Just as I was editing the previous entry about Montana’s first ice, received this photo from Minnesota ice sailor, Mike Bloom, who has his DN rigged for the first ride of the season on Lake Christina in Minnesota, the site of many Western Challenge fun regattas.
5 PM UPDATE: 

Christina provided smiling faces on Opening Day!

FIRST!

DN sailor Mike Madge opened the North American ice sailing season in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada today. He reports on his Facebook page:

First sail of the year. Went from using FO1 in the morning to a Speed Sail then just skating.Fun day but really windy,almost had my first out of boat experience as the gusts were huge. Nice hard black ice with less the a cm of snow cover.Too windy to film sailing using an IPad.

The Ice Maker is working overtime tonight in the Midwest with temperatures of 8F tonight in western Minnesota!

The First Ingredients

Photo via Mike Miller posted on Minnesota Iceboaters Facebook Page. Lake Christina at 4:30 Monday Nov 6, 2017.

The Iceman Cometh! From Montana to Minnesota to Finland, ice is coming online and the sailing season will commence shortly! Who will be first?*

*Disclaimer: Observe all precautions when checking ice. Sail Safe and Smart!