03-05-2014, 11:31 PM
[quote Therapist]So is the rumor true that you have specially equiped your tube with Kevlar reinforcement to turn it into an Ice Breaker !! You never cease to amaze me Pat. Now, why did you go to the bubble up rather than the dump ditch. I would think that there is warmer water coming in to the DD that would attract some of our finny friends !! Great report !![/quote]
[#0000FF]My tube does have thick PVC (what else) coating on the bottom and I have tested it in the past on thicker ice that the skim ice I hit today. Also, the motor shaft in the front...followed by the two inflated boat bumper floats...really did most of the ice breaking. The motor itself was riding deep enough in the water that it was never in danger of dinging the prop.
I mentally flipped a coin as I came out of the harbor this morning. I have done well at the mouth of Battle Creek (dump ditch) in the past...but usually when the water level is higher. I did not anticipate finding an ice field to break through by heading toward the bubbleup and I have done well there early in the year too. But I always do better when there is some flow coming in...and there was none today. Frankly, once I saw the conditions...and the water temps...I was prepared to just fight my way back through the ice with nothing to show for it. Thankfully those silly kitties took pity on me. Kinda rhymes, don't it.
I had also considered hitting the other inflow on the way back, if time permitted. But with the SW breeze starting to pick up I opted to head in rather than risk getting "iced out". I have had to race the ice to the harbor more than once.
I have had a few trips in the past in which I hit both areas in the same day and it paid off. Couldn't test that plan today.
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[#0000FF]My tube does have thick PVC (what else) coating on the bottom and I have tested it in the past on thicker ice that the skim ice I hit today. Also, the motor shaft in the front...followed by the two inflated boat bumper floats...really did most of the ice breaking. The motor itself was riding deep enough in the water that it was never in danger of dinging the prop.
I mentally flipped a coin as I came out of the harbor this morning. I have done well at the mouth of Battle Creek (dump ditch) in the past...but usually when the water level is higher. I did not anticipate finding an ice field to break through by heading toward the bubbleup and I have done well there early in the year too. But I always do better when there is some flow coming in...and there was none today. Frankly, once I saw the conditions...and the water temps...I was prepared to just fight my way back through the ice with nothing to show for it. Thankfully those silly kitties took pity on me. Kinda rhymes, don't it.
I had also considered hitting the other inflow on the way back, if time permitted. But with the SW breeze starting to pick up I opted to head in rather than risk getting "iced out". I have had to race the ice to the harbor more than once.
I have had a few trips in the past in which I hit both areas in the same day and it paid off. Couldn't test that plan today.
[/#0000FF]
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