Snow Machines:

[DonziJon]

I'm no snow machine guy...thats why I need to relate this story. Maybe three years ago, I'm inspecting an old wooden race boat in a boathouse located imediately on the channel near "Channel Marine"...Weirs Beach, Lake Winni, NH....It was early January. There is a good expanse of open water in front of the boathouse and clear under the bridge. (Apologies to those members who hav'nt had the opportunity to become familiar with this area.)
SO: Here comes a guy on a snowmobile wailing out of Paugus Bay ..Off The Ice and across the "open water" in the channel. We're not talking 50 feet..we're talking probably 400 yards. Half hour later he did it in the reverse direction. How did he do that??? What technique is required to do that?? Anybody on this board ever done that? :lookaroun

[Mercrewser]

Every now and then youll see a race on ESPN. They can even race i an oval. They ride on the track and use the front skees to steer. I'm sure you can find a video online if you search. I was told they can do this years ago, but didnt believe it either till I saw it my self!

[mrfixxall]

yep! you have to be going 50+ or she will sink.400 yards,,ive gone 100 and that was hell...you just lean back and put all the weight on the back of the sled and stick the throttle to the handle bars...

[Walt. H.]

You mean like this..

[Rootsy]

there are several open water sled races around michigan each spring and summer... basically if you can keep a head of steam the tub keeps you afloat, steer with the skis and the paddles on the track give you the forward motion... yee haw... really a bummer when ya sink though...

[ALF]

You can see this at the Winter Carnival in Lake George every Feb. They keep an area of open water ice free for this event. Gets tricky with two people on a sled.

[Woodsy]

I haven't yet shot the Channel on my sled. I have doen a few other open water crossings on Winni... its fun and of course illegal! LOL!

Your paddles on your track keep you up... sinking sux.... BRRR!


Woodsy

[Walt. H.]

Woodsy,
I add a sinking picture of that to my existing post above. Burr yes!
I'm glad it wasn't of me!

[DonziJon]

Woodsy: I need someone to LOAN me their machine so I can try this!!? DJ

[SideshowRob]

My claim to fame. 600+ yards with 2 of us on the sled. Here's the thing, once you're on, technically you can go forever ( provided your belt doesn't get wet, or you foul plugs). We used to hit an open channel at 100mph, you feel the sled slow waaay down, speedo will read 75- 80, but you're only doing 40 tops. At least that's how it was on my old sled, I haven't tried more than 100ft on the newest one, I hear my new one is alergic to water Once you plane out so to speak, you will go as far as your gas will take you. One of the local dealers here used to run down and back on my lake... 25+ miles total. He filled all available space with styrofoam, and had various minor modifications, but it's no real mystery around here, although the cops don't put up with it much anymore. If anyones interested I can dig up some pics of me and my buddy running a good stretch.