Ice-in Watch 2007

[Weirs guy]

Weirs Bay and Lake Winnisquam both seem to have kept the skimming they got last night.

[BoulderBronco]

Time to buy my flight for the Derby.

[Gatto Nero]

Looking good in front of Black Cat

[gtxrider]

Freeze Baby Freeze!

I was snowing down here in Joisey when I left home for work at 6:00AM. The drive way was covered with the white stuff.


Keep on dancing!

[HomeWood]

We don't want too much snow, but this should be good for tomorrow since it's supposed to be windy and maybe this will help protect the ice that is there.

[DRH]

Unfortunately, the ice didn't hold in this part of the lake. It's now open water from the Minge Cove area in West Alton all the way across the lake to Wolfeboro. Here's this morning's view, taken from just west of Minge Cove and looking east. Treasure Island is on the left side of the shot, with the eastern tip of Rattlesnake is behind it:

[Blue Thunder]

FLL,
What's up with the boat...any luck???? Inquiring minds want to know!!!

BT

[fatlazyless]

All the launch ramps are iced in as of today, Shep Brown's, Meredith Town Docks, Glendale, Weirs Channel, Meredith Marina: all inaccessible. The ice looks very thin and tonight's winds and 26 degrees could make some changes.......sorry ice fans! For now, it looks like my boat is ice bound for the duration...whenever? The area from buoy 3-Horse Isl to Bear-Mark-Timber-Governor's is currently totally ice free, and it is a windy night so......?

[CanisLupusArctos]

Looking SE from Black Cat I see ice pack down to around 5-Mile Island/Steamboat Island. The ice survived the wind gusts of 16 mph today, but the open spots around Black Cat Shoals grew every hour. Currently the winds are on the increase and we're in a snow squall that's dropped an inch of snow in the last 45 minutes, with forecast for 45+ mph winds tomorrow afternoon. The squall's signature on the radar almost looks like it's an extension of lake effect snow from upstate NY.

[19MileBaylover]

Anybody up in the 19 Mile Bay area? How's the ice?

[BoulderBronco]

I know it's windy and all but if it got cold enought wouldn't it still ice up? I am no weather expert but seems to me no matter how windy it was, if it was cold enough the top of the water would freeze. Maybe a temp of say 3*F like it's suposed to be tomorrow?

[Resident 2B]

BoulderBronco,

The wind has a huge impact on the ability of open water to ice up. If the surface of the water is being moved by the wind, it does not have the ability to freeze. What is needed is a cold night and no wind. That will cause the lake to get a skim coat usually a half inch or so think.

Once there is a skim coat, the wind can still mess up the ice-in process. It works on any area of thin ice and once it breaks through, it continues to enlarge the opening. Once the opening is large enough for any wind-driven wave action, thin ice will get eaten up very quickly, even with tempatures well below freezing. The ice has to be an inch or two thick before it gets "safe" from most winds below 20 mph.

Today, the wind got a lot of the ice outside of the bays. Although it will be below freezing tonight, the ice will be no match for wind gusts of 40 mph on tap for tomorrow. We need the wind to die down for the process to begin again.

With water tempatures at 35 degrees, one cold and still night followed by a cold and rather still day will do the job in many areas of the lake.

Sorry for the bad news, but that is how it works.

R2B

[BoulderBronco]

Originally Posted by Resident 2B

BoulderBronco,

The wind has a huge impact on the ability of open water to ice up. If the surface of the water is being moved by the wind, it does not have the ability to freeze. What is needed is a cold night and no wind. That will cause the lake to get a skim coat usually a half inch or so think.

Once there is a skim coat, the wind can still mess up the ice-in process. It works on any area of thin ice and once it breaks through, it continues to enlarge the opening. Once the opening is large enough for any wind-driven wave action, thin ice will get eaten up very quickly, even with tempatures well below freezing. The ice has to be an inch or two thick before it gets "safe" from most winds below 20 mph.

Today, the wind got a lot of the ice outside of the bays. Although it will be below freezing tonight, the ice will be no match for wind gusts of 40 mph on tap for tomorrow. We need the wind to die down for the process to begin again.

With water tempatures at 35 degrees, one cold and still night followed by a cold and rather still day will do the job in many areas of the lake.

Sorry for the bad news, but that is how it works.

R2B

Thanks. But I'm not stupid. I understand that. But at some point the water will freeze. If it was 100* below zero it would freeze in a second no matter how windy. So. I am just wondering how cold it would have to be to cancel out the wind? 10*? 0*? -10*? -50*? What? Any guesses?

[trfour]

We used to get real winters around here,.. and not that long ago we had a good one where the Lake froze over before the snow flew. We had well over twenty plow able snow storms this winter,.. I remember having to go up and shovel the snow off the back porch roof many times after work to keep the ice dams from building. All of the many wonderful winter activities enjoyed by us tough winter sports, Champion sled dog racers, ice fisher folks, and I recall Alton Bay looking like Laconia Airport. Some friends and I left the camp on Paugus Bay on our snowmobiles to ride around the Lake and check out all the fun and games. Meredith was crowded with the fishing derby go'in on, and we even took a ride up to Mount Shaw and back. It was great to see everyone having fun.

There was an MP dive team over in Winter Harbor practicing ice rescue and they had cut a hole through the ice and had it all cordoned off, so I stopped and asked how thick the the ice was,.. they said oh its safe alright 39 inches thick!!

Let the Lake freeze, and let it SNOW!!!


Oh, PS I caught these guys party'n on my deck that winter with my portable Weirs Bridge Cam too.

[Resident 2B]

Originally Posted by BoulderBronco

Thanks. But I'm not stupid. I understand that. But at some point the water will freeze. If it was 100* below zero it would freeze in a second no matter how windy. So. I am just wondering how cold it would have to be to cancel out the wind? 10*? 0*? -10*? -50*? What? Any guesses?

I was only trying to help and was not in any way implying that your are stupid.

Technically at absolute zero all motion stops. At reasonably normal local tempatures, there are far too many variables involved to give an answer to your question.

[HomeWood]

Think of it this way... at least it will be very cold and not 50 degrees right . The wind will be no help to the bigger parts, but coves and places protected by the wind will only add ice I assume.

[Weirs guy]

We lost a lot of ice on Weirs Bay yesterday (from as far towards Meredith as I can see to Methodist Circle), and even more last night. Last nights waves ate up even more, its almost down to the channel now.

[CanisLupusArctos]

On one occasion during the 90s I saw the open lake when it was cooled to 32 and was still open water because of the wind. The water froze instantly to everything it splashed on (freezing spray). Such instant freezing will always happpen if the air temp is bitterly cold, but on that morning it wasn't.

This morning it's open water SE of Black Cat Shoals, with NW wind averaging 9 gusting to 20 mph and increasing, temp 17 F and dropping. The 4 inches of snow we had last night is blowing around out there. Looks like our next chance of calm conditions is Monday night.

[DRH]

We had high winds overnight, with a 41 mph gust at about 8:30 AM this morning. The ice is completely gone in our entire view now:

[HomeWood]

From what lake Wenworths cam shows, it's holding up and still snow covered. First it's warm air and now it's wind. Give me a freakin' break!

[BoulderBronco]

Originally Posted by Resident 2B

I was only trying to help and was not in any way implying that your are stupid.

Technically at absolute zero all motion stops. At reasonably normal local tempatures, there are far too many variables involved to give an answer to your question.

I know. I didn't mean to imply that. I was just wondering how cold it would have to be.

[HomeWood]

If we could bring the cold down from Mt Washington that would help. -15 and a windchill of -60! We sure don't need the 90mph winds making that!

[CanisLupusArctos]

In howling northwest winds, the ice between Black Cat Island, Three Mile and Bear has broken up like a celebrity couple. It made quite a show, as ocean-like swells came into shore laden with shards of ice and a few good-size bergs 2-3 inches thick. The ice piled around 5 feet high on Black Cat Shoals/"Mousetrap Ledge," and continued drifting southeast. Frothing whitecaps and freezing spray replaced the ice pack.

There is now quite an ice accumulation on shores and objects with exposure to the northwest. The temperature on Black Cat Island is now 13 and dropping, while the winds are now 20 mph gusting to 46. The strongest winds are forecast for this evening.

[HomeWood]

At least the temp is dropping!

[Grant]

Awesome photos -- thanks for the great report.

[Resident 2B]

CLA,

It is amazing what the wind does to ice and how the wind plays such a big factor on both ice-in and ice-out. Great job in conveying this to those not lucky enought to see it live.

Stay warm!

R2B

[HomeWood]

Is it still very windy today?

[CanisLupusArctos]

I'm glad you've enjoyed the ice reports and photos as much as I've enjoyed taking/posting them. Yesterday was truly one of the wildest days I've ever seen in weather. It is one thing to see the ice break up on a windy spring day when warm temps disintigrate it, but it is something much more humbling to see the ice breaking up in such windy conditions when the temperature is in the single numbers, making berg stick to berg and shards pile into cakes and solidify.

It is amazing how the lake has its own weather sometimes. Last night when the airport automated systems around the state had significantly less wind than earlier, we were sustaining 32 mph (the highest of the day) with the day's peak gust to 60 mph at 11:40 pm. The walls and floor shook, the trees bent over, and I was amazed they didn't break. The lights blinked off for a few seconds and that was it. It wasn't like a quick summer thunderstorm - the 45-50 mph gusts kept hitting for an hour straight.

The waves were on the order of 3 feet, and now their splashover zones look like crystal chandeliers.

The winds today have gone below 10 mph at times, and at other times they're more like yesterday's. Currently it's NW at 16 and increasing, with gusts running around 30 mph.

[upthesaukee]

Here are some pictures taken today, 01-21-07, from Alton Mt. Rd looking out toward the end of the bay.



and the same shot with a little telephoto kicked in.



and finally a shot from the same location, looking over Alton Bay toward Wolfeboro. That would be Alton Bay in the foreground, with Wolfeboro bay in the background, with apparently ice out to around Clark Point, I think.



Sorry I didn't get any other pictures earlier, but I have been a little busy this month, and when there was ice, I wasn't able to get a picture, til now.

[Resident 2B]

It is looking more and more like we are about to enter a prolonged period of two important atmospheric conditions required for ice-in: low tempatures and low winds. Aiding the ice-in will be a few periods of light snow over the next few days. This should allow the lake to skim over and for the skim to get two a few inches thick by Thursday. From there the ice should continue to thicken.

If this happens, the derby might still happen. I hope I am right.

R2B

[HomeWood]

I hope you're right too my friend!

[CanisLupusArctos]

R2B I think you're right! My fingers crossed. I didn't think I'd get to say this less than 12 hours after 40 mph wind gusts, but it's absolutely still out there now. Then again, this is New England and if you don't like the weather, wait a minute (Twain).

Temp is 12 degrees and the radar's showing blue blobs closing in on us from the south and west.

Here's a look at what the shoreline was like today.

-Arctic Wolf

[Gavia immer]

Thanks for those photos. Not many have seen that sight in late January! I especially like your screen name: CanisLupusArctos? Now, it will be impossible to forget the scientific name for the rare "Arctic Wolf".

Where did the idea come from?

[SteveA]

Great photos!

Spent a bit of time on your website. Impressive work... reminds me of some of the work done by John Gill.

Glad to have you here.

[Weirs guy]

CLA, I love the reference to Saturdays swells looking ocean like. Thats exactly the analogy my wife and I used. Darndest thing I saw all weekend (until last nights game, that is ). I was surprised Weirs Bay seemed to skim over again Saturday night, but it was short lived.

[Resident 2B]

It is looking like the calm winds will continue until Wednesday. Then, it looks like 5 to 10 mph Wednesday afternoon and most of Thursday.

The bad news is Friday looks like it will be very windy again.

If the ice thickens enough to handle the light winds of Wednesday and Thursday, it should be able to survive Friday in the bays. Friday will be the big test.

R2B

[CanisLupusArctos]

Let's try this again! Ice-in, that is. With calm conditions and temps in the low teens, the ice south and east of Black Cat is once again IN. It isn't thick yet, but the long-term weather pattern promises more cold, and windy conditions aren't expected again until the next arctic blast on Friday and Saturday. Hopefully the ice will have more time to thicken before then!

Thank you for your compliments. To answer your question about where my name came from, it was inspired by the career-launching project of my favorite photographer Jim Brandenburg. In the mid-1980s he made several visits to a remote part of the arctic to find arctic wolves. He and the writer, a biologist, not only found them, they became accepted by the pack and were allowed to stay alone at the den with the pups while the adults went hunting. National Geographic put one of Jim's photos on the cover: an arctic wolf in mid-air, leaping between two floating chunks of ice on the bay.

Ever since I was a teenager I've gone out on frozen Lake Winnipesaukee and often imagined I was on the tundra - that Mount Washington in the distance was really Denali, and on those calm frigid nights when the moon lights up the cracking and booming lake ice and the snow-covered evergreens, I want to go out there in the middle, watch the aurora borealis, and listen to a pack of wolves singing an echoing song from the Ossipees.

I've seen the work of John Gill and met him - he does some incredible work - but it's Brandenburg's inspiration that this wolf sniffs out, with the North Star always providing the compass.

[HomeWood]

I just checked Belknap and Weirs cameras and they are just about ice in and have some snow cover. Hopefully it gets thick enough to withstand some more wind that I heard is on that way.

[Island Girl]

We have ice!!!!! Now we wait to see if it holds...

Time to fire up the snowmobile!!!

www.rattlesnakecam.com/icein.htm

[HomeWood]

The high of 5 degrees on Friday should help!

My snowmobile is loaded on the trailer. I just got to do some prep work on it and it'll be ready for it's 800 mile journey from down here. I'll bring the two atv's also. Anybody want to go for a ride?

[Merrymeeting]

Looks like ice everywhere when viewing the cameras this morning. Friday's winds may not matter if it's skimmed over everywhere as it appears it will be.

Merrymeeting closed up overnight too. http://65.175.136.103/view/view.shtml

Let's hope that everyone stays off the ice until it thickens enough. Seems every year that we hear an unfortunate story of someone who ventured out too early or too far.

Now all we need is a good nor'Easter!

[Weirs guy]

Weirs Bay seemed very solid this morning for the short time its been iced in. Oh yeah, a note to any Laconia city workers perusing the forum, time to turn on the town docks bubblers!

[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

All the launch ramps are iced in as of today, Shep Brown's, Meredith Town Docks, Glendale, Weirs Channel, Meredith Marina: all inaccessible. The ice looks very thin and tonight's winds and 26 degrees could make some changes.......sorry ice fans! For now, it looks like my boat is ice bound for the duration...whenever? The area from buoy 3-Horse Isl to Bear-Mark-Timber-Governor's is currently totally ice free, and it is a windy night so......?

What will that do to the hull and motor? Aren't you worried? I don't think I've ever seen a boat survive a freezing into the lake. Do you have a bubbler to keep the water open near the hull?

Blue Thunder

[Steveo]

FLL, I have a spare bubbler if you want to borrow it. Might be a little late to get it in and you'll need power, but it's yours if you want it.

[fatlazyless]

Yes, it is still in the water. My old yard sale, five dollar, 1/6hp pump wasn't working too well, so I made a major sixty-four dollar purchase of a Lowe's 1/6hp pump and set it up as a dock circulator. It draws only 2 amps. So far, so good. It's keeping the area around the boat motor and 40' dock clear all by itself. I know that's hard to believe. I cannot believe it and I've was checking it out today. Maybe, because the water is 4 feet deep or less. If tomorrow is a good sunny day, I'll try to post a photo.......maybe captioned 'fully winterized,' or 'do-it-yourself boat removal' or 'speed limits totally unnecessary!', or something. Maybe, if it warms up to 40 degrees, I'll get to finish installing that fish-finder & depth guage that I started last April? Hmmmm, maybe some early season boat painting? Oh well, winter has a ways to go here so no need to rush!

[Waterbaby]

YOU may not be worrying, FLL, and no need to -- enough of the rest of us doing the worrying for you! Best of luck to you -- and only 4' of water? Oh dear, I hope that pump works, seems to me as if the upcoming cold snap could freeze those shallows faster than the pump can circulate! Keep us updated, please.

[gtxrider]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Yes, it is still in the water. My old yard sale, five dollar, 1/6hp pump wasn't working too well, so I made a major sixty-four dollar purchase of a Lowe's 1/6hp pump and set it up as a dock circulator. It draws only 2 amps. So far, so good. It's keeping the area around the boat motor and 40' dock clear all by itself. I know that's hard to believe. I cannot believe it and I've was checking it out today. Maybe, because the water is 4 feet deep or less. If tomorrow is a good sunny day, I'll try to post a photo.......maybe captioned 'fully winterized,' or 'do-it-yourself boat removal' or 'speed limits totally unnecessary!', or something. Maybe, if it warms up to 40 degrees, I'll get to finish installing that fish-finder & depth guage that I started last April? Hmmmm, maybe some early season boat painting? Oh well, winter has a ways to go here so no need to rush!

If you keep the engine running at idle and in gear the water will keep moving and won't ice up. The motor will be warm so this will prevent the block from freezing. Since it is an aluminum boat it should not crack like a fiber glass boat.

As my mother would say "Lots of ideas but none of them good."


Good luck with your bubblers!

[BoulderBronco]

The lake temp went UP to 35*. ???

[Resident 2B]

For those not up here, there is much more ice today than there was all last year. The only water I see is in the Weirs channel, but even that is closed up much more than last year. The ice is trying to thicken up and I believe we have enough to hold up against the winds coming Thursday evening into Friday.

The ice is covered with an inch or so of powder snow, just enough to reflect the sun's heat, but not enough to insulate the ice from the cold. It is still in the upper 20's at about noon and it will be turning very cold in the next 12 to 18 hours. It should be at or below zero for several nights in a row starting Friday.

I saw one bob house on Alton Bay and someone drilling a hole or two yesterday morning.

Stay safe out there!

Winter has arrived!!

R2B

[Island Girl]

The babes are holding off on the snow dancing to allow the ice to thicken some more... Then we will be bouncing off the walls to get a nice comfy coating on the lake .... get those snow machines ready!!!!



(sorry, for all the smilies... I am just so excited!!)

IG who really really wants to ride out there!!!

[codeman671]

I plan on taking a ride out to the island early next week by airboat (as soon as my new toy arrives from Canada ) and will update everyone on what I see further out.

I am contemplating offering a winter transportation service for those that want to get out to the islands from time to time, as well as cottage checks and dock circulator monitoring for the season. Gotta pay for this thing somehow...

Trips to help fix the Rattlesnake Cam at any time are on the house, although junk food is always welcome

[Island Girl]

Have fun with your new toy.... I suggest you make friends with the other airboat owners on the lake...... get a few pointers so to speak...

I do appreciate the offer for rides to fix Snake Eyes.... that could happen.

(don't let anyone stand behind the boat when you start it.... they could get blown away.... literally!)

IG

[Grant]

Quick -- check out the Pine Island Cam and tell me those aren't snowmobile tracks going across the ice!

Yow! Seems a little early, don't you think?

[Island Girl]

Looks like it to me!

[mg2107]

Oh to be young and immortal again.

[Pine Island Guy]

good eyes Grant, too bad no one caught it in the cam as they zipped by!!! i thought maybe we could follow the tracks on the Pine Island South Cam, but they must have been out of range in that shot.

with this weather it won't be long before we are trekking out by foot for an island visit (and to fix the kink in the line of the 'ice eater' which is now blowing over to bear island)...

cheers! PIG

[codeman671]

I find it hard to believe that someone would be out there now, I cannot imagine the ice would hold it there. Of course in my younger years I did some stupid snowmobile moves that I would not do today.

[Quilt Lady]

those aren't snowmobile tracks. Those are cracks in the new ice and the darker area is where water has seeped onto the ice. We have many of them down near us. Sorry Island Girl . . . but keep slow dancing for the cold and ice! The only things I've seen on the ice near us are some crows and a red fox.

[fatlazyless]

Spent some time chopping some lake ice today with an ice chopper, and the very very thickest was about one inch. Last night left a white snowy dusting across the ice and it is checkered with watery dark spots. Even went in in my bathing suit, and guess what, it is definately cold, but that hot tub-icy dip combination is an old Norwegian tradition, according to Uma!

[DRH]

Our drive from West Alton to Center Harbor today confirmed that the recent cold weather has resulted in all areas of the lake that we could see being ice now. Here's a view taken from Gilford looking north across the lake.

[Island Girl]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Spent some time chopping some lake ice today with an ice chopper, and the very very thickest was about one inch. Last night left a white snowy dusting across the ice and it is checkered with watery dark spots. Even went in in my bathing suit, and guess what, it is definately cold, but that hot tub-icy dip combination is an old Norwegian tradition, according to Uma!

Here is FLL's boat, ready for ice out...

Of course the rest of us are all excited that we are about to have ice-in!!!

[gillis10]

I would imagine that Paugus Bay should be safe by now or def. by the weekend. It was about 1-1.5" last saturday. I stood on it but didn't trust it enough to let go of the dock!

[mcdude]

Originally Posted by DRH

Here's a view taken from Gilford looking north across the lake.

Excellent shot DRH.

[Mr. V]

Are there restrictions on boating the lake when it is iced over?

Stated differently: assuming you had the money, and the desire, you could (theoretically, anyway) have a pleasure boat with the ability to plow through lake ice: a small ice breaker.

Sure, ice users would hate you, but would the Marine Patrol be able to prevent you from tootling around the lake, breaking ice as you go?

[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by Island Girl

Here is FLL's boat, ready for ice out...

Of course the rest of us are all excited that we are about to have ice-in!!!

If that's a recent image, I'd feel a little better about leaving it for the winter although I'd worry about water in the powerhead of the motor freezing. Maybe with that strong aluminum hull he can break ice in the Spring if he gets it running!

BT

[fatlazyless]

...yes, took that photo yesterday Wednesday Jan 24 2007 at about 1pm....that's Gov Isl in the background on the right and Timber on the Left and Gunstock & Belknap Mts which cannot be seen due to the sun over-exposure (probably due to my el cheapo 60 dollar, two-pixel camera). The boat is out of the water with drain plug removed, the lower unit-gearcase-propeller is under the water which is being circulated. How's that sound?

[SIKSUKR]

I don't know FLL if your real hearty or just plain crazy!!Either way you you score a lot of points with me.WOW!!!

[zawillif]

Looks like the ice is receding a little on the weirscam.

[This'nThat]

Originally Posted by DRH

Our drive from West Alton to Center Harbor today confirmed that the recent cold weather has resulted in all areas of the lake that we could see being ice now. Here's a view taken from Gilford looking north across the lake.

Nice picture -- but I'll be more impressed with a view taken from the middle of the lake looking in all directions at the shoreline!

[DRH]

Originally Posted by This'nThat

Nice picture -- but I'll be more impressed with a view taken from the middle of the lake looking in all directions at the shoreline!

I'm with you, This'nThat! I'll try to oblige if/when the ice becomes safe and we get some snow!

How about it, Babes on Sleds ... you doing your snow dances?

[Mink Islander]

Originally Posted by zawillif

Looks like the ice is receding a little on the weirscam.

That would be the ice-eaters at work around the docks.

Ice-making is happening 24/7 right now across the whole lake. Interested to hear the ice-thickness reports over the next several days. With the coming temps, an inch or more a day is likely. Unless the winds really pick up, we should be in great shape within a week. This weekend might still be a bit sketchy for someone like me who treks pretty far from mainland to get to my camp. "Great shape" defined as at least 7 inches of black ice over most of the lake and most definitely where I am walking . Week after next, I'm there! Here fishy fishy fishy....

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

If that's a recent image, I'd feel a little better about leaving it for the winter although I'd worry about water in the powerhead of the motor freezing. Maybe with that strong aluminum hull he can break ice in the Spring if he gets it running!

BT

There is a neat thing about outboards. If they are left down such as FLL has done then gravity takes over and the water flows right out of the powerhead.... I grew up with an old mercury outboard and our winterizing rutine was to lower the engine once the boat was on the trailer and out of the water...let it drain then put it back up and trailer it home and into the Garage.... They only Potential issue I see here for FLL is if the ice gets in around the lower unit...but with a circulator going he should be able to avoid that.....

[Steveo]

They only Potential issue I see here for FLL is if the ice gets in around the lower unit...but with a circulator going he should be able to avoid that....



I could see that as a potential problem as well though since the circulator is keeping ice from forming in moving water. Any water in the lower unit will freeze since it will be below 32 degrees and not moving.

[Resident 2B]

Originally Posted by Steveo

I could see that as a potential problem as well though since the circulator is keeping ice from forming in moving water. Any water in the lower unit will freeze since it will be below 32 degrees and not moving.

I agree. Getting the lower unit out of the water would be a great idea. FLL is this possible?

R2B

[fatlazyless]

Yes, the entire boat can normally be raised up another two feet which would raise the outboard completely out of the water. For now, that is most likely not doable due to ice build-up on a a few areas of the boat lift.....have not actually attemped this yet. Winterizing an outboard always includes replacing the lower gear case 90 weight gear oil just in case some small amount of water got past the rubber seals and into the gearcase. If it freezes, it will expand the non compressable gear oil and split the aluminum gearcase. So, all this knowledge here, but still a major blunder.......boo-hoo! Plus, 90 weight gear oil would probably take a month to drain out at temps of five degrees. And yes, I would be very carefull to not let it drain into the lake water.

As the cold sets in, my single 1/6hp pump was not enough to keep the ice open for the area needed, so now there's two 1/6hp pumps located accordingly. Unlike the much more expensive 1/4 and 1/3 hp pumps which are light weight plastic, the least expensive Lowe's $64.00 pump is very heavy and made in Taiwan so it must be a cast iron body within a plastic shell......hopefully the Taiwan pump builder has built it for the long haul.

Probably, my plan is to raise the boat up high enough to get the outboard all the way out of the water, as soon as the temps warm above freezing so it can drain and I can replace the gear oil.

Like someone likes to say: 'a bad day at the lake is a whole lot better than a good day in Boston traffic.'

The ice got noticably thicker and stronger in the past day. The deep freeze is definately feeding the ice.....and making it strong......like an ox.......aarrrggg!(?)

[mcdude]

It's ice-in on Lake Wentworth in Wolfeboro and the ice is safe enough to go out on. Check out THIS PICTURE of snowshoeing on the Lake last Saturday!

[riverat]

Looks like another case of ECF (Extended Cabin Fever) Snoeshoeing on 1" of snow. LOL

[PineLedge]

Rumor has it the "northern end" of the lake (Greens Basin/Ambrose Cove etc) has frozen enough that ice houses are out.....any truth??

[DRH]

There was one bob house out in Center Harbor a couple days ago.

[FLAG!]

It wouldn't surprise me at all to see bob houses on any of the northern coves on the lake. I think by tomorrow afternoon we'll see bob houses in great numbers all over the lake.

[rander7823]

Originally Posted by FLAG!

It wouldn't surprise me at all to see bob houses on any of the northern coves on the lake. I think by tomorrow afternoon we'll see bob houses in great numbers all over the lake.

Did Bob win Powerball or did he inherit his money?

[gtxrider]

Originally Posted by rander7823

Did Bob win Powerball or did he inherit his money?

Bob did not win Power Ball or inherit all his money. Just lots of hard work.

Dr. Marvin, Dr. Leo Marvin.........


Ice , ice baby

[Weirs guy]

I ALMOST walked off Weirs beach and onto the ice this morning, but the thought of running back to the house wet scared me off. Soon though, very soon.

[rander7823]

Originally Posted by gtxrider

Bob did not win Power Ball or inherit all his money. Just lots of hard work.

Dr. Marvin, Dr. Leo Marvin.........


Ice , ice baby

Maybe he wanted some peace and quiet and thought he could get it out on the lake at bob's house

[riverat]

Saw a guy drive his pick up and tag along 18' trailer on Alton Bay yesterday a set it up near the bandstand. I told him the day before there was only 6-8"

[BoulderBronco]

Originally Posted by riverat

Saw a guy drive his pick up and tag along 18' trailer on Alton Bay yesterday a set it up near the bandstand. I told him the day before there was only 6-8"

Thats just stupid. Why risk it? I don't drive a truck on the ice, nevermind a truck and 18' trailer, unless I have at least 14" and thats in the thin spots.

[CanisLupusArctos]

...Such a good sound that is! At midnight, the lake ice in front of Black Cat is making such noises, noises I haven't heard since last year's ice pack. When the ice is thin, the noises are usually weaker-sounding (crinkle- gurgle.) That's what I heard when I left Monday evening to spend a few days with friends out of state. Tonight I've returned to the CRACK! BOOM! of a healthy, thickening ice pack. It's almost at the threshold of rattling the windows, but not quite. Can't wait to test the thickness in the morning.

[HomeWood]

Please post results.

You gotta love that sound. Scary sometimes when you are alone and a crack goes right between your legs..woah

[This'nThat]

Originally Posted by FLAG!

It wouldn't surprise me at all to see bob houses on any of the northern coves on the lake. I think by tomorrow afternoon we'll see bob houses in great numbers all over the lake.

Well, here's one of the houses, early Saturday morning. This leads to some questions, however:
House value?
Property taxes?
View tax?
Lake frontage?

[IceCadet4759]

Hi Folks,

I'm new to this board, but have been reading and enjoying all your posts. I had my doubts there would be an Ice fishing derby this year, then puff, out of the north comes cold weather and ice in. I'm getting excited as I type. It's time for me to get the gear ready to head up to your great lake and enjoy some winter fun, winning the Great Rotory Fishing Derby...Somehow I think there are many others thinking the same thing

IceCadet

[Waterbaby]

Originally Posted by DRH

Our drive from West Alton to Center Harbor today confirmed that the recent cold weather has resulted in all areas of the lake that we could see being ice now. Here's a view taken from Gilford looking north across the lake.

What a fabulous photo, DRH -- love the "winter" colors in it! Thanks for sharing.

[Waterbaby]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

...yes, took that photo yesterday Wednesday Jan 24 2007 at about 1pm....that's Gov Isl in the background on the right and Timber on the Left and Gunstock & Belknap Mts which cannot be seen due to the sun over-exposure (probably due to my el cheapo 60 dollar, two-pixel camera). The boat is out of the water with drain plug removed, the lower unit-gearcase-propeller is under the water which is being circulated. How's that sound?

FLL, great to see you got the boat out of the water; here's hoping those circulators do their job and you don't get any freeze damage!

[SteveA]

Hello all,

I took a ride to Meredith Bay this morning... there about 9 Bob Houses on the bay..

The Meredith Town Tax Assessors Office has set up a booth at the ramp..

According to several fishermen I spoke with they have about 5" of ice..









Good News... Ice is Safe... Bad News..noone I spoke with had caught any fish! (Maybe that means there will still be plenty left for the derby!)

SteveA

[JTA]

Do bob houses have to be registered? They should be, and tack on a view tax at the same time. Since most bob house owners are residents they should pay a surtax if they know someone from out of state. People not-named-bob should consider some kind of legal action against all of these Bobs.

[Weirs guy]

Bobs set up camp in the middle of Weirs Bay, although he only brought a tent!

[HomeWood]

Thanks a lot for the pics Steve. That makes me very happy to see that!

[Senter Cove Guy]

Drove by this morning and was amazed to see several bob houses AND a truck AND a camper AND several snowmobiles on the bay ice. Hope that no "rescues" will be required.

[CanisLupusArctos]

There is about a 4 inch thickness of ice to the south of Black Cat Island, and the open spots that were present earlier in the week have re-frozen. The ice is a mix of black ice and snow ice, and the upper 2 inches are very soft in many areas. There is also about an inch of water on top of the ice in many places, that now is re-freezing. Stepping on it causes a disconcerting crack and sinking feeling, but only to the main ice below. However, with just three good whacks of the mountaineering axe, I got through to the lake. The areas of black ice do a much better job standing up to the axe.

As a precaution I tied myself to the shore with a climbing rope, wore a life vest, secured the mountaineering axe's wrist leash, and cranked the wood stove way up before I went out, "just in case." It felt like overkill until I got out there and saw the ease with which the ice broke (in some places).

One family did venture out much farther, on an area of mainly black ice between Black Cat and Hull Island - see photo.

As temperatures hover around 15 degrees, the main pack is cracking and booming loudly. Looking down towards Rattlesnake I can see heat ripples in the air above the ice, a good sign that it's thickening even more.

[SteveA]

Do they have to take it to a .... TAXidermist? (rim shot)

Maybe a new source of revenue for the state!

Sorry couldn't resist..

[Lin]

our local paper in MA this weekend showed an ice shanty being dragged out into Meridith somewhere. Amazing that a weeks worth of cold locked up the ice so much. As a side note our local Rod and Gun club held their ice fishing derby today, they thought with no ice last week they would have to cancel.
wow, what a difference a week makes