northeast snowkiters/ any game?

[duckman]

In case anyone is thinking of coming to Great Sacandaga Lake, Directions:
NYS Thruway to exit 27 then Rt. 30 north thru route 29 intersection. Stay on route 155 into Broadalbin, stay on main route which becomes route 110 heading out of town. Approx 3 miles look for DEC brown and yellow boat launch sign on right at intersection with Hatzenbuhler road, take a left at this intersection, follow to boat launch parking lot.

PS Don't speed through Broadalbin. They regularly enforce the 25 mph speed limit

I'm webfree on the weekends so any atempt to reach me through here will not work
If you come on Sunday and wind is south we'll be at a different launch Mayfield Town Beach on right hand side of Rt 30 roughly 6 or so miles from intersection of 30A and 30. Stay on 30 N through 30 & 29 intersection for Mayfield Town Beach. You might miss the sign going north as its kind of only visible when driving S.

[Flyboy II]

Now I get to be the safety geek.

Watch out as the ice gets 'edge-able', it can be a sign of candle ice. The fresh water lake ice doesn't just get thinner and thinner, the crystalline structure changes to vertical hex shaped 'candles' that are all just held together with friction (sometimes they are 10" long, so everyone assumes the ice is still 10" thick).

We went out last year for an hour sailing back and forth across the entire lake and then I stopped to help launch a buddy with my skiboots on. At one point I must have pushed down with just the corner of my toe and pushed down a few candles. Whoosh, in you go as a small hole just desolves into slush.

I hate to think what would have happened in heavy boots, skis and deeper water. Eric just kept wandering around on land shaking his head and repeating, "I could have died, shit!"

But it is a fast and fun surface. Put on your drysuit and lifejacket, but keep your boots light.

Scott

[sandyisland]

is the "candle ice" a effect on snow ice? or does it erode the stability of clear black ice also?

We have a 10in layer of black ice go down first with snow ice on top.
I remember some ice fishermen talking about "honeycomb" ice, but I have never seen this effect.

Conditions were nice yesterday with packed power and 15 knots....though after all the rain last night and the new snow today it made flying this afternoon like riding around in a slurry of frozen margarita mix... this should firm tonight.

a life jacket and riding lit ,can hurt might help

Mike

[duckman]

On Great Sacandaga Lake (upstate NY) the shanties have been pulled off but the snowmobilers were out in force as the kiters were this weekend. On Saturday we had nice south winds 20 to 25 and about 5 inches of snow on top of the lake. The rain Saturday nite quickly turned to snow. Yesterday was a nice west 15 to 25 in the morning until about 3 PM when it started gusting to 40. I called it a day after an unplanned air 360
It is spring now and with temps heading into the 50's later this week, I'd probably wear a drysuit/life vest if I went next weekend. Unfortunately, I'm off to Cape Hatteras for two + weeks so I'm bidding goodbye to the snow and ice Its been a great season here, perfectly dovetailing into my kitesurfing season. If I have half the fun I had this winter in Hatteras I'll be more than satisfied.

See you all next winter!