Jumping cracks

[wruebs]

Has anyone jumped open water cracks 8 to 12 feet wide? I usually fish with a snowmobile and was faced with a 9' or so wide (open water) crack a few years ago. My partner wanted to jump it with the snowmobile, but since the machines were mine I vetoed that idea and spent the next 25 minutes looking for an other way (getting dark fast). Finally found a broken up crossing and nearly flipped the snowmobile in a panic to hurry across (thought the machine would slip between the ice chunks).
Had a friend claim to encounter a 40' gap and cross it with a snowmobile, but this guy is known to strech the truth.

I was wondering if anyone here has encountered such a situation. I know that a snowmobile can hopp open water but what are the varibles? Will the skis catch the ice shelf on the other side? What if the edge breaks off? Will pulling a sled bog you down? I would imagine you need speed to cross, but how much?

Trust me, I'm not looking for a thrill or anything. But with all this talk of cracks opening up while fishing, I was wondering if anyone wanted to share any experiences. Maybe that 9' gap don't sound like much, but when your faced with it, it's very stressful.

[bgoodenow]

We went over one on a lake in Canada a couple of years ago that was probably 4 feet or so. Our Canadian host swore that 50 mph was the magic number, and none of us had any trouble, but it still seems risky to me. They used to do it a lot across the mouth of the canal in Cadillac. That was anywhere from 10 to 25 feet, I would guess. Most made it - a few didn't - and finally the city barracaded it off.

Years ago I watched a guy on a sled do laps on a lake in the SUMMERTIME! But, after about three trip around, waving at the people on the beach and showing off, the sled quit... Sunk like a rock... We all got a darn good laugh out of it.

[wally-eye]

I remember this one old girl:yikes: , ah never mind..........

[Copper44]

I've gone over good 50 feet, get a good start so your runnin smooth not gunning it id say 30 is suffice, 40 to just make sure but gettin over that might get you out of control. Now this is with a regular single sled with nothing behind it.lean back a little bit to get the skis out of the water and you should have no problem.

[bgoodenow]

I remember this one old girl:yikes: , ah never mind..........


Yer killin' me, wally-eye!

[funebonz880]

Are we talkin like open water, where the ice is thinner as u get near it, or a crack that is more like say a cliff. I thought all "cracks" were like as thick as the ice which is all around and just water between them.

[walleye express]

Back in 1973 with my brand new, and what I think was the only Yamaha 643-GP Lindys ever sold, 6 of us were running the Bay making Bar stops, starting at Center road and heading for Sebewing. Hit the mouth of Quanicassee River going pretty fast, and skipped across what I know was about 20 feeet of open water. Even a few more bottles of courage at the Bay Shore could not get me to repeat the feat on the way back out. :D

And please kids, don't try this at home. :16suspect None of it.

[wally-eye]

I couldn't make it across the crack and fell in:yikes:.

[POLARBEAR]

:yikes:

June 11, 1989 is the day that will always remain special in Henry Bieda's mind. On that day he became the unofficial world snowmobile watercross record holder by running 100 miles nonstop, over water. The previous record of 67 miles was set by the Maki Brothers of Wisconsin.

http://www.biedaspowersports.com/henry.html here is more of the story.

although i have a little experience with riding on water i do not promote it. but you may need the info to help out in a situation. you can cross water and 20' isnt that much on a snow machine, but it is dangerous. please be careful ;)

[Captain of the 4-C's]

While fishing Lake Simcoe in March, we watched all day long as snowmobiles easilycrossed 100 - 130 yards - not feet of open water and they were doing around 45 mph. A guy I know crossed about 100 feet of open water while pulling a sled near the can off lookout point back when lakers fishing went on out there. He said the slead was doing around 35 mph and all he felt was a thudump - scared the crap out of him looking down at open water and he tends to be a little crazy to begin with.

[gman]

I saw a guy take both his skis off on the far edge of a crack up in Cadillac about 5 years ago. He was doing good til he got there though. Saw another whose skis didn't release when he hit the ice and went a## over teakettle. luckily for him he had enough liquid courage he slid like a ragdoll and didn't get hurt.

[Ralph Smith]

No a few fellas that have done it, but I haven't and won't. Here's a link to the national festival for snowmobile racing on water they have every year in Wisconsin. Would love to go, oval racing on a lake and one heck of festival from the way it sounds :)

http://www.burnettcounty.com/h2ocross/

[Springer4Ever]

Dont see any down riggers on any of those lol I can just see people on LSC trying this now

[fishinmachine2]

I ran the open water up on Lake Cadillac before they roped it off, it was about 50 to 60 feet across. My buddy got a great pic of it too.:yikes: The newer sleds with the plastic skis are a little better. I havent done something like that since then.

Scott

[POLARBEAR]

I can just see people on LSC trying this now
hope not, the sleds that are driven on water are set up for it. they have very little gas in them and have tracks with paddles etc. you dump your machine in any lake in mi you will get a real nice fine. also retrieval cost is right up there to. i hope noone has to try it. ;)

[Ralph Smith]

The races in Wisconsin are stock machines with nothing but standard tracks and ski's. May try to get there this year and see it. Take the ferry across at ludington, and grantsburg is about an hour from the mall of America in Minn. ;) Be a good family vacation.

[Marrble Eyes]

One time, at band camp... :evil:

[Southend517]

there was also this one time when me and a bunch of guys rented a house up north for the summer and .......