Does anyone know how thick the ice should be before you drive your snowmobile on it?
6" is plenty good for supporting your sled but the problem is most lakes don’t freeze evenly and there is NOTHING more heart stopping than zipping across a lake and suddenly hearing your motor bog down and feeling a sudden decrease in speed only to look back and see a rooster tail of water behind your sled cause your on an inch of ice or less. It redefines “pucker factor”!
Been there done that… You got that rite PUCKER FACTOR times 2..
i’ll take my sled out on 4 inch’s of ice no problem.. [sly] the realy good thing about snowmobiles is they can tred water if they have to..unlike a 4 wheeler.. about 3 years ago i took my sled over 10 feet of open water.. it was a had to kind-a thing tho.. there’s a pucker factor to that one let me tell ya! [sly]
Sleds can tolerate less ice than a human can, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. I like the ice to be a good 6 inches.
I know a certain someone that won’t hesitate on 3". I had my 4-wheeler on pineview yesterday and thickness ranged from 4" to 13". I had a little pucker factor due to the top layer giving way as i drove over the soft top.[crazy]
I also own a four wheeler and have been debating on taking it out. I have never had it on the ice, and am concerned about the safety.
Last summer I tried to cross a deep river and did not make it. I found that the four wheeler floats. I could not believe it !
Do you think that it would float out on a lake if it fell through ?
No, i have had numerous people tell me they DON’T float after going through the ice. My 700 is about 600# and i am terrified every time i ease onto the ice. So far so good. Make sure you got full coverage.[pirate]
The following is from the Minnesota Ice Safety Tips web site (Ice safety | Minnesota DNR)
4" of new clear ice is the minimum thickness for travel on foot
5" is minimum for snowmobiles and ATVs
8"- 12" for cars or small trucks
Also, snowmobiles weight distribution is much better for support than ATVs. Snowmobiles WILL travel over short distances of open water at higher speeds but a sled towed behind would shorten that distance due to drag.
I’m very comfortable on my ATV on anything at or over 6 inches of ice. It’s a small Polaris Hawkeye that weighs under 500 lbs.
Does full coverage insurance cover an ATV if you drop it through the ice? I’ve heard that once you drive it on the lake you’ve voided any claim if something happens.
[reply]
Also, snowmobiles weight distribution is much better for support than ATVs. Snowmobiles WILL travel over short distances of open water at higher speeds but a sled towed behind would shorten that distance due to drag.
I’m very comfortable on my ATV on anything at or over 6 inches of ice. It’s a small Polaris Hawkeye that weighs under 500 lbs. [/reply]
Only short distances??? Geeze you need to look into a new sled, its unbelievable what some of those new things can do. I’ve seen movies of sleds going miles and miles on water… some only need a few ft of distance to get up on a plane.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=m76SHAiA3ag
http://youtube.com/watch?v=OdjI9s7cotI
Back to the subject at hand, I like 6-7" range before I get out on the ice. I take my sled + clamshell shack + power auger + other gear, then my wife comes on her sled + my boy. Its alot of weight but 6-7" is fine.
-DallanC
I think I am going to have to call my insurance company before I take it out on the ice. I have a grizzly 700 with me on it weighs over 900LBS. I have been scared to take it out on the ice, I have considered taking my little girls pink 110 out but I thought a 300lb man riding a pink camo atv with a pink flag was a little limp wristed for me so I will walk. Maybe next year I can talk my wife into letting my buy a cheap snowmobile.
If you are calling your insurance company to see if you are covered
from falling throught the ice, the ice is probably too thin [sly]
Had a guy drive his 4 wheeler through the ice at strawberry when the ice was 18 inches thick. He wasnt aware that there are a few warm springs in certain parts of the lake. Even when its thick, plan carefully, know the lake and any warm spots. Strawberry marina is pretty good at giving you the potential cautious spots.
thanks for all the input…you guys are scaring the crap out of me…i will be safe and stay with at least 6-8 inches of ice..most lakes are getting that now.
I have been out a ton of times on 4" with my Brute force 750 and never had a problem i would only be concerned right when you get on the edges
I think my 85 Big Red will do better than my 08 Grizzly 700. Those balloon tires love to float on the slush on the Big Red. I am of the school of 6 inches for ATVs and snowmobiles. They taught us that in snowmobile safety class which was mandatory in high school in Michigan. They also made hunter safety and boating safety mandatory.
What a state.
I know 4-5 inches will hold my Rincon, but there is too much variation in ice depth, warm springs, cracks, pressure ridges and snow weighing down the ice to make me feel comforable. I like 7-8 inches that way the bad spots still have the 4" to keep me dry. Besides early ice is usually good enough fishing that I don’t have to get away from the crowds to catch fish. It’s just not worth it for me to risk it for a little recreation.