This is the end......my friend.

[Frank Walsh]

Pulled the Ranger Wednesday. The Alaskan today. Here she sits thawing out in Duane's shop. Zoom in if you can to see just how much ice built up in three trips from Oak to Young's Bay with 30+mph winds at 20 degrees. Hard to believe I even bothered to scrape the windshield before leaving the docks.
Even rode the sled around the yard today.

Would not be surprised to see our bay skimmed over tomorrow.

[dpear]

Sad deal.
That Alaskan looks tired.Better think about selling it to someone that looks and feels like it.

[Gissert]

Looks like "Deadliest Catch" type ice.

[Frank Walsh]

Deadliest pretty much sums it up. One of the worse boat rides I ever took.

[Tim Kelly]

Yikes. Now you've got the boat there, how do you get home again? Straight to Florida?

[Frank Walsh]

Hence the three trips. Once to the mainland to pick up Fred (the mailman). Then back to Oak to do the mail, and drop me off. Then Fred takes the boat back to the mainland for the last trip.

BTW, that's Fred pictured next to the boat in Duane's shop.

Stay tuned for the next phase in "Island Transportation"!!!!

[NETim]

Frank, I built a hovercraft you can use. For power, reliability and low noise, I naturally used an Opti powerhead. For propulsion blades, I used the props off of Top Raiders I've found hanging in trees up there.

[Frank Walsh]

Don't laugh. In the early years we had some experiences with a small hovercraft. Ask Gar. Best way I can describe it, it is like riding the puck on an air hockey game. I was looking to see if I still had a picture, but must have died with the old computer.

Actually worked pretty well. But it's downfall was the ice shards on honeycombed ice. Tore the skirts to shreds.

Ah....the good old days.

[DSmith]

You can't wait until you get the chance to run the new Oak Island Transportation Service. Oak to Angle in 6 minutes more or less. I will listen to the roar of the engine all the way down here.

[dpear]

Yeh me either,particularly since a guy from the mississippi bottoms told me it actually can go airborne at times.
Santa with a demonic grin at the controls of course.

Although I did see a pic with Laura at the controls so there may be hope for peace and quiet on Oak.

[NETim]

Airborne? I'm afraid TSA must be involved now.

[Frank Walsh]

TSA????? Whatever happened to T&A?????? Now that's a pat down for you.

Got snow you ask? Without a doubt. Been snowing for two days. And more to come. Just took the Bombers and sled out yesterday, and covered. Moved the docks yesterday. Going to try a different configuration this year. Have slushy ice out to the barge, and a few big chunks floating out there.

Now where's all the cold that was forecast?????

[dpear]

We're still waiting for...'it's a boat,no it's a plane,no it's a .......
Not Superman either but his ride.

[Frank Walsh]

She's a froze............ Looks like it could be a little open between Passage Island and Butterfield Point.

Hopefully a ride on Wednesday if it's not blowing/snowing too hard as forecast.

[Frank Walsh]

Over the river, and through the woods, no more. Makes one wonder just what the poor people are driving these days. How you like my new mail carrier?

On a stranger note. As I was walking over our bridge this morning, I noticed open water on the creek. Not yellow snow. Actual water. Must still be flowing in the woods.

[dpear]

Beautiful.Particularly the flap decal or motif.
The creek thing reminds me its time for the annual Prof Geisbrecht vid.I'll try find it and start a thread.

[Frank Walsh]

All I can say is what a blast. By far the most fun riding machine I own.

[DSmith]

Way too cool for one person to enjoy. Don't blow out any pistons until I arrive in January to take a ride. I like speed so my goggles will be in my baggage. Do I have to wear a helmet and make a reservation to help in the mail pickup?

[DSmith]

Also, do you have any disclamers printed up yet?

[NETim]

Beautiful.Particularly the flap decal or motif.
The creek thing reminds me its time for the annual Prof Geisbrecht vid.I'll try find it and start a thread.

Oh my!! I don' t know if that kind of thing is appropriate. All the innocence there at Oak is in jeopardy!!!

[Frank Walsh]

Tim,

If you are not aware, this is the esteemed professor............

[anglefisherman]

Your right on Frank, like riding a hockey puck on ice. I hit Oak Isalnd once. Pretty cool running over ice and oprn water in the flats in the spring. I'm not sure if the picture will show up as I have never attached on here before but here goes.

[Frank Walsh]

Looks pretty cool. I think Dana's old blue one is rotting in Duane's yard.

Bet that Rotax will start on the third pull.

[moosebay]

Frank really nice looking boat, I will be getting another one....Yes I bet that Rotax will start ....they are awsome engines....Gar did that hover craft work ok..

[Frank Walsh]

I'm pretty happy with it. Same as Fitzgerald's, but a foot longer, and 40 less horsepower. Although 220 h.p. on a 14 foot boat should be sufficient. Ha...ha...ha.

That 503 Rotax is indestructible. I had one for quite a few years, then sold it to the Klevens. Even they could not destroy it. They had it for two days before they tried to take down 24" dia. ash tree. Bungees holding the hood together, and a flashlight for a headlight, and still ran for years. Might even still be running. Explains why they are used for light aircraft.

I'm sure Gar can remember better, but I remember those small hovercraft working pretty well, but the skirts being the nemesis with the degraded ice.
As the ice honeycombed, the shards shredded the skirts.

[anglefisherman]

Dave,
There was goods and bads with the hovercraft. On first ice it was awesome, you could run on real thin ice with out breaking threw. It was so effienct that it was hard to go slow enough and it could scare you. Imagine flying a airplane 6 inches off the ground. Without a long runway to stop the best way way to do it was 180 and use the prop to stop. Pretty wild. It had a 503 rotax with dual ignition. A ultralight airplane engine. Awesome.
The bads outway the goods. Too much snow or ice jams were a problem. The biggest problem was in the spring, when the ice went honeycomb it is sharp and would wear the skirts out. They were made of ballistic nylon and i was making them myself but they wear out pretty fast on honey comb ice so you wouldn't run it when you need it.
It was fun and a great expierance. If a guy just wanted something for first ice I would have one. However you guys need more versatility so I think your puddle jumpers make more sense until a better mousetrap comes along.

[NETim]

Whip up some of Lisa Douglas' famous hotcake batter. I have a feeling that if it made a good head gasket for Oliver's tractor, it oughta be up for any kind of abuse ice can dish out.

[Frank Walsh]

I tried my darn est, but could not find that episode. I remember it well. However I found this one that reminds me of mail day here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awQrx09o1LM

[NETim]

Few people know The Beatles submitted the original Green Acres theme song: