Ice Out Report…April 22, 2018

Spring has sprung……the melt has begun!  The word on the street is that we are three weeks behind last year, but that still puts ice out before opening day which is a good thing!  Here’s the view this morning…

Ice out pro tip:  Some have submitted their guess with the fallback “if that date has not been picked already”.  Unfortunately picking the right date BEFORE someone else is an integral part of the contest.  As senior judge I cannot divulge what dates have been picked.  Consider this though, there are not many available dates left in the potential time frame we have this year.  Haven’t guessed yet?  Perhaps it is time…

Meanwhile I have used the good travel conditions on the lake to deliver supplies to the portage lakes….gas, snake bite kits, martini glasses etc.

Clearwater Lake
The boat ramp.
Boats ready to go!

The past few years there has been tension over the boat winch on Clearwater Lake.  Generously donated by Joe and Andy, my installation was just never up to their expectation.  My excuse is I didn’t want to damage the tree with a more invasive attachment method which made it somewhat wobbly.  Here is what I mean…

As you can see with a little pressure applied the winch looks fine.  Other users report : “The winch works great!”…”Great installation Gord!”  Of course here at VBL we leave no guest perturbed.  It is my goal to satisfy Joe and Andy.  Here is my new and improved installation…

New and improved…

As with most innovation, sometimes the difference is hard to detect, but look closer at the above images….before and after.  Now picture the solid nature of the new design.  My mission is complete!  Such a simple fix……

 

…and the ice out date is??

8 thoughts on “Ice Out Report…April 22, 2018”

  1. Andy
    Reply

    Gord, you get an A- for effort. The proof will be in the pudding when Nancy gives it a try this spring. The Professor says he needs to save himself for the hike and that the missus will do the cranking. Or we could give it the Perchmaster test that was applied to the seats on McGregor?

    1. Gord
      Reply

      The Perchmaster is a mysterious foggy shape-shifter……seen infrequently, only to bust boat seats, and then “Poof”, back in the shadows…. I anticipate he is honing his skills to once and for all challenge all comers for the Perch Rodeo Trophy…..

    2. Professor
      Reply

      Sadly, the missus and I had to cancel our early June VBL trip. We were eager to try the new cranking position for the winch. (Thank you Gord for thinking through a solution.) Dustin…please give the winch a good test in May. If you’re not completely satisfied with the ease of pulling your boat onto the ramp, please don’t hesitate to bitch at Gord. This is the way we get things done at VBL. I am hesitant to entrust winch testing to the Perchmaster. The technical complexity of winching, in combination with his Bud Light dependency, seems a very unfair burden to place on his shoulders.

  2. Dustin Kaehr
    Reply

    As long as you don’t improve the launch at Otter. I always enjoy those moments of agrivation…

    Loving a May ice out!

    1. Gord
      Reply

      Rest easy Dustin……it goes down hill from McGregor on…….(figuratively, actual it’s uphill to Caribou Lake). Still need to get the Evinrude back to Otter before the ice goes for a sheet……

      1. Andy
        Reply

        The evinrude took a few adventures last year after rescuing the ghost ship on McGregor. As for the Perchmaster, I believe his Facebook account was hacked. It now features a sex video of some elderly women.

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