Winter Months

[Yambers]

Luckily for me, the boat is stored on my property in a 30 x 50 pole barn. I say as long as there ins't ice on the water, have at it. That's what the fancy windshield and air damns are for, right?

I briefly raced motocross when I was young, so I love off road riding, but riding on ice and snow is horrible with only 2 wheels. I think I got the wife convinced on a couple of sport quads for winter time fun..

 

[2kwik4u]

Winter payments don't bother me a bit. Like not even a little bit. Boat lives in the garage and we have to walk past/around it to get into the car.

Sometimes I get some mods done over the winter. Mostly it just sits there. We boat from mid-March to Mid-September most years, so a solid 6mo season. I've had it out in January before, and also not gotten out until late May a few times. Just depends on the year.

Overall, for me, the payment is just a "fixed cost" in the budget. The idea of NOT having a boat is worse than the idea of making 1/2 my payments when I "can't use it". We once looked at "days used vs dollars spent", and we use ours enough to justify it over a rental. Payments+Insurance+Fuel+Maintenance+Mods is still less than $400/day of use over the course of a year. $400/day is the cost to get into a basic pontoon around here. We don't have to schedule our days, we have nicer equipment, and freedom to travel to any waterway we want.

Ultimately, you pick your hobby/activity, and once you rise to a certain level the expense is ALWAYS "absurd" to others, but completely worth it to you. I used to be big into cycling. Have $4,500 into a bicycle. At the time, I was riding it 200+ miles a week. Haven't ridden 200 miles in the last decade, but still have the bike. Would I spend that cash on a bicycle now? Nope. However, back then it made perfect sense to get the appropriate equipment. Some people fly drones, others build PC's and play games, some folks buy guns and hunt animals. For our family, time on the water is worth all the expense/time/hassle that comes with owning a boat. Even if it means spending cash in the offseason that could be funneled elsewhere.

 

[props2you]

Distract yourself with other hobbies, only way to survive!

 

[2kwik4u]

@props2you Those first 4 pics look entirely too cold for me. I'm a tropical people.

5th one though......That looks a little more my speed.

I could definitely see myself sitting in a ski lodge, by the fire, with a bourbon, watching all the other yaywho's slide down the hill.

 

[props2you]

@props2you Those first 4 pics look entirely too cold for me. I'm a tropical people.

5th one though......That looks a little more my speed.

I could definitely see myself sitting in a ski lodge, by the fire, with a bourbon, watching all the other yaywho's slide down the hill.

Ahh Just gotta dress for it, and now with all of this clothing technology for material, we end up sweating most of the day! Plus these machines are INSANE! Ice fishing you are in a heated hut, drinking Latte's all day catching fish! It's all pretty warm, but certainly see your aspect of not wanting 3 layers of clothes on to go outside and play, towards the end of the season, we're ready for boating! No rest for the wicked! Kind of funny meeting with some of our clients in your neck of the woods, Santa Claus, Bedford, French Lick, they ALWAYS complain about the cold and snow! HA!

 

[tim h]

Ahh Just gotta dress for it, and now with all of this clothing technology for material, we end up sweating most of the day! Plus these machines are INSANE! Ice fishing you are in a heated hut, drinking Latte's all day catching fish! It's all pretty warm, but certainly see your aspect of not wanting 3 layers of clothes on to go outside and play, towards the end of the season, we're ready for boating! No rest for the wicked! Kind of funny meeting with some of our clients in your neck of the woods, Santa Claus, Bedford, French Lick, they ALWAYS complain about the cold and snow! HA!

good OLE' latte's !

Ever take that 146 out west ?

 

[biffdotorg]

Once the boat is in storage, it's game on. Time to get the other Yamahas out.

We pray for snow and ice. Check out the "why I'm not boating" thread for videos.

 

[props2you]

good OLE' latte's !

Ever take that 146 out west ?

? Would absolutely love to, on the bucket list for sure! Debate whether to bring ours or rent... Would absolutely love to, for sure!

 

[Babin Farms]

Once the boat is in storage, it's game on. Time to get the other Yamahas out.

We pray for snow and ice. Check out the "why I'm not boating" thread for videos.

By the looks of the forecast it will be quite a while before I can get my Cat out to play. I'm about ready to get it out and do some holeshots in the grass though.

 

[tim h]

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I would haul your own out, like we used to when I lived in WIS.
Rental prices are CRAZY !!

This is a great place to go and ride, with a guide of course !!
They have a "winter package" deal which is usually the way to go.

Some hop on with MOM'S MOTORSPORTS. I haven't personally. We always had enough interest to make our own trip.

http://www.momsmotorsports.info/home.html

 

[biffdotorg]

By the looks of the forecast it will be quite a while before I can get my Cat out to play. I'm about ready to get it out and do some holeshots in the grass though.

Ya, looking bleak. But it will change quickly. We are making ice right now, that's what matters. Freeze stuff up so we have safe sledding once the snow flies. I hope to be popping some holes in the bay out front real soon.

 

[props2you]

By the looks of the forecast it will be quite a while before I can get my Cat out to play. I'm about ready to get it out and do some holeshots in the grass though.

You better video that! Like old school grass drags! But... you're on a ditch-pickle so, that's probably the only run you'll get this year!? (oh you artic cat guys)

 

[props2you]

Once the boat is in storage, it's game on. Time to get the other Yamahas out.

We pray for snow and ice. Check out the "why I'm not boating" thread for videos.

View attachment 138045

How do you like that 1.6 Ice cobra? I blew 7 lugs out of mine last year and my dealer is going warranty it from BRP, not sure how since it's a non warranty item!?!??

Wanted to go to 2" but they wouldn't warranty that plus changing the gearing! DOH!

 

[Babin Farms]

You better video that! Like old school grass drags! But... you're on a ditch-pickle so, that's probably the only run you'll get this year!? (oh you artic cat guys)

& those Yami guys, riding the rebadged blue Cats. Gotta love it!!
I used to go up to the UP every winter but all my friends sold their sleds and the guys I know who have them now are more about sitting at a bar than riding so it kinda sux riding alone.
As long as I get it out this season I'll be happy. Probably only put 50-100 miles on it in the last 3 years mostly pulling the kids around on saucers but it's paid for so I'll just keep it.

 

[props2you]

& those Yami guys, riding the rebadged blue Cats. Gotta love it!!
I used to go up to the UP every winter but all my friends sold their sleds and the guys I know who have them now are more about sitting at a bar than riding so it kinda sux riding alone.
As long as I get it out this season I'll be happy. Probably only put 50-100 miles on it in the last 3 years mostly pulling the kids around on saucers but it's paid for so I'll just keep it.

Let me know if you ever wanna come up and ride with my wife and I, we ride every weekend in the UP. first half of the season is up in the Keweenaw and second half is in Munising. Lot of times we'll ride from one to the other. First half of the year we do more boondocking on the fresh, bit more trail as the fresh gets eaten up and crusty from the melt/freeze cycles in the later season. Harder to find fresh snow that hasn't been beat!

 

[biffdotorg]

How do you like that 1.6 Ice cobra? I blew 7 lugs out of mine last year and my dealer is going warranty it from BRP, not sure how since it's a non warranty item!?!??

Wanted to go to 2" but they wouldn't warranty that plus changing the gearing! DOH!

I have noticed a number of folks that had some issues were the different pitched version were actually 1 ply tracks. The 2.52 pitch on this sled is a 2-ply, so not sure if that made a difference. Now since I have over 5000 miles on that track, I would have to say it has held up well. A few of the studs are worn down, as expected, but the lugs are all still there.

Love the track, as the true Japanese Yamaha sleds are true trail tanks, unlike the rebadged ones that Babin was mentioning. But put a 144" big lug on it, and it loves the deep snow. I don't brag too much as when it does get stuck, it's a bear to get out. MTX skis helped with that too.

We don't get much deep snow, but the past couple years we have gotten lucky with some great snow. So it's a hoot!

 

[2kwik4u]

Kind of funny meeting with some of our clients in your neck of the woods, Santa Claus, Bedford, French Lick, they ALWAYS complain about the cold and snow! HA!

Those places are just a shade west of me. We're in French Lick a few times a year, just up the road from Patoka, which is our go to lake in the summer. What cracks me up is, we don't even get that much snow down here. Haven't had measurable snow on the roads in a few winters now.

Sounds like you have it figured out for the cold weather though. I've been debating taking the oldest winter camping, if for nothing else so he can learn what it's like to REALLY be cold. Not this "i just caught a chill between the house and the truck" mess he does now. Build some character ya know

 

[tim h]

@biffdotorg
YUP !
Those 4-stroke Yami's are a pig to get unstuck !! I've always been a Yamaha fan, until they just got too damn heavy for my style of riding. Which turned into mostly off trail, with a trip or two out to Jackson Wyo area every year. Loved the power but just didn't compare with the direction SKI-DOO was going(lightweight power). So I jumped ship. LOVED the SKI-DOO Summits that I had !! Especially throwing it around the deep snow of Wyoming mountains !!!
Miss those days now that i'm in sunny Florida.

 

[tim h]

A couple pics from the SNOWIES and JACKSON HOLE AREA (The Tetons).
Our timing was near perfect for the trip to the Snowies as it snowed hard for a day and a half, and we found some truly EPIC POWDER !
I loved that color scheme of the BLUE/WHITE