Iceboating into the Clear Lake Sunset

You can see a big wave coming.
You can see a big dog charging you.
But what you can't see is an invisible gust of wind approaching over the ice.
On water at least you can see the "cats paw ripples in the top of the water" not so with ice.
But huge gust, here it comes anyway.
And the ice sailor only has his reaction time when it hits.
That's why iceboating is so dangerous.
My reaction time used to be so much faster.
After reflecting on a serious wreck this last couple days, here is a possible parameter to follow considering your sons and daughters who may also want to iceboat this year.
Number one . The turning radius of the dn iceboat is much tighter allowing the skipper to turn downwind of the gust much faster while simultaneously spilling wind by releasing the main sheet. Thus keeping a safe center of gravity.
Number two. Actual average wind speed compared with recorded gust speeds needs consideration when deciding whether or not it's safe to use the Slicer sailboat. This seems practical to me due to the Slicers relatively narrow runner plank width compared to mast height. This higher center of gravity combined with a much wider turning radius which compromises any sailors ability to get the boat turned downwind as fast as possible ( while on a broad reach) means to me this. The Slicer is a steady wind iceboat and potentially dangerous in gusty wind conditions exceeding a 1.5 ratio. Two days ago the wind was listed as 15 mph with gusts to 28, an almost 2 to 1 ratio. I should have rigged the dn iceboat instead due to a lower center of gravity by having a wider runner plank and shorter mast in those gusty winds. All things considered now, I feel the Slicer is safe to sail in steady winds less than 15 mph with recorded gusts less than 20 in order to maintain a level of safety for us. Yes, everyone still has to react by releasing the main sheet and turning the boat downwind whenever a runner lifts off the ice but these parameters will give us realistic "reaction time".
I rode two runners in a steady wind reach for over a mile in a dn iceboat in 1973 witnessed by Ed Hanes. (I was in Charlie Cranes old boat.)
A life long iceboater, Ed followed me across the big bay and when I set down onto all three runners he flagged me down and said.
"That is absolutely the longest balancing act on two runners I've ever seen. "
Now?
No way. Stupid. Cocky. Dangerous.
Learned it from Charlie, imagine that!
It's all reaction time now. And I don't have it for flying the high side anymore. Keep it on three for the hardwater Navy!
Nommensen