I have a small 1/2 acre pond behind my house which I would like to try and drive my sled across. I have an old beater sled to try first (Ski-Doo 340). Has anyone ever attempted it and what are your comments? :sarcasm:

The link at the top of the page, SW My COMMUNITY, click on that, Click on image gallery, then you can look at the pictures that are posted there of water skipping. I've done it before in the winter, it is lots of fun... I'm not too sure about the 340.. but hey that is what beater sleds are for :D

Its really no problem as long as your belt stays dry I'd say go ahead.. no guts no glory, but then again, its your sled... Let us know how it turns out, and make sure one of your buds is there to take pictures for us :D

GOOD LUCK

Originally posted by skidooki@Oct 3 2002, 08:17 PM
I have a small 1/2 acre pond behind my house which I would like to try and drive my sled across. I have an old beater sled to try first (Ski-Doo 340). Has anyone ever attempted it and what are your comments? :sarcasm:
I hope it's quick. If it is slow you'll submarine it.

I tried watercrossing my friends 1985 indy 400, it got accross.... barely. thats a liquid cooled, so i dont know about a 340. It sure was fun tho, it was in the summer time also.

I dont know about the 340 either.But personally ......I watercross every chance I get .I've done it on a 98 formula 500, an 02 mxz 700, and my 02 800 Gade. I sank my 500 once cause I had a bad entry and my belt got wet.But I figure once out of about 50 times isn't so bad. :D

SKIDOO=SEADOO :devil:

My friend Zack sank his 500xcsp a few times 2 seasons ago. There was water or something touching his lightbulbs, and he was ripping through his field in back of his house at about 100mph, and his lightbulbs blew up! then when he got new bulbs, one night we were racing through the trails, and whenever he hit the brake his headlights would go out. It wasnt too good. He finally got it running right tho. his seat was SOAKED! it wouldnt dry.

What's your main sled? If it's a Doo, just run it. I wouldn't be too sure about the 340 making it. You don't want a big long run at it. Just start about 50' away. Roll on the gas to about 20-25MPH then just as you are about to hit the water gas it on and be ready for an adrenaline fix you'll love. You'll be addicted. :D

Only one way to find out!!!!!!!

As a comparison the old Polaris Indy Lite 340's would go about 150 to 200 feet, in WINTER. Remember your sled won't run the same because of the warm temps.

If you make it, I guarantee you'll turn around & try again, & again, & again, & again..... Eventually everyone goes for a swim!!! Enjoy! :p

The pic above was a start from about 5' from shore. It'll carry the skiis all the way across.

I knew you would be in here idooski :)

LOL!! It's funny how some of us are drawn to water!!!!

Another thing for the guy with the 340 doo, remeber to shut it down before it goes under!

Yes definately remember to shut it down so it doesnt hydro-lock.Funny how we all want to ride the water.I cant even swim :D :)

Can't help it. If there is water around, I'll find it! Been that way since my dad taught me to swim at the age of 4 by throwing me off the dock at the cottage. Guess it felt like I was supposed to be there.

I had a 95 zrt 800 that loved the water, it was much fun to ride the water, then one time i had a bad start in to a river , jumped into from above, splashed the belt. did not make it far. sank it to the seat. I pulled it out got it running an hour later and rode that river.

If that 340 sinks what would I have to do to get all the water out? Drain gas tank and carbs is a given, but what else? Chaincase? Pull off exhaust?
The seat comes off real easy so should I remove it? The lighter the better in the case of using a 340, right? It also has a widening kit on the skis, should I flip it so that the skis are as far inward as possible for better flotation? Thanks for all the comments!!

Yes take the seat off.. once it gets wet you will be retired by the time it dries out.

If (when) you do sink it, get it started asap.. if you let it sit for a few days(hours?), you will start rusting the internals of your engine.. rusty crank=bad.

Here's my take on getting them started again... remove the sparkplugs, tip the sled on its side towards the exhaust and pull the recoil until water stops coming out of the cylinders. tip it on its other side and pull alot more.. are you tired yet?? Drain the carbs, gas and you can even change the oil in the chaincase. Put the plugs back in (have a spare set handy) and pull some more. Hopefully it starts. If not, pull plugs, spray inside cylinder down with WD40, Carb Cleaner, Ether, Gas, whatever. Pull. If it has not started yet, go back to step one.

Good Luck

somehow, I have just never gotten up the nerve to try water crossings. Other than the odd small shallow spot, that I knew would only result in a couple of soakers on my feet if I didn't make it.

Then again, I ride a touring sled, which just doens't seem right on the water anyway.

FishHog

Hey Fishhog I seen a guy on a 583 Grand Touring fully loaded doo a waterskip. He did great. :)

The couches can swim to fish hog :p Head up to dorset one day
this winter and we will try :D

Maybe I'll pack my Scuba gear for that trip, just in case.

Last year I ran an '87 yahama SRV 540 across a 50ft pond. I had about 30ft of start and just nailed it. When i hit the water I slowed down alot, but I still made it.

Hey z800rtx that spot at dorset is amazing eh. Was up there last yeah, I don't know how those guys do it. We stoped in at the resturant right on the shore, its a pretty nice place. My buddy says he is going to do it this year, on his new mxz 800, i doubt he will, its his 2nd year sleding. lol

That place is the Firey Grill, and has very good food.
I was in there 2 years ago having supper and quite a few beers (wasn't sledding, I was up Ice fishing and staying at a friends in Dorset).

Couln't help but notice this guys sitting at the bar with a real long face. Finally asked him what was up. Turns out he sunk his sled earlier in the day. All his buds left for the 100km run back to their vehicles to get the trailer. He had divers coming in the morning, so he just had to wait it out.

I told him he better get the water out of the cylinders, before towing home, and letting it freeze up on him.

The next morning after fishing, we came back to town, and there he was wrenching on the sled, trying to get it running.

Felt bad for him. It was a new sled, only had it a few weeks, and had to leave it swimming for the night.

FishHog

I used to w/cross whenever I could, but on my last sled it seemed like the seat was damged because the water btwn the seat and tunnel froze, and expanded after running the water. It seemed like from then on, I always had icicles running down the outside of my tunnel below the seat.

Originally posted by FishHog@Oct 4 2002, 03:34 PM
That place is the Firey Grill, and has very good food.
I was in there 2 years ago having supper and quite a few beers (wasn't sledding, I was up Ice fishing and staying at a friends in Dorset).

Couln't help but notice this guys sitting at the bar with a real long face. Finally asked him what was up. Turns out he sunk his sled earlier in the day. All his buds left for the 100km run back to their vehicles to get the trailer. He had divers coming in the morning, so he just had to wait it out.

I told him he better get the water out of the cylinders, before towing home, and letting it freeze up on him.

The next morning after fishing, we came back to town, and there he was wrenching on the sled, trying to get it running.

Felt bad for him. It was a new sled, only had it a few weeks, and had to leave it swimming for the night.

FishHog
Ouch... But I guess thats the risk you take... I think the best part about going there is that if anything happens there so many people around to help you. Do you know how deep the water is there?

Oh yeah we just stoped and had some fries. And got a little kick out of the Fat Bastard Wine.... We thought it was made for one of our buddies :D

Originally posted by FishHog@Oct 4 2002, 10:10 AM
Maybe I'll pack my Scuba gear for that trip, just in case.
Fishhog you could make yourself a pretty penny there in a weekend ;)

Oleo I hear it is 100ft deep there in spots under the bridge but I am not sure if thats an urban legend or if its true.

My track is about 50% good, i dont think i will change it cause im looking for a gade for next year, so what are the chances of me making it across with a bad track ? If i sink, im not worried about the sled, its more my suite that im worried about ???

Hey info on drying your seat. It can be done in about a week (been there done that) remove seat from sled remove cover it is stapled on the under side take out foam probally weighs a hundred pounds. get a 2X8 board and lay it on top of the foam and drive over it with your truck yes drive over it!! now do that a few times and get as much water out as you can by doing this. now take your foam put a dehumidifyer beside it and cover them both with plastic seal it around the out side and turn on the dehumidifyer let run for 5 or more days and it should get the water out of the foam. just empty the water a couple times a day. then put your seat back together and on the sled and go riding on a soft seat again no ice cubes. I do this every summer you would not belive how much water gets in a seat over the winter even if you don't go and play with the fish. I usally get about 1.5 gal of water out of mine every summer.

happy sleding

BE FAST OR BE LAST

If you sink dooing the narrows in Dorset you are in deep, in trading bay its only 20-25ft heading in to lake of bays its' 60-70ft, later in the winter when its really opened up( 2000+ft ) you are probaly in deeper water. there are a couple of local divers that only charge $500.00 to hook up your sled. Ben riding up in that area for 15 years have seen lots and lots of sled sdoo the water never seen one sink there, seen a drunk fall in

I was there 2 years ago and this crazy bugger jumped his sled off
the pier where everyone stands to watch into the water and kept
going.He did it twice just to show it wasn't a fluke.I have a pic of it
somewhere and i'll try and dig it up.That was about the craziest thing
i ever saw there. ;)

I'd love to see that pic!!

I'd like to see that pic also.

When I used to live in Dorset, we would jump off the bridge (despite the no swimming from bridge sign). Rebels we were.
Anyway, its about 9-10' deep under the bridge. Deep enough to sink a sled.
It used to be $400 a sled, but that was a few years ago. Inflation I guess. Maybe I should bring my gear up.
Although for $500 a sled, I'd do that skinny dipping. :0:

Well Fishog, based on your skinnydipping ideas, now I also know why fish fear you!! :) :D :) :D

Jim

LOL there Jim! That is a scary thought,Fishhog skinnydiving. :0:
Caleb

:D He might get his little worm bitten off!!!Lmao :withstupid: ;)

Originally posted by Snow Monkey@Oct 5 2002, 04:18 PM
:D He might get his little worm bitten off!!!Lmao :withstupid: ;)
Its not how deep you fish, its how you wiggle the worm.