Other Sunk Ski in Lake Erie...how do we find it...

[SirMrManGuy]

Avalanche snow is vastly different than regular snowpack. Acts like water when its moving, concrete whens it stops. Im not saying its close to the density of water but its a lot closer than average snowpack. Ive been accurate to a foot diameter 15 feet down. 6 guys, 8 hours digging.

A beacon could be a possibility. SOS used to make one specific for recovering vehicles.

Awesome powder is about 1% water (10 kg/m3). A large high speed avalanche can produce deposit densities of about 50% (500 kg/m3). The density of water is 1000 kg/m3.


Numbers from The Avalanche Handbook by McClung/Schaerer.



BTW - MattE, I wish I had spent more then 10 seconds thinking about RF beacons before posting.

While water sucks at transmitting RF, its great at sound, hence why an acoustic "ping" locator would work well.

 

[Matt_E]

OMG all this water snow beacons water pressure shoulda foamed stuff getting a bit excessive. I appreciate all those with suggestions, keeping me in their prayers & high hopes.

Cliff Notes: use acoustic ping for future recovery and sonar for now.

 

[skisesh93]

have you tryed getting a hold of any lake erie charter boats maybe they could help out ?

 

[QuickMick]

OMG all this water snow beacons water pressure shoulda foamed stuff getting a bit excessive. I appreciate all those with suggestions, keeping me in their prayers & high hopes.

I have logged 18 dives this summer, believe me if I was in your area I would have no problem going down to 16' with some big azz lights and trying to find your ski.
Im sure everyone on this board, including me does hope you find your ski, and soon.

 

[dmpus]

Bro, just buy most dedicated unit from Amazon and return it after you find your ski. I buy tons of products from Amazon (sold by Amazon) and some of them are well over $2000. I have never had problem returning them within 30 days. Amazon return policy is better than any other retail store.
http://www.amazon.com/Humminbird-7-...ter-Sounder/dp/B0032MUHI8/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t
I dont know if that unit is best for the purpose, but you are not losing anything if you try.

Get an account with Amazon (if you dont have one)
Upgrade to trial Prime shipping
Purchase the unit you want among the ones sold by Amazon
Over night it (+$3.99 for overnight when using prime account)
Use it, find your ski
Return the unit, when returning it, put as a reason: defective, not working properly so they dont charge you for return shipping
Cancel the trial prime shipping
Be happy
I really hope you find your ski.

 

[motozachl]

Sold a few things :frown: but now owner of a Hummingbird 798ci Hd going to spend the entire weekend on the lake.

I will find this ski

 

[Bobert540]

Sold a few things :frown: but now owner of a Hummingbird 798ci Hd going to spend the entire weekend on the lake.

I will find this ski

Thats the spirit! Hope you find it!

 

[Matt in Houston]

You should find it now! Just make sure you do good slow and steady passes and don't try to shoot the beam out too far to each side or you will loose resolution. 60ft to each side should be plenty. GOOD LUCK!

 

[MADMAT]

Well I guess he has been out looking all day and he can see everything except his ski! I am beginning to think that even though he feels it pulled out of his hands and fully sank, that it really just felt that way because of the huge waves pulling him up, and the ski away...and that it actually had some buoyancy (from trapped air) to it...which means it could be anywhere! This sucks man! I feel really bad for ya Zack...and I was the one saying don't worry we will find it!

Zack has kept a great attitude through all of this and has vowed to get another ski!

 

[mthomps]

Everyone will be doing double takes for a while out there if this story ends sadly.

 

[chad]

When Skywalker lost his xjet he looked in the area he thought it went down with his side image sonar. The image on the sonar looked like a rock or something but he felt that it was it. Hired a diver and it was it. He found a few boats down there aswell that looked more like the shape of a ski . Don't give up you will find it .

 

[MADMAT]

Keep in mind this went down in very very bad conditions in Lake Erie....7 footers with 3 seconds in between and a super bad currents that day....

The day it went down Zack and I ditched our life vests and dove under waves for a good hour hoping to feel it or bump in to it or whatever....just to get to where we thought it went down we had to walk 200 yards West and let ourselves be dragged back 200 yards East as we headed to where we thought it was. It was a F'ing mess! MESS!

I am starting to think it could be anywhere.

I can't remember the details of all the other skis I read about going down and being found but....

 

[mthomps]

I really think there is a good chance it could be at least partially covered with sand....possibly making it look like a small rock...I don't know :ugh: That lake cranked for a week after it happened.

I'm really sorry Zach. This totally sucks.

 

[the WaTeRhAwK]

lets all just pitch in 5, 10, or whatever bones and buy him another ski.

 

[motozachl]

So I guess my route didn't save in the sonar log but this is basically what it looked like .... There were two sightings that definitely could've been the ski marked by the orange stars. I saw the one by the beach several times but when in the water I couldn't actually find the object. Then the deeper one is about straight out where the ski sank but several hundred yards out about 25-30ft deep. The scanner worked very good but the transducer really needed to be attached to the boat better. I wasn't allowed to screw it into the bottom thus has to let it flop around on a ladder/pole rig setup.

 

[motozachl]

lets all just pitch in 5, 10, or whatever bones and buy him another ski.

:biggthumpup:

 

[MADMAT]

That star close to the swim beach is super shallow, right?

Lets hit that second star again! And all dive at it!

 

[the WaTeRhAwK]

lets all just pitch in 5, 10, or whatever bones and buy him another ski.

seriously.

 

[Spheeler]

seriously.

I'm in, I spend 5 bucks on trash at the store all the time.
It must be a pile of chit to loose a ski, buy a expensive fish finder and find nothing.

 

[djkorn1]

I agree, that 2nd star (farther out) is probably it. We need to locate that again and dive there...but not randomly...with the hummingbird running. It is hard to find a location out there. Zach, let us know when your going out again and we'll bring wetsuits and dive down there with ropes. Yes, that shallow star is in 1 foot of water....so doubt that is it, if the location is correct. It would actually be sticking up out of the water.