Pond thickness

[Happy Pony]

I'm hoping that the pond near my house freezes this year and I was wondering how thick does the ice need to be to safely play on it?

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[1datsyuk3*]

I'm hoping that the pond near my house freezes this year and I was wondering how thick does the ice need to be to safely play on it?

tell your brother to go first, that's the best way to do it

 

[2x4*]

No idea. Last I played pond hockey the ice was about an inch and 1/2 thick I think. Just check it. If you stomp on the edge, its probably good to go. If you hear cracking, GTFO the ice!

 

[MikeD]

"Thick and blue, tried and true.
Thin or crispy, way too risky."




I wouldnt venture out on ice thinner than 4" singly and 5-6" for a group to play hockey and if the pond has a flowing inlet and outlet where ice doesnt form....dont risk it. Snow cover alo insulates and inhibits ice formation. IF you MUST then be sure to check the ice safely. If it isnt formed solid all the way to shore..dont go out on the ice. Have a heavy steel bar or ice auger? Start at shore drilling test holses or dropping the steel bar to test strength. Be sure to have at least two people and a cell phone on shore and yourself tied off with a rope and harness system that attaches ropes near your shoulders. It makes it much easier for a shore party to haul your butt out of the water and back to shore. Carry a pole at least 6-8 feet long. Should you drop through the ice it can prevent you from going totally under. If the ice starts to give flatten out on your belly as quickly as possible and have the shore party help haul you back in.

9 times out of 10 a person that goes to the rescue of another who has fallen through ice....BOTH Drown. The underside of ice is not the place to be catching your last glipses of life.

http://www.kcredcross.org/Safety/Safety.asp?IdS=000587-F0E7480&Id=32&~=

http://www.mainenature.org/documents/icestrength.html

 

[Gino 14]

What MikeD said is good advice. We have a small pond we use in the winter and I have a couple rules for my kids to follow before any hockey. I check the ice, no one else (if anyone goes through, I can live with it being me rather than one of my kids), I have an extension ladder at the pond in case someone goes through (spreads out your weight) and rope, and I dig test holes like Mike suggested. After any extended warm spell, the routine is repeated. I use about 5" as safe ice for play. It only takes a few minutes to be safe.

 

[sc37]

Anyone have a clue on how many days at a freezing temperature to even bother checking? I'm like 3 or 4 blocks down from a pond that allows skating...but don't think it's worth the effort to go out in freezing cold if it's not gonna be remotely close. Hoping to be able to get a good read before making plans to head out.

 

[Hank19]

Anyone have a clue on how many days at a freezing temperature to even bother checking? I'm like 3 or 4 blocks down from a pond that allows skating...but don't think it's worth the effort to go out in freezing cold if it's not gonna be remotely close. Hoping to be able to get a good read before making plans to head out.

Below 0 celcius, a good 5 days. The ground really needs to freeze first. That usually takes a handful of days.
The rule of thumb around our house was a good week of below freezing temperatures. And this means that it shouldn't go above freezing during the day time too.
It really depends on the thickness of the ice. On a homemade rink of 2" it would take 5 hours for it to freeze in -20 weather. About 5 days at -5.

 

[Icer]

I just watch the ice fishermen. If those fatties and their ton of gear don't go through, I figure I'm safe.

 

[MikeD]

at least 10 days of 20 F or lower. Ice fishing is natures way of getting rid of stupid people...lol

 

[KariyaIsGod*]

To freeze your local community club rinks, it takes about three night of -10 to -15 celcius without any rise past about -5 during the day.

 

[MikeD]

gotta remember that the amount of water being chilled in a pond is much greater than for a community "rink" with ice 4-5 inches thick. takes more time for a pond or lake to freeze to a safe depth.