Question about pond ice thickness

[Larry_Van_Horn]

Folks,
Since I don't want to be like the recent post in which a tractor went through the ice, I was wondering if there was a rule / formula on ice thickness and ability to bear certain weights. My pond is about 3/4 of an acre and needs to be plowed. I havent yet punched a hole to see how deep it is but figured that folks here probably knew how deep it should be from experience.
Thanks,
Larry

 

[PineRidge]

Larry this information comes from the Ohio Department Of Natural Resources:

There is no such thing as 100 percent safe ice!
4" of new clear ice is the minimum thickness for travel on foot.

5" is minimum for snowmobiles and ATVs.

8"- 12" for cars or small trucks.

Would I put my TC-40D on 12 inches of ice? Absolutely not.

 

[Inspector507]

I ain't even walking on it...... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[RonR]

I've heard yarns about snowmobile guys stopping to check out a beaver dam to see if they could drive over it. Park their snowmobiles safely on the ice--it has a nice wide footprint. Step off their machines and BAM--they drop right through! Their weight per square in was too high.

Not me--there's not any ice thick enough for me or by beast to go on (knowingly!).

Best wishes,
Ron

 

[Junkman]

Having fallen through the ice 35 years ago, I agree with you completely. I went out on the ice to help someone that was injured and my weight, plus the weight of the equipment that I was carrying was more than the ice could hold. I stayed in that cold water for quite a while until the fire trucks got there with ladders that could reach me. I never thought the ice would clear so fast from skaters once they heard the sound of that cracking ice. I was surprised that the ice hadn't broken sooner under the weight of all those skaters....

 

[AndyM]

I was looking out on Lake Milton today, watching the guys ice fishing. You can see the streaks of thin spots in the ice around them where it can't be more than a couple of inches thick.

You wouldn't get me out there...

 

[ronjhall]

Larry

To find out how thick the ice is you will have to go out onto the ice. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

That may be too late to find out the ice is not thick enough. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

I would never take my tractor out on the ice. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Have you considered a gas powered snow blower that does not weight as much as a tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[PineRidge]

Actually I have seen ice fishermen fasten 2 X 4s eight foot long on each boot to distribute their weight. They then kind of stride out on the ice drilling holes with their ice augers as they go. once they have established the ice thickness in various spots the lumber comes off and they know where it is safe walk when fishing. You have to appreciate their ingenuity.

 

[Larry_Van_Horn]

Ron,
I was thinking about mounting a small plow to the frot of mr JD Gator which has a very low psi. Probably much less risky than the TC40D. My ice is more than 8 inches right now Thanks to all for you wisdom. The answer seems clear.
Thanks again,
Larry

 

[BillG_in_TX]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My pond is about 3/4 of an acre and needs to be plowed. )</font>

Larry,

Please explain why your pond needs to be plowed. I'm from Texas, and I don't understand why anyone would think their pond needs plowing. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif