November 3, 2009
Thanks To A Wolverine
Starting to get some reports of snowfall around the country, Ace-san sent me a picture taken from our testing center in northern Japan… check this out.
My sled is still over at G-Force, they have installed the Yamcharger and are expecting the new fly-weights in any time now. I’m not in a big hurry to put on the Snowtrackers as I inevitably incur quite a few rocks around here in the early season. I am also curious to try a set of the new MT9 skis which are on track for December production provided they meet all the final testing parameters. Our vendors are also busy coming up with a couple of carbide selections.
This ski was originally intended as a lightweight mountain option for the Nytro MTX but it was discovered that they worked pretty good on the trail and consequently it was decided to modify the tooling so they would fit onto our other key models hence a bit of a delay. I can’t elaborate on the performance as I have not had an opportunity to try them but I’m told they handle really good and will be somewhere around a couple pounds lighter per… time will tell.
On another note, I purchased a really cool device last week that allows you to easily scan to .jpg files, all the old print negatives and color slides that have been collecting dust in the basement. I have only just started using the Wolverine but its really eas
y and is conjuring up a lot of ghosts. Here is a couple of pics of one of the weirdest snowmobile adventures I ever had. It was spring of 1975. I was working on a survey crew in the high Arctic, I remember going into camp right after Christmas, 24 hour darkness and temps never above minus 40F. I spent all my days bouncing around in a little Bombi 
tracked vehicle and nights, locked down in a small trailer with three other guys, meals were all ‘boil-a-bag’, no running water (showers etc…) no time out. Our machines were left to idle all night while we rested and our camp followed us along, dragged by a 
D4 Cat while we mapped the ocean bottom during the day. It was May when our equipment really began to fall apart (mostly we used Bombardier products 
) and the party chief requistioned my Bombi for the drill crew. I was asked if I would be willing to use a snowmobile 
instead as they could get one out of Resolute… ‘well alrighty then.’
I spec’d a couple of units which I thought would work well (Yammi GP338 or MotoSki
Nuvik / Skidoo Olympic), but mostly I wanted something reliable as we were working in Polar bear country. Well you can imagine my shock when they took away my Bombi (pump shotgun and SSG’s included) replacing it with this little gem.
Turns out a nurse had been running around Resolute on it for half a dozen seasons and my boss got a good deal on it (the SOB)… I quickly learned my way around the OMC 2-stroke boxxer, but outrun a Polar bear with it?? No way, this baby was my ticket home. After struggling to keep it running for two weeks, I pulled the pin and left it to seek a watery grave come break-up. Don’t know many guys who have 
snowmobiled north of the magnetic north pole (especially on an Evinrude Snow Crusher) I just had to share! Occurs to me there is something in my Karma linked to BRP in some twisted way and destined to torment me forever 
cr
Wow cool pictures Chris! That 35mm scanner works really well!
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:09 pmHey Chris,did that Bombi track machine belong to SUN OIL?My father worked in Resolute from the late 1970s to the early 1980s as a electrican and recalls seeing that same track machine.Your pictures remind us of the many photos my father took of the arctic from working there in the span of four decades.Its an amazing place that very few of us get to see.Hope you got a polar-bear shaped license plate for yourself.
The company I contracted to was called Phoenix Ventures, they cobbled together a small fleet of Bombi’s, quite possibly could have included a Sun oil unit. We had two Swiss guys working full time on keeping them running, at the end of the job they were left on the ice to disappear, cheaper than extracting them… (wouldn’t happen in this day and age) cheers cr
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:14 pmWow, great history. The last photo…… , another teaser to the video and photo album of Mara Mountain 1992. Thanks for posting.
I’m thinking that little piece of history will be best viewed in person
cr
November 4th, 2009 at 9:30 amGreat Pics! Can’t wait to get the first hand report on the Yamcharger! Last count there were 9 of us down here in Rockford riding either Attak’s or LTX’s. Seems to be the preferred sled of the “I’m kinda old but still ride hard” set.
TB
Hey TB… just remember what my mom always says… ‘age is just a number baby!!’ cheers cr
November 4th, 2009 at 9:41 amNice boots Chris! hahaha
Those old sleds – the NWT hat – snow like cement…great story/pics.
Last years first ride was Nov. 2nd. Conditions aren’t ready yet so far this year. Both sleds are apart waiting for parts. Got my fingers crossed for Ontario cold and snow.
Cheers,
November 4th, 2009 at 1:27 pmYK
Hey Chris,
I was showing my dad the pic of the snow crusher to see if he could guess what it was. Well, he did, and then went on to tell a story. One of our friens/customers by the name of Art Simpson, (A.G Simspon Stamping)was producing the frame for that sled in 1968 (he thinks). At that time, we had no engine franchise at the marina yet and were unable to secure one. Art pulled some strings with OMC and voila, we had Johnson outboards the next spring which we kept until switching to Yamaha exclusively in 1983 after my grandfather saw them in the South Pacific. Anyway, kinda cool.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:50 amCan you elaborate on the width of the new ski? You stated it was originally made for the MNT. sled…is it wider then the current ski and how much?
Thank you Mike
Hey Mike, I can do that! It’s 9.5 in at the widest and 7.5 under the spindlle…
cheers
cr
November 5th, 2009 at 10:37 pmChris,
November 6th, 2009 at 10:28 pmDoes it taper in and back out similar to the older 1M 900 Artic cat ski’s? I’m wondering if the width is widest front and back or just front then 7.5 from middle back? How are you liking the G-Froce Yamacharger so far…noticeable improvement over stock?
Thank you Mike
Wild…a guy needs to do that once…I was in Churchhill Falls Lab..when it started. Would be like …Myrtle Beach… compared to Res. bay.
The stone crusher…even in populated areas…would not take one farther then I could walk…The opposed twin – 2 hours to change an exhause gasket…who designed that??
November 7th, 2009 at 8:09 pmSounds like the new ski will work better for off trail riding than the Curves I’ve got. The Curves are about 7″ front and rear but taper down to 5″ in the middle. That is too narrow and they knife in and act unpredictibly in deep, windblown snow.
We’ve got snow here in AK and I could go riding right now. I’ll test a set for you!
I think you are right on that one, the nose of the MT9 should offer more lift in the pow… I’ll ask the boys if they want to send a set into the real world for some feedback. cheers cr
November 9th, 2009 at 8:16 pm