Snow February 2014

February 2014

J&J Sports Staff Offer Great Experience To Their Customers!

It’s shaping up to be a perfect year for the 15th annual SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge, set for March 3-8.

BRP’s three millionth Ski-Doo® snowmobile unveiled today at the J. Armand Bombardier Museum Polaroid Announces Three New Hi-Definition Mountable Sports Action Cameras

Planes, Automobiles, Snowmobiles and a Ship: My Adventure in the Quebec Maritime Region

Snowmobiling in Greenstone.

NORTH SUPERIOR PUBLISHING INC.

BRP’s three millionth Ski-Doo® snowmobile unveiled today at the J. Armand Bombardier Museum Valcourt, January 22, 2014 – The J. Armand Bombardier Museum today unveiled the three millionth Ski-Doo® assembled by BRP at its Valcourt plant.

The ceremony was open to the public and attended by Valcourt Mayor Renald Chênevert, BRP President José Boisjoli, and Museum Director Mario Landry. BRP donated this special snowmobile to the Museum.

Production of the three millionth snowmobile in Joseph-Armand Bombardier’s hometown clearly demonstrates that the contribution made by this great inventor and business man is still very palpable in the snowmobile industry.

Joseph-Armand Bombardier’s many inventions revolutionized production of this type of vehicle, and they strengthened the region’s economy. Ski-Doo® snowmobiles have now been produced in Valcourt for over 50 years.

“BRP’s three millionth snowmobile will remain here in the community of Valcourt, and it will become a true artifact of the region’s history. It was generously offered to us, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire BRP team for this invaluable donation,” said Mario Landry,

Josée Boisjoli, President of BRP; Lyne Lavoie, Executive Director of J. Armand Bombardier Foundation; Karine Vallières, Member for Richmond; Renald Chênevert, Mayor of Valcourt and Mario Landry, Director of J. Armand Director of the J. Armand Bombardier Museum.

Other family activities Visitors can see the millionth, two mil-

lionth, and three millionth BRP snowmobiles in the Museum’s collection until March 2014, and thus appreciate evolution of the Ski-Doo® snowmobile’s design

over the years.

The Museum will be offering a variety of different activities in the coming weeks— an ideal time to enjoy guided tours of the Museum. For more information, see the Museum Web site at bombardiermuseum.com.

About the J. Armand Bombardier Museum Located in Valcourt in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, the J. Armand Bombardier Museum (bombardiermuseum.com) presents the life and work of the great inventor and entrepreneur JosephArmand Bombardier. The private museum also shows the snowmobile industry’s growth—the industry for which the Quebec builder and visionary focused his energies.

Hours and admission The J. Armand Bombardier Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from May 1 to Labour Day. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, and $15 for families. Admission is free for children five and under. The Museum Plant Tour package is available to those 14 years and over, upon reservation, at a cost of $12 per person.

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It’s shaping up to be a perfect year for the 15th annual SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge, set for March 3-8.

Michigan Technological University, which hosts the event, is experiencing the snowiest winter in years with temperatures solidly sub-freezing, ideal conditions for this Society of Automotive Engineers collegiate design competition. Plus, a new major sponsor has donated an impressive traveling trophy for the winner.

said Dave Lomasney, president of the Fastener Components Division. “But we are not that well known to potential employees. Our involvement with the Clean Snowmobile Challenge allows us to meet top engineering students and introduce them to MacLean-Fogg.”

Rob Whitney, president of the company’s

ing impression on the students for years to come.”

Bay. They are among the 20 entrants expected to compete.

As in past competitions, the internal combustion sleds must be able to accommodate flex fuel, but this year, there’s a twist.

Teams registered in the internal combustion division are Clarkson University, of Potsdam, N.Y.; École de technologie supérieure, of Montreal; Kettering University, of Flint; Michigan Tech; North Dakota State University, of Fargo; Northern Illinois University, of DeKalb; Rochester Institute of Technology; State University of New York at Buffalo; the University of Idaho, of Moscow; the University of Minnesota–Duluth; the University of Waterloo, of Ontario; the University of Wisconsin–Madison; and the University of Wisconsin–Platteville.

“Isobutanol is our new biofuel,” said Meldrum. “It’s distilled from corn, like

Seven teams are entered in the zero emissions category, for battery-powered sleds, which is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. NSF uses electric snowmobiles while conducting atmospheric research in pristine arctic locations.

A total of 13 teams are registered in the Challenge’s internal combustion category.

Engineering students from participating schools take a stock snowmobile and reengineer it. Their aim: to reduce emissions and noise and increase fuel efficiency while preserving the riding excitement demanded by snowmobile enthusiasts.

Teams registered in the zero-emissions division are Clarkson University; McGill University, of Montreal; Michigan Tech; Queen’s University; the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, of Rapid City; the University of Alaska Fairbanks; and the University of Alaska Fairbanks at Bristol Bay.

This year, the one that does it the best will be taking home the MacLean-Fogg Cup. Like hockey’s Stanley Cup, the MacLeanFogg Cup will be engraved with the name of the winning school and displayed there the following year. Sculpted and cast in bronze by renowned Michigan artist Sergio DeGiusti, the cup is funded by the new lead sponsor, MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions, which will also award a prize of $1,000 to the winning internal-combustion team.

MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions is a leading supplier of fasteners, engineered components, and linkage and suspension products for industry. Through their involvement with the Challenge, the Illinois-based company aims to develop relationships with the engineers of tomorrow.

“MFCS is known to our customers for providing high-value, innovative products,” PAGE 2

Engineered Plastics Division, agreed. “We have been fortunate to experience a tremendous growth curve with no signs of slowing down,” he said. “We need capable, talented, innovative engineers in all areas of MacLean-Fogg, and the Challenge provides a forum for students preparing careers at companies like ours.”

“Michigan Tech is honored to have MacLean-Fogg become the premier sponsor of the SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge,” said Jay Meldrum, the coorganizer of the Challenge and director of the Keweenaw Research Center, the competition’s headquarters. “Maclean-Fogg recognizes the value of competition-based engineering and the quality of students that this type of activity creates. Their sponsorship of the MacLean-Fogg Cup exemplifies this support and will provide a last-

ethanol, but it blends better with gasoline and has more energy.”

Pure ethanol contains about 67 percent of the energy of gasoline, so it takes more fuel to travel the same distance. Isobutanol has a higher energy density, 98 percent of gasoline’s. Plus, it doesn’t absorb water from air, so it doesn’t cause corrosion in conventional gasoline engines.

The entries will need to adapt to a “mystery blend,” a fuel recipe that contains anything from 16 to 32 percent isobutanol.

In another first, the Challenge is welcoming competitors from three new schools this year, including Queen’s University, of Kingston, Ontario; the Rochester Institute of Technology, of New York; and the University of Alaska Fairbanks at Bristol

SNOWMOBILE NEWS FEBRUARY 2014

The Clean Snowmobile Challenge is sponsored at Michigan Tech by the Keweenaw Research Center and the Department of Mechanical Engineering–Engineering Mechanics. For more information on the Challenge, see www.mtu.edu/snowmobile.

Michigan Technological University (www.mtu.edu) is a leading public research university developing new technologies and preparing students to create the future for a prosperous and sustainable world. Michigan Tech offers more than 130 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering; forest resources; computing; technology; business; economics; natural, physical and environmental sciences; arts; humanities; and social sciences.

www.slednews.com Planes, Automobiles, Snowmobiles and a Ship: My Adventure in the Quebec Maritime Region

BY SCOTT A. SUMNER

NW Ontario Snowmobile News At this time of the year the thoughts of many people are about traveling somewhere warm to escape winter. I guess I’m exactly opposite as the colder weather and snowmobiling are high on my list!

Quebec is my favourite destination anytime of the year but the wintertime offers some fantastic snowmobiling opportunities and this year my travels would be to the

President

Miranda Bolt Graphic Designer

Quebec Maritime region.

My trip began with a flight to Toronto, then Montreal and Mont Joli. A unique experience on these flights was when Air Canada placed a Boeing 777- 400-passenger jet on the Toronto to Montreal route, a 45minute flight. The 777 is a plane you usually see flying to Europe but an earlier cancelled flight meant they had to play catch up

with passengers. It was a fun experience!

After landing in Mont Joli in a Dash 100, we drove to Rimouski.

The Quebec Maritime region is composed

of the 5 eastern regions in Quebec. The main economy here is fishing and research on fish species. Sydney Crosby played hockey here in the Quebec Major Junior League called Oceanic. “ You will start your snowmobile trip here in Rimouski with your guide, Steve Gaudreau who loves to ride. It is then on to Saint Gabrielle and to Matane to Matane Motorsports. Then take the ferry from Matane to Godbout and ride the south shore to Bai Comeau and then Forestville for an overnight. The last days ride is to Sacre Coeur and then on to Quebec City by car.” said Suzie Loiselle, Media Relations Officer for the Quebec Maritime region.

A very unique part of this trip for me as a snowmobiler would be crossing the St Lawrence River by ferry with your snowmobile. This is only ferry where you can take your snowmobile on the ship along with other cars and trucks including transport trucks. “ You can bring your own sled or rent a sled here, which are usually brand new 2014 Ski Doo sleds. We have over many km’s of snowmobiling trails that are well groomed.

There are guides to help you and a system in place where you can call and ask for information anytime. You can do loops from one main hotel or longer routes.” said Suzie. “ The Gaspésie Tour can be over 800 km and can take up to a week. A normal riding day is about 200 km. We can have up to 6

meters of snow here similar to the Mont Vain in Lac St Jean Saguenay. We have the longest snowmobile bridge in the world here as well.”

Our ride began well in crisp cool weather aboard our 2014 Ski Doo Renegade 900 ACE sleds. The trails were beautiful as usual in Quebec- wide, well groomed and picturesque! My only wish was for a fullfaced helmet. At home I am used to a motocross style helmet and goggles but the cool weather made for a helmet change for day 2.

Our second riding day began with an early start to board the ferry, M/V CamilleMarcoux at 7:30am. The ship is 37 years old with a new replacement coming late in 2014, which will start operation March 15,

2015. New regulations on security and environment require the change. In 1975 the ship cost $13 million while the new one is $147 million. People take the ferry for work to save time in their travels. You can save over 500 kilometers by not traveling back to Quebec City to reach the other side of the St. Lawrence. The ferry goes twice a day in the winter and three times in summer. The snowmobile ferry cost is $42, a car is $42 plus each person pays an additional $17.50 and a transport truck is about $360. The route to go to GodBout is 55 km and Bai Comeau 61km. The water at the crossing is very deep, up to 1000 feet. The water is saltwater with a change at Lac St Jean to a salt and clear water combo.

Continued

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Quebec Maritime Region Continued “ We see many grain ships coming by on the north part of our route. The water tide here can be 11 feet. We get up to 600 people on board in summer time and during the winter we get 200 to 300 people. There have been snowmobiles on board each day. We even break ice with this ship.,” said Mathew Harrison, Stewart.

After driving our snowmobile off the ship it was directly on a 250 km ride to Forestville. Today the weather was warmer but near blizzard conditions made for some difficulty seeing.

My guide on this trip was Steve Gaudreau who was born near Quebec City and ran his own rental company in Quebec Eastern until

recently. He sold to Matane Motorsports recently because it was 7 day a week job and Steve wanted to spend more time with his family. He still loves snowmobiling and continues to do some guiding. Steve is also a test pilot for a Quebec snowmobile web site and this year is riding a 2014 Arctic Cat

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SNOWMOBILE NEWS FEBRUARY 2014

XF 7000. “ We started our ride in Rimouski with Matane Motorsport on their 2014 Ski Doo Renegade 900 ACE’s. It was windy and cold but the trail was excellent and well groomed with sunny conditions,” said Steve. “ The Gaspésie region allows for trips of 5, 6 or 7 days. You must take that full trip once in a lifetime, as there are big mountains and the sea in the same picture. We call it the Little Rockies. When you talk about snowmobiling 8 out of 10 will say Gaspésie is the best.

We saw a group here today riding from Paris, France.”

In this area of Quebec you can begin the snowmobile season at the end of October and ride until early May. You can bring your own snowmobile or rent one there and

have a guide. If it is your first time it is good to have a guide according to Steve.

Snowmobiles rent for $200 to $250 per day and a guide will cost $ 300 per day but a riding group can split the guide cost.

Continued

Planes, Automobiles, Snowmobiles and a Ship: My Adventure in the Quebec Maritime Region Continued Our final day of riding was bitterly cold again with winds of up to 70 km. However, when you are well dressed the riding is fun especially with a few stops along the trails to warm up with hot chocolate!

We arrived at a very unique property

well as dog sledding with a 50 dog kennel here. There is snowshoeing, ice fishing and trapper interpretation. You get to see the animals and pet the animals. Many of our cabins bring us close to the Saguenay River with some really high views.”

called Centre de Vancance Fere 5 Etoiles. (that means a 5 star farm in English) The farm is sitting on 700 acres and offers different types of cabins and many activities to enjoy. “ We have an orphaned animal centre where we take animals and give them a second chance. There are nearly 40 species here including moose, fox, cougars, wolf, deer and bison. All of the animals were in trouble and orphaned or taken from zoos in the US which were closing.” said Dereck Blouin Perry, Outdoor Sports Guide. “ We also have nice dining, many snowmobile rentals from 1 hour to 6 day guided tours as

The property is adjacent to the Saguenay Fjord, some 300 meters deep in places. The lowest water depth is salty and very cold while higher up is milder and freshwater.

You can see whales from here.

My snowmobile adventure had come to an end and it was off to Quebec City by car for the return flights home. This part of the world is absolutely beautiful and can be experienced in the winter especially well by snowmobile.

For further information visit www.quebecmaritime.ca

SNOWMOBILE NEWS FEBRUARY 2014

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Snowmobiling in Greenstone.

by Michel Lafrance Through the decades, Greenstone has been faced with many ups and downs and in the last 15 years, our small communities have been hit hard in all respects. The closure of four wood mills has taken a toll on everything, including snowmobiling. Both Longlac and Geraldton were once host to many snowmobile races, attracting 100’s of people from across Ontario. Both clubs were very active with the clubhouses hosting dances, crib tournaments, rally’s etc. Now we are left with two small snowmobile clubs trying to survive. Thanks to a dedicated group of hard-core snowmobile volunteers, they have been able to maintain a decent amount of trails linking both communities together, along with a few local loops.

The area still offers a wide variety of snowmobiling adventures and while most organized rally’s are done on groomed trails, many are also done off trail. With a long history of logging, the area has many bush roads available to travel, where snowmobilers can venture for 100’s of kms literally out in the middle of nowhere! The TransCanada Pipeline running through our communities offer some great off trail adventures as well.

Greenstone has many available amenities to choose from and can easily fill all of your snowmobiling needs. Lodging, restaurants, small engine repair shop’s

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SNOWMOBILE NEWS FEBRUARY 2014

etc. If you’re the adventuresome type and are looking to get away from it all, Greenstone may be the place for you. We don’t have 5 star hotels here, but we have people with a heart of Gold. We really are in the middle of nowhere. www.snowclub.ca

Polaroid Announces Three New Hi-Definition Mountable Sports Action Cameras Wi-Fi Enabled XS100i Now Shipping; Two Additional POV Cameras Debut Polaroid expands their existing line of hidefinition sports action cameras at the International Consumer Electronics Show, January 7-10 in Las Vegas, NV. With performance-friendly features including highdefinition resolution, Wi-Fi, auto rotation, waterproof technology, and ultra wide angle lenses, the new cameras are tailormade for all athletes and action enthusiasts. The point-of-view cameras also come with mounting equipment, allowing photos and footage to be taken practically anywhere and from any angle.

“Polaroid is all about capturing fun, in the moment images and video from the user’s unique point of view and that is what this fast growing sports action camera category does the best,” says Polaroid President and CEO Scott W. Hardy. “Adding Wi-Fi connectivity to our popular XS100 model will now allow users to share their unique videos and images instantly, which is the heart of what Polaroid is all about. With these cameras, whether it may be skating, skiing or surfing, we want to provide users the ability to capture and share their finest moments and moves with the best possible coverage, at vantage points like no other.”

The Polaroid XS100i camera builds upon the success of the XS100 model but adds Wi-Fi with iOS and Android apps so consumers can adjust settings remotely, watch video in real-time and share videos instantly with friends, family or social media.

The XS100i has a distortion-free ultra wide lens offering 170° of coverage and records video in 1080p, 720p, and 960p, and can capture still images in 3MP, 5MP and 16MP. It has a G-Sensor (Auto Rotation) assuring the greatest shot possible, regardless of the camera’s position. In addition, the Polaroid XS100i camera is waterproof up to 30’ or 10m and offers

32MB of internal memory and up to 32GB on a micro SD card. The XS100i is now shipping and available at retailers for $179.99.

The Polaroid C3 model camera is a uniquely innovative camera with a square

proof technology.

Offered by C&A Marketing, Inc., an authorized Polaroid licensee, the new Polaroid hi-definition sports action cameras are perfect to take on-the-go, mount and document life’s greatest, action-filled

video cameras, tablets and flat-screen TVs that deliver the fun, instant gratification and value for which the brand has long stood. Today, the Polaroid Classic Border Logo rooted in our beginnings of instant photo sharing serves to designate genuine Polaroid branded products. For more information, visit http://www.Polaroid.com.

Polaroid, Polaroid & Pixel, Polaroid Color Spectrum and Polaroid Classic Border Logo are trademarks of PLR IP Holdings, LLC, used under license.

design, a professional 5MP CMOS Sensor and a wide angle lens that provides 120° of coverage. It can capture video in hi-definition 1280 x720 and 640x480, and still images at 1.3MP, 3.0MP and 5.0 MP. The new Polaroid HD sports video camera is waterproof up to 2M, features a microphone and LED light and offers 2MB in internal memory and supports up to 32GB with micro SD card.

The Polaroid XS1000i model camera is a professional HD sports video camera with a unique mounting assembly, a professional 5MP Aptina CMOS Sensor and ultra wide angle lens offering 170° of coverage.

In addition, this camera will feature antishake technology and a gyro sensor to help to keep the shot still even when the user isn’t. Action footage can be captured in 1080p at 30 frames per second (fps), 960p at 30fps and 720 at 60 fps. In addition, users can simultaneously capture video and still images with single, burst, continuous and time lapse mode. Lastly, this new Polaroid sports action camera is waterproof to 10m, and protected against drops and bumps with high impact and shock

adventures. The Polaroid C3 and XS1000i camera models will be available in the fall of 2014. For more information on all the Polaroid products that will be launched at the 2014 CES show, visit: http://www.polaroid.com/ces-2014.

The Polaroid Brand Polaroid is one of the most trusted, wellrespected and recognizable brands with a rich 75 year history beginning with Polaroid instant film. Our range of products include instant and digital still cameras, high-definition and mountable sports

About C&A Licensing, LLC C&A Licensing is a leading manufacturer and reseller of digital cameras, camcorders, and related accessories in the consumer electronics marketplace.

Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, N.J., C&A Marketing is the Polaroid Licensee for instant digital camera, sports video camera, security camera and photo accessories. C&A recently acquired portions of Ritz Camera and Image LLC, including the company’s stores, the Ritzpix Network and the ritzcamera.com, wolfcamera.com and ritzcameraandimage.com websites.

With over two decades in business, the depth and breadth of their inventory is constantly expanding as is their presence and reputation in the consumer electronic marketplace.

This is the last issue of the season of

NW Ontario Snowmobile News A special thanks to our readers and advertisors who have supported the 19th year of the publication.

Until next season you can receive more snowmobiling information at www.slednews.com and follow me on twitter @tbay25 See you on the trails!

Scott Sumner

Welcome To White River Snowmobilers!

Owners Marvin822-1876 & Joanne Picard Phone

126 Queen Street, Longlac, ON

216 Hwy 17, White River Pat & Linda Leadbeater

Paws Northern Cabins Ltd PO Box 460, White River, Ontario P0M3G0 Phone 807-822-1987 peggydavejones@yahoo.ca

We welcome you to the White River area and hope you enjoy snowmobiling here!

Peggy & Dave Jones

North Central Co-op Inc. Freshmart Store 204 Elgin Street, PO Box 400 Welcome White River, Ontario P0M3G0 Snowmobilers!

807-822-2389 807-822-1272 ncci@renegadeisp.com

SNOWMOBILE NEWS FEBRUARY 2014

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J&J Sports Staff Offer Great Experience To Their Customers!

BY SCOTT A. SUMNER

NW Ontario Snowmobile News J & J Sports first became a powersports dealer in Thunder Bay some 37 years in 1977. The dealership was started by Jack Witiluk selling motorcycles. The company has been at it’s Tungsten Street location for over 30 years now and J & J Sports were one of the original buildings in the intercity area. The business started as a motorcycle dealer with the Honda product, during

the early stages of Honda in Canada, before they even manufactured cars. The company expanded to Bombardier with Ski Doo, Misty River boats, Suzuki products and then Polaris.

Currently J&J Sports sells Honda, Polaris, Suzuki and will get Mirrorcraft boats in April to enhance their Honda outboard line.

Anne Marie Polhill is the Manager of J &J Sports and has worked at J&J Sports for 14 years. Previously she was at another dealership for 10 years selling Ski Doo products, giving her a long history in the powersports business. “ We have a great team that has knowledge here at J&J Sports. Our parts department has great experience in the industry with Scott and Jammy together have over 10 years of service. Our service manager Ray Hollanti, started as a parts person and has been here over 25 years. Our head mechanic, Ron Tougas, has been at J&J Sports for over 30 years now. Sal Benincasa is back with us in sales now and worked here 10 years ago. Dustin

Krewsnoski has had long experience in sales of powersports. We are a very knowledgeable team in the industry” said Anne Marie Polhill.

J & J Sports currently have 11 full time employees on staff as well as some part time staff including co-op students. “ It is a fun business and we can see the same customer here from 25 years ago every once in a while. This year has been an unbelievable winter for snowmobiling.

It could have been a little warmer but has been a good year and we still have 2 months to go. Some of our customers are just heading out ice fishing now. We have sold out of several models including the Voyageur and have people waiting for next year. Early snow helps and people are out riding now.” said Anne Marie.

J& J Sports serve the whole region with Polaris snowmobiles. In ATV’s they offer Polaris, Honda and Suzuki as well as Side

By Side’s with the new Honda Pioneer and Polaris models. They offer Honda lawnmowers, generators, trimmers, outboards and snow blowers. Mirror Craft boats are coming for April to compliment Honda motors. In motorcycles they sell Honda and Suzuki. According to Anne Marie, Honda has a new motorcycle called the Fury 1300 coming out which people

should come in and see. “ It will be exciting for me going to the Polaris dealer meeting March 1st in Las Vegas where the 2015 snowmobiles will be unveiled. It will help us choose our models for next year. After this meeting Snow Check will begin and go on to roughly April 15th. We invite people to come in and pick out your Polaris unit where you will get the best price and options available including extra warranty. This year we ran out of certain models and by Snow Checking you are certain to get your chosen sled. If you pre order your Polaris now it is the best way to guarantee the sled you want and the price is the best then as well.” said Anne Marie.

J&J Sports have a new web site up and running for the first time ever (www.jandjsports.ca) which is going great for them and the dealer will be on facebook shortly as well. “ At J&J Sports we are professionals because our staff have so much experience behind us. Our goal is to give the best service we can to the public. We want the customer up and riding as quickly as possible. The experience we have is there to help fix problems and we can sometimes get parts overnight as well. At J&J Sports we are looking forward to growing and servicing our customers. I love the business!” smiles Anne Marie.

When not at the dealership Anne Marie loves to ride dirt bikes, snowmobiles and ATV’s.

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SNOWMOBILE NEWS FEBRUARY 2014