Archive: 2008-09 Season

Take A Friend Snowmobiling

Posted: January 20, 2009

Take A Friend Snowmobiling is really taking off this winter…so much so, in fact, that you could win prizes in two different contests.
 

The OFSC and Supertrax are running a contest where both you and your friend could win 68 secondary prizes or 8 weekly prizes. What’s more, there are two Grand Prizes. You could win an OTMPC Ontario Algoma Six Day/Five Night Get-A-Way Vacation Experience plus a 16’ Langford Classic Canoe. Your friend could win a 2009 Yamaha Phazer plus a 2-place Northtrail Trailer. Not bad for an afternoon’s ride!! 

But that’s not all! The International Snowmobile Manufacturer’s Association (ISMA) is also running a contest open to all riders and clubs (who host a Take A Friend Week event in the specified week) in North America. To qualify to win, you must Take A Friend Snowmobiling from February 14 – 22, 2009…the official ISMA Take A Friend Snowmobiling Week.

For more detailed information about these contests, download the following information flyer or visit the website.

  2009-01-20_TakeaFriend_Contest flyer.pdf (847KB)

Take a Friend Snowmobiling - Tips for Success

Here are a few simple suggestions for when you Take A Friend Snowmobiling. Make sure to cover all the safe snowmobiling behaviour with your friend before embarking on that first ride, including:

• Proper operation of the brake and throttle

• Shifting weight and slowing down in curves

• Staying on the right hand side of the trail

• Dismounting the snowmobile on the right hand side of the sled

• Making sure the vehicle is in good mechanical order

• Making sure your friend is appropriately dressed and sober

A key ingredient to a good time for a first time snowmobiler is for seasoned riders to make sure non-snowmobilers are comfortable when they first get on a snowmobile. Be cautious and ride slow when taking out a new rider. Plan on making numerous stops and enjoying the scenery. It is always recommended that the first ride be rather short and include a stop for a light meal or hot chocolate or coffee and a little camaraderie and storytelling at the local restaurant, clubhouse or outdoor barbecue area.

We hope clubs will participate in Take A Friend Snowmobiling too, by holding a special day or weekend encouraging members to bring non-snowmobiling friends to the clubhouse to go for a short ride and discover what snowmobilers do during the winter. This effort follows the guidelines and recommendations our customer research presented to us, which showed us that non-snowmobilers know very little about snowmobiling. Most non-snowmobilers don’t know where the trails are, really don’t know who builds and maintains and pays for the trail systems, and have no idea of the beautiful scenery that we enjoy and the fun that we have in the winter riding our snowmobiles. We also know folks that don’t snowmobile rate their desire to go snowmobiling a solid 9 on a 10-point scale. All we need to do is ask!

We have all heard the stories of snowmobilers taking friends out, and much to their surprise, the friends enjoy themselves so much, they end up buying a new or used snowmobile to join in the winter fun. What a pleasant surprise that is for all of us, so why not encourage our family and friends to join us outside this winter on a snowmobile?

Source:  OFSC Main Trail Bulletin, December 2008 

 

Paudash Trail Blazers Snowmobile Club, P.O. Box 130, Apsley, Ontario  K0L 1A0
Phone: (705) 656-2292   Fax: (705) 656-2602   Toll Free: 1-800-385-8644   info@paudashtrailblazers.on.ca