Snow Grooming | January 2016

NORTH AMERICA’S ONLY PUBLICATION CONNECTING THE ENTIRE SNOW GROOMING COMMUNITY

JANUARY 2016 | Volume 3 | No. 1.

THE TRAILS ISSUE: SASK SNOW’S ONLINE GROOMER TRAINING 1RISK ASSET TRACKER THREE-POINT DUBIE GROOMER

PRINOTH’S NEW HUSKY

VISIT US ONLINE

For articles, events, product catalogue and more! snowgroomingmag.com

ISSN 2369-3886

The first snow groomer with T4 engine technology in the market

SUPER ACCESS PEAK Warm temperatures. White snow.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

January 2016 | Vol 3. | No. 1

04

Remote Control

08 15

The New HUSKY

Sask Snow embarks on its second year of online training

04

PRINOTH brings T4 engine technology

1RISK | Asset Tracker A cloud-based system for mobile devices

15

18 18

26

NORTH AMERICA’S ONLY PUBLICATION CONNECTING THE ENTIRE SNOW GROOMING COMMUNITY

JANUARY 2016 | Volume 3 | No. 1.

THE TRAILS ISSUE: SASK SNOW’S ONLINE GROOMER TRAINING 1RISK ASSET TRACKER THREE-POINT DUBIE GROOMER

PRINOTH’S NEW HUSKY

VISIT US ONLINE

For articles, events, product catalogue and more! snowgroomingmag.com

ISSN 2369-3886

The first snow groomer with T4 engine technology in the market

23

Blazing the Trail Mogul Master offers a wide range of multi-blade drags that promises something for everyone

Making a Claim Liability and coverage after an incident occurs

26

The Three-Point Dubie Groomer

30

Tidd Tech’s Generation Two Groomer

A new, shorter groomer from Michiganbased Dubie Welding and Fabrication

Compact, versatile, reliable

On The Cover The snow grooming industry is being transformed by a new breed of “greener” snowcats with Tier 4 engines designed to conform to today’s stiffer exhaust emissions standards.

Leading the way has been the HUSKY grooming vehicle from PRINOTH.

SNOW GROOMING

1

A legend is reborn.

PRINOTH Ltd Granby, Québec 450-776-3600 - PRINOTH LLC Grand Junction, Colorado 970-242-7150

The New

HUSKY.

The all-new 228 bhp Tier4 engine delivering optimal performance while reducing emissions & maintenance.

A first in trail grooming vehicles!

Redesigned cab featuring upgraded visibility, spacious working environment and most of all … comfort!

User-friendly controls provided by the ergonomic joystick and the functionpacked 7” HD display.

Four track widths available with adjustable hydraulic track tensioning.

Nighttime trail grooming made easy and safe due to improved lighting and featuring optional LED.

A Legend is reborn! The New HUSKY; a combination of power, maneuverability and efficiency, supported by the all new Tier4 Final 228 bhp eco-friendly engine plus state-of-the-art controls and cabin comfort features. Re-discover a legend, re-discover The New HUSKY. More details at www.prinoth.com

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

January 2016 | Vol 3. | No. 1 www.snowgroomingmag.com

Published by

140 Broadway, 46th Floor New York, NY 10005 Toll-free phone: 866-953-2189 Toll-free fax: 877-565-8557 www.lesterpublications.com President, Jeff Lester Vice-President & Publisher, Sean Davis EDITORIAL Editorial Director, Jill Harris ADVERTISING Book Leader, Quinn Bogusky Louise Peterson, Colleen McDonald DESIGN & LAYOUT Art Director, Myles O’Reilly Crystal Carrette, Jessica Landry, John Lyttle, Gayl Punzalan DISTRIBUTION Nikki Manalo © 2016 Lester Publications, LLC All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Publication Mail Agreement #40606022.

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 701 Henry Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3E 1T9 Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the authors and/or editorial sources contained in Snow Grooming magazine are those of the respective parties and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the publisher.

A Fresh Start Happy New Year!

Welcome to the January 2016 issue of Snow Grooming magazine, and my first edition as editor. Starting this year, Lester Publications, LLC is the new publisher of Snow Grooming. I’m new to the snow grooming community, and very excited to dig my heels in and learn more. I’m looking forward to lots of feedback from our readers so that I can ensure the magazine is exactly what you want it to be.

The January 2016 issue is the dedicated Trails Issue, and in it you’ll find updates on new equipment, technology and services that can better facilitate your trail grooming practices. The first article discusses online groomer training, as developed by the Saskatchewan Snowmobiling Association – they’re currently in their second year offering the course and have seen tremendous success. That article starts on page 4.

Also in this issue is an article about Prinoth’s new HUSKY, the first snow groomer in this market to be compliant with T4 Final engine requirements.

Read the article about the new machine, starting on page 8.

All of us at Lester can’t wait to get to know the members of the snow grooming community. We’d like to thank Connie with Integrit Media; she’s put her heart and soul into this project since its inception, and she’s done a fabulous job. She recognizes the passion in the snow grooming community, and we hope to build on what she’s started.

Remember to check out the digital edition and online exclusives at www.snowgroomingmag.com, browse the classifieds section and like our page on Facebook. Keep sending us your photos to share!

You can reach me any time to discuss your thoughts and ideas for Snow Grooming magazine, and please be sure to sign me up to your email lists. I hope you enjoy the January 2016 edition.

Cheers,

Jill Harris 866-953-2182 jharris@lesterpublications.com

To read more about Prinoth’s new HUSKY, turn to page 8 Courtesy of Prinoth

Printed in Canada.

Please recycle where facilities exist.

SNOW GROOMING

3

Remote Control Sask Snow embarks on its second year of online training

4

January 2016 | snowgroomingmag.com

ONLINE TRAINING

By Jim Chliboyko

W

ith the late winter snow in many parts of North America this year, fall proved to be a good time for trail groomers and club administrators to take inventory for the year ahead, including assessing skills they needed to upgrade.

With their migration last year from a three-day seminar format to an online course for their trail groomer certificate, the Saskatchewan Snowmobiling Association (Sask Snow) managed to accomplish a couple of things. Firstly, it freed up three autumn weekend days for the province’s groomers, making it more convenient to take the course, and, number two, it took the weather out of the equation. Previously, the delivery of the course took place over three weekend days over two different weekends in a mutually-agreed-upon town somewhere in the province.

“Everybody had to travel for the course and Saskatchewan is no small place. And you’re doing it in the fall,” said Chris Brewer, the president and CEO of Sask Snow, who related stories of travelling stormy highways and once being snowed in at a hotel while giving the course. Brewer says there are 60 pieces of equipment (thus, at least 60 different operators) across Saskatchewan, which is a lot of people to consider. (He estimates that their association has upwards of 18,000 members.)

Streamlined content

But by moving their grooming training course to the Internet, it helped to ensure the uniformity of the information being presented, something that would unintentionally change when presented in a live session, says Brewer. The questions from the audience would often steer the course in different directions.

“In the past, we would host three clinics annually in the province,” said Brewer. “What we were finding – I was the chief instructor – it wouldn’t be the same course on different weekends. I would do a course on a Saturday and Sunday, then the next Saturday. Questions would arise and the seminar would get off-base. Working off the manual, you want to get through all the sections and you only have X amount of time.

“I wasn’t touching on everything.

I went to our board and said, look, there’s an opportunity; we can get it online.”

Brewer says that Sask Snow was pleased with the course’s online rollout last year.

“This is year two. We ran this last winter; the overall acceptance was fantastic,” he said, and also mentions they tweaked a few aspects of the course over the summer. “We learned some things from the change. You can stand in a room and you can tell people about

SNOW GROOMING

5

ONLINE TRAINING older material over to Brewer and his team. Sask Snow has since helped Ontario with the renewed material.

“Ontario liked [the new version],” said Brewer. “They helped us and we helped them. We’re quite proud of it. We’re leading in the nation. Ontario had this, and what we did is looked at their course.

They were kind enough to say, ‘Here is our stuff.’ We modernized it with our contractors [the Ontario-based Snow Grooming Solutions, a national training and design company] and brought it up to date.”

Format temperatures and when you should groom and when you shouldn’t, and sometimes it goes over folks’ heads…

[Now] the overall pass rate is pretty good.”

Developing a program

There seems to be a variety of ways potential snow groomers are educated across North America. You can find a PDF version of a 103-page manual pro-

duced by New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in 2007 on snow grooming.

Closer to home, the BC Snowmobile Federation, for one, circulates a manual and the clubs deliver the course directly to their groomers.

The Saskatchewan course is actually descended from an online course initially used by the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, who handed their

The course itself is a combination of reading and videos. It covers all bases of equipment from using converted farm equipment to other well-known brands of multi-blade drags. It deals with the actual operation of the machinery and well as basics like maintenance, changing oil and doing a walk-around inspection of the vehicle before using.

“The snow-grooming course is mandatory for our clubs,” said Brewer. “In a sense, it’s what would be our oc-

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January 2016 | snowgroomingmag.com

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ONLINE TRAINING

Questions would arise and the seminar would get off-base. I wasn’t touching on everything. I went to our board and said, look, there’s an opportunity; we can get it online.”

– Chris Brewer, President and CEO, Saskatchewan Snowmobiling Association to a club.”

And once the club receives the certificate, says Brewer, they can present it to the groomer how they wish, whether in a low-key manner or as part of a presentation at a club dinner or meeting.

“We had never done an evaluation at the end, and had never done a test quiz at the end,” said Brewer of some of the changes. “And once they do the certification, there’s a refresher down the road. There are updates over time, as the equipment changes.”

In terms of other qualifications, there’s no minimum number of hours required on machinery for operators, but it’s a consideration Sask Snow did investigate.

Endless power for endless expanse

“There’s no confirmation needed of hours [ for specific operators to spend on the equipment],” said Brewer. “We know how many hours operators spend on equipment. Through log sheets that the clubs keep, we know number of hours. We looked at OH&S for forklift training and they don’t require [operators spend] X number of hours on a forklift.”

Sask Snow runs the groomer training course for $125 per course. But, Brewer reminds us, on the bright side, the course is also an eligible expense for trail funding.

Photos courtesy of the Saskatchewan Snowmobiling Association

2015 sons.

cupational health and safety (OH&S) plan for snow groomers and operators, looking at proper practices. It’s fairly indepth, but starts at the basics.”

Brewer says the course is useful for all types of groomers.

“If you’re an individual that’s never operated a machine before, there’s lots of information. And even if you’re a veteran, there’s information there.”

The format is tutorial-quiz-tutorialquiz (et cetera), followed by a final test at the end.

“All that information comes back to us through the computer system,” said Brewer. “At the end of it, they know if they passed or not. We keep everything on file, process a certificate and ship it

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SNOW GROOMING

7

The New HUSKY PRINOTH brings the first snow groomer with T4 engine technology in this segment to the market

By Mark Halsall

T

he snow grooming industry is being transformed by a new breed of “greener” snowcats with Tier 4 engines designed to conform to today’s stiffer exhaust emissions standards. Leading the way has been the HUSKY grooming vehicle from PRINOTH. During the 2014-15 season, PRINOTH began demonstrating its new HUSKY model around the world – the first snowcat with T4 Final engine technology in this segment unveiled in North America.

“We were the first to have demos in the field and we were also the first to go into production and start selling these

8

January 2016 | snowgroomingmag.com

units and placing them out in the marketplace,” said David Hunter, director of sales for PRINOTH North America.

He adds the company is no longer selling traditional HUSKY models with T3 engines in the United States.

Hunter says being first to market with T4 Final technology is a testament to PRINOTH’s corporate philosophy as well as a serious commitment to low energy consumption and environmental sustainability that’s reflected in the company’s Clean Motion philosophy.

“We feel first is always better than second,” he said. “Innovation and pushing technology is very important to us as a company, and we feel our custom-

ers also see the value in that.”

Compared with its predecessor, the new HUSKY’s engine generates 91 percent less nitrogen oxide and 87.5 percent less particulate matter. According to Hunter, leaving a smaller environmental footprint “is important for the industry, it’s important for our customers and it’s important for us.”

More power

The new HUSKY is not only more efficient, but it also packs more pushing and pulling power and offers improved handling – a huge plus when it comes to moving snow and grooming tough trails in adverse conditions.

PRINOTH’S NEW HUSKY

The compact new HUSKY is ideally suited for snowmobile trail grooming and for preparing cross-country ski trails

NEW HUSKY Technical Specs DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT Overall vehicle length

4.0 m (12.3 ft.)

Overall vehicle length with attachments (blade, tiller)

7.4 m (24.3 ft.)

Overall height

2.8 m (9.1 ft.)

Versions of working width

2.5/2.8/3.1 m (8.2/9.2/10.2 ft.)

Vehicle weight with aluminum tracks and attachments

5,565 kg (16,534 lb.)

Permitted gross weight

7,500 kg (16,534 lb.)

PERFORMANCE Maximum speed

24 km/h (14.9 m.p.h.)

Turning radius

0 (around its own axis)

Payload

500 kg (1,102 lb.)

ENGINE

At 170KW/228bhp and with a 27 percent increase in torque to 900 Nm, the four-cylinder Mercedes diesel engine is the most powerful in its market segment. Thanks to bigger hydraulic pumps in the new HUSKY, the efficiency of the drive train is increased and power transmission further optimized. The diesel engine can be used in the lower RPM range without reducing working speeds, all while cutting fuel consumption.

“The RPM range is relatively low and you run this machine at 1,300 RPMs where others need to run for optimal performance at 1,500 or 1,600 RPMs,” said Hunter. “This directly correlates to

Model

MTU OM 934 LA

Power output

170 kw/228 bhp

Maximum torque

900 Nm

Displacement

5.1 L

Layout

In line 4 cylinder, direct injection, common rail

Exhaust emission standard

EPA Tier 4

Emission regulation type

SCR (Selective Catalyst Reduction)

Fuel tank capacity

150 L (39.6 gal.)

DEF tank capacity

40 L (10.5 gal.)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Operating voltage

24 VDC

Starter

24 VDC

Generator

28 VDC/150 A

Battery

2 x 12 VDC – 74 Ah

Starting capacity

680 A (EN)

DRIVE Drive pump displacement

90 ccm (9 L)

Final drive

63 ccm (6.3 L)

Continued on page 11 SNOW GROOMING

9

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PRINOTH’S NEW HUSKY

The new HUSKY is the first snowcat with T4 Final engine technology in this segment unveiled in North America

the reliability and overall performance of the vehicle. You’re not working the engine as hard.”

Hunter says additional improvements have been made with comfort in mind.

“We really focused on the working environment for the operator,” said Hunter, noting that all-new cabin suspension and high-quality insulation ensures the ride is always very comfortable and quiet. The new HUSKY also features an exclusive premium LED lighting system, ensuring operators are never left in the dark.

There have also been numerous enhancements in terms of ergonomics and instrumentation. For example, the user-friendly steering and driving systems are designed to optimize work processes and shorten operating times.

In addition, the PRINOTH universal joystick is tailored to fit the natural position of the hand, and the seven-inch color display provides operators with the all the relevant information they need at their fingertips.

According to Hunter, the compact new HUSKY is ideally suited for snowmobile trail grooming and for preparing cross-country ski trails, but the company also sees the machine’s value for ski resorts looking to add a smaller vehicle with a reduced footprint to their fleets for specialty applications.

“This vehicle can be used for a lot of different things in and around the ski area,” said Hunter.

The new HUSKY is available in three different widths – 2.5, 2.8 and 3.1 meters (8.2, 9.2 and 10.2 feet) – due to the differing needs of customers.

“It’s not one size fits all,” said Hunter.

“If you look at trail grooming applications in the east compared to applications in the west, the trails are typically

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SNOW GROOMING

11

PRINOTH’S NEW HUSKY

“Innovation and pushing technology is very important to us as a company and we feel our customers also see the value in that.”

– David Hunter, PRINOTH

MORE ONLINE!

See more about Prinoth at snowgroomingmag.com/blog/ the-new-husky.html

12

January 2016 | snowgroomingmag.com

narrower. In the west, the trail grooming applications typically have a bit of a wider footprint.”

The reaction in the market to the new HUSKY has been “huge,” according to Hunter.

“Its functionally across all the areas we are targeting is exceptional,” he said. “We have seen incredibly positive results from our demos and customers seeing a value in this machine. We’re very excited about what the new HUSKY is bringing to the market. When you think you’ve done a really good thing and you see what’s starting to happen in the marketplace, that makes everyone feel really good about the decisions we made.”

Photos provided by PRINOTH

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This active and exciting online community provides the all-inclusive snow grooming experience for snow groomers, manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and dealers in the industry.

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Choose from articles packed with information on the latest equipment, techniques and expert advice, stay current with upcoming events and buy or sell your equipment through the extensive product catalogue.

ASSET TRACKER

1RISK

Asset Tracker A cloud-based system for mobile devices is available to help snow groomers keep tabs on signs, an important safety component of ski areas and trail systems

By Mark Halsall

F

or ski resorts, cross-country operations and snowmobile clubs, maintaining proper signage on the slopes and throughout trail systems is not only essential for helping people find their way around but is also a key safety consideration. 1RISK, an innovative risk management solutions company based in Fairfield, Penn., offers a cloud-based software system that makes that job easier.

Charles Mickley, owner and director of business relationships for 1RISK, says the company’s Asset Tracker system was recently revamped to enable users to keep tabs on not just signs but fencing, netting, padding, snowmaking equipment, lights, web cams or any other stationary objects found in and around ski areas.

“By enhancing our software to include any fixed asset, this allows grooming operations to track anything they want,” he said.

According to Mickley, the Asset Tracker system and 1RISK’s other risk management solutions are all built around modern mobile technology. Whether using a tablet or a smartphone, users can input asset data into the system and access realtime information via the system reports and dashboards.

An example of this data would be a picture of a snowmobile trail sign taken with a mobile device or camera. The image can be labeled and given a description that can include a precise geolocation using GPS coordinates. It can also be “pinned” onto a Google map for easy visual reference.

Signs can be categorized with unlimited classification (i.e., Caution, Information, Warning, etc.), and other comments can include in-service and out-of-service dates, which enable users to know when a sign (or another fixed asset) was installed to help determine if it’s due to be replaced. Users can also filter and sort data based on location and asset type, using the Asset Tracker’s reporting portal.

Mickley maintains having precise records of where signs are and what they look like is tremendously useful for a numbers of reasons. For one thing, snow groomer operators can utilize the Asset Tracker system to ensure no signs have been destroyed or damaged and everything’s where it should be while they’re out working on the trails.

“In most cases, pictures are worth 1,000 words. If you have pictures of your signage or other assets, it plays a very valuable role on the risk management side,” said Mickley. “Operations can spend a lot of money on signs, and if they are SNOW GROOMING

15

ASSET TRACKER

Asset Tracker detail display that includes such information as QR code and geolocation data

Asset Tracker detail report related to signage exported to a PDF for reporting purposes.

Image courtesy of 1RISK

Image courtesy of 1RISK

stolen or damaged then they can submit this information to an insurance company. [They’ll know] exactly what the signs looked like, how much money was spent on them, when they were installed and where they were so they can replaced at the same location.”

Eliminates the paper chase

1RISK’s Asset Tracker system is Android and iOS compat-

ible and works with most standard browsers. Mickley says an important benefit of a mobile-based asset tracking system is that it provides a more accurate method of documentation than paper-based systems. It also eliminates the tedious and often time-consuming paper chase for users.

“The great thing about the software is that our solutions are designed specifically for the mobile device platform or industry, but they can also be used on a windows laptop or

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January 2016 | snowgroomingmag.com

A WINNING ASSET TRACKER TEAM

“In most cases, pictures are worth 1,000 words. If you have pictures of your signage or other assets, it plays a very valuable role on the risk management side.”

– Charles Mickley, 1RISK

computer. It’s very flexible,” said Mickley, adding that since the software is solely cloud-based, there’s nothing to install.

“In most cases, snow grooming operators are likely gathering and defining this type of data from a mobile device. They are in the shop or they’re out in the snow groomers and the fact that this information is easily accessible on a mobile device is extremely important,” he said.

1RISK was formed in 2012 for the purpose of providing an all-encompassing risk management data solution for the adventure industry. According to Mickley, the company’s initial emphasis was the ski industry, but the focus has expanded to include winter recreation activities like snowmobiling as well as other types of outdoor sports.

Mickley says the 1RISK solution is comprised of several

modules that can be purchased separately or together as a fully integrated package. In addition to the Asset Tracker, modules include: • Equipment checklist/inspection • Incident tracking • Accident investigation • Park management • Electronic waiver management • Dispatch management “There are a few suppliers of software to the adventure industry for single, one-off solutions, but 1RISK is the only provider of a ‘total’ cloud-based risk management data solution,” said Mickley.

SNOW GROOMING

17

BLAZING the

TRAIL Drags play a key role in snowmobile trail grooming and can come in numerous shapes and sizes. Mogul Master offers a wide range of multi-blade drags that promises something for everyone.

By Mark Halsall

T

he Shop Industrial Inc. offers one of the widest ranges of grooming drags around for snowmobile trail applications. With its multiple series of Mogul Master Multi Blade Planers, the manufacturer based in Ontario, Canada offers a drag for everyone with different trail grooming needs.

“We manufacture Mogul Master trail grooming drags that work with all types of pulling vehicles, from a utility snow-

18

January 2016 | snowgroomingmag.com

mobile right up to 12- or 14-foot wide industrial grooming equipment,” said Mike Heino, president of the Shop Industrial. “There isn’t a tracked vehicle out there being used in the field to groom snowmobile trails that Mogul Master cannot supply a drag for. We can even build a custom Mogul Master with fold-up wings.”

Heino maintains a drag must perform three essential functions to successfully groom a snowmobile trail: cut the

DRAGS

Mogul Master Series Models MODEL

WEIGHT

LENGTH

WIDTH

NO. OF BLADES

(with Standard (Nose Cone to Hitch)

Pan)

MBP 18-08

3,660 lb.

17 ft., 6 in.

8 ft., 4 in.

11

MBP 18-09

3,800 lb.

17 ft., 6 in.

9 ft., 4 in.

11

MBP 18-10

4,000 lb.

17 ft., 6 in.

10 ft., 4 in.

11

MBP 18-12

4,250 lb.

18 ft.

12 ft.

11

DS MBP 18-08

3,060 lb.

17 ft., 6 in.

8 ft., 4 in.

6

DS MBP 18-09

3,410 lb.

17 ft., 6 in.

9 ft., 4 in.

6

DS MBP 18-10

3,610 lb.

17 ft., 6 in.

10 ft., 4 in.

6

DS MBP 18-10

3,810 lb.

18 ft.

12 ft.

6

MBP 08-08

2,180 lb.

10 ft., 6 in.

8 ft., 4 in.

4

MBP 08-09

2,480 lb.

10 ft., 6 in.

9 ft., 4 in.

4

MBP 08-10

2,600 lb.

10 ft., 6 in.

10 ft., 4 in.

4

MBP 08-12

3,030 lb.

10 ft., 6 in.

12 ft.

4

XLMBP 16-07

2,655 lb.

15 ft., 3 in.

7 ft., 4 in.

7

XLMBP 16-09

2,785 lb.

15 ft., 3 in

8 ft., 4 in.

7

XLMBP 16-07

2,905 lb.

15 ft., 3 in

9 ft., 4 in.

7

XLMBP 16-10

3,035 lb.

15 ft., 3 in

10 ft., 4 in.

7

XLMBP 16-07 HD

3,000 lb.

15 ft., 3 in

7 ft., 4 in.

7

XLMBP 16-08 HD

3,130 lb.

15 ft., 3 in

8 ft., 4 in.

7

XLMBP 16-09 HD

3,250 lb.

15 ft., 3 in

9 ft., 4 in.

7

XLMBP 16-10 HD

3,380 lb.

15 ft., 3 in

10 ft., 4 in.

7

ULMBP 14-06

1,450 lb.

12 ft., 3 in.

6 ft., 4 in.

4

ULMBP 14-07

1,575 lb.

12 ft., 3 in.

7 ft., 4 in.

4

ULMBP 14-08

1,700 lb.

12 ft., 3 in.

8 ft., 4 in.

4

ULMBP 9-06

940 lb.

9 ft.

6 ft., 3 in.

7

ULMBP 9-07

1,020 lb.

9 ft.

7 ft., 3 in

7

ULMBP 9-08

1,100 lb.

9 ft.

8 ft., 3 in

7

ULMBP 8-04

360 lb.

8 ft.

4 ft., 3 in.

4

ULMBP 8-04 ST

419 lb.

8 ft.

4 ft., 3 in.

4

ULMBP 8-06

575 lb.

8 ft.

6 ft., 3 in.

4

ULMBP 8-06 ST

650 lb.

8 ft.

6 ft., 3 in.

4

moguls, process the snow and, finally, compact the snow.

Numerous improvements have been made to Mogul Master groomers over the years with these processes squarely in mind.

“The Mogul Master of today is nowhere near the same Mogul Master that we produced back in the ‘90s when we first started in this business,” said Heino. “There’s been a number of changes that we’ve made to the drag in order to have those processes done very, very efficiently and get the quality of

trail that snowmobile clubs need to have – that is, a trail that is very flat and smooth and which will last as long as possible.”

As an example, Heino refers to the Mogul Master MBP series drag. An 11-blade planer that comes in four different widths, the drag is the company’s most recent design and also the most popular with customers. By increasing the blade configuration to 11 blades, the drag is able to cut moguls and process the snow even more effectively.

SNOW GROOMING

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DRAGS The multiple, angled cutting blades on Mogul Master drags are designed to eradicate bumps in the trail, known as moguls, right down to their base

Cut the moguls

The multiple, angled cutting blades on Mogul Master drags are designed to eradicate bumps in the trail, known as moguls, right down to their base, removing all “memory” of the moguls so that the trails stay groomed far longer.

“Your effective trail grooming drag is going to remove those moguls completely with a number of blades doing that cutting,” said Heino. “You want to cut that mogul out from the top to the bottom, but not any lower than the bottom of that mogul because that trail bed below it is nice, hard-packed snow and you don’t want to disturb that.”

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January 2016 | snowgroomingmag.com

Process the snow

Snow must be effectively “processed” by the trail groomer to ensure a smooth, flat, durable trail. To complete this processing, the snow that the drag is working must: 1) be thoroughly mixed or blended; 2) have the sharp edges of the individual snowflakes broken down; 3) be de-aerated; and 4) have its temperature raised ever so slightly due to the friction created by the groomer.

“You need to take that snow that consists of what used to be moguls and any new snow that’s fallen and work it as much as possible and mix it all up,” said Heino.

DRAGS

Serrated straight blades

The Mogul Master MBP series drag

Compact the snow

Once the moguls have been eliminated and the snow is processed, the trail groomer must compact the snow to a hard, quick-setting finish. This is achieved by the packing pan situated near the rear of the drag, which spreads the snow out evenly across the width of the groomer and compresses it beneath the weight of the drag.

“What’s left behind the drag is a layer of processed snow that is compacted on top of that hard trail base,” said Heino.

Setup time is important

Heino says another important step is to ensure a freshly groomed trail has time to set properly.

“If you can get three of four hours of setup time at -20 F or whatever before the snowmobile traffic gets on it, now you’ve got a trail that’s going to last as long as possible. This lets the trail freeze up and get hard,” said Heino.

It’s for this reason that it’s best to groom trails at night if all possible.

“This accomplishes the trail setup far better than grooming during the day for a couple of reasons: snowmobile traffic at

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DRAGS

”The Mogul Master of today is nowhere near the same Mogul Master that we produced back in the ‘90s when we first started in this business.”

– Mike Heino, The Shop Industrial

night is far less than it is during the day, and the ambient air temperature is generally much colder at night than it is during the day,” said Heino.

He adds another advantage to grooming at night is safety – snowmobilers typically can spot snow grooming equipment more clearly when it’s dark out because of vehicle lights.

The right size

Heino says numerous considerations come into play when choosing the right size of groomer.

“Width is determined by two factors. The most important one is a club’s trail system. ...The narrowest point on your trail system determines the drag width. The other determining factor is the width of the towing vehicle. You want to have a drag that is slightly wider than the overall width of your towing vehicle,” he said.

When it comes to picking the right length, Heino notes it’s important to remember that it’s the length of the drag that produces that great trail surface that’s not only smooth, but also flat to avoid feeling any undulations when you’re riding at speed.

– rks ue a P Tube Reven New ator! e h T er Gen

“You want to make sure you get the proper length [ for making] a flat trail without overloading the towing vehicle,” he said.

Heino notes there a few things snowmobile clubs can do when looking to purchase a new grooming drag. One is to talk to other clubs that have the same towing vehicles about what kinds of drags they use. The companies that make the towing vehicles can also be contacted to get their recommendations for drags, and it also makes sense to direct questions to the drag manufacturers themselves.

Heino says his company welcomes such inquiries from potential customers. After talking to them about their towing vehicle, the types of trails they’re grooming and how much snow they get, “we come up with an evaluation of what the proper drag is for their particular needs,” he said.

“Not all drags are created equal. Mogul Master trail groomers have unique design features that make them the best working drags available. There are close to 1,600 Mogul Masters on the snow that can attest to that statement.”

Photos courtesy of The Shop Industrial

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INSURANCE CLAIMS

Making a Claim Liability and coverage after an incident occurs

By Jim Chliboyko

W

hen running any kind of outdoors club, you need to have different kinds of knowledge on any number of topics – weather, mechanics, safety, human resources, basic administration, the habits of local fauna, how to properly use a chainsaw and probably equal measures of provincial or state or federal law, amongst others. It’s not often that most club presidents know the ins and outs of the club insurance and making a claim (unless they own an agency during the week). “[The club presidents] say to me,

‘That’s why we have an insurance agent,’” said Mark Larson.

Larson is with Security State Insurance in Aitkin, Minn. Their firm has made a concerted effort to specialize in snowmobiling clubs in the last few years [Editor’s note: read the article “Insurance Company Providing Snowmobilers with Peace of Mind” in the September 2015 edition of Snow Grooming magazine]. Larson says that while people aren’t generally ignorant about insurance, they may need a few pointers.

“People aren’t familiar with the total

aspect on how liability works and the coverage it provides, or what the coverage provides in case of an incident,” he said.

Sometimes, multiple elements are involved in an incident, whether it’s personal injury, damage to equipment or damage to other property.

“We had a claim where a guy was grooming a trail and he caught a guidewire and the equipment was damaged,” said Larson. The man was okay, but it did damage to both club property and someone else’s gear. “It broke the supporting wire for the post.”

SNOW GROOMING

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INSURANCE CLAIMS

”Before any type of catastrophic event takes place, have a plan on what to do and who to contact.”

– Mark Larson, Security State Insurance

Often, what ends up happening is not easily predicted. “[The clubs] don’t think about it until it actually happens,” said Larson. The key is to be prepared. “They need to contact their current agent. I’ve done many clubs; you go out and meet the clubs and members and talk to them about ‘Insurance 101’ and give them the basics.”

Before anything happens, though, Larson says to prepare for the inevitable.

“Before any type of catastrophic event takes place, have a plan on what to do and who to contact,” he said. “Take an inventory of items the club owns. Take pictures of the inside of your club house and shop area. A picture is a good reminder of what you have. Keep your inventory list and pictures off-site in a secure area.”

Then, when prepared, policy holders are ready to jump into action once something occurs. Make sure your insurance agent is amongst one of the first people to call, next to the authorities, of course, as needed.

“What I tell them to do is contact us,” said Larson. “If there are injuries, call law enforcement. Take pictures [postincident], if you can, because that helps in recalling the incident. Keep track of all receipts. If you cross a beaver pond with some equipment and it breaks through, keep your receipts; if they ask what the total expenses were, you have the totals.”

Larson says that the rules apply to damaged (or potentially damaged) equipment aren’t the same as rules one applies to, say, a person with an injured back. For instance, you can move damaged equipment.

“Get it out of the hazard; don’t wait for an adjuster to take a look at it. You

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can move it. If it falls into water, get it out of there,” said Larson.

Larson also says to not worry about storing and moving things.

“There is a clause in the policy that reimburses you for the expenses involved in moving the property, both damaged and undamaged, including the cost of storing the property.”

Then there comes a point when you hand things off to the insurance company.

“Once your agent has all of the needed information, they will submit the claim to the insurance company,” he said. “You should be contacted within 24 to 48 hours by an adjuster to set up a time to meet. The adjuster will review the damage by writing a report of what has happened, the damage that has occurred, along with taking pictures of the damaged items. The adjuster then may do some research and obtain their own estimates to determine what the average costs would be to repair the item.

This report is then submitted to the insurance company for their review.”

As long as you take pictures and document an incident, feel free to patch things up in the meantime.

“If a storm comes in and a tree lands on the clubhouse, if you can safely do it, remove the tree and patch the hole temporarily,” said Larson. “The insurance company may consider the property, i.e., a groomer, a total loss. They would pay the average value of that piece of equipment and then take possession of that item. There is also a clause in the policy that states the insurance company may replace the property with property of like kind and quality. You should also obtain your own estimates to repair or replace the damaged property.”

Larson says there are two types of reimbursement, through either “replace-

January 2016 | snowgroomingmag.com

ment cost” or “actual cash value.”

“Replacement cost coverage means the amount of money it will take to replace the property with an item of comparable quality, up to the policy limits,” he said. “Actual cash value is the cost to replace the damaged property, minus depreciation.”

If there’s a disagreement, that’s when arbitration may come into the picture.

“If [the parties] fail to agree, they will submit their differences to an umpire,” said Larson. “A decision agreed to by any two appraisers and the umpire will be binding. Each party will pay its chosen appraiser and bear the other expenses of the appraisal and umpire equally.”

If the situation is one in which you need to have witness statements (as opposed to just pictures), Larson says that is a situation that’s better handled by law enforcement.

“If it’s that type of a claim, you’re going to have law enforcement there doing reports,” he said. “There will be witnesses. If you can, get names and phone numbers from people who might have seen it.”

Then there are some other aspects to think about, in addition; a club doesn’t always necessarily own the stuff that gets damaged.

“Another aspect to take into consideration is property and equipment that the club borrowed money to purchase,” said Larson. “The claim check may also be made payable to the lien holder.

Contact your lending institution and let them know a claim has been filed. The club needs to make prior arrangements to have the lien holder sign off on the check when received. This is generally acceptable as long as the proceeds will be used to repair or replace the damaged item. Generally, they will require some documentation that the property has been repaired or replaced.”

Ultimately, it’s also good practice to keep in touch with your insurance agent, even without any immediate incidents or disaster to discuss. You may not need to have your agent on speed dial, but a good relationship with an agent may make things go that much smoother once his or her services are needed.

SNOW GROOMING

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The Three-Point

DUBIE GROOMER A new, shorter groomer from Michigan-based Dubie Welding and Fabrication is not only a great fit for clubs with tighter trails but can be used for both snowmobile and ATV trail grooming

By Mark Halsall

The three-point Dubie Groomer is a compact drag that can be used for both snowmobile and ATV trail grooming

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January 2016 | snowgroomingmag.com

DUBIE GROOMER

D

ubie Welding and Fabrication, based in Gaylord, Mich., has been in the business of building drags for snowmobile trail grooming for many years. The company prides itself on making unique products, and it’s now offering a new compact unit called the threepoint Dubie Groomer that’s unlike any other drags.

“Our groomers are altogether different from anyone else’s out there,” said company owner Andy Dubie, adding that their drags are built to meet the specific area needs of their customers. The new snowmobile trail drag, which is comparatively compact at 8.5 feet long and comes in widths from six to 10 feet, works extremely well in areas with tighter trails and constrained turning areas.

Dubie says the three-point Dubie Groomer is based on a drag that was constructed for the local Alpine Trails snowmobile club in Gaylord more than a dozen years ago. Some of

club’s trails were very tight and threaded through a swamp, necessitating the need for equipment that was extremely manoeuvrable and could be easily turned around in confined spaces. Dubie describes that custom-built drag as an experiment that “worked very well.”

According to Dubie, the rising popularity of ATVs provided fresh incentive to re-introduce a new, shorter drag. The threepoint Dubie Groomer can be used for both snowmobile and ATV trail grooming.

“A lot of people are getting into ATV trail grooming, and they don’t necessarily like the big traditional groomers [because] they don’t need them to be that long for ATV trails.

These clubs can get their ATV and snowmobile trails groomed with the same piece of equipment,” said Dubie. “They groom the ATV trails in the summer with it, and now it can be used to groom the snowmobile trails in the winter.”

SNOW GROOMING

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DUBIE GROOMER

The three-point Dubie Groomer has no wheels, which means there are no axles or spindles to service or tires that can go flat.

Lightweight, compact design

The three-point Dubie Groomer has six blades and is designed to hook up to a three-point hitch system on the back of an agricultural tractor. The drag’s weight ranges from 1,600 pounds up to 2,400 pounds depending on the width of the unit. That’s significantly less than some standard drags that can weigh anywhere from 4,500 to 8,000 pounds.

The three-point Dubie Groomer has no wheels, which means there are no axles or spindles to service or tires that can go flat.

“There’s less maintenance on it,” said Dubie, adding that the drag’s lightweight, compact design means it can be lifted up and out of the way if the trail-grooming tractor needs to turn around when it hits a trail-end at a swamp or lake.

“You’re not trying to manoeuvre a 20-foot long groomer

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around,” said Dubie. “If you ever get in a situation where you might be getting stuck, you can pick that three-point groomer completely out of the snow. You can lift the front edge of the Dubie drag about 2.5 feet off the ground, and the back end up about six feet off the ground.”

Dubie says some might get the idea that the three-point Dubie Groomer may not be able to condition trails as well as longer drags, but he stresses that’s a misconception. Because it’s attached rigidly to the back of the tractor, the drag stays level with it and doesn’t teeter over moguls, producing a nice, evenly cut trail surface.

“You get the same results that you would with a longer groomer,” said Dubie, adding yet another nice thing about the three-point Dubie Groomer is that side hilling is not a problem. “It will not slide sideways, because the drag is hooked to the tractor on all three points. It stays right behind you, so there’s no issues with the groomer sliding off to the side”.

All of the drags manufactured by Dubie Welding and Fabrication feature a heavy-duty, easy pull-behind design as well as height-adjustable trip springs, allowing more efficient fuel mileage and cutting down the time to groom trails.

“Some might think you can’t pull the drags fast because they will bounce around, but that is not the case because of the weight of the drags,” said Dubie.

In addition, strobe lights and work lights are included with the drags, along with “slow moving vehicle” signs and a customized paint job to match your equipment with drag purchases. Optional equipment includes a storage box, a road crossing scraper and add-on hydraulic wings for drags.

Dubie says the company also manufactures a front blade that attaches to the front of an ag tractor and can be combined with the three-point Dubie Groomer to “make a nice compact snow grooming unit that’s easy to operate. The front blade cuts down the moguls at the front, and it has a pan that compacts the snow and controls the height of the cut.”

A three-point Dubie Groomer was exhibited at numerous shows last winter, and a snowmobile/ATV club in Wisconsin actually purchased the demo unit last spring.

“They’ve used it for a full ATV season, and they’ve been very happy with it,” said Dubie. He adds a demo unit complete with a front blade and the three-point Dubie Groomer will be displayed at this year’s shows so “that people can really see how you can get a good, if not the best, groomed trail with this equipment.”

Photos courtesy of Dubie Welding and Fabrication

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January 2016 | snowgroomingmag.com

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Tidd Tech’s Generation Two Groomer Compact, versatile, reliable

By Jim Timlick

O

dds are if you have ever spent any time at a cross-country ski area, you have either caught a glimpse of a Tidd Tech piece of snow grooming equipment or seen the results of its handiwork.

The Fraser, Colo.-based company has been recognized as an industry leader when it comes to affordable, lightweight snow grooming gear since it was founded by original owner John Tidd nearly 30 years ago.

Without question, it’s most popular product is the G2, or Generation Two, groomer which has been available since 2003 and is regarded by many in the Nordic ski industry as one of the most state-of-the-art pieces of grooming equipment available.

What makes the G2 unique compared to other similar devices is that it can work in any kind of conditions, from fresh powder to icy or compacted surfaces. Unlike other groomers that

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will only scratch the top of the snow surface, the G2 has hardened steel teeth set in front of the tracksetter that chew into hardened snow and create a softer, fresher surface.

Tidd Tech co-owner Maire Sullivan says the G2 is ideal for cross-country areas that often have to deal with less than ideal surface conditions.

“When you don’t have fresh snow, you need to be able to rework that existing trail surface,” she said. “You need to be able to re-soften it because in the Nordic niche if you are classic skiing you need to have some softness to be able to grab [the surface with your skis] for your push. In skate [skiing], you want to have a firm and stable base in your skate lane but the top tiny little bit needs to be soft enough on the push of your skate that you’re getting a little bit of a grab and it’s not icy.”

The teeth on the G2 are bolted to a spring-loaded, pivoting tooth bar. That means the bar will pivot back and up-

January 2016 | snowgroomingmag.com

wards if the teeth hit something rather than dig into the ground and create an uneven surface.

Another unique feature of the G2, according to Sullivan, is its Depth Control System that provides a consistency of cut without having to make frequent tooth bar adjustments. The system allows both experienced and novice groomers to easily set a fixed cutting depth.

“A groomer would normally have to raise or lower the teeth with a hand crank in relation to changes in terrain or snow firmness. With the Depth Control System, you don’t have to do that,” said Sullivan. “It increases efficiency because as your terrain varies and undulates, your teeth are [normally] going to cut deeper and make your tow vehicle work harder. It also improves the grooming quality between novice groomers and experienced groomers because the novice groomer doesn’t have to be familiar with changes in the terrain and adjust

TIDD TECH

The G2 groomer is Tidd Tech’s most popular product, by far Photo by James Netz

the tooth bar in accordance with that.”

The G2 is used by both big and small Nordic operations, but is a particularly attractive option for smaller ski areas that might have limited resources. It can be pulled behind smaller machines such as snowmobiles and tractors and doesn’t require the horsepower of snowcat, although it’s also compatible with larger equipment.

The G2 is available in three different models: • G2-4 without tracksetter measures 48 inches wide with its flaps up and covers a renovation area of 44 inches from one outside tooth point to the other and weighs in at just 245 pounds • G2-6 is 72 inches wide and covers a 68-inch wide area at a weight of 320 pounds • G2-7 is the largest of the three models with a width of 84 inches and a coverage area of 80 inches while tipping the scales at 365 pounds

The G2 is the first commercially available lightweight groomer in North America

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TIDD TECH The G2 ranges in price between $3,995 and $4,945, depending on the model.

Tidd Tech offers a number of different accessories for the G2, including a Gooseneck Hitch that can be attached to the rear of a snowmobile and helps shift the weight of groomer being pulled closer to the snow machine’s natural centre of gravity. There is also a Track Renovator that provides an additional set of teeth that can be easily mounted to the tooth bar and provides a narrower cut in front of the tracksetter, thereby reducing how hard the pull vehicle has to work.

While the G2 is a must-have item at most Nordic ski areas, it has also been used to groom dog trails, sledding hills, tubing runs and hard-to-reach areas at a number of winter parks.

The G2 is the latest iteration of Tidd Tech’s Trail Tenderizer, the first commercially available lightweight groomer in North America. The Trail Tenderizer is still available in four and six foot models and ranges in price between $1,995 and $2,345. It is still a “solid seller,” according to Sullivan, because of its low price point and ease of use.

Tidd Tech’s 2016 pricing list G2-4 $3,995 G2-6 $4,495 G2-7 $4,945 G2 TrackSetter $1,395 G2 Track Renovators $295 G2 Wheel Kit $350

$450 $1,995 $2,345 $695 $1,350

The G2 is the latest iteration of Tidd Tech’s Trail Tenderizer

Sullivan says that while there haven’t been many changes to G2 since it was introduced to the market in 2003, Tidd Tech continues to conduct research

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G2 Gooseneck Hitch 4-foot Trail Tenderizer 6-foot Trail Tenderizer Trail Tenderizer TrackSetter 6-foot Snow Roller

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January 2016 | snowgroomingmag.com

into new accessories that will enhance how the G2 can be used and create even better trails.

Photos courtesy of Tidd Tech

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