Making an Ice Carousel in Maine

February 28, 2022

Have you ever seen an ice carousel? Have you ever heard of one? Picture a giant "lazy Susan" rotating on a frozen pond or lake - it's actually very interesting.

Ice carousels are floating discs cut into the ice and then propelled into rotation by an outboard motor. These ice creations originated in Finland, but have grown more popular over recent years here in the United States and in Canada. Recently, my longtime special projects producer, Judy Morris, was in South Bristol, Maine visiting family when she came across a group of individuals making an ice carousel in a backyard pond. The entire process took about three hours, but it made for a very fun afternoon on a cold winter day.

Here are some of Judy's photos and a short video, enjoy.

: Before stepping on any pond or lake ice, it is very important to first make sure it is safe enough to do so. Blue to clear ice is the strongest and most dense. White or opaque ice – often called snow ice – usually has bubbles in it making it weaker. Gray or mottled ice is the weakest and the most unsafe.

: Judy’s son, Billy, wasn’t quite sure about the ice at first. Ice should be at least four-inches thick. The ice in this pond, where the carousel was being made was about a foot thick.

: Here, the guys are cutting away the ice disk. To measure, they first drilled a hole in the center of their planned disk, secured a peg attached to a line of string and scored the circumference with a screwdriver. Then, using a chainsaw, they cut most of the way through and used this ice cutting saw, borrowed from the town’s Historical Society, to cut the rest. Using a chainsaw until it hits water can damage the saw, which they did not want to do.

: The saw is about five feet long. The group started making the ice carousel around 9am and were spinning by noon. The total diameter of their ice carousel is 50-feet.

: A pry bar is used to remove the chunks of ice after it’s cut.

: Here, one can see the chunks removed from between the disc and the surrounding surface – the ice is nice and thick.

: And here is what is left behind – a narrow space just wide enough to loosen the disc and allow it to spin once propelled.

: This hole was also cut for an outboard motor. An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained engine, gearbox, and propeller. This motor is what will slowly rotate the disc once it is completely cut.

: Here, the disc is all cut. Ben was first inspired to make an ice carousel after he learned about the current record holder for the world’s largest ice carousel in Saint Agatha, Maine made in April 2021. It was 1,234 feet in diameter. A trencher, long-bar chainsaws, and six power augers were used to create that disc. The structure in the distance is the restored S Road School, the one-room building constructed in 1860 and used as an elementary school until 1943.

: This outboard motor is 2.5 horsepower. It doesn’t need a lot to rotate the ice. As a precaution, it’s attached to its own buoy.

: The motor is filled with fuel. This will propel the disc slowly in its space – just enough for guests to walk from solid ice to the carousel without difficulty.

: Ben and Katie Fearn own the pond. This is their second annual ice carrousel. They’re hoping to make it an annual tradition. Here they are with their black Pug, Rudy.

: One can see a section of the ice carousel all cut – the disc is ready and the motor is set to be turned on. If you’re wondering why the disc doesn’t sink – remember, all ice floats.

: Rudy and her friend Vega are quite interested in all the activity.

: Ben placed a Solo Stove, or portable smokeless fire pit, in the center of the disc for those who want to stand on the disc while it moves.

: Another dog, Dixie, watched as it rotated.

: David “Goldie” Goldman and Galen Sanford stand by on land to watch the first few rotations. Another friend, Chris Baden is cooking up hot dogs in the background. Ice carousel making builds up the appetite.

: And here is the entire crew – Galen, Ben, Dennis Gunderson, Jeff Hargenrader, and Logan Livingston. What a fun event – I hope they keep the tradition going. Thanks for the great photos, Judy!