From Richard Nimtz: >The time it takes to resurface the ice depends on the skill of the zamboni >driver. Larry (the best zamboni driver in the CCHA) can do the Notre Dame >surface in about seven minutes. The driver at Ferris takes nine minutes. >The Univ of Michigan starts with two zambonis then one finishes the job >off. The two zamboni crew is no faster than Larry. > >Are all zamboni drivers men? I won't argue "the best zamboni driver in the CCHA", but the two zamboni crew is much faster. They are usually done in about 5 minutes, which is good because about 75% of Michigan home games feature youth figure skating between periods. About 1-2 times a year, things get fouled up and the intermission is too long, which peaves the coaches. I believe this happened when Notre Dame was in Ann Arbor this past season. Now, if we could get the people who handle the nets between periods to be a little more efficient... I don't recall seeing a female driver in college hockey, but I've seen female drivers several times at Veteran's Arena in Ann Arbor. From Tom Kirkman: >St. Cloud State U (in MN) presently uses two zambonis to resurface between >periods...I'm not sure it really reduces the time (but it may double the >advertizing potential). Bingo! I've noticed the "double advertizing" load at Michigan. Also, the between periods Score-O (shooting the puck from the red or blue line through a hole about double the size of the puck) exhibition has multiple sponsors. Even Michigan's C-YA signs have sponsors! From [log in to unmask]: >I had always wondered if there was any competition >for Zamboni. For the past 15 or so years I had just >assumed that Zamboni was a monopoly and no one else >tried to make ice resurfacers. I guess it's not that >big a business or we would see Ford and GM trying to >build there own. Actually I heard the engine in the >Zamboni is built by Volkswagen, a Golf engine modified >to run on Propane. Just a few rambling thoughts..... As last I recall, Western Michigan University has an Olympia rather than a Zamboni. The driver wears a tuxedo. As he enters the rink, the PA announcer says something like, "And now, the best dressed Zamboni driver in all of hockey," to which a few Michigan fans respond, "That's not a Zamboni, that's an Olympia!" Too funny. C-YA, John H U Mich