Science & Industry

Hey all, I'm having some issues with trying to get my Ice Mining cycle under 30s with a fully skilled and implanted Orca. I'm also using what I think is a fully skilled Skiff.


Skiff Fit:

Ice Harvester II

Survey Scanner II
*some shield modules*


Ice Harvester Upgrade II x3


Medium Ice Harvester Accelerator I


Inherent Implants 'Yeti' Ice Harvesting IH-1003


I'm not sure what else to use, I know the 1005 gives you 5% but I'd be gaining 2% so I don't think that's the issue.

Thanks for reading and hope someone can help me out. o7

Yes that's true, but the Skiff has a reduced cycle for ice harvesters, I know people that are mining under a 27s cycle and I'd like that too. I'm just trying to find out how :).

It's true the Skiff has a role bonus to ice harvester, but it's only to compensate for the single ice harvester she has. You surely noticed that the mackinaw has a smaller similar role bonus (because 2 mining turrets) and the Hulk doesn't have a role bonus, but with his 3 turrets plus the 3%*5 + 4% *4/5 bonus to ice harvester cycle, the Hulk definitely has a better yield with ice harvester upgrades compared to the Skiff or Mackinaw.

EDIT : If you know about a fitting application like PyFa or https://o.smium.org , you'll see that a skiff alone gives a yield of 25.6 m3/s with your configuration, and with a similar one applied to the Hulk, you have a yield of 33.3 m3/s

Check everything again. Do you have T2 harvesters & lowslot upgrades. There's also an Ice mining rig. Check the orca booster skills.

Do you have Exhumers 5? there is a hull bonus of 2% reduction in ice harvester duration per level.

Unless you want to be the preferred target when CODE visits your ice field (and they will - there aren't that many of them) you will fly a Skiff and tank it properly. That means sacrificing some yield to fit a DCU2. Your Orca should also fit a Shield Harmonizing Link 2 in the 3rd high slot.

Oh ma gawd so clever!

Basically, you need orca support. They cut down your cycles by a huge amount (depending on skill).
My noob miner in a procurer could mine at 55.3 seconds per cycle without orca support - With orca support it was 32 seconds flat per cycle. No implants and only 1 mining upgrade to preserve tank.

Skiff will have an edge here because it can fit 3 lows (2 to be realistic) mining upgrades, it will benefit from the exhumer skill and still have room for a Damage Control II which you absolutely must fit.

And for the love of god, if your corp gets wardecced by the plenty of wardec corps, fit 2 warp stabilizers and save your ship. Align to station and button mash the D button! Yes you will take a hit in your cycle times for that week, but at the same time, you wont give them the satisfaction of killing you. Your massive tank wont save you if you cant warp out and there's no CONCORD to save your hide.

Skiff or hulk. Mack isn't really worth it because vs the skiff it mines the same amount.

Last time I fitted all 3 ships out for ice mining and put my best ice miner in each ship and ran the numbers, the skiff actually mines slightly more ice per hour, as long as you aren't taking into account warp outs for hauling (I use an alt to haul). The skiff also adds tank and protection to its superior hourly yield. This will help you avoid warping out to avoid rats in nullsec, and avoid having to warp out to avoid gankers.

All in all, the skiff is the best ice miner there is, and with my rorqual boosts, I hit a 23.5second cycle time. I'll take me 3+ cycles before the hulk gets its 3 cycles anyday of the week.

Best cycle time is Skiff, most amount of ice per cycle is Hulk


Skiff with max boosts per hour = 162.71 units
Hulk with max boosts per hour = 211.64 units


Hulk brings in about 9 mil an hour more ice (based on current clear icicle prices)


and covetor mines more ice than a proc with max boosts....