Tomorrow’s the Day – Sat Oct 25th NEIYA Swap Meet, Lunch & Annual Meeting

We are less than a day away from this year’s New England Ice Yacht Association’s Annual Swap Meet, Lunch and Meeting 10:00 AM Saturday, October 25. That’s tomorrow, people!

NEIYA Swap Meet, Lunch & Meeting Information:
When: Saturday, October 25th, 10:00am (Vendors set up early so you might want to come before 10am)
Where: Thompson Speedway Golf Course, 205 E Thompson Rd, Thompson, CT 06277
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/DbGpTekm4ZLNnV8n7

We are excited to welcome guest speaker Robert Wills, President of the Hudson River Ice Yacht Preservation Trust and Past Commodore of the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club. A longtime Hudson River iceboater, Bob is the proud custodian of four historic ice yachts, including Kriss, commissioned by John Aspinwall Roosevelt in 1898. An active iceboater since 1989, Bob continues to care for his fleet of historic yachts, lecturing widely on the history of icesailing throughout the Hudson Valley and now expanding into New England to join us.

Also joining us on the historic front is our own Frank Morris, Vice Chairman of Lowell’s Boat Shop in Amesbury, MA. Lowell’s is best known as the birthplace of the classic New England Dory, still handcrafted today using traditional methods. The shop remains a living legend, where craftsmanship and maritime heritage endure. “T” and I gave an iceboat talk and onshore demo to an eager crowd at Lowell’s shop last fall. And believe we converted a couple of people to hard water. If you have a chance, visit the Lowell Boat Shop and take a step back in time.

Sometimes we forget how deeply our sport’s nautical heritage runs. Ice yachting shares a common lineage and spirit of the grand classic yachts that engaged in fierce competition dating back to the 1800s. Our heritage is written in wood grain, and the calloused hands that shaped our soft and hard water yachts.

Upon Arrival, be sure to check in with our treasurer, Ed Demerest. Even if you have paid online, please check in with Ed to be sure your contact info is current. Ed would appreciate it if you paid your dues and lunch online, see links below. And not you do not have to have a PayPal account to transact with a credit card.

Please Pay Your Dues

Dues Time	Price
2025-26 Membership	$30
2025-26 Membership + Lunch	$45
2025-26 Membership + 2X Lunch	$60
2025 Lunch	$15
Mail in Form We prefer you pay online – Thanks

This is your go-to Northeast event for all things ice sailing and Ice, whether you’re a novice or a seasoned pro. From masts to sails, planks to runners, gear up and go faster with us! Don’t miss out, be part of the vibrant NEIYA community. If you live outside the Northeast, it’s a great excuse for a road trip. Shout out to the boys and girls in NJ, the Hudson Valley, and the Adirondack regions, as well as those to the west of us. There is a prize for the person traveling the farthest.

Now is a perfect time to pay your 2025-26 dues and reserve your seat at our annual Luncheon and Meeting. All are welcome to attend.

Do not wait till after the swap meet to begin preparing for the season. It’s been a long summer, and if you have not already shifted to thinking about iceboating, now is the time. Drag your gear out, set it up in the driveway, and be sure you have everything. Have anything extra in storage? Now is the perfect time to free up some storage. Put it up in the classified section. Remember, your older equipment may be far better than what someone else has now.

Stay tuned for the beginning of our weekly ice calls starting up in a few weeks. Never too early to talk ice boating in front of a like-minded crowd.

Till then, Think Ice,

John
DN5023
John@neiya.org

P.S. Drop me a note if you have any questions, and if you have always wanted to try iceboating, this is the place to start.