A Walk In New Hampshire…
Dave Clapp demonstrates his “glass-half-full” attitude in this little video from last spring. It was a great day to be out on the lake, even if the ice was a bit soft and the breeze didn’t fill in…
Think Ice
James “T” Thieler
P.S. We did a good deal of boat pushing and pulling that day as well as a now infamous strip down footrace.
On the same day as Clapp’s video and as seen on IDNIYRA Runner Tracks
Sunken Iceboats, Cont’d
Read this and give the guy a shout if you can offer him any clues!
Hello All-
I am a diver, sonar operator and history buff. While I dive all over Mass, NH and the CT River, I have for some time had a keen interest in Lake Winnipesaukee.
I have found about 70 wrecks there in the last 7 years or so and have found that when I post side scan sonar images, videos and commentary on Winnipesaukee.com that people respond well. Of course I don’t post to see how they respond but out of a common love of the water, history and the Big Lake.
People ask me a lot of questions too and one was, have I ever found an ice boat. While I am somewhat familiar with them, I had to say no. The inquirer posted a picture of a very old one he said his family owned. Airplane-prop-driven, heavy timber construction-what a beast but it must have been great fun to pilot it. Picture attached.
My questions:
– Do you know of any old ones that went down in Winnipesaukee;
– How can I learn more about the old ones, such as the one in the attached photo?
Any help appreciated.
Hans Hug
Sonar Search & Recovery
PO Box 580
Exeter NH 03833
info
Cell: 617-513-2778
Sunken Ice Boats?
Hello All-
Below is an email from a gentleman who scours lake bottoms looking for cool sunken stuff…. And he is currently on the lookout for an iceboat! If you know of a place where he may be able to spot an propeller or sail driven one that went down read his email and give him a shout!
Could be interesting…. Think Ice!
NJ, with pics (hopefully!)
Hey Folks- apologies for the repeated posting- tech issues…. Anyway hope the photos are attached this time!
Here we see Jim Hadley out on the water and showing why fish fear him!
Looks like a great way to kill time between ice seasons- Hope he will bring some fish to the events this year (hint hint)!
Rumor has it that his daughter reeled in the tuna because he was tired out after reeling in the dolphin….
Nice work!
James “T” Thieler12 Channing St.
Newport, RI. 02840401 258 6230
t_thieler
ICE WINS IN JULY!
Denis Guertin was featured on the CIBC website with this hot little news item. Check it out!
Ice Wins In July
Posted on July 11, 2016 by billbuchholz
The small village of Lampton is nestled along the southern end of Lac St. Francois in Quebec. Careful readers of these musings will remember this lake as the venue for the first annual CIBC Hundred Mile Race last March [Still kicking myself for missing it…] , and the summer home of winner of that race, Denis Guertin.
Apparently Lambton has a fine community spirit. This from Denis:
“A few weeks ago, I took part to a photo contest in Lambton.
Participants had to submit a picture taken in Lambton. The theme of the contest was: Showing someone doing his sport or hobby in Lambton.
So I decided to send a picture of Bill, Jim, Lee, Karin and me (behind the camera) all aligned with our iceboats, the day before the 100 miles race.
And guess what? I won the first prize… $100!
I guess I will have to pay you all a beer some time next season.”
Don’t worry about that beer, Denis. Your hospitality during those amazing days in March was already way over the top. Here’s to pulling it off again next year!
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COOL NEW BLOCKS!!
We all know that the folks at Harken keep topping themselves by rolling out one amazing new product after another…
But did you know that one of their main engineers and visionaries behind a lot of those items is the one and only Steve Orlebeke, veteran DN campaigner and Skeeter newbie?
Well, he is. Check out this video- get the scoop on the latest Harken innovation from Steve and the gang!
How It’s Made: Harken V Block >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News
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James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
BIC ON ICE
Not sure where or when this was taken but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t last week! The boat is an Open Bic and it’s a damn shame they didn’t slap a few skates on the hull and rip it for a day!
Looks like a fun day though-
Whatever lake that is I hope it freezes up early this year-
Think ICE!
Independence Day
Happy Independence Day gang- be sure to take moment to appreciate all we have and all it took to get here…. And then enjoy the day!
Back In The Day
This was lurking in the back of Classic Boat magazine a month or so ago- Thanks to David Hastings in Norwich for sending it out to the masses- Sounds like a great day!
James “T” Thieler12 Channing St.
Newport, RI. 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
Open Wheel Wednesday!
Hey Folks- Now that the Solstice is behind us it’s time to start thinking of the next event to kill time until it gets cold again….
Fortunately Open Wheel Wednesday is coming up soon at Seekonk Speedway in Seekonk, MA!
Steve Duhamel and Bill Converse have been attending this for years and having joined them a few times I can see why! It’s loud (seriously, bring some earplugs), fast, flashy, and there is great spectator access to the pits so you can check out the cars and the trailers. Yes, the trailers. These things are amazing.
Mark it on your calendar (Wednesday, June 29) and come join the fun! Hope to see a bunch of fellow ice-people there…
Iceboating On Scuttlebutt
Probably a good percentage of us follow a few sailing websites, and there is a good chance that Scuttlebutt is one of them!
They printed a little item about the new DN website, with the link included in the article. Have a look and THINK ICE! T
Learn about the DN Iceboat >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News
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James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
Newport Boats
NEIYA photographer Bill Converse was in Newport a little while before the Bermuda Race and caught a few boats tuning up. Just a hint of the variety of craft that participated!
-The first boat is a Santa Cruz 70, a downwind flyer from a few years back. Very narrow beam compared to what in style these days.
-The second is a Maxi 72, so far only four in existence- all carbon, built to a box rule, very light weight, lots of righting moment, very fast, VERY expensive!
-The third is a Class 40, also a box rule boat, built for shorthanded or solo sailing. Bill believes she was built in Bristol RI called C&C Fiberglass. Speedy little thing… there are a bunch of these that compete in races up and down the east coast and back and forth to Europe.
-And finally we see the SALTY GOOSE, built by the legendary Bob Derecktor down at his yard in Mamaroneck, NY. One of a list of amazing boats he built, from cruisers to America’s Cup winning 12 Meters.
What does this have to do with iceboating? Not much, but couldn’t resist sharing the good photos.
Thanks Bill and keep them coming! Think ICE!!
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BERM-BAH-DOO-DAH-DAY!!
The final NEIYA rep we know of has finished the Bermuda race! Jonathan Green and Russ Hancock brought JEROBOAM across the finish line after 4 days, 18 hours, 48 minutes and 25 seconds of sailing. This puts them over the line in 87th overall and 2nd in the doublehanded division. Well done! Hope they are enjoying all Bermuda has to offer!
Congrats to them and all the NEIYA members who did the race. Enjoy the party gang! Looking forward to hearing the stories this winter- or sooner if anyone wants to write a little piece for this site… (hint hint….)
Think Ice!
BERAMBABADADOO-DAH
Looks like two of out three are done the Bermuda Race-
The light winds at the end had to be rough but LADY B and AUGUST WEST have finished.
The Lambs are done, having finished in 4 days, 11 hours and 30 minutes. This put them 7th in class and 33rd over the line. Not bad at all! Hope Steve did well in the galley-
NEIYA regatta chairman Oliver Moore and the gang on AUGUST WEST did very well to finish in 4 days, 8 hours and 22 minutes. This puts them 4th in class and 13th for line honors- very impressive for being one of the smaller boats in a 200 boat fleet!
And Jonathan Green on JEROBOAM has about fifty miles to go and is making about 5.5 kts toward the finish. At this rate he is looking at 95th for line honors but is holding onto 2nd in the doublehanded class. Not bad at all! I’ve done the doublehanded race from Bermuda back to Newport and I can tell you that it is a lot of work- there will be two tired sailors stepping off that boat!
Congrats to all- enjoy the parties and get out of jail before hard-water season!
Think Ice! T
NEW DN CLASS WEBSITE!!!
With the summer solstice now behind us and the days getting shorter it’s time to start thinking about the upcoming iceboating season!
To celebrate this milestone the International DN Ice Yacht Racing Association has launched a brand new web site, fully re-designed and up to date. Everything you need to know about the DN class is included and easy to find: How to get started, building and tuning tips, plans, regatta notices, classified ads, the DN Class Forum, contacts, lots of great photos and videos, and much more.
To learn more about the fastest sailing on the planet (And how to join the fun!) visit the new site at
Make this the year to start iceboating! Take a look at the site and start getting ready. Be sure to spread the word. Look forward to seeing some new faces in the class this season!
BERMBADUDA UPDATE
Looks like the NEIYA sailors are going to have some patience as they get into the final stage of the Bermuda Race- The breeze has settled down quite a bit and shifted 180 degrees, so the fleet is now sailing in less than ten knots of wind, pretty much beam reaching on starboard tack. Bad news is the closer they get to Bermuda, the lighter the breeze will get.
This is hard to take in the best circumstances but when pink sand beaches and Dark’N’Stormies are waiting at the finish line it’s even tougher!
Jonathan Green on JEROBOAM is bringing up the rear as NEIYA representation goes but they are first in the doublehanded class, 87th for line honors, and are 120 miles from the island. Currently going about 6.5 kts.
LADY B and the Lambs are chugging along at 6.5 kts with 96 miles to go. This puts them in 50th for line honors and 8th in class.
And Oliver Moore and the boys on AUGUST WEST are probably ready to start swimming for it as they are down to 3.7kts with 44 miles to go. Sitting 4th in class (not bad) and 16th for line honors (very impressive)!
Hang in there gang, hope you celebrated the Solstice! Hope the last few miles go quickly and safely.
Think Ice!
James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
BERMADU RACE UPDATE
The Bermuda Race is lumbering on, with the NEIYA reps apparently too busy to check in (or maybe there is no cell reception out in the middle of the ocean? Who knew???) but no doubt enjoying good conditions.
Looks like the breeze will be more or less on the port beam for the fleet for the next day or so, allowing the fleet to make good headway toward the pink sand beaches. Not sure how everyone is playing the Gulf Stream but a large part of the fleet is staying west of the rhumb line although there is less breeze down that way- must be a good eddy or something….
Looks like Oliver Moore and Co. are still topping the NEIYA leaderboard aboard AUGUST WEST: Going 7.8 kts at last check in, in line for 16th to finish and 5th in her division. 286 miles to go. So far I’ve been able to resist the temptation to go to his house while he is out of town and help myself to his nice DN gear….
Jonathan Green on JEROBOAM has the afterburner on and is going well- 7.4 kts, 65th for line honors, 9th in the doublehanded division, and 333 miles to the finish.
Looks like an early move west of the rhumb line has yet to pay dividends for LADY B- Maybe long term things may pan out for Steve and James Lamb but for now they are only making 5.9 kts, 71st for line honors, 9th in division, and 345 miles to go. Good news is she is the most comfortable out of all the boats and not a bad looking ride to boot!
The big marquee boat of the race, COMANCHE, is tied to the dock in Bermuda, having finished in 1 day, 14 hrs and twenty minutes. Many soft water sailors are befuddled about how she could go so fast as to generate her own apparent wind and get down the course so quickly…. Anyone who has sailed on the hard stuff knows this phenomenon pretty well….
Good luck gang- don’t forget to ease the mainsheet when you go downwind!
Think Ice….
BERUMDA RACE UPDATE
A quick look at the Bermuda Race tracker shows NEIYA regatta chairman Oliver Moore aboard AUGUST WEST rolling along at 7.5 knots, about 457 miles to finish, 5th in class and about 15th in terms of line honors- not bad!
Steve and James Lamb aboard LADY B are slightly behind on the western side of the fleet, about 488 miles from the finish, going about 5.7 kts, 9th in class and 77th for line honors.
Jonathan Green on JEROBOAM is in the middle of the pack, with about 483 miles to go, sitting second in the double-handed class and about 89th for line honors.
Doesn’t look like the fleet has hit the forecasted rough conditions yet- not sure if they even will. Hope the forecast moderates for them and everyone has a good race and gets there safe and sound. Looking at the wind overlays at the moment it looks like the fleet will enjoy a port tack beam reach right down the rhumb line for awhile. Nice!
Have a look at the tracker here http://yb.tl/nb2016 to see how the race is going. Check the buttons on the left to find individual boats and to check the leaderboard.
No matter what happens the line honors race is for second- COMANCHE already finished with an elapsed time of 1 day, 11 hrs and 50 minutes. Average speed 17.8 kts. Not bad for a soft-water craft! See the pics of her out of the water a few weeks ago, getting ready… Hopefully you can get a sense of the scale of this boat- She’s what you might call a big boat, 100 feet long, 30 feet wide- you get the idea.
Good luck, sail safe and Think Ice!
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NEIYA GOES TO BERMUDA
Hello All-
Tomorrow is the start of the Newport to Bermuda Race, looks like a light air start with some big northerlies waiting out in the Gulf Stream…. Gonna be a bumpy ride for awhile out there!
A few NEIYA members will be headed for the tiny island-
Regatta Chairman Oliver Moore will be aboard AUGUST WEST, a J-122. He will be trimmer and in charge of keeping things tidy.
Steve and James Lamb will be aboard a big red Swan called WHIZZ. Just kidding, it’s called LADY B. Steve has signed on as chef (seriously) and James will be doing everything else.
Russ Hancock and Jonathan Green will be aboard JEROBOAM in the 17 boat double-handed fleet. These guys will both be busy as they will be the only two people on the boat!
If I left anyone out be sure to let me know!
Be sure to follow them on the tracker- the link is below.
Hope y’all have a great race- be safe, go fast, and check in along the way if you can! And if it gets hot out, THINK ICE!
Race Info: http://bermudarace.com/
Scratch sheets, etc: http://bermudarace.com/entry/official-notice-board/
Race Tracker: http://yb.tl/nb2016
JEROBOAM info: https://neiya.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/6a833-start2.jpg
About Jonathan: http://jaybirddog.blogspot.com/2014/10/philip-s-weld-memorial-trophy.html
John’s Blog: http://jaybirddog.blogspot.com/
John’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaybirddog
ICE YACHT VS MOTORCYCLE
Hello All-
This photo was in a thread on sailinganarchy.com and has no caption, explanation, or background other than the title, “Iceboat vs Motorcycle Race, Toronto Bay.”
But it does show a wild-looking craft clearly having a moment! It also looks as thought the motorcycle is well behind. Must have been a great day on the ice- Looking forward to a few of those in a few months!
Think Ice!
Newport Last Saturday
Bill Converse was in Newport last Saturday but turned his lens away from the big fancy cats and took a few shots of these 29er skiffs practicing in the light air. Cool looking boats- wish they had been around thirty years ago!
And of course he couldn’t resist a shot of a vintage 12 meter- that is COLUMBIA, the first 12 Meter to defend the America’s Cup in 1958, defeating the British challenger SCEPTRE four races in a row to take the series.
COLUMBIA was designed by Olin Stephens and skippered by Briggs Cunningham, who invented the mainsail adjustment that we all know and love. I’ve also heard that he was a major player in motor racing and may have been the first person to paint racing stripes on a car. Seriously.
Look for more photos from Bill over the next week or so….
Think Ice! T
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LI Dogs
Here we see a few LI suspects doing up some hot dogs Crucet style….
Good to see that the Bernz-A-Matic technique works in all seasons! Party on gang….
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James “T” Thieler12 Channing St.
Newport, RI. 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
New Hampshire Boat Museum
Don Stearns checks in with this report from up in NH- Be sure to check it out!
Quite possibly the finest setup of iceboats was uncovered by this iceboater on a recent trip to Wolfeboro N.H.
When was the last time you saw a mannequin holding what appears to be a kite sail? Well you can find it on stage.
Plan on putting the Boat Museum on your list of places to go this summer.
There is a boat auction there July 16. So I may see you there.
Should any ice boat items come up you can bet the bidding will be some fierce!
Best regards, Don Stearns
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Six Months….
….Until the Western Challenge. Yes, it’s a half a year away. Yes, it’s in Minnesota. Yes, it’s kind of a hike to get out there. Yes, it is a great way to kick off the season!
Last year we had a great turnout- about 40 boats. Several sailors from Europe made the trip as well as skippers from RI to MD to MN and everywhere in between. Good racing was had by all and everyone went home grinning.
Put it on your calendar now- December 2-4, Friday-Sunday. Make this the year to sail out in God’s Country!!
Some footage from last year here:
2015 Great Western Challenge
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New England Ice Yacht Association 
