Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!
Well folks, Turkey Day is here…. A day of relaxing, seeing family, watching football, gorging on way too much food and sleeping through the last quarter of the football game.
Unless you are an iceboater, in which case this is all an annoying interruption in your preparation for the upcoming season. So smile at the relatives, enjoy the food, savor the nap, and get an early start working on your gear tomorrow!
And give thanks for friends and family and this great sport that we all love.
Cheers!
James “T” Thieler
Stu Nelson Memorial Service
Hello All-
Just wanted to let everyone know that a Memorial Service for Stu Nelson will be held on Friday, November 14, 2014 at 11:00AM at the Laconia Congregational Church, 69 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H. Rev. Dr. Warren H. Bouton, Pastor of the Church, will officiate. Burial will be at a later date in the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, Mass.
His full obituary is here:
STUART A. NELSON’s Obituary on The Boston Globe
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| STUART A. NELSON’s Obituary on The Boston GlobeRead the Obituary and view the Guest Book, leave condolences or send flowers. | NELSON, Stuart A. Jr. 88, of 714 Darby Drive, Laconia, N.H. died at the St. Francis … | |||||||
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Fair Winds…..
Stu Nelson
Hello All-
As we enjoy the fall weather and enter into the frenzy of boat prep and everything else we need to to do to get ready for the coming season let’s take a moment to remember Stu Nelson. Stu passed away last night at 88 in Laconia, NH.
Don Kretchmer and Charlie Silfvenius were good friends of his and shared some sentiments and memories of the man:
He was one of the most energetic and knowledgeable of our skippers. His knowledge of the history of our group will be missed and I hope I remember half of what he told me over the years. Some of my best days iceboating were spent with Stu….the days that were gifts that keep on giving.
He was a constant presence in this community since well before my time. I must say that some of the finest times I have had on the ice have been with Stu. He had an ability to set up a nearly perfect boat and sail it as much by feel as by sight. I can only hope to remember half of what he relayed to me over the years.
Some of you may not know that Stu was the softwater sailing coach at MIT for many years and has a regatta/trophy named after him…it is still a big deal and was raced just 2 weeks ago.
He was known by many and was definitely one of the “Old Men” of the sport. Over the last couple weeks, when I visited, he shared many stories and had fond memories of sailing both hard and soft water. Always young at heart as was shown when he picked up windsurfing as he neared 60 years of age. Always courteous and helpful, he will be surely missed in the lakes region and other areas he sailed in.
There will be a service in the coming weeks- will share details when we have them.
Fair winds and black ice Stu- We’ll be thinking of you this season!
Thanks to Don and Charlie for the thoughts-
Spotted At The Speedway…
Two astute observers (your Commodore and Steve Duhamel) saw this car at the Seekonk Speedway last night- Could it be that DN ace Ron Sherry has taken to the pavement in search of summer speed? Obviously the number and paint scheme match too well to be a mere coincidence. Ron denies it but take it from me, these Midwestern iceboaters will stop at nothing to get an edge…
WOODENBOAT SHOW REMINDER
Hello All-
Just a reminder that the WoodenBoat Show at Mystic, CT will be this weekend at Mystic Seaport. A discount on tickets will be available for NEIYA members- Come and check it out! Look for your Commodore aboard the S/V NEITH….
I’ll be on hand all weekend to hand the tickets over the fence- Come to the show, find a good parking spot, and give me a call at 401-258-6230 and I’ll meet you out front. Looking forward to seeing you!
Here is the link to the show- looks like there will be some serious eye-candy there….
http://www.thewoodenboatshow.com/
Best,
James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
Wooden Boat Show Ticket Discount
Hello All- Hope everyone is making it through the summer OK!
For those of you who have an interest in classic yachts of all types be sure to check out the WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport from June 27-29. There will be enough slick woodwork there to make anyone drool….
Your commodore will be there fawning over the mighty NEITH, the newly restored 1907 Herreshoff sloop I look after- come and say hello- wear your helmet so I’ll recognize you!
We have arranged a discount on tickets for NEIYA members. This was John Stanton’s idea (buy him a cold one sometime) and made possible by the shop that did the refit on NEITH; a great shop called Taylor & Snediker Woodworking.
If you want to attend and want a discounted ticket email me at t_thieler@yahoo.com and I’ll send you the secret instructions…. Looking forward to seeing everyone there!
Website here:
The WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport
| The WoodenBoat Show at Mystic SeaportContact Us | WoodenBoat Home | WoodenBoat Store | WoodenBoat School | Mystic Seaport The most dynamic wooden boat show in the country, with the premier American maritime museum Mystic Seaport. | |||||
| View on www.thewoodenboatshow.com | Preview by Yahoo | ||||
Best!
James “T” Thieler
t_thieler
How It All Began….
“And you may ask yourself: Well? How did I get here?” David Byrne, “Once In A Lifetime”
How did we get started with all of this iceboating insanity anyway? As best as anyone can tell it was the Dutch who took a break from carving shoes one winter and threw some steel (or something) under their workboats so they could play and maybe keep working when things were frozen in.
The Dutch painter Hendrick Avercamp painted scenes of people skating, playing hockey, and generally goofing off on the ice in the early 1600’s. Iceboats are clearly seen in the background of some.
Not too much of a stretch to think that some kind of wind-powered craft was cruising over a frozen lake or bay long before that…. One can only wonder- did a group of Neanderthals ever discuss runner alignment methods? Probably.
But if daydreaming isn’t your thing have a look at the video below- It is some great footage of some modern-day Cloggies sailing some boats that would not have looked out of place in 1610. Very cool. Thanks to the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club site for getting me thinking about this stuff….
Ice yachting with “Poolvos III” on the “Westeinderplassen”, Netherlands in HD
James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
Memorial Day
It’s Memorial Day Folks…. hope all are well and enjoying the holiday-
Don’t forget to spend a moment to consider the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the Armed Forces, whether you live in the USA or elsewhere.
Best,
James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
DN European Champs Video
Hey Folks- Here is a little taste of what went on at the DN European Champs in Haapsalu a few months back-
Hope everyone is having a good spring and that preparation is under way for the upcoming season! T
Ice Yachting – the DN European Championships
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Ice Yachting – the DN European Championships | ||||
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James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
Winter Documentary….
Hello All- The gang in Madison, WI had a film crew embedded over the winter- have a look at their season in film- Very well done and featuring our own Chad Atkins and Eben Whitcomb at key points….
I laughed! I cried! I cheered out loud!! Two thumbs up!!
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Iceboat documentary FINAL CUT | ||||
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James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
Spring Clinic Report
Good turnout for the Spring Clinic and Hang-Out session!
If you weren’t there trust me, you missed a doozy…. about 100 people showed up along with a generous supply of spirits…. A dozen masts were measured, four were built, and five were raffled off! Congrats winners!!
Sadly, things got ugly when a few well-oiled attendees started the eternal Red Sox vs Yankees debate and what can only be described as a riot ensued. Somehow the normally placid Maine contingent not only got involved but came out on top of the whole melee. Bucholz in particular was like a freaking ninja. Who knew? It was awesome. Most of us made it out before the cops showed up. No charges were filed and the injuries were mostly minor.
OK, I’m exaggerating a little…. And maybe that last paragraph was pure fiction. Just wanted to see if y’all were paying attention.
Bad jokes aside I’d say about 30 people made it in and out of the shop during the day (Special prize to Leo Healy for showing up as Jeff was kicking us out!). We had people from Maine to LI to CT, new faces and grizzled ice veterans, and a good time was had by all! Not a bad turnout for an event that was more or less spur-of-the-moment. Hopefully we can build on this for next spring.
Jeff’s shop is surreal- carbon steering wheels and boat parts are scattered about, various rudders and posts are underway here and there, iceboat parts are visible here and there, giant milling machines are grinding away at precision molds and parts, and the big carbon thing on the floor that you just tripped over is a daggerboard for a 65 foot performance catamaran. The board is 17 ft long. WOW. Even the stuff in the scrap pile is cool! Great place for a bunch of gear heads to gather….
We were able to bend and measure a few rigs and see what people are using, and all kinds of talk was talked about building and repairing and any number of other topics. But the biggest crowd surrounded CSI rock star technician Tom, who was laying up a genuine CSI mast. He wasn’t phased by the prying eyes and was patient with all of our questions- Many thanks for the demo Tom! All were impressed by the skill and care that goes into these rigs. If you’ve ever seen or sailed one it is obvious.
Many thanks to Jeff Kent for providing the venue and Steve Duhamel for the coolers and ice- And thanks to everyone who made the trek! Hope everyone has a great summer and looking forward to seeing everyone at the Swap Meet… It’s practically right around the corner!
THINK ICE! T
James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
SPRING CLINIC AND GATHERING TOMORROW!!
Hey Folks- Should have a good crowd tomorrow at CSI for the Gathering Of The Ice Heads….
Will have authorities on hand to discuss the following and then some:
Getting Started:
-If you are just getting started or want to get going next year there will be several people there who can help you get an idea of the gear and mind-set you’ll need! We’d love to see some new faces-
Boat Building And Repair: Steve Duhamel, Bill Bucholz, Oliver Moore, Jeff Kent
-Like it’s hard to get a bunch of iceboaters talking about boat building….
DN Mast Construction: Jeff will have one of his technicians building a CSI DN rig during the event- Very interesting to see how these things get put together- see it first hand!!
-There are people who would KILL to see how these rigs get made….
Mast Measuring:
-Bring your mast (DN or whatever you have) and we will be set up to deflect it and get some data on it’s bend characteristics- see how your rig compares to the ones the best sailors in the world use!
Runner Aligning:
-Your Commodore will be demonstrating how the Midwestern hot-shots line up their runners…. Easy and accurate!
Tales from Europe:
-The three US representatives from New England will be sharing all the stories from our Europe trip that we couldn’t put on the website…. You may be surprised at how do-able a Europe trip can be!
Race Tactics:
-Jeff, Oliver,T, and whoever else will be discussing race tactics…. Good stuff to learn for racing and cruising alike!
So come one come all to CSI tomorrow from 1-5PM and join the fun! Bring whatever you might be thirsty for-
Scroll down for more details- see you all tomorrow!!
Think Ice! T
James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
Spring-Clinic Reminder
Hey Folks- Don’t forget to sign up for the Spring Clinic and Get-Together at Composite Solutions! This Saturday, 1-5pm.
Looks like we’ll have a good crowd- Be there or be square!!! Details and RSVP below….
See y’all there! T
James “T” Thieler12 Channing St.
Newport, RI. 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
Spring Get-Together and Clinic! Saturday May 10th
OK folks, we are going to have a Spring Get-Together and Clinic!
We did this a few years ago and a good time was had by all so we are going to do it again. The iceboating season by it’s very nature kind of fizzles out every year (never know when last ice will be…) so we thought it would be cool to have an event to close out the season- One last chance to check in with the gang before the summer lunacy sets in!
THE DATE: Saturday, May 10. (Sunday is Mother’s Day- Don’t forget!)
THE TIME: 1PM to 5PM or beyond- party can move to T.K. O’Shea’s down the street if necessary!
THE PLACE: The Composite Solutions Inc. shop at 41 Sharp St., Hingham, MA 02043 (map) – thanks Jeff!!
THE THINGS : We will have some discussions and informal clinics on boat repair, boat storage, getting started in the sport, runner aligning techniques, tales of the World and European Champs, tactics….
Jeff Kent may even arrange to have one of his guys build a DN mast during the event so we can all see how these amazing rigs get made!!
We may have some food brought in, feel free to bring along your favorite libations….
Let us know if you can make it by responding below
Looking forward to seeing you May 10!!
James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler@yahoo.com
Canadian Training Technique
It seems our neighbors to the north have developed a new off-season training regimen….
Watch the video to see what they are up to. Cleary we all need to up our game here in the States.
The relevant part starts at 18:15 into the video and ends at 20:15.
When you hear ready set go, that is NEIYA member Bob Crinion on the face off…
You have to endure the Ads first…then you can advance to 18:15.
Only in Canada!!
CBC News: Nova Scotia – April 17, 2014
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CBC News: Nova Scotia – April 17, 2014CBC TV News, Weather and Sports from Halifax | ||||
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James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
From The Maine-iacs…..
Posted on April 18, 2014 by Bill Bucholz on the CIBC site and blatantly stolen by Commodore T. of the NEIYA….
Dogs just need to be dogs. If there is a scent, it’s not possible for them to ignore it so they give chase. So it appears to be with iceboaters. We sniff ice and there’s just no way to sit still and ignore it. Even if there’s already been wonderful “end of season” sails with all the attendant drama of setting out planks, and wading through slush and self congratulations on how lucky we were to get this particular day. Just over the horizon is a tremendous plate of ice, the biggest in Maine, just waiting for a surface. Three to four feet of shore bonded ice on one of the most dramatically beautiful lakes in the east, with all due respect to Winnepesaukee and Champlain.
The web cam at Rockwood did not look encouraging mid week, nor did the wind forecast. But the temps suggested a firming up of the surface, and by noon Thursday the wind was called for 10-15 with gust to twenty. And that’s just what we got.
The Southeasterly blew right up the lake steady as a train all day. The surface was hard and smooth most of the day and we could cover the lake with abandon. We’d agree to sail to some distant point, island or remote cove and then just do it: miles and miles and miles. No pressure ridges, cracks or holes out in the main body. Some of the shallow points and narrow straights were open but out on the broads you could be sailing along, go below for a cup of coffee and come back up only to find more miles ahead.
Captains Gautin, Squibb, Bunting and Rindlaub. The surface looks like crap in the photo, as it did in the web cam, but the runners ran silent.
The launch called for carrying boats as the proper ramp was rotted out from a nearby stream but many hands made light work of it. The launch at Greenville was in much better shape but was in a deep lee.
A little house on a tiny island a long way from anywhere. The landscape designer needs a deep tip of the helmet.
There’s a half mile of ice between the mouth of this river and Mt. Kineo. The big question now is what to do about all that ice. Rain is forecast for tomorrow which will wet out the few snow drifts and help compact the slush. The slush itself is very thin, maybe a half inch, with fine hard ice just under. Do we keep an eye on it like the dog on a bone just because he’s programmed to? Do we listen to the fat lady and walk away? It will only take another couple of cold nights to provide a good surface. Is there anyone out there who doesn’t want to bury the bone of this season, but who wants to continue chewing on it? Right down to the very marrow? Que sera sera.
Very Sad News- A DNer Has Passed
Hello All-
We have some very sad news to report- Rich Crucet, one of the most likeable and enthusiastic iceboaters you could ever meet, passed away last Friday.
Rich was a big force in the Long Island group and always a fun presence at regattas- usually holding court, frequently busting chops, and always ready to pitch in and help out with everything from scouting ice to offering up a hot meal and/or a cold beer from the camper.
To say he will be missed is such an understatement…. Our thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to his entire family and circle of friends.
The Lake Ronkonkama Ice Boat and Yacht Club will be honoring Rich at their annual awards banquet. For anyone in the area that would like to participate, the Dinner will be held at “The Oar” in Patchogue, NY on Sunday April 13th from 5-8pm, at a fixed price of $37, cash bar available. If you are interested please RSVP to John Ziermann ASAP as he needs a head count jzierman@suffolk.lib.ny.us . I know the NEIYA will be well-represented.
Sail on Rich- We’re thinking of you.
James “T” Thieler
Not Great News
Kate Morrone scouted Sunnapee from the state beach today- Figures ice to be about 10″ thick under an inch or two of crud…
She is going to give it a try in Sunday morning- Not a promising enough report to base an event on though-
Ya never know, maybe something further north could develop next week, if not even my eternal optimism will be waning….
Stay tuned!
T
James “T” Thieler12 Channing St.
Newport, RI. 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
Stand Down….
Looks like we get the weekend off- Local knowledge in Maine says to bag all events for the weekend…. Weather forecast getting even worse…
That said, next weekend may still work- A crack spotting squad is on a mission to find ice up there- maybe waaaay up there….
Stay tuned!
James “T” Thieler12 Channing St.
Newport, RI. 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
Plan A, Plan B
Well Folks, we were hoping that a New England Championship and get-together would be a possibility for Sebago this weekend but the weather doesn’t look good- Plan B is to try and squeeze in the Sebago Open in the early part of the day Saturday- Will press Fortier for details-
See the forecast below, shamelessly cut and pasted from the NOAA site with subtitles by me:
-Saturday- Increasing clouds, with a high near 47. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming northeast in the afternoon.
(Warm enough to make the ice really soft but not enough breeze to power through it)
-Saturday Night- Rain before 4am, then freezing rain. Low around 31. Northeast wind 5 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
(Big Zamboni effect but not quite cold enough to lock the surface back in….)
-Sunday- Freezing rain before 10am, then rain between 10am and noon, then rain, possibly mixed with sleet after noon. High near 35. North wind around 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
(No subtitle necessary)
So we postpone all NEIYA activity for now- some forecasts predicting a late spring, maybe still a chance to get everyone together up at Moosehead or someplace for one last blast! Don’t hang it up yet folks….
Stay tuned- and Think Ice! T
James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
Rumor Has It….
….That a certain lake that lies NW of Portland, Maine has been spared by the recent weather and is a good possibility for weekend regatta and festivities….
Stay tuned….
James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
NEW ENGLAND DN CHAMPS
OK folks, the Fat Lady isn’t even warming up her throat yet!!
We are hoping to get the New England DN champs in, and with a little luck we can run it in conjunction with a full-on gathering of the ice-addicts of all stripes from the whole region- I’m having visions of a Winni-Frolic kind of a thing….
We’ve had a ton of great sailing this year and are hoping to get yet more under our belts before spring rears it’s ugly head and wrecks all the fun.
There is an interesting bit of weather on the way but with a little luck there will be some sail-able ice around once it’s gone by- Keep your eyes peeled for sailable ice- if you see something, say something!
Clear your calendar, cancel your dates, and keep the boats loaded and ready! Hope we can wind up the season on a high note-
Looking forward to seeing everyone- Stay tuned to this site for details.
Think Ice! T
James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
Canadian Champs Done!
Canadian champs are in the books- Three races today in interesting breeze- Big puffs and lulls and holes- And of course big shifts….
The race committe did a great job and good races were run in spite of it all-
John Curtis and his gang ran a great regatta- Thanks to all! He also grabbed fourth place- Top Canadian was Pete Van Rossem in third, Oliver Moore claimed second and your author had to work his tail off to take first.
Spirits are high up there- The Kingston gang is psyched for one more weekend- We are hoping to get the New England Champs in this coming weekend- If you have ice let us know-
This season ain’t over…. Don’t mothball the boats yet!
Stay tuned…..
James “T” Thieler12 Channing St.
Newport, RI. 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
The Venue
As I said, the Kingston YC gang is hosting a very cool event- Check out the clubhouse- a major step up from the parking lots we are used to!
I think the pile of snow under the flagpole looks like Mt. Everest. Coincidence?
James “T” Thieler12 Channing St.
Newport, RI. 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
New England Ice Yacht Association 