Kids on Ice – Quaboag and Watuppa
Spectators and fellow sailors shared in the excitement and enthusiasm of seeing several youth sailing on Quaboag in Massachusetts and Watuppa in Fall River, MA. Chad Atkins’s son, Mason, was rounding marks in his Opti DN. Brian Langley’s teenage daughter, Bella, was cruising the lake her mini-whizz. Bob S. and Bob Haag helped a group of three girls from scout troop 1175 from Simsbury, CT build their own ice boat on Quaboag.
Bob S., fully prepared as always, brought his sidecar and put on his "skunners" (Ski-like Runners) so each scout and their leader could enjoy a ride around the pond. Bob Haag was especially impressed that while the leader was getting a ride the young ladies, hauled a pile of wood, a couple of hand saws and other tools, a sunfish rig, and built an ice boat perfect for the Styrofoam conditions. After a day of sailing the troop headed on their way to enjoy a winter camp out.
Bob H. said he was particularly excited to see the kids working on a project, having fun, and seeing their parents supporting them.
Enjoy the photos from Quaboag! Great day for so many…
2 X4s, skis, and a sunfish rig.
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Bob’s skunners. Look aft and you will note the ski like flat edge and the plate runner sitting inside the body of the skunner. Clever!
In a final note, Watuppa is likely done for the season with open water, leads, and some significant holes. I know Bob S. will continue to check and report on Quaboag.
There is still plenty of thick ice to the north and we just have to be patient for the snow to melt. As my son, Luke, said one evening desperately wanting to try out his brother’s new birthday tricycle, "It’s hard being patient." Yes, it is.
Best,
Karen Binder
Secretary
Day 2…15-20 Knots – Five Races Today
Big wind day on Winnebago…JR Francis actually used another descriptive phrase when I asked if he was going to use his 90s or 95s, "My 90s…it’s Nuking."
And so it was…Jeff Roseberry who loves Big Wind did a consistent job of being in the Top 5 and Paul Chamberland, found a new higher gear after hearing some advice from Matt Struble on leeward Mark rounding…to ease your sail as much as needed so you don’t skid on your runners…I didn’t know that tip before my third race of the day and provided lots on entertainment by spinning out..not once but twice..on the same leeward Mark. Pat said my double pirouette was worthy of an award.
Everyone from New England is giving it their best and learning a lot…I know we are tired tonight.
Lighter winds predicted tomorrow. The results are posted
First day of racing…
Hi everyone,
Arrived to the lake with light winds and warm temperatures forecasted. Both proved accurate.
As expected, given the number of top ten sailors many had to sail the qualifying gauntlet including me. The gold fleet had 12 spots you have to qualify for by sailing the first silver race.
The bronze qualifier was in very light wind, but by the time of the silver qualifier the wind built to about 7 knots and many of us lighter weight sailors were debating sail switching and wished we had once arriving at the second downwind leg when the wind dropped out. A fuller sail would have helped a lot. By the end of it, I finished in 10th which placed me in the golf fleet. Jeff just missed it and finished in 13th. This means Jeff’s first silver race will be scored as a first place finish.
Then there was a long wait for the gold start. I decided to put on my F01 with a super soft batten. I zoomed of the line and tacked earlier than most as they just seemed to be going beyond the layline. That moment was a good call as I was 4th around the windward matk. 4th!
Well, I should have followed Anja Fiedler who made a quick gybe almost immediately after she rounded after me. I never saw her again! Anja is the best female DN racer in the world. I have never had the opportunity to race against her. I lost a lot of boats on that downwind leg and the. the breeze completely died with lots of boats pushing and having the BART rule in effect. T had a good race but we are now back at the hotel as results have not been posted. I’ve been told a protest about the race has been filed so we have to wait for folks to be heard and a decision made…
The bronze fleet and silver fleet were supposed to race, but we are not sure they got any more races in as the gold fleet was sent in.
Thanks.
Karen
DN 5630
Practice Day
Hi,
The lake is huge, hard and fast. Today most competitors (107 sailors are registered!) rigged and got lots of practice laps in and the wind built as the day progressed.
Most sailors were experimenting with 90 and 95 degree runners and switching in flatter sails by late afternoon.
Watching the coordination, communication and team work of the polish sailors is very impressive.
Jeff, Paul, and I were in several scratch races today and did a good job of being fast and competitive with the Canadian Ice Force.
There are 27 sailors ranked in the top ten and there will be three fleets racing. Even with being ranked 13th I imagine I might have to race the qualifier.
More tomorrow!
Karen Binder, DN 5630
On the way!
T and I are leaving for Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin in a few minutes. Paul and Jeff arrived at the lake yesterday and sailed all day. Jeff said the lake is massive. Registration is up to 100 sailors and racing starts on Sunday. I’ll do my best to send updates.
Cheers,
Karen Binder
DN 5630
NEIYA Secretary
Changing Gear – Lessons Learned
Hi everyone,
It’s been awesome to have so many sailing options this year and sailing in two regattas over back-to-back weekends has not happened since I have been racing. I love the polar vortex!
Today is a rest day as many of us await the location of the Worlds and North Americans. Ice is being scouted and sailed in Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and New York. T and I might head to Vermont tomorrow to check out Lake Champlain.
The Easterns on Winnie had hard ice and pretty big breeze. I was solidly in second place after three races. For some unknown and not very well thought out reason, I decided to change my sail from an ABSS to my MS1. The next two races I finished in third and fifth. Nothing changed other than my sail change…Hmm….maybe not a good decision.
At the New England’s this weekend, I was winning the regatta after five races. Then, just before the sixth and final race I decided to change my sail from my FO1 to my ABSS. I reasoned the wind was building slightly so maybe a flatter sail would be a bit faster and I’d be in more control. Again, nothing else changed and in that last and final race I ended up getting 5th place, losing the regatta by one point. Hmm…maybe not a good decision.
While I have been told many times to try different settings, different runners, and different sails throughout a regatta, I realize the lesson or take away from the last two weekends (at least for me) is to ONLY make changes when your results start to worsen NOT when you are doing well and sailing fast!
I will do my best with sending updates and reports from the Worlds/North Americans. Of the 97 registered competitors, 14 are members of NEIYA! The list includes James "T." Thieler, Eben Whitcomb, Bob Haag, Dave Silsby, Chad Atkins, John Stanton, Paul Chamberland, Jeff Roseberry, Chris Gorden, Ed Demerest, Jeff Kent, Peters Trusdell and Scott Valentine and me.
Think Ice!
Karen Binder
DN5630
NEIYA Secretary
Pushaw – Monday January 6th
Hello Iceboaters,
Based on the report Bill Bucholz sent out regarding Pushaw, T and I plan on setting up marks and getting some laps in tomorrow. The weather prediction looks ideal and I hope many of you will join us!
Feels like it’s been forever since I have been in my trusty and speedy DN!
Thanks,
Karen Binder
DN 5630
It’s a wrap – end of NAs
After 4 days of racing the Race Committee did an amazing job of getting off a total of 22 races (11 for each fleet) in all kind of conditions. At the awards ceremony, T led with a toast and thanks to "All the boats, planks, and equipment that gave themselves up to the challenges of ice and big wind this week." I won’t go into specifics, but lots of iceboaters will need to go shopping and many more will spend some quality shop time rebuilding stuff. Even T and I suffered damage with my hound breaking on the first windward leg of the 9th race and just as conditions were turning a bit lighter and softer. With no set of extra shrouds and T hound fitting, I ended up missing the last races of the regatta. T had a port starboard situation in the same race, both sailors are fine, but he could not return to racing either.
Saturday racing was called off due to heavy winds, but Jeff Roseberry was still out there ripping it up and was clocked at going more than 60 mph. He should be heartily congratulated on his 15th place finish in the Gold Fleet. His practice and time in the boat certainly paid off. Milo Fleming won the Junior Award and finished 13th in the Silver Fleet. It’s been so fun seeing Milo develop into such a talented sailor and mature young adult since first meeting him when he decided to learn about iceboating for a school project about five years ago. Bob Haag first time competing at the NA’s resulted in winning the Rusty Runner award. Well done, Bob!
And a huge thanks to NEIYA members Henry Capotosto and Nina Fleming for driving 25 plus hours to VOLUNTEER for an entire week helping with all aspects of Race Committee. The volunteers are really incredible with their dedication to pulling off a great regatta for the sailors. We thank you!
For me, if there is any more time on the ice this season and definitely for next season I will make scratch racing courses much longer. At big regattas the course length is a minimum of 1.0 miles. With good starts I am able to keep up with the top sailors for the first 1/3 to ½ of the windward leg, but then they start pulling away. By the 2nd leeward rounding the top ten sailors are just about at the windward mark as the bottom third of the gold fleet are just making the turn at the leeward mark. So, for me it’s a matter of boat speed across longer courses. You see on a small course I am right at the windward mark with T so I went into this regatta feeling like I am really fast, but on long courses it’s a different story. It’s good to know what I need to work on next.
The results are below…and hopefully at least one or two days of sailing on Moosehead will happen before the season is officially over.
Karen Binder
DN 5630
https://iceresults.org/dn/2024nas.html
| Sailwave results for 2024 IDNIYRA NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP at LAKE WACONIA, MINNESOTA 2024 sailwave results iceresults.org |
Day 3 Report
We awoke to 3F, snow drifts on the lake, super hard ice, and a building wind. I am pretty sure I have not experienced such a set of changing ice conditions at a regatta before. Although, I am relatively new to this and the gentleman I sat across from at the restaurant has been racing ice boats for 50 years!
Each fleet had four races with each race involving a bit more wind than the previous one. Most sailors switched to their MS1 sails and either 95 degree or 100 degree runners. Despite the insane winds of yesterday, I found sailing today much more difficult. The hard ice makes the boat vibrate and bounce around and then "float a bit" when a big puff hits. You pretty much feel like your boat could completely spin out at almost any point. Every mark round is especially exhilarating…
T and I both had "big bummers" today. Mine was in the 2nd race of the morning after I switched to my flatter sail. I had trouble getting the foot of my sail into the boom as the bolt was stiff and frozen. I was rushing and had to get to the line. Once the flag dropped, I sprinted and eased into the boat. After sheeting in, I noticed the foot was bunching all up. I had forgotten to secure my outhaul. I had to stop my boat, get out, attach and tighten my outhaul. t. I debated withdrawing for a moment, but got back in my boat.
T’s big bummer was at the end of the day with being sandwiched between two boats. One boat avoiding a snow drift and one boat heading him up. Two boats bumped and his tiller broke. He is confident a quick morning fix will return him to the ice tomorrow.
The rest of Team NEIYA did a great job….here are the provisional results…
2nd Day Report – sorry for delay
Sorry…I tried posting this yesterday morning but it didn’t go thru….standby for the report on day 3 of sailing.
The forecast was for big winds today and the forecast was spot on. The temperature dropped overnight and solidified the surface, but Pat Heppert noted at the skippers meeting the ice depth went from 9-11 inches to 7-9 inches given the incredible heat the day before.
Race Committee called the Silver Fleet to the line and Ed Demerest, having had issues with his mast the previous day, finished in third place. Nicely done, Ed! Milo is sailing very consistently, avoiding the big bummers, and is currently in sixth place overall. I also want to give a shout out to NEIYA Treasurer, Bob Haag, competing for the first this year. Our Commodore John Stanton is also being very consistent and is 27th in the standings.
When gold fleet was called to the line, the breeze was strong but definitely built throughout the race. I know at the start some people were measuring on their anemometers a range of 20-22 knots. It seemed an even split between those sailing with their MS1 and the ABSS and also split between 95s and 100 degree runners. I chose the MS1 and my 95 degree inserts.
By the third lap, most folks were just trying to get themselves and their boats over the line safely. The big wind brought several spin outs and others with significant boat/equipment damage. Most of us who sailed the race got a huge surge of adrenaline and satisfaction of crossing the line in the hairy conditions, but we all were relieved that racing was then called off for the day. Sixty of the seventy sailors dropped their sails in the pit area and bare poled it back to the shore. It was that hairy. For a comparison, if you did/attempted the Winnie the Hard Way a few years ago it was like that…
This morning, we awoke to a temperature of 2F. It will warm up later in the morning, but the ice will now be super hard and there is already breeze.
Results: https://iceresults.org/dn/2024nas.html
Video of the 3rd windward lap: https://www.facebook.com/julie.jankowski.12/videos/412353528115350/?idorvanity=432333643482302
Karen Binder
DN 5630
Miami ICE…report on the first day…
Good Morning:
The ice held up relatively well despite the Miami-like temperatures and with very strong winds in the morning. The Race Committee was able to get in four races before the wind died at 1:30 PM.
The silver qualifier and the first race for the gold fleet were in both in big breeze with powerful gusts. I had my ABSS sail up, but I put in a stiffer top batten and then loosened my rig slightly. I choose my 95 degree inserts, but the top sailors were sailing 100 degree inserts. When I got to the line, I saw one of my bolts that screws my plank in was rolling around in the cockpit with one of pins on my stud plate broken off. With no way to fix it, I just hoped the bumps and speed would not rip my plank off. For the gold fleet race, the left side was favored and I started on the right side. Go figure, but I was able to keep up with Ron and Chris Berger for most of the windward leg. Unfortunately, when we tacked over the left side was pretty much already at the mark. I kept sailing my race and finished a respectable 19th out of 38 boats.
For the second race, T suggested I put on my MS1 as four of the top sailors used that sail in the first race. I felt like the wind was dying, but after some back and forth with him I put on my MS1. When I got to the line, the breeze totally dropped out. Paniced, I looked back and saw several others (including T!) quickly changing their sails. I ran back to the pit and thanks to Paul Chamberland who was next to me, we were able to put my ABSS sail back on just before the RC said "Ready on the Left…"
The breeze was light, but I was able to get off the line well and built speed. I made it to the mark somewhere in the top 10. I just kept working to keep my speed on the downwind leg staying high and I was sliding forward hard for my gybes which powered the bow around to then catch the breeze. I was seeing people getting out of their boats pushing and I just was determined not to lose any speed. Approaching the finish line on my third downwind leg, I saw a lot of recognizable boats in the pit. Had I been passed? I was confident no one passed me, but worried a bit. When I got back T said many boats had been barded (lapped so they have to stop racing). I waited for the sheet to be posted. I finished 8th!
By the end of that race, the wind completely died and Race Committee said we were done. When we were heading back to pit, you could actually see waves of heat moving across the surface of the lake and the outdoor temperature display on the van dashboard was 61 degrees!
Video: https://vimeo.com/916958969
DN North Americans – Today is the first day
Good morning from Minnesota,
About twelve of us from New England are here and ready for the DN North Americans. We always seem to have great representation and I am sure the results will be strong for our group. Lake Waconia is the chosen spot, but T and Dave Frost, commodore of the IDNIYRA, spent the last two days driving between two locations in search of the best plate taking into consideration the upcoming weather. Two days ago Waconia had very hard "pancakes" or 2" raised bumps all over it and they made for significant challenges in big breeze. Warmer temperatures the last two afternoons have softened everything quite a bit which is fantastic.
With the wind predicted today, the more northern lake would have been just too hard on boats and bodies as no melting occurred. So, the final determination was to stay on Lake Waconia. What’s really weird is that the temperatures today are forecast to reach 60 F. That’s not a typo. And then by Tuesday night, the temperatures will drop to 6 F. Again, not a typo. We have no idea what the extreme fluctuations will cause.
With T scouting I have been sailing the last three days. Given how little sailing I have done this winter, it was great to scratch race with several others. Unfortunately, in the morning the hard bump caused my brake on one of my favorite front runners to flip over and got stuck beneath the runner while I was on a fast downwind leg. I stopped as soon as I could, but it was enough to cause a very significant gouge in the edge of the blade. No way to fix it before the regatta.
One of the challenges at the big regattas is equipment choice. You receive two stickers for your sail choice. Meaning, if you have three sails in your van you are only allowed to use two of them during the regatta. For runners, you receive nine stickers. With conditions being so variable it will make for important decisions each morning.
More to come as it all unfolds, melts, and then refreezes.
Karen Binder
DN 5630
25 Hours Driving and We Found This!
Great ice and a gorgeous day with breeze filling in now. 
Everything but the kitchen sink!
T and I rolling out of the driveway as I type. We used our handy packing list, but when driving all the way to Minnesota one wonders if all bases are covered.
I’ll send some reports on conditions and how Team New England handles the ice!
Over and out,
Karen Binder
DN 5630
Thursday Call – DN Racing Call
Hi Everyone,
Hard to believe the Western Challenge is less than four weeks away. It took some time for T and I to get back into the shop, but we have been making good progress on fixing the spike holes in the bottom of my hull, getting our runners up to Steve Duhamel for sharpening, and the photo above is T making runner bodies for slush runners.
I hope many of you will sign up for some racing this year. A few new folks made it out to the North Americans and World last year and said, "I am so happy I decided to do the regatta." You will find the racing community VERY welcoming and encouraging. And for New England regattas, T still plans on a classics division and separate starts for any class with three boats. I am sure he is also open to the Baby Rule.
Happy to discuss regattas and any racing questions you may have on the Thursday call. If you don’t have the number, please email me at karenbinder @ hotmail.com
Thanks!
Karen Binder
DN 5630/NEIYA Secretary
Snow is the DN Fleet Divider
The last day of the 2023 DN Worlds featured 1-2" snow drifts dotted across the .8 mile long plate and caused difficult conditions for all three fleets. Silver started the day and with the breeze up most were able to complete their laps and the same was true for bronze. Then the sun started peaking out behind the clouds and caused the breeze to lighten and swirl quite a bit. I appreciated the race committee’s diligent efforts to get in one more gold fleet race. The team had to move and drag the starting line at least four times before our start.
Then we were called to the line. The night before the race organizers hosted a panel discussion with four of the best DN sailors in the world. One of those individuals Tomek Zakrzewski , a two-time world champion, discussed his starting technique. I was ready to try it. He and his compatriates sheet in almost 80% of max so that his blocks are just about touching. He is quite sure it helps with faster acceleration off the line and once in the boat.
It was my first time on the even side of the line all regatta. I positioned my boat. I cleared the drift in front of me with my spikes. I sheeted in at 80% of max and when the flag dropped I pushed with all my might. I was off and dusted the group except for one boat to leeward. I was getting close enough to the lay line so that when I tacked over I could implement another learned tip from Tomek (When coming in on port make sure to leave enough room on the starboard layline to build up speed to make for a fast windward mark rounding).
I easily crossed the bows of T, Chad, Karol Jablonski, and Tomek. And then…..the breeze stopped and the snow drift deep. I parked. I got out of my boat to push, tangled my main sheet around my foot, fell on my plank, my boat spun around as a puff came in, and it was Game Over. I was able to finish the race with some more sailing and some more pushing.
Then it was announced the Worlds were completed. Back in the pits, I learned even the best guys like T and Chad had to get out and push a few times. Several said no one had ever seen as many gold sailors pushing in a race before. It’s good to know I was not the only one that struggled to keep my boat moving through the drifts.
Overall, I accomplished my two goals of qualifying for the gold fleet and being the top female finisher overall. With this year being the 50th anniversary of the first DN worlds, it felt special to be a part of it. During the opening ceremony two sailors that participated in the first DN worlds 50 years ago were present and came back to race in this year’s event. Congratulations to Pete Johns and Hal Bowman for their 29th and 30th finishes in the Silver Fleet. Still racing hard at 80 plus years of age.
At the closing ceremony and awards Karol Jablonski, a 12-time DN world champion, spoke movingly about the camaraderie and friendships developed over his thiry-six years of racing DNs. Matt Struble this year’s Gold Fleet winner and now four-time world champion spoke about starting sailing DNs as a child in Northern Michigan and the memories of sailing with his dad and life-long friend and mentor, Ron Sherry.
DN sailing is fast and fun. The comraderie is the icing on the cake.
Onto the North Americans…
Karen Binder
DN 5630
DN Worlds – 1st Day of Racing
The day started with light winds and it made qualifying races a bit trickier for many…as the breeze would come down different sides of the course at different speeds. You really had to get your head out of the boat to see how the other half of the fleet was faring on the other side of the course. Given the size of the fleet, about 100 racers, the race committee divided us into three fleets: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Those with world rankings of about 25 or above where automatically placed into the gold fleet. Given three years of COVID, the DN rankings have not been updated since 2020 as that was the last time the DN worlds occurred and if you did not race in 2020 you lost your ranking. This means many experienced fast sailors were placed into the bronze fleet, had to qualify into the silver fleet, and then if they placed in the top 12 of that race were moved up to gold. My ranking of 39 put me into the silver fleet, but still offered the chance to qualify into gold.
For any qualifier, everyone is randomly assigned a starting position on the line. I gulped when I saw my assignment was 42. That’s so far down the stating line the guy next to me said, "I think we are in Iowa." I was determined not to freak out. I waited for the flag to drop, pushed, and ran as hard as I could. The wind on the left side was not great, but I built speed and tacked over in clear air. After that it was just keeping my speed up and grinding boats down both upwind and downwind. I had selected my FO Sail, my 100 degree minimum Ts, and put in super soft battens. I know they helped in the lighter wind areas of the course. I finished 9th which meant I officially qualified for the Gold Fleet in my very first Worlds. I now am the little fish in the big pond. Gulp.
The Race Committee then called for the first Gold Fleet race. I was assigned spot 35. I had a really good start and my mast popped out quickly. The first rounding I was mid-fleet. My second windward leg, I must have been in some amazing puff and the right phase of a shift as I was around the windward mark in the top ten. Seriously. I held my own downwind, but lost some speed at the 2nd leeward mark rounding. And that’s where the wind got weird and I went into the mode of tacking too much in order to chase more wind. That was dumb and it cost me a lot of places. By the end, I finished in 18th place. I am thrilled and excited for more racing tomorrow.
New England is really well represented with James Thieler, Oliver Moore, Chad Atkins, Chris Gordon, Jeff Roseberry, Paul Chamberland, Sean Healey, Bill Bucholz, Jay Whitehair, Ed Demerest, Milo Fleming, Rick Bishop, and our NY/Long Island friends Scott Valentine and Richard Glickman.
Stay tuned. More tomorrow.
Karen Binder
DN 5630
DN Worlds – Practice Day
Hi,
Lake Kegonsa was selected out of three possible sites. Other debated options were Houghton Lake in northern Michigan and Fort Peck in Montana.I think everyone east of the Mississippi was relieved Lake Kagonsa was selected given it’s at least 32 hours from RI. Today’s ice recovered from the earlier ice/rain/snow mix that hit the area on Wednesday./Thursday. Ed Demerest, T, and I arrived yesterday morning, relaxed for a bit and then set up our boats. We went down to the ice early this morning and the breeze was blowing 7-10 mph for most of the day.
Two practice courses were set up with a natural selection breaking the fleet between the fastest sailors and the intermediate/beginner sailors. This is the first time I have had the pleasure of seeing the European contingent sail. Yes, it’s true. They are indeed super fast. Even when they count down at the starting line there is no wasted time. It’s the fastest 3-2-1-GO I have heard. And boom off they go sailing into the distance…I know T took at least one race of that group today. I did one race with the Euros then headed back to the intermediate course. I didn’t want to get all stressed out before the qualifier. I will see where I land and be happy.
Today, most sailors debated the ABSS and the FO sail choice. I chose the FO sail and was not overpowered. My speed was very good and my runner choice of 95 degree inserts was the right decision. Today, was also the first time I got to sail with the new addition of 5lbs of lead on the top my front runner. What a huge difference that made with my leeward mark rounding. Zoom Zoom! No slipping/No Sliding. Love it.
Tomorrow are the qualifiers and the breeze is expected to be light.
All for now,
Karen Binder
DN5630
New England does awesome at Centrals!
Racing today was in winds averaging 5-8 mph. First off, a huge shout out to new racers Jeff Roseberry finishing second in the silver fleet and Paul finishing fifth. For their very first regatta they really performed incredibly well. Jeff actually won the first race of the day and his first official race! His beard and long locks popping out from his helmet in all directions was delightful to watch going wild in the breeze as he zoomed around the course.
The snow was a tad stickier than yesterday so most sailors who had them used their full F0 sails. Given the winds were lightish the best racers of the day were using 100 degree runners.
I used my 100 Minimum T insert runners all day and was able to sail fast and in control at all mark roundings. I was fast off the line and mostly played the middle of the course both upwind and downwind. I consciously avoided just banging the corners which could either pay off or result in disaster if a big shift came down the course. My strategy worked except in the last race, but having consistent finishes at a regatta is often more important than winning every single race and taking huge risks. I ended up winning the silver fleet with scores of 2-1-2. Felt great!
Tomorrow is another practice day with several racers hanging out for another day. More breeze predicted.
Go Team New England!
Karen Binder DN 5630
Central Regional Regatta Update #1
Five of uys from New England made the trip west to Stoughton Wisconsin. Jeff Kent, Chris Gordon, Karen Binder, T Thieler and two new racers Jeff Roseberry from Maine and Paul Chamberland from NY. Yesterday, scratch racing was competitive in light breeze. Everyone who had 100 degree runners and FO or full sails were putting them to good use. I used my 100 minimum T inserts for the first time and they were perfect for the conditions. I was able to finish first in two of the races which means my light air sailing has improved tremendously. T took the other three races.
Today, has about 34 competitors waiting for wind. It’s too bad as the ice is hard and smooth with just a light dusting of fluffy snow. With the world’s two weeks away everyone has pent up energy and excitement to burn off or many with a desire to try out their new masts, planks, runners, etc.
More updates as conditions change. Karen
Ice in NH – Ice Report!
Mark Friedman has reported that "Little Lake Sunapee" in New London, NH is being sailed and skated with very nice ice. He was on it today. I don’t know his plans for tomorrow.
In addition, Jay Whitehair has just sailed Mascoma Lake in Enfield, NH and it’s sailable. It is a smallish lake, like Quaboag in Massachusetts. Jay says 3" of consistent black ice 10 out of 10. He will be sailing it tomorrow and arriving at around 12:00 pm tomorrow. There is one spot with open water so note hazards before sailing. Take Rt. 89 and take Exit 17 to RT. At end of exit turn right onto 4A. There is a bridge on the left that you cross and you will see a parking lot. Wind looks light for next two days.
Remember NO ice is entirely safe. Don’t sail alone and check conditions before sailing. Wear ice picks.
Thanks. Karen Binder/DN 5630
Roll Call for Gold Cup – Team New England/Who is In?!
Hi Ice Boaters…
With the Gold Cup and North American’s four weeks away, New England’s representation is looking very strong this year with several NEW participants wanting to make the trip. If you haven’t picked up on the fact that I am a competitive person, let it be known I am very competitive. I am hoping and thinking New England may win the prize for the most number of regional participants/NEIYA members? I am counting 15 members so far…who else is IN?
James Thieler
Karen Binder
Jeff Kent
Rick Bishop
Bill Bucholz
Milo Fleming – NEW
Ed Demerest
Dave Silsby
Jeff Roseberry – NEW
John Stanton –
Jay Whitehair
Paul Chamberlain – NEW
Sean Healey
Peter Truesdale
Scott ValentineZOOM CALL – If anyone would like to talk logistics or what to expect at the Gold Cup/North Americans, please email me at Karenbinder and I will send you a zoom meeting link to discuss, ask questions, maybe help with car-pooling logistics…
ZOOM MEETING – MONDAY, December 26, 2022 at 6:30 PM.
Thanks! Karen Binder DN 5630
Moosehead Lake – ON Monday & Tuesday
Good morning,
This report below is from Bill Bucholz. Sailing at Moosehead is an unbelievable experience. The lake, scenery and stars are gorgeous. If you can take the day off from work DO IT! This may be the last ice of the season. Thanks, Karen, NEIYA Secretary
From Bill:
Here’s the lake this morning just after sunrise taken in Greenville Junction. The slush alongshore has frozen, and the plate is reported to be hard but not totally smooth. Sounds about right. Wind today and tomorrow is excellent. Accommodations at Kelly”s Landing. Launch at Greenville Junction boat launch. The launch ramp itself may be rotten but there are other slopes right alongside. Call me if you are coming so we don’t loose anyone. 207-975-6980.
billbuchholz | March 28, 2022 at 8:25 am | Categories: 2021 Season | URL: https://wp.me/p1wB1o-2xM
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More info for Dammariscotta Lake – Monday, February 14th
Here is additional information for tomorrow.
Thanks to Bill Bucholz for the report.
"The surface hardened right up nice last night and is now ready to go. Looks like about a 5.5-6. We will be launching from Lake Farm Circle. Here’s how it looks today. Sixteen inches of hard ice. No idea what happened with the cracks and ridges out there in the north broads from last time, so consider that plate unscouted for now."
Here’s how it looks today. Sixteen inches of hard ice. No idea what happened with the cracks and ridges out there in the north broads from last time, so consider this plate unscouted for now.
New England Ice Yacht Association 