September RUNNER TRACKS Is On The News Stand
Hello All- Now that we’ve put the worst of the summer heat behind us take a look at the latest DN Class newsletter, assembled as ever by Deb Whitehorse out in Wisconsin.
Great articles, ranking lists, and lots of photos for those of us that don’t read good…
Click and enjoy!
https://www.idniyra.org/2018/09/12/september-runner-tracks-newsletter-2/
November 3rd – NEIYA Meeting, Swap & Lunch

With the Dog Days of summer behind us it’s time to think about Ice boating and the NEIYA Annual Meeting Swap Meet, and Luncheon. Mark your calender’s NOW and show up on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at our new venue.
Hudson-Concord Elks Hall
99 Park Street, Hudson, MA 01749
Hal Bowman In The News
If you do the big DN Regattas you’ve seen or met Hal Bowman ripping it up in his yellow DN (US 1277). He and his wife Mercedes (scorekeeper extraordinaire) hit all the big events. Indeed, Hal is one of the best iceboaters to come out of North Carolina in years!
When he isn’t blasting around the course he is involved in all kinds of other interesting stuff, mostly at least a few hundred feet off the ground. One is doing flyovers at various events around NC in his vintage Russian YAK airplane. Check out the article below.
If you ever get to meet this guy be sure to corner him and get him started telling flying stories…. you won’t be disappointed!
We were lucky to see Hal and Merc recently when they buzzed through New England. See photo of Hal and Merc at Mystic Seaport with NEIYA stalwarts Katie Bradford, Eben Whitcomb, and T Thieler. Also see photo illustrating the luxury accommodations that Hal’s boat enjoys in the off-season….
The veterans behind the flyovers at local football games
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- bowman and gang
- bowman boat
Iceboat Tech That Didn’t Catch On….
This from Scuttlebutt… Good reading to distract us from the heat wave!
Iceboat Tech That Never Caught On >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News
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James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
Western Challenge….
Scott Valentine reminds us all that the Western Challenge is 120 days away…. As ever it will be first weekend in December, best ice in Minnesota….
Get the worklists out, clear some space in the shop and garage, and get crackin’ gang…. This is a great way to kick the season off!
Think ICE.
2019 DN Rank List
The 2019 DN Rank list is out. Take a look and see where you and/or your best buddies and/or your worst enemies are….
If you aren’t on the list give some thought to hitting the race course this year- it’s a blast!
AND start making goals and working toward raising the bar this season. December is flying towards us quicker than a Skeeter in a breeze….
Click here and take a look!
https://www.idniyra.org/2018/07/24/2019-international-dn-rank-list/
Think ICE!
NEW RUNNER TRACKS IS OUT!
Hello All- The July issue of Runner Tracks is out and ready for your perusal-
Looks like a big issue, with the DN Class at a major crossroads in terms of management and organization. Your input will be important so take a little time and read it thoroughly.
AND it features New England’s own Joe Meade ripping it up on the cover!!
Click the link and take a look- available in free in several formats, and on good old paper for $18.
https://www.idniyra.org/2018/07/23/july-runner-tracks-newsletter-special-epic-edition/
Think ICE!!
DN For Sale
From Tricia… Take a look, this could be a great boat for someone!
Hello all!
Think Ice!
The Virgo 696 DN is for sale and aside from sharpening runners seems ready to go.
I have fond memories of sailing with my father Larry ,Brother Larry, skating around and getting rides with fellow boaters. I helped my mother bake cookies for all those first meetings that were held at our house. My father was an advocate for re- invigorating the life of the club and served many years on the board.
Larry is moving and would like to sell the boat this week. I’m sorry for the short notice.
**Please help spread the word about the Virgo**
-2 boxes of runners
-complete boat, sail, mast,plank
– custom canvas covers
-many chocks
-home made hand brake
-set of wheels for transport
-a few picks
-an ice boat book
– photos of the boat on the lake and a few iceboat post cards.
Please call me direct 7605046344
Or email triciareina
Thank you in advance for your time and kind attention to help find a new home for the Virgo.
Kind regards,
Tricia
- dn 1
- dn 2
- dn 3
- dn 4
Barn Find Anyone?
Hello All- Getting to be that time of year…. If you are up for a big project and a road trip to start it read on!
Jane Pegel writes:
Attached to this email you will find photos of a 1930’s vintage open-back
iceboat similar to the Beauvais Skeeters. This boat has only a hull and
runner plank.
It has always been stored in a dry barn near Delavan, WI and is in
satisfactory
condition, waiting for someone to finish the project and get out on the ice.
It is
being offered FOR FREE.
The SIBC has agreed to assist with the transfer of ownership. Persons
interested in becomingthe proud owner of this boat are encouraged to send an
email to
I564 to arrange for pickup.
- iceboat 2
- iceboat 1
Final Volvo Event Saturday Morning
Hey Folks- Saturday AM is the last event in this edition of the Volvo race- Just one In-Port race left, and it has consequences- some of the tail end boats are tied or close to it and this race could determine much more than bragging rights.
In any case it’ll be fun to watch and will have to tide us all over until the next edition. And of course we are all killing time until the hard-water season rolls around again… Which will be soon….
Click here, the race is at 0730 EST (1130 UTC for you nautical types)
https://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/home.html
Enjoy the viewing- and Think Ice!!
Volvo Ocean Finish Today
Folks, this could be a sight to see-
Two of the three boats (MAPFRE and BRUNEL) that could take the grand prize have about 45 miles to go and they are right on top of each other on the western side of the course.
The other contender (DONGFENG) took a radical route to the east along the German and Dutch coast and are about 15 miles behind but are in way more breeze and at a better angle and is comin’ in hot!!
As if that weren’t enough even the two boats at the back of the pack have a battle going to stay out of last place for the leg and overall. Awesome.
We could be looking at a five-boat pile up at the finish line in a few hours…. Winner takes the whole shebang!
Tune in here to follow the action and chew your fingernails off….
Volvo Ocean Race Finish
Holy Smokes, things have gotten interesting in the Volvo Ocean Race- Lead changes, big breeze, a split in the fleet, and all kinds of craziness going in the last 200 miles or so.
Still all to play for, whoever finisihes first out of MAPFRE, BRUNEL, and DONGFENG wins the whole kit and kaboodle. You can bet there will be a lot of people checking the tracker, pics and videos coming off the boats all night and into the morning. The online viewers will be almost as exhausted as the crews!
The finish is in The Hague, and you can bet there will be some iceboaters in the crowd when the race boats arrive.
Take a look and join the crowd here: Happy viewing!
https://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/home.html
On another note, the Solstice is behind us. Days getting shorter, winter is on the way….
Members at Large
Follow Joachim Roesler as he makes his way to Ketchikan AK competing in this years Race To Alaska by Northwest Maritime Center.
The rules are simple. “No motor, no support, all the way to Alaska. The physical endurance, saltwater know-how, and bulldog tenacity to navigate the 750 cold water miles from Port Townsend, Washington, to Ketchikan, Alaska. “
You might have seen his red and yellow winged iceboat Surf & Turf over the past couple years and its for sale. Check out the NEIYA classifieds
Click on the map below or link http://tracker.r2ak.com/ for live updates.
Joachim good luck and we will be eagerly following your progress Northward and look forward to hearing tales of the Pacific Northwest when we see you on the ice next season.
What else is everyone doing during the off season? Building, Sailing (I know a few people did the Bermuda Race). What else? Who’s going to the Wooden Boat Show at Mystic or the Classic car weekend at Thompson Motor Speedway?
Think Ice,
John
john@neiya.org
VOLVO OCEAN RACE Leg 10 Start Thursday 8AM
Hey Gang-
The Last leg of the Volvo Ocean Race begins Thursday the 20th at 8AM EST (That’s 12UTC for all you worldly types).
This ought to be good- it’s a 700 mile “sprint” and out of the three top boats it’s down to winner-take-all. MAPFRE and BRUNEL each have equal points. DONGFENG is one point behind.
MAPFRE has Blair Tuke in the crew, if they win he will become the first sailor to ever win an Olympic Gold medal, an America’s Cup, and a Volvo Ocean Race. Would be cool to see a crew get a little fame and recognition, it’s often such a thankless job….
On the other hand BRUNEL has Peter Burling in the crew, he could also be the first to win this “triple crown” (he and Tuke won the Olympics and America’s Cup together). Also onboard is skipper Bouwe Bekking, a Dutchie who has done this race nine times (!) or something and has yet to win it. His history in this race is unreal- it includes one sunk boat, one very high speed grounding and God knows how many other misadventures and near-misses.
Oh, and his navigator Andrew Cape was arrested in a drunken bar brawl in Newport when the race stopped here. Apparently he wasn’t taken in at the scene but was apprehended when he went to the police station a few hours later to bail out his friends and one of the officers recognized him. Uh, okay….
Would be good to see Bekking finally take a victory, especially as the race finishes in his home country of The Netherlands. Or Holland. Whatever it’s called, there are lots of windmills and it is a hotbed of and (some say) the birthplace of ice yachting. Rumor has it that Bekking has sailed on a bit of hard water over the years too…
And Cape Cod’s Rick Bishop has his DN painted just like the BRUNEL boat. So there you go.
Anyway tune in Thursday morning at 8AM and see them get under way. Should be good!
VOLVO OCEAN RACE IN-PORT RACE AT 8:00 AM!
Hey Gang- If you’re awake and near a device be sure to catch the Volvo Ocean Race In-Port Race being broadcast live from Gothenburg, Sweden at 8:00 AM today (Sunday June 17).
Looks like they have plenty of breeze and every point counts so tune in and watch the action. Being in Sweden you may just spot an iceboater or two in the crowd…
Click this link and enjoy!
Peter McGowan Remembers His First Time
Good article by rookie DNer Peter McGowan here- have a read and get pysched for fall!
First Time Experiences of Iceboat Racing
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James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
Volvo Ocean Race Leg Start Today
Hello Again Folks-
The Volvo Ocean Race kicks off again today, this time it’s the offshore leg from Cardiff, England to Gothenburg, Sweden. The top three boats are still within a point or two of each other with only two legs left in the race so things could get interesting….
The start is at 11AM EST on the Volvo Ocean website at https://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/home.html As usual they will do a few laps around the buoys before they head out of the harbor.
Should be some interesting moments and at the very least it’ll be a great way to kill an hour as we wait for winter to hurry up and get here…
Happy Viewing and Think Ice!
Volvo Ocean Race- In-Port Race This Morning
Hello All- If you have a free hour this morning (or to watch a replay later) be sure to tune into the Volvo Ocean Race In-Port Race in Cardiff, England.
Looks like they have breeze and the In-Port races aren’t just a dog and pony show- in the event that there is a tie between two boats for the ocean legs the In-Port results will be used to break it.
And wouldn’t you know it may just come down to that- the top three boats are all practically tied with DONFENG holding 60, MAPFRE with 59, and Brunel with 57. So all the ingredients are there for a close, well fought race! Where is Howard Cosell when you need him most?!?
There is an NEIYA connection to the race as the skipper of VESTAS is from RI and was once housemates with our own Oliver Moore.
The race starts at 1300 UTC this morning (Friday the 9th) which (I think) is 0900 here on the east coast.
Usually there is a link to the action on the website here: https://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/home.html
Replays are usually up in YouTube within a few hours if you are employed or something and can’t watch live.
Enjoy the action and THINK ICE!!
Sailing May 1 ???
Anyone up for a road trip? The crew waaaaaayyyyy out west says there is a 50/50 shot they will sail on Lake Minnetonka this weekend…. I asked for photos to confirm if they do it!
Good luck gang, sail safe and send pictures for all us jealous types-
THINK ICE!
She’s Sung…..
Great report here from Bill Bucholz on what is likely the last day of the year on Moosehead. That said, the way the Maine group is they will be squeezing ice days out of this season in June. See the story on the day and the season here https://iceboat.me
Thanks to Bill and the other Incurables up there! T
billbuchholz posted: “No one has accused the CIBC of not pushing conditions right to the limit. We’ve had some fabulous sails over the years on super marginal conditions. But today the limit pushed back. The plate took a hit from the sun yesterday and we didn’t get the cold we”
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The Last Hurrah!
Passing along the best opportunity any of us have seen in a long time. Don’t put your boat away just yet. Go to Moosehead…
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Maine State Championship 2018- it’s ON for Saturday!!!
It’s ON folks- dig the boats out of storage and get up there! Check https://iceboat.me/ for details
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Hail Mary Regatta
The gang up in Maine aren’t letting this season go without a fight…. Maybe racing on Moosehead this weekend? Stay tuned to CIBC site for details at https://iceboat.me/
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