Iceboat Ride Along Video
Check this one out folks- Edited together by Sean Heavey out in Montana, filmed at the DN Gold Cup in Sweden…. Nice mix of onboard, drone, and stationary camera footage.
Click and enjoy!
Dama – that was good!
Hi Friends,
Seventeen racers from New England, New Jersey, and Canada decided to take on the Doc Fellows challenge at Damariscotta. The ice was hard and we had wind. T set the course early and racing started on time. Nice job T, Chad, and Oliver with all the committee stuff.
All season I have raced with my ABS sail no matter the wind or ice conditions. For several years racing my laser, I just used the full sail. I am small for a laser, but I dealt. When I finally cracked open the wallet and decided to buy a radial rig, I found myself constantly agonizing over sail choice if the wind prediction was 12+. On the course and depending on a race outcome, I’d say "Ugh, did I make the right choice? Should I go back in and switch out?" It was not necessarily great for me having two sails.
And, frankly, there is enough to be confused about ice boating that I didn’t want to muddy my brain with more decisions this season, but on Saturday T suggested I try his old FO sail. He said the fuller shaped sail would help move the boat through rough patches and lighter wind. I said what I usually say when advice comes from the top, "Okay, sounds good. Thanks!"
I was pleased to find the FO sail a little easier to trim given in its fuller shape. In the first race, I was just getting used to the new shape and finished in 8th. Not terrible, but I just felt I could do a bit better. The shape and tell tales in an FO sail seemed to fly a bit more similar to a laser sail given its fuller shape especially downwind. As the day progressed, I was really fast off the line with building speed and I was consistently surprised that I was rounding the first mark right with the top guys and holding my own downwind. When you are anywhere close to a mark with Chad, Oliver, Jeff K, or T – it’s a GOOD day. The most surprising thing is that I was close to them A LOT at the top mark (even in front of some of them at times) and I stayed with them at the bottom mark and then back up at the windward mark. And so on…
The breeze was very shifty. We had to re-position the marks and starting line mid-morning. In one race I did what almost felt like an auto-tack close to the windward mark, but the shifts were effecting everyone. Seven races allowed for one throw out. Phew.
Here are the scores below…I am not sure if it was the sail choice, luck, or maybe I am actually getting the hang of this sport but DAMN – I ROCKED! Is it lame to self congratulate? Probably. But the difference between last year’s crazy season with lots of "incidents" and this season is dramatic. Honestly, I am feeling in the ZONE a lot!
We scratch raced on Sunday on rougher ice and in huge wind. Jack from New Jersey (he knows wind from being a fighter jet and glider pilot-that’s cool!!) said some gusts were 25 mph. I felt so good after Saturday and with a hoped for regatta next weekend (stay tuned), I didn’t want to break me or my boat. I held the flag for several races and everyone was FLYING around the windward mark. The mast bend was incredible.
By lunch time most headed back to get home, but Robin, Nick, Peter and Colin were game for more racing. Canadians, clearly LOVE heavy air. They all gave T good consistent pressure and Peter took the last scratch race off T. Nicely done, Peter!
By this time several boats were straining under loads and a few sailors found cracks on planks and hulls. It was decided to call it a day and get boats home to be fixed before next weekend…Stay tuned. We are hearing good things from Canada and Lake Champlain…
(Here are the results…If you did race committee one or two times your average cumulative score was put in for those races. Then, there was one throw out. If anyone sees an error, let me know. )
Think Spring Ice,
Karen Binder DN 5630
DOC FELLOW REGATTA – LEAP DAY – February 29, 2020 – Damariscotta, Maine
| 17 Registered | Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 | Race 4 | Race 5 | Race 6 | Race 7 | Total Score | With 1 Drop | Place | |
| 4487 | Chad Atkins | 1 | RC-2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 10 | 1 |
| 5457 | Colin Duncan | DNS-19 | DNS-19 | DNF-18 | 14 | 6 | 14 | 11 | 108 | 82 | 13 |
| 5629 | Robin Lagraviere | 4 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 9 | DNF-18 | 3 | 51 | 33 | 5 |
| 5608 | Nick Marboux | 5 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 44 | 35 | 6 |
| 5573 | Neil Fowler | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 57 | 46 | 8 |
| 5540 | Rick Bishop | 15 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 10 | DNS-19 | 77 | 58 | 10 |
| Wicked | Michael Young | 13 | DNS-19 | DNS-19 | DNS-19 | DNS-19 | DNS-19 | DNS-19 | |||
| 4775 | Eben Whitcomb | DNS-19 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 79 | 60 | 11 |
| 5469 | Oliver Moore | 2 | 1 | RC=3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 18 | 14 | 3 |
| 2766 | Peter Van Rossem | 12 | 8 | DNF-18 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 55 | 37 | 7 |
| 4596 | Chris Mayer | 14 | 9 | DNF-18 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 87 | 69 | 13 |
| 5193 | Eric Anderson | 3 | 7 | 4 | DNF-18 | Race | Race | Race | |||
| 3535 | Jeff Kent | 7 | 10 | 3 | 6 | DNS-19 | DNS-19 | DNS-19 | 83 | 64 | 12 |
| 5521 | Fred Steinbaum | 10 | DNF-18 | DNF-18 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 106 | 88 | |
| 5478 | Jack Goritski | 6 | DNF-18 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 71 | 53 | 9 |
| 3947 | Jay Whitehair | 9 | 12 | 12 | 4 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 65 | 52 | 8 |
| 5630 | Karen Binder | 8 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 4 | RC-6 | 44 | 32 | 4 |
| 5224 | James "T" Thieler | RC-2 | 6 | 1 | RC-2 | 1 | 1 | DNF-18 | 31 | 13 | 2 |
Doc Fellows Regatta In The Books!
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The Doc Fellows Regatta is in the books- Thanks to Bill Bucholz for scouting Damariscotta Lake and pronouncing it sail-able!
Saturday was the day- almost 20 boats showed up in spite of the relatively short notice including people from Kingston, Montreal, RI, CT, and elsewhere-
Wind? Shifty and a little gusty. Ice? Rough with some shell in places. Courses? A little crooked at times. Conditions overall? Not perfect by any stretch.
Did we have a good regatta? HELL YES!
Seven races completed, lots of close racing, plenty of lead changes, some crowded mark roundings, and a few moments in each race that were sure to get the adrenaline going. For start positions we drew numbers out of a hat for every race rather than the usual method of having your finish position determine your next starting position. It’s easier than trying to make sense of the score sheet in the cold and wind and I like that it introduces some randomness into the mix. Lots of grins and laughs in the launch area at the end of the day! And as if this wasn’t enough we saw a bald eagle during the day and there was a live mink running around the launch area. Gotta love the little things…
Scoring and RC duties were handled by whoever won the previous race and/or whoever needed a break. Thanks to all who picked up the pencil and waved the flags! Thanks to Karen Binder for tabulating the results- any and all complaints and/or future bribes can be directed to her.
In the unpredictable conditions consistency was key- that and setting the boat up to sail well in the different wind speeds encountered during a race. Steering aggressively for the smooth areas was important also as the rough ice patches really took a bite out of the boat speed…. Also it seemed that sharp 90 degree runners seemed to dig into the rough ice while 95 or 100 degree runners were able to stay on top of it and let the boat maintain speed. Of course, you have to be wary of spinning out if the breeze comes up and you are using the flatter runners! All part of the decision making process…. Full sails were the order of the day as they provide more grunt out of maneuvers and keep the flow attached in the rough ice. They also allow the flow to stay attached more easily in the abrupt changes in wind direction and velocity.
Jay Whitehair took tenth, Jack Goritski took ninth (in his first day in a DN all winter!), Neal Fowler got more dialed in as the day went on to take 8th, Peter Van Rossem had some good races to take 7th, Nick Mabboux was able to keep his boat in one piece long enough to take 6th, Robin Lagravier (5th) and Karen Binder (4th) are two relative newcomers who have done a good job getting on the pace and well done to both of them, Oliver Moore came out of a starting-a-business and becoming-a-father induced hiatus to take third, T Thieler was able to stop talking long enough to take second and Chad Atkins was the big winner of the day with ten points in seven races. Not bad at all! Full results will be posted soon.
Thanks to all who participated and helped run the event. Great to see the whole group pitching in to make it happen!
Stay tuned, there is talk of the Canadian Champs or possibly Eastern Champs this weekend….
T Thieler
Commodore Emeritus, Regatta Chair, Doctor of Movie Quotations
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Where It All Began: Part 2 – The Boats – iceboat.org
It was a big weekend on Damariscotta Lake- the Doc Fellows regatta was held on the north end and the CIBC orienteering event took place at the south end. Both events went very well but more about them later-
Right now take a look back at where all this all began with Part 2 of Deb Whitehorse’s report on the classic iceboating going on in Sweden. These boats are just so cool…. Great stuff!
Article and photos here:
https://www.iceboat.org/2020/02/27/where-it-all-began-part-2-the-boats/
And if you want a little music to set the mood while you read, this may be appropriate- The first verse in particular struck me as being relevant to an iceboater’s frame of mind….
“Say you want to be a rollin’ stone
And get your sail out in the wind
Get out on the highway
And just let it roll on
Roll on back to someplace you ain’t never been”
Click to hear the song….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4UFm_xhXwg
Think ICE!!
Two Events On Damariscotta Lake Today
The first is an orienteering event on Damariscotta- guaranteed to be interesting! Details here:
https://iceboat.me/2020/02/29/orienteering/
And at the other end of the lake there will be racing- not sure what the title is but let’s say Maine state champs- skippers meeting at the Lake Farm Inn launch site- see yesterday’s NEIYA posts for details
https://theneiya.org/2020/02/28/doc-fellows-regatta-saturday/
Looking forward to the reports! Think ICE
DOC FELLOWS REGATTA SATURDAY
OK Gang, it’s on….
The Doc Fellows Regatta is ON for Saturday, Feb 29 2020, maybe another regatta (Maine States?) Sunday. Sounds like Damariscotta Lake in Jefferson, ME is in decent shape.
Wind forecast is good for Saturday and a little more promising for Sunday. The ice looks decent, reports from the site give it a 6.5 out of ten. Not exactly miles of perfect black ice but let’s not let perfect be the enemy of good!
Temps will be in low 30’s during the day, with clouds on Saturday we should be able to sail pretty well. Sunday will bring sun so slush runners might be handy- Will be interesting to see what we can get away with!
Launch will be out of
Damariscotta Lake Farm
15 Bunker Hill Rd, Jefferson, ME 04348
Take Lake Farm Circle down to the beach to rig and launch, DO NOT drive on the grass! The folks at The Farm have been very iceboater-friendly and we don’t want to do anything to sour that relationship.
We can’t stay at The Farm but lodging available at the Senator Inn And Spa in Augusta about 30 minutes from the launch. Web site is here: https://www.senatorinn.com
Skippers Meeting Saturday AM at launch, 9:30 AM
First Race at 10:30 AM
Be sure to have your insurance with you!!! NO EXCEPTIONS
Regular iceboating rules apply- familiarize yourselves with them at
https://www.idniyra.org/racing/rules-safety/
NOTE- some iceboating Right Of Way rules differ from soft-water rules so read them closely-
IF three of any class show up and want to race they will get a start and races of their own- all welcome!
In the DN Class a Vintage / Classic trophy will be awarded to the boat and skipper that has a certain combo of age / wear and tear / battle scars / character / and results!
We are looking for volunteers to run and score races- earn some karma and volunteer!
If not no big deal, we can use the Maine system (Regatta Chair runs first race, from there on whoever wins a race gets to run and score the next one. Average points awarded for the races missed. I think. Will figure it out when the smart people get there)
Feel free to contact me with any questions or to let me know what I’ve forgotten- t_thieler
Stay tuned to NEIYA site for details and updates!
Think ICE and LINE ‘EM UP!!
CIBC Iceboat Orienteering Event Tomorrow
At the southern end of Damariscotta Lake there will be an Iceboat Orienteering Event, organized by the CIBC- Sounds like an interesting idea and is open to all manner of craft- Skeeters, Whizzes, Skimmers, what have you!
Launch and skippers meeting will be at Vannah Rd, at 0930. Keep an eye on https://iceboat.me/
For details.
Sounds like a fun event and will look forward to hearing about it. Sounds like there will be something for everyone on Dammy this weekend!
DOC FELLOWS REGATTA ON FOR SATURDAY
OK Gang, it’s on….
The Doc Fellows Regatta is ON for Saturday, Feb 29 2020, maybe another regatta (Maine States?) Sunday. Sounds like Damariscotta Lake in Jefferson, ME is in decent shape.
Wind forecast is good for Saturday and a little more promising for Sunday. The ice looks decent, reports from the site give it a 6.5 out of ten. Not exactly miles of perfect black ice but let’s not let perfect be the enemy of good!
Temps will be in low 30’s during the day, with clouds on Saturday we should be able to sail pretty well. Sunday will bring sun so slush runners might be handy- Will be interesting to see what we can get away with!
Launch will be out of
Damariscotta Lake Farm
15 Bunker Hill Rd, Jefferson, ME 04348
Take Lake Farm Circle down to the beach to rig and launch, DO NOT drive on the grass! The folks at The Farm have been very iceboater-friendly and we don’t want to do anything to sour that relationship.
We can’t stay at The Farm but lodging available at the Senator Inn And Spa in Augusta about 30 minutes from the launch. Web site is here: https://www.senatorinn.com
Skippers Meeting Saturday AM at launch, 9:30 AM
First Race at 10:30 AM
Be sure to have your insurance with you!!! NO EXCEPTIONS
Regular iceboating rules apply- familiarize yourselves with them at
https://www.idniyra.org/racing/rules-safety/
NOTE- some iceboating Right Of Way rules differ from soft-water rules so read them closely-
IF three of any class show up and want to race they will get a start and races of their own- all welcome!
In the DN Class a Vintage / Classic trophy will be awarded to the boat and skipper that has a certain combo of age / wear and tear / battle scars / character / and results!
We are looking for volunteers to run and score races- earn some karma and volunteer!
If not no big deal, we can use the Maine system (Regatta Chair runs first race, from there on whoever wins a race gets to run and score the next one. Average points awarded for the races missed. I think. Will figure it out when the smart people get there)
Feel free to contact me with any questions or to let me know what I’ve forgotten- t_thieler
Stay tuned to NEIYA site for details and updates!
Think ICE and LINE ‘EM UP!!
Doc Fellows Roll Call…
Sounds like momentum is building for the Doc Fellows Regatta tomorrow- so far we know of four sailors on the way from Montreal, at least two from Kingston, four from RI, and who knows how many from everywhere else- looking forward to a good event(s)! See everyone tomorrow- the more the merrier-
Would love to have some help with RC and scoring duties- if you or someone you know wants to help out contact me at t_thieler@yahoo.com
Think ICE! See y’all tomorrow in Maine…
DOC FELLOWS REGATTA IS ON FOR SATURDAY!!
OK Gang, it’s on….
The Doc Fellows Regatta is ON for Saturday, maybe another regatta (Maine States?) Sunday. Sounds like Damariscotta Lake in Jefferson, ME is in decent shape.
Wind forecast is good for Saturday and a little more promising for Sunday. The ice looks decent, reports from the site give it a 6.5 out of ten. Not exactly miles of perfect black ice but let’s not let perfect be the enemy of good!
Temps will be in low 30’s during the day, with clouds on Saturday we should be able to sail pretty well. Sunday will bring sun so slush runners might be handy- Will be interesting to see what we can get away with!
Launch will be out of
Damariscotta Lake Farm
15 Bunker Hill Rd, Jefferson, ME 04348
Take Lake Farm Circle down to the beach to rig and launch, DO NOT drive on the grass! The folks at The Farm have been very iceboater-friendly and we don’t want to do anything to sour that relationship.
We can’t stay at The Farm but lodging available at the Senator Inn And Spa in Augusta about 30 minutes from the launch. Web site is here: https://www.senatorinn.com
Skippers Meeting Saturday AM at launch, 9:30 AM
First Race at 10:30 AM
Be sure to have your insurance with you!!! NO EXCEPTIONS
Regular iceboating rules apply- familiarize yourselves with them at
https://www.idniyra.org/racing/rules-safety/
NOTE- some iceboating Right Of Way rules differ from soft-water rules so read them closely-
IF three of any class show up and want to race they will get a start and races of their own- all welcome!
In the DN Class a Vintage / Classic trophy will be awarded to the boat and skipper that has a certain combo of age / wear and tear / battle scars / character / and results!
We are looking for volunteers to run and score races- earn some karma and volunteer!
If not no big deal, we can use the Maine system (Regatta Chair runs first race, from there on whoever wins a race gets to run and score the next one. Average points awarded for the races missed. I think. Will figure it out when the smart people get there)
Feel free to contact me with any questions or to let me know what I’ve forgotten- t_thieler@yahoo.com
Stay tuned to NEIYA site for details and updates!
Think ICE and LINE ‘EM UP!!
Atlas Obscura Ice Boating Article
Hey Gang- Check out this well written (if slightly depressing) article in Atlas Obscura….
The Bittersweet Thrill of Iceboating in a Warming World
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Sailing / Racing This Weekend….
Hello All-
Optimism reigns in our little world- It may be on the warm side here in RI but just a few miles to the north the forecast is for some very cold nights, could have things ready to go by the weekend, especially the latter part…
Could be Winni…. Could be Dammy…. Some lake just over the border….
IF we find sailable ice we are hoping to have a regatta (Doc Fellows? Easterns? Canadian Champs?) so stay tuned to this site for details and updates. And if you have ice for the love of God let us know at ice@neiya.org
Think ICE! T
Where It All Begins
IDNIYRA Secretary Deb Whitehorse is still in Europe, now reporting on the folks who are sailing the boats that started it all-
Click the link and get an idea of how this all started, how it looked, and the people who are keeping the tradition going. Think ICE!
https://www.iceboat.org/2020/02/27/where-it-all-began-part-one-the-club/
Fast Kids….
How long until we can send some NE kids to one of these things?
IDNIYRA Secretary Deb Whitehorse stayed in Sweden to cover the European Junior champs (rough duty but someone has to do it…)
She sends these reports and photos- both very worth a look!
https://www.idniyra.org/2020/02/17/2020-junior-ice-sailing-world-championship-day-1-pm-update/
https://www.idniyra.org/2020/02/18/2020-junior-ice-sailing-world-championship-day-2-pm-update/
https://www.idniyra.org/2020/02/19/2020-junior-ice-sailing-world-championship-day-3-pm-update/
Oh Canada! Sunshine, Smiles…Then Slush
Hi Everybody,
My boat and ribs are fixed from my little mishap on Lake Winnepeasauke…Late Saturday afternoon T and I were at Quaboag and heard there was ice to the north so we headed to Canada…Gorden from the Kingston Yacht Club found Consecon Lake in a little town called "Carrying Place" about an hour and half north of Kingston. When we arrived the ice was hard and fast with a wind of about 12 to start. Several folks from Kingston Yacht Club arrived including John Curtis and Peter van Rossom and Colin Duncan (he had just landed at 6 am that morning from a tropical paradise vacation in Cuba). Several others made a longer trek from Montreal to get in another day of sailing. Andre, Robyn, Jacek, and Nick.
We rigged and all of us were excited to scratch race. T suggested we do one lap races so that folks could make rig adjustments and see how those worked out. We all started on either port or starboard rather than split the fleet in half so we could all gauge our speed off the line as an entire group. Up at Lake Winnepeasauke the other week I didn’t feel like my mast was bending enough and I didn’t feel my runners were right based on the fast ice. Out at the North Americans, Chris Berger said if you want more mast mend one should raise the halyard. So, I did that and BOOM. My mast performed much better and in the bigger breeze I felt like my runners and boat hunkered down on the ice better. I am pleased to say I was really fast and at the top mark with all the guys. I finished in third in most of the races and I even won a race and took one off the current North American champ DN 5224.
The temperatures started to rise and the sun felt great, but the ice was getting very slushy. Once the wind died, if you lost speed you were done. I changed to a pair of slush runners. It was my first time using them. Although I lowered my halyard so the boat and runners would not compress down into the slush, I just could not maintain great speed. In my last race, I had to get out of boat and push a lot so my ribs started hurting. I knew to call it a day.
It was a super day of racing with our Canadian friends and there was lots of sharing information, boat swapping for races, and tips provided. But, the biggest take a way from the day and the weekend was the genuine interest by so many in sharing this sport with others and getting more people into ice boating…. On Saturday, T brought his older DN to Quaboag and my good friend, Marc, got to sail it all day. Marc is hooked and wants one. On Sunday, a guy that has a home on Lake Consecon and is a very competitive soft water sailor (he is bringing his boat and team to Newport this summer to compete in the J80 worlds) took out T’s old DN and yelled "Yahoo!" when he took off in the ice boat at a good pace and has already emailed T about getting a boat. Nick from Montreal shared his story of letting Robyn use his boat two years ago and Robyn immediately bought a boat and just finished 2nd at the New England Champs. Peter shared the story of how the Kingston Yacht Club started as an ice boating club decades ago, but no one had been ice boating for years. He and a friend bought an old DN and started to invite others to take 30 minutes turns on it. Then he bought another DN for $400 and more people came out to take turns. Ten years later, the club has 30 ice boaters and lots of boats.
And the same happened with me…over the years T would send an invite to go ice boating on his old DN. Two years ago, I took out his old DN on Wattupa Pond and look at me now. I am ridiculously into it, I think about how to get faster daily, and I travel everywhere for the chance to go ice boating. I hope we can all continue to share the sport and let others try it out. Keep sending invites out and if you have old boats bring them to the ice…
In the meantime, we are hopeful that conditions will allow for sailing in Maine this weekend. More soon.
Think Maine Ice,
Karen DN 5630
2020 IDNIYRA World Champ AMAZING Photos
Want to see what it’s like to travel from Montana to Sweden via Germany and back again?
Sean Heavey is a professional photographer, videographer, and artist who ran into the iceboat crowd when we invaded his town of Glascow, Montana for the 2020 DN NA champs. He did an amazing job out there (he is the real deal, not like the rest of us wanna-be photographers snapping away with our smartphones) and decided to follow it up by coming along with the group headed to Europe for the World Champs.
The result is an extraordinary account / travelogue of what a DN trip to Europe is like for a bunch of scruffy Americans- It also shows what an amazing two weeks you’ll have if you get kidnapped by Jorg Bohn and his unbelievably hospitable group of friends in northern Germany. Once you are in the care of Jorg, Ulrika, Torsten, Daggie, Stefan, Beatu, and the rest of the gang the fun doesn’t stop. We cannot thank all of them enough! Great food, great restaurants, great drinks, great scenery, great coffee, great stories, vans, ferries, possibly small planes, and even the occasional mishap. But hey, who said that “comedy is tragedy over time?” Mark Twain maybe? All good for a laugh a few hours or days later.
Oh yeah, there is a big regatta in there somewhere. Sean has photos of that too!
One of the great (do I need a thesaurus or what?) things about iceboating is all the characters you get to know- Sean is certainly one of them- Many thanks to him for pitching in with all the travel chores and being just as entertaining as the grizzled veterans in the group!
So with all that said check out Sean’s work here. Jorg is always reminding me to round up more Americans and bring them over for the Gold Cup and other regattas over there- Take a look at the photos here and give it some thought…. You won’t regret it!
Get a cup of coffee, a comfortable seat, a big screen, and enjoy the photos-
2020 IDNIYRA World Championship
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Quaboag Continues to Deliver
Bella Langley rips up Quaboag on Friday 2/21
Quaboag delivered one of the only games in town, it had a wonderfully smooth surface. There were a number of boats, multiple boarders, and wings, high tech and low rigs all sailing together. There was a huge range of experienced, new and newer sailors all doing what we love best. It was great to see Bill Converse one of our Sr members on the ice again. Boarders had a heavy presence and were ripping it up throughout the day.
Any info on happenings at Attitash? I have not heard but let me know how it went.
Credit John Stanton Quaboag 2/22/20
As we all know ice conditions change, sometimes rapidly. I sailed last week and until things were checked later in the week I was not sure whether the plate would be sailable again. We have the NEIYA organization the group of dedicated members and non-member ice enthusiasts to thank for finding and spreading the word.
Heros of Quaboag this week are Bob S. who spent several days in on and around Quaboag, the Langley family Brian Langley. After marking the hazards, Brian and his family sailed the less crowded non-weekend ice. Those marks served us all well on Saturday. Let me know how it went.
Cant see the images in your email check our website
During one of our on-ice NEIYA conversations, Karen Binder our secretary mentioned that she recognized and talked to a number of people on ice that were not members or had been members in good standing but for unknown reasons allowed their membership to lapse. Guilt trip warning. If we have helped you find and get on the ice then pay your dues, if we have helped you buy or sell boats or equipment then pay your dues, if you have participated in a NEIYA sanctioned event then please pay your dues. If you enjoy gathering with like-minded ice enthusiasts, then please pay your dues. Thanks for officially joining or renewing. Pay dues here or below
| Description | Price | |
| 2020 Membership | $30 |
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NEIYA burgees are available once again. Show your iceboating spirit fly it from your halyard in the pits or your car antenna in the parking lot. They are hand made right here in Guilford CT by the Sail Bag Lady and made to last in a stiff breeze and will be around a long time. They are priced at our cost which is $40.25. Purchase burgee
At this point, we need a melt and refreeze to happen. Looking like that could happen this week. Bill Buchholz will be keeping a keen eye on Maine and Lee, Charlie and Randy have an eye on the Winnipousaki region others sare watching Champlain. I don’t know where but we will be sailing again soon. Lead the way, we will follow.
Think Ice,
John
DN5023
john@neiya.org
P.S. Have any thoughts drop me a line.
This weekend 2/22 Sailing Opportunities
Photo Credit Jackie Mushinsky Spencer Cable Access – Quaboag Pond 2/16/20
As most of you know and previously reported on the CIBC site the northern parts of New England got more snow so they are out of play. Our search for that Goldilocks plate of ice has not materialized but there are options to feed the need.
Some people are going back to Quaboag today and tomorrow as well. There are a number of known and likely unknown hazzards. If you do not know exactly were they are do your own investigations to get familiar with the safe sailing arounds. Mind the open water it is out there. Note Sunday it will be warmer so tomorrow is the day.
Paul Delnero aka PAD has been sailing, and will be there Saturday, Lake Attitash in Merrimack Massachusetts was scouted and sailed yesterday. Grade 8 white ice of 4-5 in. All Drain holes completely healed. Launch at public boat ramp. Route 110 to Attitash Ave to parking area. This is a small lake but with not many other choices…
Could there be something out of Canada or Western NY? Maybe but reporting what I know for sure at this point.
In the mean time here are some images taken Jackie Mushinsky of Spencer Cable Access.
Sail Fast. Sail Safe during this time of seasonal transition and please be careful,
John
DN5023
john@neiya.org
P.S. if there is anything else to report after today we will post.
Racing / Sailing This Weekend?
Hello All-
We are getting some positive reports from the other side of the St Lawrence- Could be some racing up near Kingston this weekend, stay tuned! Details here as they emerge….
Seems that it has been chilly around New England, have to think that there will be some more local options as well- Again, stay tuned, more details here-
If you have an ice report or know a lake that has potential let us know! Sharing is everything….. Email ice@neiya.org if you have a report to share- Remember, playing with others is way more fun than playing with yourself!
Stay tuned and Think ICE!
President’s Day Cup – A First!
Hi Everyone,
Quaboag Pond sure does surprise us with ice sometimes…it hit 70 in Antarctica this week, no ice in almost all of Europe, flooding wet ice in Sweden, and nothing to the North of us.
And it was VERY good ice. I loved Bob’s statement, "When it’s the only ice, it’s a 10!" I also really appreciated Bob reporting on the ice Friday and re-confirming Saturday that conditions were good. We had ICE. We had wind!
Since T our race chair is still across the pond, I volunteered to run a regatta. Since both very experienced and brand new racers had a great time on Lake Winnepesaukee a few weeks ago, I wanted to keep the momentum and interest going. There was some back and forth on what to call this regatta and, ultimately, I said, "We will call it the President’s Day Regatta." Done.
We are challenged by Quaboag given it’s not the biggest pond out there, but I asked Eben to set the windmark and was glad when the wind shifted slightly to the right so we could get a bit longer course by moving the leeward mark a bit to the left… A smaller course made for more tacking, but that’s good practice too.
Running my first ice boating regatta for NEIYA, let’s say I got to feel…well…..very Presidential. The skipper meeting started on time, 11 skippers signed up to race, I announced racing would start at 10:30 am, and the flag dropped at 10:29.
My boat is out of commission and so are my ribs (long story), so I really enjoyed observing the racers’ style and techniques. Jeff Kent got faster and faster with each race stretching out his lead every leg and in every race. Three races, three bullets. He makes it look so easy!
Most of the tangling was between Bill (who sticks his leg out at the leeward mark rounding!?), Eben (who does the same!?), Matt Knowles (you should have stayed cause the wind came back), and Rick Bishop who much prefers bigger breeze. Scott Valentine was duking it out with returning racer Jack Ericcson…and a big sorry to Randy Rice who could not find the pond so he missed the first three races. Based on his other scores he would have been tops on the leader board…Lastly, congratulations to Ed Demerest in "Splinter DN/1914"…It’s an older boat and Ed is really getting good with his starts and seems to really enjoy this new thing called racing. Maybe he will find something at the next swap meet…
Jeff had his drone up for the 4th race and hopefully he will share some video of the racing…
We completed 7 races including a 45 minute break for lunch. I am not a tyrant…
Here are the scores.. And T is coming back tomorrow so I will graciously hand back the reigns of power. To all, thank you for letting me feel presidential yesterday.
Think more ice,
Karen Binder DN 5630
| President’s Cup | |||||||||||
| Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 | Race 4 | Race 5 | Race 6 | Race 7 | Total Score | With 1 Drop | Place | ||
| 3535 | Jeff Kent | 1 | 1 | 1 | DNS (12) | DNS (12) | DNS (12) | DNS (12) | 51 | 39 | 8 |
| 1914 | Ed Demerest | 8 | 10 | 10 | DNF (11) | DNF (11) | DNF (11) | DNF (11) | 72 | 61 | 11 |
| 5606 | Matt Knowles | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | DNS (12) | DNS (12) | DNS (12) | 42 | 35 | 7 |
| 3314 | Bill Bucholz | 2 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 13 | 1 |
| 3869 | Jack Ericson | 6 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 41 | 32 | 5 |
| 3947 | Scott Valentine | 5 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 37 | 29 | 4 |
| 4316 | Randall Rice | DNS (12) | DNS (12) | DNS (12) | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 47 | 35 | 6 |
| 4775 | Eben Whitcomb | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 25 | 18 | 2 |
| 5023 | John Stanton | 7 | 9 | 8 | DNF (11) | DNS (12) | DNS (12) | DNS (12) | 71 | 59 | 10 |
| 5540 | Rick Bishop | DNS (12) | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 33 | 21 | 3 |
| 5573 | Neal Fowler | DNS (12) | 6 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 52 | 40 | 9 |
| ??? | Spencer | DNS (12) | DNS (12) | DNS (12) | DNS (12) | DNF (11) | DNF (11) | DNF (11) |
Bob S. stated that the cruisers would all be mindful of the racing and that was really really appreciated. Thank you!
Quaboag Feb 16 Recap – Come Back Tomorrow…
There was racing but not the Doc Fellows we will be seeking a more suitable venue for that venerable event. Thanks to Karen Binder for taking on the race committee responsibilities. More on the races later.
Before I go on, as many will only be reading this to know if there will be sailing at Quaboag tomorrow. The answer is yes. Show up, have fun and report back.
I have been to Quaboag on a number of occasions but never noticed that it is literally just down the street from Podunk. I have sailed in some out of the way Podunk lakes and this really is not. Quaboag is an easy 15 minutes off of the Mass Pike or Interstate 84 near Sturbridge MA.
A good crowd of sailors, some arriving early and others trickling in later in the afternoon descended on Quaboag Pond in Brookfield, MA. We had about 30 boats mostly DNs but a number of Whizes or is it just Whiz like fish? Also a handful of J14s and an assortment of other crafts.
The ice was smooth and remained relatively hard throughout the day. The wind was 10mph with some decent gusts that made for some lively sailing. as the day. The wind died down a for a little while but cam back up.
All looks good for another day tomorrow. If you are just coming for the first time mind the open leads to the left of the ramp and set up on the beach to the right. As always inquire about current conditions before you set out and sail slow and heads up till you understand where the issues are.
I will be sitting tomorrow out but see you on the ice somewhere else soon,
John
DN5023
john@neiya.org
P.S. if you took pictures today or tomorrow send them my way so they can be shared.
Heading Home…
With the Euro Champs called off (dangerous ice, no time, no breeze…) we loaded up and hit the road south. Drove all day through Sweden, picked up a ferry in SW Sweden which will take us overnight to Germany. Saves a lot of driving.
Cool ferry- This bad boy is LARGE….
Here is nearly empty parking deck
One of the hallways
Some boat data
Cheesy decal in shop
Screen grab from my plotter app…
Half of the restauran
Sailors Returning to Quaboag & Doc Fellow Called On For Sunday…
Quaboag Pond Super smooth Surface – 2-15-20 Credit Mike Acebo
Seven boats sailed Quaboag today on a very smooth surface. There are a few open leads as well as some other hazards, some are marked. The area is not that large but should be plenty of space for cruising and racing.
Quaboag Pond, Brookfield, MA https://goo.gl/maps/LXKKs4PgatYfa7er8
We will be running the Doc Fellows with the Skipper’s meeting at 9:30.
Whether you come to race or cruise, come early or late, be sure to check with those who know the existing hazards and sail heads up till you understand where they are.
This has been a tough season and we don’t know how many more opportunities we will have, so load ’em up and see you tomorrow.
Sail Fast,
John
DN5023
John@neiya.org
2020 European Championship Cancelled – DN North America
Dang…
https://www.idniyra.org/2020/02/15/2020-european-championship-cancelled/
New England Ice Yacht Association 