DN CLASS RANKINGS ARE IN!
Hey Folks-
Hope all are getting through the dog days of summer and using the time to get the gear tuned up and the neck muscles moving!
Won’t be long now until we see frost on the pumpkin- You can while away the time by checking out the latest DN Class Ranking List.
2024 International Ranking List Published – DN North America (idniyra.org)
|
See where you are, where your friends and rivals are, and maybe draw some inspiration and set some goals for this season!
I know it’s still August but THINK ICE!
T Thieler, DN US 5224
DN Class Ballot
Hey Folks-
If you are DN Class member be sure to vote on the latest ballot- only takes a few minutes to get familiar with the items and cast your voice heard.
Vote early and often!
Notice of Electronic Ballot – DN North America (idniyra.org)
RUNNER TRACKS!
It may be June but the hard-water world is still out there waiting…. Pass the time with the latest Runner Tracks!
See it online or custom order a paper copy- And congrats to cover boy Jost Kolb!
Runner Tracks – DN North America (idniyra.org)
|
Buddy Melges – Sail On
Hey Folks- Sad to say another legend has gone over the bar…. Raise a glass and toast a life well lived!
Sail on Buddy- I don’t know how the hell you did it, but you sure as hell did!
One of my favorite “Buddy Moments” was during the 1987 America’s Cup in a Fremantle, Australia.
A reporter was asking him what is was like to drive a highly tuned, thoroughbred racing machine like a 12 Meter…. obviously looking for a response along the lines of “Well you’re on the edge the whole time…. One wrong twitch and it’s disaster, have to be afraid to panic etc….”
Buddy just shrugged his shoulders, grinned ever so slightly and said “Well, it’s like drivin’ a truck.”
The reporter was slack-jawed.
Classic!
More here….
https://www.iceboat.org/2023/05/18/buddy-melges-fair-winds-endless-black-ice/
Buddy Melges Documentary Premiering at the CT Spring Boat Show April 29th
Hey Folks-
If you have some time this Saturday and want to learn about a true legend make your way to the CT Spring Boat Show and catch this biography of the one and only Buddy Melges!
This guy has done it all- He has won Olympic Gold, the America’s Cup, Star World Championships, a ton of Scow championships, and a metric ton of iceboat regattas. Just amazing. Obviously and real competitor and by all accounts a good guy to boot!
Learn more about the man at the premier. If you can’t make it we will try to find out where we can all see it later on.
Think ICE!
April 29
|
Virtual Iceboating Lecture Sunday April 30th !!
Hey Folks!
The season may be in the books but there is plenty to keep us all interested here-
Hosted by Henry Bossett and Deb Whitehorse, this promises to be a real treat for racing and cruising fans alike.
Click the link to have a look and register- Look forward to comparing notes with everyone afterward.
Think ICE!
Virtual Lecture “The Exciting World of Iceboating” April 30 – iceboat.org
Maine Again?
Hey Folks-
Sounds like last weekend was good up at Moosehead Lake- the ice was solid and there was plenty of it, vertically and especially horizontally!
Could be in play this weekend too- great excuse to blow off Easter and tax deadlines and do something fun-
Keep an eye on the CIBC website for details- Here is the latest:
Great forecast, conditions getting better by the day. It’s a sweet bone tossed out by Mother Nature for we iceboaters. It was a challenging season; the least she could do is give us back to back weekends on The Big Ice.
We have six skippers own board so far. Just use the comment thing below to check in if you are coming.
The goal will be to circumnavigate Sugar Island, which we did successfully last year. Iceboater’s Banquet at Kellys Landing Saturday night!
Launch at Greenville Junction public landing.
Last Opportunities of the Season are Upon Us
No secret we are getting to the end but I know people are still itching for one more day on the ice.
The CIBC recently updated their Pushaw lake potential to a NO but still believe Moosehead has possibilities in a couple days. If it is sailable I know the guys in Maine will find a way to make it happen and throw out the welcome mat.
Our Iceboating friends to the north are very hopeful for sailing outside Montreal.
Bertold Park in Baie d’Urfé, Quebec, just outside Montreal. It has a big parking lot with good ice access and is situated next to the Baie d’Urfé Yacht Club. This plate will be checked again tomorrow.
Both potential venues will be checked out over the next couple of days, and we will report back.
If you are looking for an ice adventure that is not sailing there is a world record attempt going on right now on Long Lake, Maine north of Caribou and Loring AFB (former) home of the Northeast’s biggest landsailing venue and regattas. There will be more Loring info in the next few weeks.
The Northern Maine Ice Busters group is currently attempting to construct the World’s Largest Ice Carousel. Finland currently holds the record at 1,692 feet (516 meters). The Ice Busters are aiming for an independence-like record of 1776 feet (541.3 meters). This should be quite a spectacle and not something one sees very often. Check out coverage of the attempt https://www.facebook.com/NMIB21
We will have our usual call at 6:30 tonight and maybe our last to discuss any breaking news, details, etc. The call may spawn a caravan to Montreal or Northern Maine.
Think Ice,
John
DN5023
John@neiya.org
Better Iceboating Opportunities Through Chemistry
Does anyone know where we might be able to get 900 million gallons of heavy water? It freezes at 39 degrees Fahrenheit and would be enough to fill a 500-acre pond to about five feet deep. That would surely extend our season on both ends. Start working on your deuterium-based steel runners for peak performance.
Spring is only days old and we are looking to make the most of it with some sailing. Some of the best iceboating days I have had over the years have been in spring-like or officially spring days.
After last week’s great Pushaw turnout and the CIBC’s successful completion of the Century Race (100 miles), the next venue rumors are again flying about where the next sailing opportunity will be. Moosehead Lake in Maine as well as locations in the greater Montreal area. The Canadian locations are typically just north of the St Lawrence River. Even though you will need a passport it is not that far and for some of us closer than domestic options.
Note, the above are just rumors at this point and will need to be confirmed over the next couple of days.
Don’t put your gear away just yet, as there is more hardwater sailing to be had.
Our regular call will be at 6:30 tonight. Not sure we will have any definitive weekend plans but show up to discuss.
Think Ice and Sail Fast,
John
DN5023
john@neiya.org
Spring ICE!
Hey Folks-
Don’t throw the towel in just yet-
As you may have heard Pushaw was in fine form last weekend and we are hearing rumors of the ice hanging in there around Kingston / Montreal, Pushaw Lake and also Moosehead Lake a little further north up in Maine.
Don’t forget that we sailed Moosehead in early April last year… It was a blast! So get your taxes done, keep the boats loaded and ready, and stay tuned to this site (and the CIBC site at Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club) for the latest info.
Could be cruising, another Century Race, scratch racing, or even a regional regatta. You never know!
Think Ice and stay tuned…. T
Century Race!
Hey Folks-
Last Monday several sailors were able to complete a 100 Mile race up at Pushaw Lake in Maine.
Looked like a good day for it- good breeze, hard ice and a big lake….
While I didn’t participate I did pick up at least one tip for anyone trying this; Make sure to have a reliable way to count the laps! When each lap is over 12 miles it’s easy to lose count!
In any case congrats to all the finishers, especially the folks in the smaller boats. Well done!
Check out the video here: Thanks to Herb Crosby.
Century Ice Boat Race – YouTube
|
Opportunity Whispers From The Pine Tree State
It’s been quite a while, since I have been able to press fingers to keys with something hopeful. Well, there is a whisper coming out of the PIne Tree State. Bill Bichholz has reported potentially favorable conditions on Pushaw Lake. That name has been tossed around over the last few weeks during our open weekly discussions and reported on both here and on the Chickawaukie site.
At this point one should read what Bill’s condition report on Pushaw. I know that sometimes the best ice times, like skiing, are often the first tracks. Taking a chance and being rewarded is a rewarding and unique natural sailing experience.
Check out the Pushaw Report: ON post and decide if and when you want to travel North. More updates promised so check iceboat.me for the latest, including where people are considering staying.
Think Ice,
John
DN5023
john@neiya.org
Ice Opporutnities Down The Road
Typically the news of a winter storm is exciting, as they are all part of the winter experience and contribute to the freeze cycles of our lakes. The snow is for skiing, but we have not gotten in much local sailing this season.
Our ongoing mantra, “we are not done yet” or “I am not done yet” continues to ring. Black Ice prospects are gone, but there is some grey ice, in our near future.
According to fresh local intel, only a few inches of the white stuff fell on lakes surrounding Bangor. Purshaw Lake is often a first-ice mecca. The lake is outside Old Town, Maine home of Old Town Canoe. I stopped by to visit my canoe’s birthplace the last time I was there. I was not the only tourist doing the same thing and bet many readers of this piece have a canoe or two of the same heritage.
Why is this important? Looking across and a little outside our region the potential sweet spots look to be around Bangor and perhaps Pushaw in a few days. This is outside many people usual travel zones but this year has been a challenge and iceboat fever is raging.
Block some travel time, coordinate with travel partner(s), and stand at the ready for the call. It will likely be last minute and any day of the week, so have your travel bag ready.
We will again gather on the phone to help coordinate our next ice pilgrimage.
Think Ice,
John
DN5023
john@neiya.org
The Season is Not Over Yet
Greetings all. Even though many of our usual haunts are in liquid, slush, or in the snowed-in state the season is not over just yet and we continue to keep our eyes on venues to the north.
No current prospects at the moment but keep your gear ready to load up and hit the road.
The Lord of the Ice is keeping a watchful eye and looking to welcome us back to sailing.
There will be a call tonight for anyone who wants to attend at 5:30 pm the usual number.
Keep the faith and Think Ice,
John
DN5023
John@neiya.org
Sailing Museum Newport – Iceboating Lecture Friday (3/10)
All,
There is an iceboating lecture at The Sailing Museum in Newport, RI this Friday. The lecture is in support of Don Sanford’s book On The Lake about lake Mendota. Mendota is the quintessential iceboating lake featured in many iceboating images complete with the Wisconson State Capital on the south shore. lecture details https://thesailingmuseum.org/expert-in-the-museum-series-iceboating-with-don-sanford/
Expert in The Museum Series
Join us Friday, March 10th from 1-4 and Meet Iceboating Expert Don Sanford!
Visit The Sailing Museum on Friday, March 10th between 1-4 PM and hear about the thrills of hardwater sailing from avid iceboater and local legend, Don Sanford!
About The Expert:
Don Sanford grew up in Syracuse NY. His summers were spent at the family camp on nearby Cazenovia Lake where he first developed his interest in boats and social history. Don has a degree communications studies from the State University of New York at Oswego and a M.S. from Syracuse University in radio, television, and film. He moved with his wife Barb to Madison, WI in 1976 to take a job as a production manager with Wisconsin Public Television.
A sailor and iceboater, Don spends his free time racing sailboats and iceboats in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. He is a member of the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club, past commodore of the Mendota Yacht Club, the International Nite Ice Yacht Class Association and the International Skeeter Iceboat Association.
His book, On Fourth Lake: A Social History of Lake Mendota tells the story of the people, places, and events that have shaped the lakeshore as we know it today. Published in 2015 it combines social, geological, technological, cultural, maritime and economic history in 340 illustrated pages.
Think Ice,
John
DN5023
John@neiya.org
P.S. Let me know how it was if you go.
Waiting For The Thaw/Freeze Cycle
With our recent snowfall, the scent of winter has returned, at least to the more southern parts of New England. I grew up in the NY Metro area, where people typically wouldn’t think about winter sports until there was local snow on the ground, even though winter was in full swing in the Adirondack, Green, and White Mountain areas. That being said, it is still cold up north, and our ice lies beneath the snow. The ice is just waiting to be exposed, resurfaced, and ready for us to sail.
Unfortunately, no matter which direction you look, there is no known ice to play on, at the moment. Even our most hardened hodophiles are staying put and tending to their equipment, shifting to snow sports, or catching up on things that need doing for the weekend.
It has been a challenging winter, but we are NOT DONE YET. Remember, late winter storms happen, and we usually return to our lakes after a thaw and freeze cycle.
Stay tuned, we are watching for the thaw which will come soon.
Our regular ice chat will take place tonight at 6:30 pm as usual. Reach out to me if you have a specific topic, or just come on and bring it up yourself. Email me if you have forgotten the #.
Think Ice,
John
DN5023
John@neiya.org
After Storm Look
As hyped over the past week and seen in the NOAA snowfall graphic, the snow did come and has exited or will exit soon. The system has left a mess in its wake and covered up the ice we had been playing on or intend to use soon.
All is not lost. Remember snow blocks and or reflects UV radiation preserving the ice below for another day. Also, a potential snow slushy freeze-up has been reported on Winni but the snow needs to stop and more freeze time needs to pass before any verification can be made.
NOAA data aside how much snow did you get? Chime in with location and depth measurements.
Take the snowfall survey below or better yet dial in 6:30 pm tonight and let us know what you got along with some encouraging words from others eagerly waiting for sailable ice NEIYA members. Talk at 6:30 tonight
Think Ice,
John
DN5023
John@neiya.org
NEIYA East / West Weekend Split
Pesidents Day weekend saw NEIYA members congregating in the east (Jefferson & Camden Maine) and to the west just outside of New England in the Attarondacks on Schroon Lake, NY.
It was all DNs with a heavy concentration of racers ushered in by Race Chair T with an assist from our secretary Binder. Multiple scratch races were held in a flaky breeze that filled in towards the end of the day. the last couple of starts had some rather lively gusts that pegged the fun meter and kept us on our toes. Remember you do not have to be nationally ranked, to sail with or near the DN race crowd. All Sailing takes a lifetime to master and we can all use a few go-fast tuning and boat handling tips. So don’t be shy sharing knowledge is built into iceboating at all levels. As the cover photo shows, most of us sailed till the sun touched the trees on the western shore. A great time was had by all.
Thanks to the Lake Saratoga iceboat group for drawing us all west.
As previously reported there was sailing in Maine On Damariscotta and Maguntacook let by Bill Buchholz. Since I didn’t get to Maine, catch up on happenings at iceboat.me.
There may have been some additional ice in the region but it was not thoroughly scouted and with the limited resource, we all congregated where we did. This is a reminder that we need human intel. Satellite images are nice but skilled scouting is a must before we draw people together to sail.
But for the incoming white stuff we are seeing some good prospects for the weekend. Just need to see what this system brings.
Remember our weekly conference call is Thursday 6:30 pm. Not sure any weekend call can be made at that time but at least we can get a baseline of how things looked before the white stuff started dropping.
Think Ice and Sail Fast,
John
DN5023
John@neiya.org
ICE!
Hey Folks-
Getting some good intel for anyone that wants to get on the ice Sunday;
Schroon Lake in NY was sailed today and preliminary reports are that there’s a good sized, sail-able plate. There will be enough DNs there Sunday for some scratch racing. Launch at 40 Dock St, Schroon Lake NY. at https://maps.apple.com/?address=Dock%20St,%20Schroon%20Lake,%20NY%20%2012870,%20United%20States&ll=43.834927,-73.760477&q=Dock%20St&t=m
Also getting reports that Damariscotta was good but was suffering from a lack of breeze…. Check CIBC website for details.
If you want to venture further north Colonel By Lake just north of Kingston was sailed today and was rated a 6-7. Not sure where launch is, but stay tuned here to find out.
As always exercise tremendous caution as the ice is less trustworthy as we get into the tail end of February. Talk w locals and people who have sailed there recently before heading out. Wear your picks and spikes and NEVER sail alone.
Sail safe tomorrow!
T
Weekend Options
OK, so no racing on Hay Bay.
BUT there are options around the area; Be advised that all of this ice has been subjected to warm temps and possibly precipitation so be extra cautious if you do venture out. Wear your spikes and picks, don’t sail alone, have safety gear, talk with locals about hazards, stay in one area etc…
Option 1 is Hay Bay. It will be scouted again tomorrow. Low temps tonight could make it sailable. Stay tuned to this site for details.
Option 2 is Maine. Keep an eye on the CIBC site for what is cooking up there. Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club
Option 3 is NY. Here is the only report I have from the Central NY gang; this ice will be scouted and hopefully sailed tomorrow. Be extra cautious as there are some hazards and thin areas….Schroon Lake DEC launch in Village behind Stewart’s
10″ ice. Top 1/2″ already refrozen, another 1/2-1″ slush, then granular black ice(not as porous as Great Sacondaga Lake but some)
Talked to ice fishermen – 4 wheeler broke thru near shore in front of pink camp (red X on map) they reported a fisherman farther south reported 4″ black ice
Some water at ramp on ice but also have ice bridges for access.
Stream inlet just south of ramp is cutting ice out from shore a little way. Can easily stay away from it.
Going to be colder at Schroon (25 deg at 4:30) than GSL. I think we should sail Schroon tomorrow. Parking curbside, also a lot available for trailers
Be safe, send reports, Think ICE
Canada Postponed….
This in from Kingston/Montreal…
Hello All,
Bad news. Upon sailing at Hay Bay, Peter went thru the ice on a snow patch. Looking at the photo he sent, there are other snow patches. Since we cannot know if this an isolated incident or there are other weak spots,
WE ARE HEREBY POSTPONING the regatta to a later date .
Any sailing there is very risky until more is known on the situation in general.
Please advise your respective groups.
Cheers,
André
CANADA UPDATE: Hold your horses….
Mother Nature being cruel again- some hazards have been found at the lake and the ice may not be Regatta-worthy after all. Dang.
Final decision coming within an hour. Scouts are still out looking.
Hope for the best….
Racing In Canada Update
The latest from the gang up in Kingston:
Good Afternoon All,
Peter van Rossem just called me after inspecting the ice this morning at Hay Bay.
The report is positive. The Kingston gang will definitely sail there this weekend.
The issue is whether or not it is a regatta as we are very short notice on getting volunteers. Montreal had them lined up but none can come to Napanee for the weekend.
Here is the Plan:
We are putting out this call for volunteers. Maybe you are a racer and can bring a friend. Maybe you are just someone whop follows this page and wants to see a regatta in action.
We need you to help find 3 volunteers to do the scoring and starting
Starting = raising the start flag and dropping it
Scoring = writting down sail numbers on a clip board as they pass the leeward mark and at the finish line (same location but we keep track of rounding position for each leg)
The racers will be called upon to help set marks and move teh starting line if required.
If we can find 3 volunteers by 2 pm we will call on the Canadian Championships if not it will be King of the Universe.
Ice Report:
Peter reported a minimum of 8 inches of black ice. The surface is level but not entirely smooth. Meaning that in the areas where there is texture to the ice there are depressions. He indicated thgat they are quite close together so that a 36” runner would touch in 7-10 places. He did not sail he ice so he is not certain how much rattling this will cause but rated teh ice as being from a 6- 8. If the surface texture leads to a lot of vibration a 6 and if the runners provide a smooth ride and 8.
Please let us know if you want to volunteer or can bring a volunteer.
Launch site is the boat ramp at Cuthill Lane south of Napanee. Please do not park on the ramp. Google Maps
|
zoz
RACING IN CANADA THIS WEEKEND- Volunteers Needed!!
Hey Folks-
Looks like we are going to give it a shot this weekend- Hay Bay near Kingston Ontario has been checked and cleared. Not perfect ice but certainly regatta-worthy!
IF we can get a few volunteers to keep score and drop flags we can call it the Canadian Champs; if not it will just be a great weekend of big-time scratch racing.
So if you know someone who would be ready willing and able to get dragged over the border and onto the ice for the weekend throw them in the car and let me know so I can tell the powers that be up there….
Stay tuned for details- all I have for now is the launch is at Hay Bay at the end of Cuthill Road (I think).
Think Ice- Load ’em up! T
New England Ice Yacht Association 