Finishing my coffee and checking today’s forecast, I shivered a bit and decided to give my bones another day of rest after last weekend. Predicted 20+mph winds and temps in the teens just doesn’t have the draw it did twenty years ago. Although the last Hardway had gusts to 35, I think I’ll wait a day or two. Thus time to post my ramblings.
My dad always urged me to try everything I had the chance to. He made sure our family travel by car, trains, busses and planes just to have the experience. As a kid sledding, ice skating, and skiing were a standard part of us kids growing up. We even had cross country skis in the 1960’s! Financially we were limited, but what we had gave us many enjoyable days.
When dad fashioned our first ice boat, it was an eclectic mix with as many home made parts as he could craft. My mother even helped by sewing the sail, although flat and wrinkly, it sufficed. The old straight stitch Singer got a workout on that one. It took several attempts and a decent breeze to meet with success, but yes it sailed.
Fast forward 20 years and my move to Wolfeboro, with my teaching career started, house building started, and of course family started, the flames of Iceboating were rekindled as I saw locals zipping about. The old boat was revived with a new DN fuselage and runner plank, ok I used the old plans from the 1960’s still. But I was back on the ice.
Two years later I built a modern DN and I could keep up with the Jones and sometimes even pass them. My wife picked up an older DN that I fine tuned as best as I could and she was happy. As the children grew, sidecars were added to save daycare costs. Next came a Gambit that could take one adult and 2 small passengers. As the children grew, they were itching for their own ride. ( long before ice opties.) At one of the NEIYA swaps there was this tubular monstrosity up for silent auction. With a $25 dollar bid I ended up with the Ice Beetle. Triangle sail, canvas platform, rope steering and the ability to hold 4 small bodies. Top speed, maybe 20 mph. But fun and safe for the little ones. Next step I figured would be a new design 2 seater trainer know as the TN 50. Enough said on that design, but I built one and sailed it until the plank snapped and body rotted out. I saved the hardware just in case something else could be built.
After a couple Winni Frolics, I became smitten with the big lumbering stern steerers from the Hudson River group. A friend of mine called one evening and said he had a free boat for me but we have to get it immediately. ( Some vague rumor of a divorce of something.) Thus I had my very own 26’ stern steerers called “Boreas”. After a year of rehabbing the twisted beam, checked mast, dull runners, new rigging, and varnish where paint had been, she made it to the ice. After a half dozen trips or so, the family would groan whenever I talked about setting it up. I’ll admit without a team, it was tough. It still sails though down on the Hudson where it is happy. I thought I could piece together a Madison style boat using the parts of the TN 50 that had met its demise. So I crafted a little 12 footer to play with. I worked but not like I hoped. Sold it at the NHBM auction to some young guys to play with. Fate is unknown at this point.
As I was aging by this time and I thought, “wouldn’t it be nice to sit in a nice warm cockpit.” I’d been eyeing Renegades, but they seemed a little too much. Creative locals came up with the BDX design and thus the Red Baron was created, complete with Snoopy and bullet hole decal’s courtesy of my wife. I will admit it was cozy and I liked the foot steering and two hands on the sheet. I did take a little more effort to pop out of it at the end of the day.
So now I take a step backwards as very kind soul said, “ Have I got a deal for you! “ Based on my email, Boataddict, you know I should have run far and fast, but no I just couldn’t resist. Besides who can say no to a gaff rig? Thus Cyclone made its way into my heart. A new backbone and standing rigging with a fresh coat of varnish and I was back to the ice with another stern steerer. Need some more time at the tiller but I think she’ll do just fine.
Now you may think that it should end here, but as the title says, variety is the spice of life. My wife was itching to get a small boat she easily set up and play on. A summer sailing friend had just picked up a Skimmer and Ann thought she could use some company. So we found one at the swap, serviceable but she wanted it purty. Powder coating is very cool I’ll admit. So silly me thinks well if it’s just her sailing, my DN or BDX will be miles away in no time. So for safety’s sake I should probably have one too as her wing man. I suppose there are worse things to be addicted to and yes I now have my own skimmer which was a hoot sailing on a small lake all last weekend.
If you’ve been counting you’ll see that this body has been in quite a few different crafts. I would even begin with the soft water fleet. I may even have the opportunity for a closed skeeter someday and if conditions are right, I’ll add that to my list. Although I will say some have given me more enjoyment than others, they were all fun to play with.
I’ll end this lengthy post saying that I’m a jack of all trades, master of none, but feel I have grown with each different craft I have sailed. I have only been in one race, DN, and find I definitely need some coaching in that area. Maybe the septuagenarian vintage regatta will happen with a handicapping system that will place me in the middle of the pack and my racing skills will I prove. In the mean time, those plans I have for a Whizz keep ending up on the work table and perhaps it might end up as part of my Viking funeral.
Safe smooth ice and fair winds to you all.
New England Ice Yacht Association 