The Don "Doc" Fellows regatta is scheduled to be held this weekend. Given the weather this week it doesn’t look like we will be able to identify possible venues until Thursday. So if it happens it will be a late call. Keep the reports coming in and your fingers crossed.

Stay Tuned.

Oliver Moore
US 5469
NEIYA Regatta Chair

Hey Folks- if you’re itching to do some racing and don’t mind a little driving consider the Western Regional Champs, called on for Madison WI this weekend- see the IDNIYRA site for details-

http://na.idniyra.org/

New Year’s Greetings to all,

I learned years ago that ice boating is mostly anticipation, preparation and travel. Oh, did I forget patience? Maybe the most important iceboating attribute. To help pass the time till we are together on the ice somewhere. I borrowed some diversions from the Lake Ronkonkoma Guys of Long Island. Not Ronkonkoma Lake as they would say in Maine. Thanks for sharing.

John
DN5023

Hope this year brings a late spring, early fall, and lots of snow-free ice for everyone!

Wishing everyone all the best in the new year.

By the way, check the CIBC site, the Maine gang has good things to say about Dammy…..

Think Ice!!

Wishing everyone a good holiday- Hope everyone gets all the gear they want and we all get some good ice to use it on!

And thanks to Hank Kaiser for the reminder to be safe- Think Ice and Happy Holidays!

Looks like Bantam delivered as well- Joe Roesler sends the photo of this bad-boy….

Stay tuned to the Wiggio and LRIYBC ice reporting pages for info!

Awesome early Christmas on Quaboag yesterday as eight DN’s (six modern, two vintage) and a batwing spent the day tearing it up on 4″-5″ of grade 9 ice. No hazards found, only a few ice fishermen off to the side. One of them caught a 7 lb largemouth bass- not a bad day for those guys either!

The one and only Jeff Kent was out doing recon and coaching the group. Good breeze all day, rigs bent, we must have done ten races. Not bad….

Great sailing, hopefully that plate will survive the holidays.

Speaking of the holidays, hope everyone has a great one and will see everyone as soon as possible out on the ice as soon as the festivities are out of the way!

Think ICE….

The LI gang have been at it again- The seeding of Lake Ronkonkoma is complete….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf0TgkTLuhM

Not sure if it’s produced ice out there yet but Quaboag Pond in Brookfield, MA was certainly in good shape- plenty of boats cruising and racing yesterday, will see what the weather brings over the next few days but stay tuned, I’m sure there will be sailing somewhere- maybe even a regatta before the year is out!

In the meantime happy holidays and Think ICE!

James “T” Thieler

Like Victor Hugo, we all have Winter in our heads and hearts for most of the year. Since today is the Winter Solstice, these sentiments are even stronger. Stronger as we eye our friends in Maine sail today, stronger as there is sailing in MA this past week and stronger as we make plans to to sail that fit into our work, family and holiday commitments. Will relatives and loved ones understand if I bail on festivities to sail? Only one way to find out but it would be prudent to bank for a later time.

Weather is coming so keep a keen eye here, with our friends in Maine at the CIBC and the NEIYA email ice reports. All NEIYA members and special guests should be receiving Ice Report emails at this point. If you have not, please email me directly. I know of one email deliverability issue that is being addressed.

A couple people have asked how the email forwarder works. Well not much instruction needed. Just hit the reply button in your mail to reply the full group. If you want to send a message to just the sender go to the bottom look for and click “To reply to the group mailing list, |Reply to only the sender”   or if more comfortable just look to see who was the actual sender of the email. Starting after Christmas Rick Bishop, myself, Oliver Moore and others, as the moments arise, will poll the group with an email. The rest is up to you. Reply with conditions, use to hook up with sailing partners or other relevant information. Please no cat or golfer pictures unless either of them are on the ice.

Think Ice,

John Stanton
john@neiya.org

For those of us who got out on Quabog or Plymouth the bug has bit all over again…. This warm weather ain’t helping but if you are really jones-ing you can head to Thunder Bay, Ontario. Only about a 26 hour trip each way but man does that ice look worth it!

Thanks to Mike Madge for sending the photo- Boat looks great Mike!

Getting cold soon, our turn is coming…. Stay tuned!

New Post on the CIBC Site- see below or click here: https://iceboat.me/

Big news from the IDNIYRA:

We are happy to announce that we’ve opened a DN North American store through Cafe Press where you can buy DN branded gear. Our first offerings are a sweatshirt and long sleeved shirt with the 2017 Worlds logo on the pocket area in either gray or white.

Click the link and take a look at the big announcement on the IDNIYRA website:
http://na.idniyra.org/2016/12/13/worlds-regatta-shirts/