Looks like the spectator boat is sold out for the AC World Series in NYC this weekend-

Good news is that Dave Clapp says you can still check the races out by taking the SeaStreak Ferry from either Highlands or Atlantic Highlands into Manhattan and watching from Battery Park or pretty much anywhere in the North Cove Marina area. There should be a good view from the beach as the race course will be in close to the waterfront- I think you can also get up close and personal with the boats and crews when they dock in at North Cove Marina. Click the link for complete info:

http://acws-newyork.americascup.com/en/news/179_Americas-Cup-Racing-to-Transform-Lower-Manhattan-and-Hudson-River-as-Iconic-Event-Returns-to-New-York-for-First-Time-in-96-Years.html

And don’t forget Saturday afternoon Dave will have any takers to the Red Bank Ice Yacht Club to hang out, check out the club, and have some food and drinks- Should be a good time!

I’ll be taking off by road from Newport RI early Saturday AM- Give me a shout if you are looking to carpool- Also send me an email at t_thieler@yahoo.com so we can get a head count- Stay tuned to this site for updates-

Hope to see everyone there! Cheers, T

James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840

401 258 6230
t_thieler

Hello All- this Saturday is the day! If you are interested be sure to click the link and get a ticket- After that send me an email at t_thieler@yahoo.com so we can get a bit of a head count for the get-together at the Red Bank Ice Yacht Club after the racing.

I’ll be driving down from Newport, most likely early Saturday AM- I have room for six passengers in the van so if you’d like to carpool email me! Can pick up as we roll down I-95.

Event info and links below- read on!

The America’s Cup World Series is coming to NYC on May 7-8!! All the teams will be racing on 48-foot foiling, wing-sailed catamarans. This is one of several lead-up events to the Cup itself- the points matter so this is no exhibition match, the teams will be out for blood and should good to watch- even though they don’t go as fast as iceboats. (Sorry, couldn’t resist….) Info here:
https://www.americascup.com/en/news/2137_Americas-Cup-Racing-Returns-to-New-York-for-First-Time-in-96-Years.html

More good news as our own Dave Clapp will be running a SeaStreak spectator boat- he tells me that the boat has a special VIP flag which will allow it to get a bit closer to the racecourse than other spectator boats, and you know if Dave is driving he will push it as close as possible. Plus tickets include an open bar, food, and hopefully plenty of other iceboaters to talk with! Promises to be an interesting day to say the least!

The boat will be leaving from either Atlantic Highlands or Highlands, NJ Won’t know until Thursday or Friday) near Red Bank. We are recommending that people try to make Saturday- Dave is making arrangements to have a get-together for everyone at the historic Red Bank Ice Boat And Yacht Club Saturday evening after the boat gets in. That should be really cool, I’ve heard that the clubhouse there is really something-

More details to follow but for now look for tickets at http://seastreak.com/tour-and-event-cruises/americas-cup-sailboat-races/

Hope to see everyone on the boat and/or at the RBIYBC Saturday night!

James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840

401 258 6230
t_thieler

While most of us are happy to buy the same sails used by the top of the DN fleet from a few of the usual suspects, one of our own Chad Atkins has been working directly with North Sails. Read all about it in his interview with North.

We’re all looking forward to seeing more development from Chad and North next season.

For a little less eye strain check here.  http://theneiya.org/north-sails-chad-atkins-interview/

Links to North Sails and Learn more about the new North Sails designs for the DN Iceboat.

On a sad note, Bob Baker from Sagamore Beach, MA passed away this week. Bob took to Ice Boating along with me when we saw them sailing on Great Herring Pond. We just had to get in on this great fun. The Ice Cats were going through trials and some DN’s were zipping around. Bob was such an artist and doer! Bob got out of the gate quickly, I had to save up to get a rig. Within a very short period of time, Bob and Mary got two old DN’s and a Pipe Boat/Sunfish from Lake Wequaquet, buffed ‘em up good, tricked out a trailer and came to the ice in great style. I got to know this extraordinary human being through Ice Boating and will take Bob’s spirit to the ice with me every time I sail. Bob and Mary, lifemates like no others I’ve ever met, logged plenty of days in their DN’s. Mary I hear was a Long Island Sound racer as a youngster, Bob was one of the original Surfers on the piers in Southern California and everywhere else in the world. He shaped many cutting edge small boards for surfers on the left coast. Bob was an inspiration and a great friend. I am going to miss zipping around on the ice with him.

Tom Clarke
Falmouth, MA

The year was 1986- The America’s Cup had left Newport, Rhode Island in September of ’83. Suddenly the whole world wanted to compete in Fremantle, Western Australia to try to win it from the Aussies.

The Twelve Meter World Champs were held on Gage Roads off of Fremantle in 1986- I think it may have been the biggest gathering of Twelves all on one course ever. Must have been a blast.

Anyway check out the attached photo- I’m guessing it was leg two of a race, the fleet reaching on starboard tack toward the gybe mark which is obscured by the spectators lining the railing in the foreground. Looks like good breeze, can only imagine a few of these fairly green teams had some carnage during the gybes…..

Must have been a blast! What does this have to do with iceboating? Must be a few iceboaters in the photo- The Canadians had a boat or two and I think HEART OF AMERICA was in there somewhere, skippered by one Buddy Melges, a Wisconsin resident known to have dabbled in ice yachts a bit….

Speaking of the America’s Cup, don’t forget the lead up races are coming to NYC and Dave Clapp will be driving a spectator boat- scroll down this page for info on how to get aboard and see the action!

Interesting article about sailing in PA- Anyone down there know anything about this?

Ice boat sailing made lake winters bearable

James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840

401 258 6230
t_thieler

The America’s Cup World Series is coming to NYC on May 7-8!! All the teams will be racing on 48-foot foiling, wing-sailed catamarans. This is one of several lead-up events to the Cup itself- the points matter so this is no exhibition match, the teams will be out for blood and should good to watch- even though they don’t go as fast as iceboats. (Sorry, couldn’t resist….) Info here:
https://www.americascup.com/en/news/2137_Americas-Cup-Racing-Returns-to-New-York-for-First-Time-in-96-Years.html

More good news as our own Dave Clapp will be running a SeaStreak spectator boat- he tells me that the boat has a special VIP flag which will allow it to get a bit closer to the racecourse than other spectator boats, and you know if Dave is driving he will push it as close as possible. Plus tickets include an open bar, food, and hopefully plenty of other iceboaters to talk with! Promises to be an interesting day to say the least!

The boat will be leaving from either Atlantic Highlands or Highlands, NJ near Red Bank. We are recommending that people try to make Saturday- Dave is making arrangements to have a get-together for everyone at the historic Red Bank Ice Boat And Yacht Club Saturday evening after the boat gets in. That should be really cool, I’ve heard that the clubhouse there is really something-

More details to follow but for now look for tickets at http://seastreak.com/tour-and-event-cruises/americas-cup-sailboat-races/

Hope to see everyone on the boat and/or at the RBIYBC Saturday night!

The Spring Meeting out on Long Island was a great event- Great food was served, drinks were served, and even a few blazers and jackets were worn!

This classy group assembled at the Harbor Crab Company in Patchogue and commandeered the top floor (or were exiled to it, depending on who you asked) and had a great time shooting the breeze, talking trash, and generally having a great time.

Scott Valentine talked a bit about the stuff he is building (he is on a mad tear in the shop) and his road trip out to Wisconsin for the North American Champs with Pete Treusdell. The accompanying video he shot is very well done and is up on the NEIYA and 4LIYC sites. Nice going Scott! Doug Hardy talked about his impromptu trip to NH last winter, and T Thieler talked too much about road trips and masts.

And of course there were some trophies to hand out to the worthy:

Chris Miller- Dave Weeks trophy for highest club member placement in the DN North Americans (He may have been top rookie out there as well- again, depends on who you ask- pat him on the back anyway, he did well)

Scott Valentine- Rich Crucet Award for person who most exemplifies Rich’s ideals and spirit (remind him to fix his port sidestay tang, it’s clearly mounted backwards in his video)

Rich Bautista- Rookie of the year award (great to have some new blood!)

And last but not least Doug Hardy received an award for being intrepid enough to blast up to Winni on a solo mission to get on the ice with the gang! (His recounting of the whole story had the whole place cracking up!)

Goes without saying that Rich Crucet was also fondly remembered. We miss you, man!

Thanks to all who organized the shindig- great time had by all- See everyone at the fall meeting! T

We at the NEIYA journalism department are working furiously on a hard-hitting, in depth report on the LRIBYC spring meeting which will be ready soon- but in the meantime

Scott Valentine and Pete Treusdell made the trip to WI for the DN NA champs last year and came home with lots of grins, some silver, and this cool video… Check it out!

DN North American 2016 – YouTube

Don’t forget gang- If anyone from the mainland wants to catch a lift from the Newport RI or Westbrook, CT area contact me or Eben Whitcomb respectively. Also give John Ziermann a shout and let him know you want to attend-
‘jzmann80’ via IceAlertLRIBYC <icealertlribyc@googlegroups.com

From John-

Time is short! Harbor Crab Co. restaurant needs to know how many to expect-

Please let me know if you are attending and how many sailors are in your
crew that are coming.

The LRIBYC Annual Dinner will be Sunday April 17, 2016.

Location: Harbor Crab Co.
116 Division Street, Patchogue, NY
631-687-CRAB(2722)
Time: 4-7pm

				Harbor Crab Co. | Restaurant & Marina | Patchogue, NYHarbor Crab Restaurant & Marina – Where the season never ends! Restaurant, Catering, Parties, Holidays.
				View on www.harborcrab.com	Preview by Yahoo

Price: $40/pp which includes choice of vegetarian,
sea food, and carving station, with dessert, coffee.
Tip included. Cash bar.

Please bring exact change for the dinner or a check made out to LRIBYC.

Thank You.

John Ziermann DN5426/Gambit/Treasurer

James “T” Thieler
12 Channing St.
Newport, RI 02840

401 258 6230
t_thieler

Now that ice season is officially done (unless the Maine-iacs and Canucks are still at it, which knowing that gang may very well be the case) I thought maybe this montage of photos from 12 Meter yacht era of the America’s Cup might be a good way to ease into the soft water season…

Don’t forget that just because it’s warm doesn’t mean we don’t need stuff to put up on the site- whatever you are up to this summer let us know, send in pics, vids, articles, whatever you have and if it is even (very) remotely connected to iceboating we will post it!

In the meantime have a look at these great photos-

12 meter

12 meter This video is about 12 meter

Congrats Bill!

2016 Warner St Claire Award for Contribution to Iceboating Winner

Posted on April 12, 2016 by NEIYA Admin See article on CIBC page https://iceboat.me/

Photo credit Kate Marone

I can not think of anyone who has contributed more to the CIBC and the sport of ice boating this past year and every year he has set blades to ice, than Bill Buchholz. The CIBC is proud to add his name to the Warner St. Claire Award for Contribution to Iceboating Award.

Bill’s coat tails are long and extend over all bodies of water (frozen) near, far and sometimes remote. His coat tails subtly draw the experienced and novice sailors onto the best ice. If Bill isn’t sailing, you can be sure that no one else in Maine and likely the northeast is on the ice.

During his leadership of Chickawaukee Ice Boaters Inc. Bill Buchholz has done all sorts of things such as collaborating in the design of the “Whizz” class of pocket skeeters and having plans drawn up for same, providing masts for several of them and, not least, demonstrating what a fine ice yacht it is in all regards. He continues to dig old classic boats out of the woodwork, resuscitate them, and find homes for them. He is a champion of “touring” ice boating opening our eyes to new ice and getting many of us off our duffs sailing all over the place where we haven’t been before. He has formed sailing relationships with our Northern neighbors in Canada. He has this strange winter turned a crummy local season into a continuing series of interesting and challenging sailing experiences. He has broadened our horizons and concepts of “touring”, adding adventure such as the trips to Moosehead and the recent “100mile race” to our former casual sailing. Now he is trying to get land sailing going in the “off season”. He has done a fine job of keeping “iceboat.me” timely and interesting with almost real time reporting and fine photography. He is a fine imaginative and inspiring leader truly deserving of the recognition of the award.

Bill, thanks for making this years Warner St. Claire award such an easy choice. We all look forward to next and the following seasons with you.

Chickawaukee Ice Boat Club membership at large.