People often ask me, with a disbelieving look, where can one ice boat. The short answer is, anywhere there is suitable ice.

In that “anywhere” category is this story and video by The Inquirer and Mirror of Nantucket. A publication that has been in continuous existence since 1821. Yes, Nantucket home to sea fairing legends and reality. The fabled whaling port and home of the whaling ship Essex. If you have not read In the Heart of the Sea, put it on your list.

Thanks to local Tim Reinemo for sending article and video.

The Inquirer and Mirror
@InkyM
newsroom@inkym.com

(Feb. 17, 2016) As temperatures dropped into the single digits and below earlier this week, some Nantucketers broke out their ice boats and took to Nantucket’s ponds on Sunday. Monday was equally cold, but there was no wind. Inquirer and Mirror photographer shot this short video of the cold-weather action.

Think Ice — Look North to Maine and the CIBC http://iceboat.me for safe sailable ice.

John
DN 5023
john@neiya.org

Ice wisdom says there is always thin ice someplace — but remember the corollary there is sailable ice out there as well.

Several sailors from the NEIYA, Long Island and a stray from the Hudson Valley, sailed Mallets Bay in Colchester, VT Sunday. They were stragglers from the abandoned New England Championships but walked off the ice knowing those that didn’t come missed out on a fine piece of ice.

Those fleeing the wet ice of Mallets were in transit to  the NA’s in Madison and passing through a new region of the mid-west “Equatorial Chicago”, with their AC blasting.

Back at Mallets condition briefings were given by area local experts Bob’s Dill and Schumacher and Paul Gervais. The plate was holding firm with only a
few scars.

Those that showed up were treated to large patches of glassy smooth slightly wet ice. The wind held till early afternoon than shut down when the sun began to show.

There is a moral of the story here. — Conditions are ever changing from good to bad and back again — You will never know from the couch.

There will be more ice this season. Some of us haven’t gotten out but i’m pretty sure it will be out there.

Good Luck to all the competitors at the NA’s, especially our home region favorites!

Think Ice,

John

Here is the LI gang yesterday- all smiles so far!

James “T” Thieler12 Channing St.
Newport, RI. 02840

401 258 6230
t_thieler

Hey Folks-
Bummer about the NE champs…. But if you have a DN and some free time this week it isn’t too late to hit the road and make it to the DN North American champs!

Site is Madison, WI, about 15-19 hrs from New England, depending on where you are….

Racing to start Monday, can register by phone or online until Sunday evening (I think- check IDNIYRA bulletin board for details on that, lodging, etc)

New England will be well represented- At least seven NEIYA sailors on the way or already there- ice looks pretty good…. The planets may just line up for this one.

Stay tuned! T

James “T” Thieler12 Channing St.
Newport, RI. 02840

401 258 6230
t_thieler

I’m really sorry to report that there is a ton of water on the ice making the prospect of getting the New England’s in tomorrow unlikely. So we are not going to try to get them in.

Team Vermont is still going to try the ice and if possible they will try to race for the Vermont state champs. It doesn’t look good right now but who knows. I clearly don’t.

Sorry for the head fake. This yeas weather has been really challenging.

Oliver Moore
US 5469
NEIYA regatta chair

The Mallets Bay boat club is private property and we have been granted access to launch out of there for the Sunday event.

No one else has been granted access. If you are launching there you need to move to the public access down the street.

We are not allowed to use public access launches for regattas because of permitting issues. Our use of the boat club is critical to being able to run events on Lake Champlain and if we cause any damage to the lawn or property we will not be allowed back. So please do not use the boat club until Sunday for the event.

Individuals are perfectly welcome at the public launching ramp.

The ice still looks good but we won’t be able to check it today given the excessive breeze. But we are still planning on getting an event in.

If there are any questions please call me at 508-728-8095.

Oliver Moore
US 5469
NEIYA Regatta Chair

We are calling the 2016 New England championships on for Sunday February 21 on Mallets Bay. Both inner and outer Mallets Bay have great race courses. We sailed both today. Tomorrow the dogs are getting blown off the chains but Sunday looks absolutely gorgeous. Temps in the low 30s with 5 to 10 knots of breeze and epic ice. Does it get any better?

Launching will be out of Mallets Bay boat club.

https://goo.gl/maps/JBNDVrNQW192

Skippers meeting will be 10 am in the pits at the boat club.

If driving to Madison for the North Americans isn’t in your deck of cards make your way up to Burlington. See you here.

Oliver Moore
US5469
NEIYA regatta chair

About 10% of our membership is on the road to the DN North Americans. The call was made last night and the destination is Madison Wisconsin. Good luck guys! Drive safely and bring home some silver. More on this from our man on the scene Commodore “T” who will check in from the road, hotel shoreline and on the ice or where ever he has cell service. As we all know, especially this season, it’s hard to find decent conditions to sail and an even greater task when a major regatta is involved.

Eric Anderson outlined and previously published what was involved with pulling off the 2014 DN North American’s. Here is a link to the archived article “Many Miles to the 2014 DN North Americans“. Some time after the dust from the trophies changing hands settled we will publish a piece on the planning/scouting phase of the 2016 NA’s from the Eastern perspective. Stay tuned.

Closer to home let’s not forget that we are not done yet. Bill Buchholz and the CIBC crowd have been sailing this week. Reports are in from Sunapee in NH as well as Mallet’s Bay in VT. Waiting on some VT details but all reports are of a spectacular plate.  Sunapee locals Ron and Kate have put out the welcome mat, conditions are looking a little challenging but we are used to that. I don’t have to say it but our season is short and little wet sailing is better than none at all.

If your thinking of sailing, on the fence, looking at the weather reports or already packed let’s hear from you. Either comment hear or reply to the Ice Reports email. Yes all you have to do is hit reply.

John Stanton
john@neiya.org