Madison Wisconsin, 4:30 AM. Room #123 at the AmericInn looks like this as it gets turned into a last-minute runner aligning shop….
Ah, the glamor of ice-yachting!
Think Ice! T
James “T” Thieler12 Channing St.
Newport, RI. 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
Greetings from the proud highway!
The Great Western Challenge begins tomorrow-
Traditionally held the first weekend of December in Minnesota it’s been relocated this year due to- get a load of this- INSANELY GREAT ICE IN MADISON, WI. So the impossible does happen now and then…. So we are headed to Madison where the cheese is plentiful and the accents can’t be beat….
Should be cool- There will be DN’s and also Skeeters and Renegades sailing, one of the cool things about Madison- All kinds of iceboat activity-
Already on the way are at least two from NJ, four from NE, six from NS, maybe two from PA, several from ON, and a few truly hardcore from Europe. Add in all the usual nutcases from the Midwest and you Eb up with a big event! Semi-informal racing Fri-Sun…. Not too late if you want to join the party!! See the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club website for details….
Enjoy the pics- It’s the Chicago skyline, Art Samson driving and Oliver in the back doing what he does best-
Stay tuned and Think Ice!
T
James “T” Thieler12 Channing St.
Newport, RI. 02840
401 258 6230
t_thieler
While some lucky folks got out sailing over the Thanksgiving weekend, most of us did not. This video caught eye earlier today.
I believe it’s real purpose is to serve as an iceboat tread mill. Think about it, you can sail on a much smaller plate in one direction. Just like sailing into a foul current.
WDAZ News at Sheyenne River near Leonard, ND video by George Loegering of Casselton, ND.
Stay tuned and come to the Lamb Tune Up in two weeks (Dec 13th)
John Stanton
NEIYA Vice Commodore
Greetings on the day after Thanksgiving and we all have lots to be thankful for. I may be a little behind some of the hard core and our friends up in Maine, who have actually sailed, but today is annual set up the boat in the driveway day. The day I discover that some of those little things has fell into a rat hole over the summer. A harken block, bob stay nuts for plank. Hopefully this year will be different. Regardless West Marine is just down the road and always happy to take my money.
As discussed at our meeting last month we will be selling club logo clothing via. I have put up a few items and waiting on proofs for a few others. We will also be putting together group orders to take advantage of volume discounts and customize with your sail number if you want. Look for the email with product info. If you have any feedback on the items you want do let me know.
Our Gear Store is located at http://neiya.logosoftwear.com/ It is Black Ice Friday, do take a look and remember more items are coming. Sorry for perpetuating the Black Friday hype but couldn’t help the Black Ice pun.
Remember, our upcoming Tune Up Clinic at Lamb’s shop in Canton, MA on December 13th (that’s two weeks). More details shortly.
See you all at the Tune up or on the ice that follows,
John Stanton
NEIYA Vice Commodore
Well folks, Turkey Day is here…. A day of relaxing, seeing family, watching football, gorging on way too much food and sleeping through the last quarter of the football game.
Unless you are an iceboater, in which case this is all an annoying interruption in your preparation for the upcoming season. So smile at the relatives, enjoy the food, savor the nap, and get an early start working on your gear tomorrow!
And give thanks for friends and family and this great sport that we all love.
Cheers!
James “T” Thieler
Hello All-
Just wanted to let everyone know that a Memorial Service for Stu Nelson will be held on Friday, November 14, 2014 at 11:00AM at the Laconia Congregational Church, 69 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H. Rev. Dr. Warren H. Bouton, Pastor of the Church, will officiate. Burial will be at a later date in the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, Mass.
His full obituary is here:
STUART A. NELSON’s Obituary on The Boston Globe
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| STUART A. NELSON’s Obituary on The Boston GlobeRead the Obituary and view the Guest Book, leave condolences or send flowers. | NELSON, Stuart A. Jr. 88, of 714 Darby Drive, Laconia, N.H. died at the St. Francis … | |||||||
| View on www.legacy.com | Preview by Yahoo | ||||||
Fair Winds…..
Hello All-
As we enjoy the fall weather and enter into the frenzy of boat prep and everything else we need to to do to get ready for the coming season let’s take a moment to remember Stu Nelson. Stu passed away last night at 88 in Laconia, NH.
Don Kretchmer and Charlie Silfvenius were good friends of his and shared some sentiments and memories of the man:
He was one of the most energetic and knowledgeable of our skippers. His knowledge of the history of our group will be missed and I hope I remember half of what he told me over the years. Some of my best days iceboating were spent with Stu….the days that were gifts that keep on giving.
He was a constant presence in this community since well before my time. I must say that some of the finest times I have had on the ice have been with Stu. He had an ability to set up a nearly perfect boat and sail it as much by feel as by sight. I can only hope to remember half of what he relayed to me over the years.
Some of you may not know that Stu was the softwater sailing coach at MIT for many years and has a regatta/trophy named after him…it is still a big deal and was raced just 2 weeks ago.
He was known by many and was definitely one of the “Old Men” of the sport. Over the last couple weeks, when I visited, he shared many stories and had fond memories of sailing both hard and soft water. Always young at heart as was shown when he picked up windsurfing as he neared 60 years of age. Always courteous and helpful, he will be surely missed in the lakes region and other areas he sailed in.
There will be a service in the coming weeks- will share details when we have them.
Fair winds and black ice Stu- We’ll be thinking of you this season!
Thanks to Don and Charlie for the thoughts-
It is with a heavy heart that I must forward the news of Stu Nelson’s passing. Our sympathies go out to Judy, family and friends. Stu will be missed on and off the ice.
Stu was one of the NEIYA founding members and served as our third Commodore. I pulled a couple documents from the very early NEIYA years, click NEIYA_1973
Via our friends at the CIBC
Thanks for sending this in, Don:
Stu Nelson, 88, died last night in Laconia, NH. He was one of the most energetic and knowledgeable of our skippers. He knew how to set up a nearly perfect boat and handle it by feel. His knowledge of the history of our group will be missed and I hope I remember half of what he told me over the years. Some of my best days iceboating were spent with Stu….the days that were gifts that keep on giving.
As you may know he was sailing coach at MIT for many years and has a collegiate regatta named for him (it was run 2 weeks ago). There will be a service in a few weeks. I will pass on details as I get them. I told Stu many times, he will always have a seat in my iceboat.
Fair winds my friend,
Don Kretchmer
Gambit, Freeskate
Please share any memories you have in the comments below. I will compile and publish at a later date. Also, please send pictures to John@neiya.org.
John Stanton
NEIYA Vice Commodore
Aside from all the phone calls the ice boat chatter, my own trying to get things finished and our annual meeting I really know winter is upon us when the buffleheads return to my mill pond (tidal) down the street.
Unlike the mergansers, golden eyes and other winter ducks, the playful little buffleheads seem to love winter as much as we do. They come to play each winter and so do we.
Enough bird talk for now. Time for some ice boat business.
As I discussed in our meeting we will have a club logo gear webpage, clothing and other items available shortly. Getting the right quality logos has been a little more complicated than expected. Fear not though we will have our online store up and running well before “Black (ICE) Friday”. Be sure to borrow some online shopping time from your employer on “Cyber Monday” to selfishly buy something for yourself and show your colors on and off the ice.
Next weekend we will be initiating our new ice finding messaging system. All members will be notified via email If there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
Switching to a more serious topic and tone. Many of you have not paid your 2015 season dues. Please do so soon. No, make that now as your thinking of it. Just a click away.
| 2015 Membership | $30 |
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Looking forward to seeing everyone on December 13 at Steve Lamb’s shop for our annual off ice tune up clinic. Eric Anderson will once again roll up his sleeves and expertly sharpen members runners. If anyone else has access to a grinder and would be willing to help please let me know.
More on this event as we grow closer.
The weather hyping media is calling for a polar vortex next week. Could this possibly bring sailing before Thanksgiving? Let’s hope so. Remember we still have the New Englands to run before New Year’s Eve.
Get ready to sail fast,
John Stanton
NEIYA Vice Commodore
More Swap Meet pictures here. Thanks to Jeff Soderholm
Saturday started out early, like any given weekend during ice boat season. With the sun rising over the Mass Pike in front of me, I knew the 2015 season was underway.
Rolled into Westbourgh just before nine grabbed a box of Joe and donuts from Dunkin Donuts and headed over to find the parking lot already and things were in full swing shortly there after.
There was the usual assortment of old and new equipment and this year there seemed to be more than the usual decent starter DNs. They looked like decent boats to be sailed as is or add inserts and a bendy mast for racing. More than a few items changed hands and and we look forward to seeing the new owners, a few new to the sport, on this ice this season.
I spoke with many of you in the off season and the consensus was to shorten the meeting portion of our event. Well, you asked for it and we delivered. Members were ushered into the hall for lunch in record time. Thanks to everyone for your cooperation.
Like the meeting, I will keep it brief here as well.
Thanks to Steve Duhamel and NorthWind Iceboats for his generous contribution to the door prize pool. I’m not a conspiracy theorist but carpet baggers from from NY did seem to take away more then their share.
Your 2015 Season team
Commodore – Jim Thieler
Vice Commodore – John Stanton
Treasurer / Secretary – Robert Haag
Race chair – Oliver Moore
Cruising Chair – Bill Buchholz
Ice Report Chair – Rick Bishop
Information on our new hotline email forwarding and NEIYA logo clothing will be forthcoming. Watch your email and this site.
We all look forward to a great season including, conditions depending, hosting the DN Worlds in our back yard.
Next up, the annual off ice tune up at Steve Lamb’s shop Saturday, December 13th. See you all there.
Happy gear prepping and thinking about the cold weather to come.
John Stanton
NEIYA Vice Commodore
P.S. if you have not paid your 2015 dues please do so today. 2015 Membership
We are one week out from our annual meeting next Saturday. In this sport we are constantly waiting on last minute condition changes before committing. Well this one is locked in so no excuses for not committing NOW!
Saturday October 25th – Knights of Columbus Hall, 17 Willow Street, Westborough, MA 01581 Directions
Before you come think about what you might bring to the table besides an appetite for the now infamous Swedish meatballs.
The club needs:
This year we will be giving away valuable prizes at the meeting. So this is not the year to skip.
Renew your membership and come to the annual meeting, swap meet and lunch. Just a couple clicks away.
| Description | Price | |
| 2015 Membership and Lunch * | $50 |
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| 2015 Membership for one and Lunch for two * | $70 |
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| 2015 Membership * | $30 |
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| Lunch Only | $20 |
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| * As a condition for membership I have read, understand and agree to the NEIYA liability waiver as passed in the 2014 by-law amendment. |
Annual Meeting Agenda
Saturday October 25th
Knights of Columbus Hall, 17 Willow Street, Westborough, MA 01581 Directions
9am to 11:30am – Swap Meet
If you have anything to sell please
list it in the classified section communicate with interested parties and bring it to the Swap Meet.
Listings and swap meet space are free for NEIYA members in good standing.
12:00 – 1:00 – Buffet lunch in the K of C hall, followed by the annual meeting. Once again we have ordered extra servings of Swedish meatballs. A perennial favorite.
1:00 – 2:30 – Annual Meeting
2:30 – ? – Round two (because people tend to hang anyway it’s now official) Swap and parting lot activities
Please register today our treasurer and the caterer will be much happier. Looking forward
Think big, fast and safe ice!
John Stanton
NEIYA Secretary
John@neiya.org
P.S. Please don’t put it off pay pay your dues and for lunch if you are attending today!
It’s that time of year again. Post Labor Day, Baseball playoffs, football is in full swing, it’s getting colder and of course the NEIYA annual meeting, Swap Meet and Luncheon.
Renew your membership and come to the annual meeting, swap meet and lunch. Just a couple clicks away.
| Description | Price | |
| 2015 Membership and Lunch * | $50 |
|
| 2015 Membership for one and Lunch for two * | $70 |
|
| 2015 Membership * | $30 |
|
| Lunch Only | $20 |
|
| * As a condition for membership I have read, understand and agree to the NEIYA liability waiver as passed in the 2014 by-law amendment. |
Annual Meeting Agenda
Saturday October 25th
Knights of Columbus Hall, 17 Willow Street, Westborough, MA 01581 Directions
9am to 11:30am – Swap Meet
If you have anything to sell please
list it in the classified section communicate with interested parties and bring it to the Swap Meet.
Listings and swap meet space are free for NEIYA members in good standing.
12:00 – 1:00 – Buffet lunch in the K of C hall, followed by the annual meeting. Once again we have ordered extra servings of Swedish meatballs. A perennial favorite.
1:00 – 2:30 – Annual Meeting
2:30 – ? – Round two (because people tend to hang anyway it’s now official) Swap and parting lot activities
Please register today our treasurer and the caterer will be much happier. Looking forward
to seeing everybody again and prepare for the upcoming season.
Think big, fast and safe ice!
John Stanton
NEIYA Secretary
John@neiya.org
Please Pay Your Dues
| Dues Time | Price | |
| 2025-26 Membership | $30 |
|
| 2025-26 Membership + Lunch | $45 |
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| 2025-26 Membership + 2X Lunch | $60 |
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| 2025 Lunch | $15 |
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| Mail in Form We prefer you pay online - Thanks | ||
New England Ice Yacht Association 