We don’t know where.We don’t know when.
We don’t know what regatta.
Heck we don’t know much.
We do know that there is some weather coming through the area Thursday.
I could be snow.
It could be rain.
We don’t know.
Are you sensing a theme?
Scouts have been out this week sailing ice from Fall River all the way out to Nantucket. We know what ice we have now but we don’t know what we will have for the weekend.

We are going to try to pull something off this weekend, if it happens it will be short notice so stay posted here.

Its late in the season and we are getting desperate.

Maybe we will get lucky.

Hopefully we wont have to stay up all night to get lucky.

Oliver Moore
USA 5469
NEIYA Regatta chair

Apologizes for the omission from the earlier post. Thanks to Kate Marrone for sending a reminder and pictures.

Included in this weekend’s sailing venues is Ninigret Pond, Charleston, RI.  Ninigret is about as close to the ocean (well technically Block Island Sound) as one can get.  It is a beautiful salt water pond with open water just over the dunes to the south.

Art Menard, Kate Morrone, Bob S, Paul Zucco and VC Dave Buckley

Dave Burnham

If I have missed anything else or anyone has pictures of video send em in (john@neiya.org)

Im watching the beautiful ice on the short track rink in Sochi and wondering if only…

John Stanton
NEIYA Secretary

Where is the ice hiding?  Plenty of it lies beneath white fluffy and crusty cruddy stuff but where is the sailable ice?

With the one two punch earlier in the week, this was not going to be an easy weekend to find ice.   It turned into a real game of icy hide and seek.  Looking at the storm’s impact the only possibilities were near the ocean.

Winners of this week’s ice and seek…

Dave Wilcox, Brian Langely, Doug Sharp, Henry Capotosto and Bill Converse sailed Ashumet Pond in Mashpee, MA Saturday.  Wind was light in the morning, but picked up later. Ice was snow ice, not smooth, but very sailable. We sailed until 3:30 PM.  All in all a good time was had by all.

Photo credits Bill Converse

Also on the cape, Seymour Pond was sailed by another group of usual suspects.  Conditions were a little rough but sailable.

Photo credit Jeff Soderholm

And west and more south, 84 miles as the crow flys, good ice could be had on Lake Ronkonkoma in Long Island NY.  I got the word from Rich Crucet late Saturday night that they had decent ice grade 7-8 at home.  Being just over an hour, I loaded up and set out on Sunday.

Ice was as promised though the wind was lacking till late in the day.  Thanks to the Ronkonkoma Ice Boat and Yacht Club for their hospitality.  Finest “blow torch dogs” and soup on any plate of ice on the island.

Looking like conditions improved even more down in NJ with the NSIBYC enjoying home ice on the Navisink river.  Photos by Jeff Smith

Thanks to Jeff Soderholm and Bill Converse for contributing to this weekends update as well as those calling in and emailing scouting reports.  Change is in the forecast, and the more we communicate the more we sail.

It paid to be more west and south than some of our usual plates.  What will next weekend bring?

Everything reported must be re-scouted  as conditions have changed and should not be considered safe.  Sail Fast, Sail Safe.

John Stanton
NEIYA Secretary

P.S. Ron Bouchard in Shelburne, VT posted a want ad in the classified section today.  He needs a DN boom.  Can anyone help him out? Email: ronaldabouchard@gmail.com . Lots of good stuff including Commodore T’s winning hull from CSI. 

Fire off two guns and hoist the ap. The recent snow has trashed everything. We will try again next week.

Oliver Moore

Just want to remind everyone that the New England’s are scheduled for this weekend and we will be doing everything we can to get them in. We had a great turn out last weekend at the Easterns let’s see if we can keep the momentum going.

The weather is looking more than a little chaotic for the area in the next week so it’s all hands on deck to find us a suitable venue for the weekend. If you are able to scout some potential ice please or have any information that will be helpful please email me at:

Moore.oliver.j@gmail.com

Think ice!

Oliver Moore
NEIYA race chairman
USA 5469

The DN EASTERNS got started yesterday back at Monty bay in Plattsburgh, NY. This plate of ice was rejected for the NA’s but has smoothed out and de-drifted over the last week and it ain’t bad!

We have about 25 boats, not bad! A few new faces (all smiling at dinner) and sailors from South Carolina, Nova Scotia and everywhere in between!

Racing was interesting- Race one the left side was a superhighway while the right was a parking lot. Next race just the opposite. By the third I can’t tell you- My poor brain had turned to oatmeal. The key seemed to be to stay in the breeze- Watch the boats around the course and try to have a picture of where the wind was that minute- Harder than it sounds!

After a day of connect the dots on the course we headed to the pits- Oliver and I decided to stay out for a bit and try some tuning adjustments- The breeze came up and the snow started and we sailed in in a howling white-out. Cool!!!

Don’t quote me on this but I think Bob Schumacher is in third, Eric Anderson is in second, an yours truly just barely in front if him thanks to a lucky puff or two-

Then it was off to The Butcher Block for a big dinner with everyone- as always it was a good time- Jokes and stories and laughs all around-

And the food was phenomenal. I had the prime rib. If you look at the photo you’ll see my entree- Note the detail and subtlety of the plating and garnishing, the elegant interplay of food and fine china making the meal a feast not only for palate but for all the senses.

Ok, so there was no parsley (anyone know the famous parsley joke?) but that beef was delicious and the veggies were on another plate. Just the meal to have after a big day on the ice!

We may sail today, depends on how much snow fell last night-

Stay tuned…..

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

401 258 6230
t_thieler

Hey Folks- Sources have informed me that Skeeter guru Dan Clapp (and maybe a DN sailor or two) will be giving a sail and tuning seminar this Saturday at EASTERNS regatta HQ. Last time heard him talk Skeeters it was really entertaining and informative- should be good this time!

I’m pretty sure this will be at the Holiday Inn Express in Plattsburgh- Anyway it starts at about 5:30 and will run for an hour or so- Be there or be square-

Afterward we have a bunch of seats reserved at the Butcher Block, a steak joint in town-

Looking fwd to seeing everyone at one or both!

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

401 258 6230
t_thieler

Small and larger groups have been scouting all week.   Drive bys, walk ons and sailing parties all looking for that perfect plate.  Some have been rejected outright as having too many hazards others small areas of smooth ice surrounded by boat breaking rough area.

Sailing / scouting parties will be out on Long Pond in Lakeville, MA Friday morning and we look forward to getting reports for the weekend.  Another group will be scouting Ninigret Pond in Charlestown, RI.  With warming temperatures, Ninigret’s salt ice may not  survive into the weekend’s weather.

The real gem for the week is the NY side of Champlain off Platsburgh.  Check out the pictures taken by Bill Buchholz on http://iceboat.me if you have not already.  DN’s and Skeeters should find plenty of ice for all out racing.

More updates as they come in tomorrow.

Remember any ice warrants caution especially as temperatures rise,

John Stanton
NEIYA Secretary

Easterns on for Sat. -Sun. 2/1-2/2. Montys Bay, Lake Champlain. Launch at Gilbert Brook Marina, 715 Lake Shore Road, West Chazy, NY. 12992. About 10 miles above Plattsburgh. NY. Registration at launch 9:00 AM. Racing to follow.