Hey Gang-
Ullman Sails in Detroit is having a fall sale; 20% if you order new sails before October 31st!
Replace those tired rags with some crispy new sails and save a few bucks in the process!
Contact the loft and see what they can do for you.
Ullman Sails Fall Discount Specials (mailchi.mp)
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Members, Guests, and anyone with an interest in Iceboating or getting onto the ice:
The green flag is waving and we are a go on Saturday, October, 26th for the New England Ice Yacht Association’s annual Swap Meet, Lunch, and annual meeting. We will be once again returning to The Golf Course area at the Tompson Speedway in Thompson, CT.
Join us at NEIYA’s annual event—an ice enthusiast’s dream! Reconnect with old friends, plan future adventures, and revel in the warmth of camaraderie, sans helmets and goggles.
Our secretary, Karen, will be engaging in an outreach to any and all ice enthusiast groups. The NEIYA is extending the welcome mat to all ice enthusiasts. Including but not limited to Nordic Skaters, Kite and Wing Sailors, and anyone interested in getting out and enjoying the winter at speed on a horizontal surface.
This is your go-to Northeast event for all things ice sailing, and Ice, whether you’re a novice or a seasoned pro. From masts to sails, planks to runners, gear up and go faster with us! Don’t miss out—be part of the vibrant NEIYA community.
NEIYA Swap Meet, Lunch & Meeting Information:
When: Saturday, October 26th, 10:00am
Where: Thompson Speedway Golf Course, 205 E Thompson Rd, Thompson, CT 06277
https://goo.gl/maps/DbGpTekm4ZLNnV8n7
Now is a perfect time to pay your 2025 dues and reserve your seat at our annual Luncheon and Meeting. All are welcome to attend.
Please Pay Your Dues
| Dues Time | Price | |
| 2025 Membership | $30 |
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| 2025 Membership + Lunch | $45 |
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| 2025 Membership + 2X Lunch | $60 |
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| 2025 Lunch (11/19/2024) | $15 |
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| Mail in Form We prefer you pay online – Thanks | ||
Do not wait till after the swap met to begin preparing for the season. It’s been a long summer and if you have not already shifted to thinking about iceboating, now is the time. Drag your gear out set it up in the driveway and be sure you have everything. Have anything extra in storage? Now is the perfect time to free up some storage. Put it up on the classified section. Remember your older equipment may be far better than what someone else has now.
Our Thursday calls will resume next week. More on that coming shortly and stay tuned for a calendar of events.
Till then Think Ice,
John
DN5023
John@neiya.org
P.S. The Classified section is being worked on at the moment and any old ads from last season will be purged. If you still have the item(s) for sale let me know so we can keep them up.
Anyone who has a few years under their belt has adopted a few acronyms in their vocabulary. Granted most of these are used in texting to relay quick items such as lol or ttfn as my students used often. (Junior high). The army term,”SNAFU” is actually used in some cartoons during WWII. In any of my major undertakings, the P7 has played a major part. For the uninitiated P7 (P to the 7th power), refers to “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Production”. ( I used P6 with my students but we’re all adults here, right?) I’ve incorporated some adaptations as I plan my projects these days such as the rule of thumb to triple the time and cost from your first estimate. This makes the overrides at the end seem not that bad. The time management fact needs more than the time limit. One also needs to factor in the impromptu BarBques, extended shopping trips because your wife, (partner) decided to join with her own shopping agenda, that breeze that came up that wasn’t predicted so you just had to sail, etc. So as the summer days seem to be passing, and your plan to spruce up that iceboat that your lovingly made 30 years ago, are continually on your mind, perhaps it’s about time for P7 to go into effect. Thus I calculated approximately a 40 hr week should do it. The task did not seem all that daunting. Strip the hardware, some good 80 grit sandpaper with a lite touch, and a few hours outside in the shade should get everything ready for a new clear coat of epoxy and some accent paint to cover a few boo boos. I figured by our road trip in September it would be ready to put back in the trailer.
This is where you forgot to factor in those other time eaters. Okay the 5 days at the music festival was great and the week camping on the Maine coast with a group of life long friends was super too. The meniscus knee surgery snuck in there. (Recovery going well.) Oh yeah and then we need to move everything out of downstairs to have our wood floors refinished. And don’t forget to pull the sailboat off the lake before we go. The our island friends will want to see us before we go and I probably should cut the grass. Somehow I think that 40 hours may take 3 months to squeeze in. The good news is I have other iceboats if needed when the early ice gets here.
So as I continue to let life get in the way of my plans, I am an Iceboater which means I’m an eternal optimist and with more practice, P7 will improve with every project. Besides this is what puttering is supposed to be like, right?
I hope the rest of you are properly planning your projects to avoid the dreaded piss poor production. Wish me luck!
Sad to send this along…. Mike was a tireless supporter of the DN class with his tuning videos and interviews. His enthusiasm for the sport was off the chart.
He also had the distinction of being the first person in the world to sail an iceboat in the late fall several times; The first ice on the planet was often in his backyard and he certainly took advantage of it! We were all always happy for him and also not-so-secretly jealous….
Sail on Mike; Early ice and good breeze to ya!
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Hey Gang- The big list is out! Eastern sailors representing well in the top ten with Chad Atkins climbing up to 2nd, T Thieler clinging to 3rd, and the Canadians coming along with Robin Lagraviere in 4th, Jacek Marzenski in 6th, Pete Van Rossem in 7th, John Curtis in 8th.
Click and take a look! Hope it will inspire everyone to ge the gear out and make some time for the shop and the gym!
2025 International Rank List Published – DN North America (idniyra.org)
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DN
The article says it all… Personally I will always remember the sound of his horn calling the fleets to the line….
Even more personal was a time when I mistakenly thought my fleet was being called to the line and I was still fiddling with my boat in the pits; I was looking at the wrong flag but didn’t realize it. I frantically, and I mean FRANTICALLY, finished up my little task and started pushing my boat straight upwind to the line, sprinting like Usain Bolt only much slower and still wearing my Carhartt suit.
When I got to the line I realized the Silver Fleet was going up; that explained the other boat in my spot on the line. With much relief I sat down to catch my breath and brace myself for the inevitable chop-busting that was no doubt coming my way as the whole fleet had seen my panic-driven sprint.
Stan was the first person to get to me. He was smiling and chuckling. I stood to greet him and he slapped me on the back and in his best English basically told me that I’d just done some good running but I should relax a little and enjoy the day!
Good advice…. Fair winds Stan, thanks for all you gave back to the class and everyone in it.
Remembering Stan Macur – DN North America (idniyra.org)
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Hey Gang-
Check your incoming mail for the Notice of Electronic Ballot from the DN Class.
Vote early and often!
T
Notice of Electronic Ballot – DN North America (idniyra.org)
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Hey Folks- You can take your mind of this chilly gray New England spring by reading this month’s Runner Tracks!
Click and enjoy!
Runner Tracks Newsletter May 2024 – DN North America (idniyra.org)
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Hey Folks-
The CIBC fall meeting is this Sunday up at the Farm on Dammy Lake.
Head on up and celebrate a hell of a season. And get some food!
Details here: MEETING TIME | Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club
Hello All-
One of these days I’m hoping to sit down and write up a report about the DN NA champs… As Mark Keifer would have said, “It was EPIC…”
Plenty of stories to be told but one of the big ones certainly has to be the success of the Canadian team. They have really stepped it up quite a bit in the last few years and deserve some recognition.
We’d also love to know how they’ve done it! Maybe a few clues in this article….
The weather balance once again turned against us. In the Nort Woods of Maine, we have had warmer temps setting up the potential to sail on Moosehead and the counterbalance was a good dose and more of the white stuff. We are shut out for the weekend with more of the white coming Saturday. Don’t give up just yet. According to Bill Buchholz, a foot of good solid ice is waiting to be uncovered. There are warmer temps and rain next week which could get us out late next week.
Last night’s call also included discussions on communication improvements for next season as well as a post-season gathering. Stay tuned for gathering details and if you have ideas on how we might communicate more clearly please reach out.
The first notice will likely go out on Chickawaukee Ice Boat Club’s site and of course here and Thursday night’s call.
Keep the faith the next time we sail could be next week.
Think Ice,
John
DN5023
John@neiya.org
Hey Folks- the March issue is out- take a look and keep tabs on what is going on in the class here and over on the other side of the Pond….
Runner Tracks Newsletter March 2024 – DN North America (idniyra.org)
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Please Pay Your Dues
| Dues Time | Price | |
| 2025-26 Membership | $30 |
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| 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 