Some of us may be limited in our lifestyles, ie by not having storage room, or a car/truck big enough to haul our toys, or the size of our bank accounts. When it comes to ice fun, you don’t have to, “Go big or go home!” Whenever I could borrow my dad’s book, Ice Boating, by S. Calhoun Smith, I was drawn to these little guys. This looked about the right size for me, a ten year old, at the time. My dad was too busy building his rig, (see post First Ride) so I never mention the Icebird to him as a project. However being an aficionado of the unusual, this small craft was always in the back of my mind. Somewhere along the line I acquired a crude set of plans and in my adulthood built the, “Ironing Board” as my wife used to call it. I can’t say that it had many long distant voyages, but it was always an attraction when set up.

Obviously I took some leeway with the design, but it would still scoot around the ice fairly well. The size was agreeable to just chucking it into the van and the weight such that my wife or young children could easily haul it to the ice. It only took 10 minutes to set up and the fun began. It provided the wonderful experience of, “first ride” to all who asked although maybe not the adrenaline rush of bigger boats.

A few years later while freezing myself on Moosehead Lake with beautiful black ice and temperatures that never made it above zero degrees, that’s Fahrenheit for clarification, I met a fellow DNer who came up from New Jersey with his mother and……her Icebird. Although this was a while back, I believe there is still an active class of these that when ice happens, they gather. As we all know, the definition of a race is, “two boats on the same lake”. Naturally if I had one and another one showed up here in the lakes region oh NH, I’m sure we would sail up next to one another and…………? I might need to check my parts stock and piece together one of these for poops and giggles. Maybe even try for the Hardway record as the smallest craft.

Fun is fun, no matter what the size. Think ice.

It feels like winter has finally arrived in the Northeast. Yes, we have had some snow and ice. Some have sailed in Maine on what was called epic black ice. But to me, the weather seems to have a different feel. We are making ice and hopefully sailing on it soon.

Bill Buchholz has been keeping an eye on and keeping a steady flow of ice news out of Maine with blow-by-blow axe accounts here https://iceboat.me Keep an on eye on Maine as it looks like something will happen soon. Seems to be Charlie S. has been keeping a keen eye on Winni and surroundings. There is ice but it needs to thicken before we set the blades down. Bob S. is watching but nothing much to report at the moment.

To the North Andre Baby and company sailed in Thedford Mines Canada. They are eyeballing and will be sailing outside Montreal. Any takers for Montreal Ice?

As we all know there is some weather coming in this weekend. How much and where who knows. Get Ready to hit the road as something might happen up north. It could be some races or just cruising some nice new ice.

We will be having our group call tomorrow Thursday 6:30pm. Bring your ice questions boat repair or building queries and of course planning for the weekend, etc.

Think Ice,

John
DN5023
John@neiya.org

P.S. Can’t remember the number drop me an email.

Sounds like sail-able ice in Quebec folks!

See the link below for details.

Break out your passport and stay tuned to the CIBC site for details. Think Ice!

https://iceboat.me/2023/12/30/ice-in-quebec-2/

James “T” Thieler

Many of us remember our first sail on ice regardless of our age at the time. I never got to ride with someone as a first timer. Prior to the days of the internet, information was on this sport was sketchy at best. My dad first got the bug from seeing a short blurb on WBZ news with Don Kent. Being a DYI sort of guy, he fashioned the boat pictured. All hardware was fabricated as well as the homemade sail. (Note the wrinkles. Granted mom helped with the sewing. She did a much better job on clothing.) Although he had been to Attitash Lake in MA, to chat with others prior to the build, the maiden voyage occurred on a small brackish pond in Rye, NH. There were a couple of other homemade rigs playing around when ice came in. After setup and some light wind push around, dad decided it was somewhat safe for me to take the tiller. At 11 years of age, I was a little apprehensive but the light air was very manageable and definitely not to exciting. But it was my first ride. Shortly after this the family moved to New York and things got stored for a few years. In high school and with a drivers license and borrowed car, I introduced my buddy to the sport. We found a nearby lake with a strip of ice that we ice fished on and set the rig up. Still a rookie, I manage a few tacks with an increasing breeze. Now I understood the adrenaline rush you hear about. Time to let my friend give it a go. He made it across and turned for the run back. It was exciting to watch him pick up speed, then he got hit with a gust and up he went. Out went the sheet and down came the boat hard. Things folded up quickly as the runner plank broke and things collapsed. Okay, Bob got the prize for the most exciting first ride. We called it a day and packed up the pieces to go. This was in the ‘60’s and life moved on. Parts of the boat were saved and made their way back to New Hampshire where they retired. Life found me with a family and in Wolfeboro, NH where on a winters day I saw some of these craft zipping around the local lakes. This was in 1988. The spark was still there and grew to a flame. A phoenix arose from the ashes and I was on the ice again.

Since that time, I have lost count of the number of first timers I have given a ride to and exposed to the sport. I have enjoyed introducing young and old to this special activity with many converts. The youngest being my daughter at about 2 years of age, (slow ride with safe ice and well wrapped) to an 80 year old just last year who bought a rehabbed DN I just finished.

As things are changing in the world today, I seem to always find time to talk and give that, “first ride” to all I can. I hope in a small way I am contributing to the growth of this sport whether for just fun or to feed into the racing program. While waiting for local ice, take yourselves back to that day of your first ride. I see many smiles out there.

Think ice and Happy New Year.

Hey Folks- Great write up here on iceboating in Maryland and the 1977 DN World Champs on the Eastern Shore….

If I recall that regatta is the place where Lloyd Roberts and some other people had the idea to write a thorough, all-you-need-to-know book about iceboating. Soon enough “Think Ice!” was (and still is) a must-read for any aspiring iceboater.

Click, read and enjoy! T

The Chesapeake Log, Winter 2017 by Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum – Issuu

Something to show friends if they want to know about ice boating, especially the stern steering vintage crew.

Neat little story here….

The Schmidt Family Ice Optimist Project – DN North America (idniyra.org)

Great photos and video from the Western Challenge earlier in the month. The ice is no quite as pristine as Pushaw but there was a great turnout (70 boats!) with 21 races run for each fleet!

Take a look, get your gear ready, and pray for some cold weather….

Relive the 2023 Western Challenge – DN North America (idniyra.org)

The latest DN Class Newsletter is out! Click and enjoy! OF course it is yet another masterpiece….

Runner Tracks – DN North America (idniyra.org)

I’ve always been intrigued by, “different” kinds of craft. Not that I don’t have traditional boats in my fleet, but sometimes I like out of the ordinary. When I first got “back into” Iceboating and attending NEIYA meetings in the early 1990’s, I made an old Sarns style DN and used left over crude parts from an iceboat of my youth. It needed about 10 knots of wind to keep it going but I digress. Anyways, at one of my introductory meetings this rig was set up. A little out of the ordinary you might say, but I figured my two girls could have some safe fun with it. This is an original, one of a kind deal, designed and constructed by the late, great Leo Healy. It was a silent bid auction with a coffee can to put your bid in. Soooooo with my daughters name and a $25 bid I figured what the heck. I didn’t stay around too long after the meeting, but when I got home, there was a message on the answering machine. (Pre-cell phone era) I was the only bid. Factoring another tank of gas to go pick it up, I was now the proud owner of, “something different”. As you can see this was a family boat and we had some nice excursions tooting around the local lakes. The children grew and went out on there own as they are supposed to. I did set it up a few times for nostalgia, but eventually let it go to a new home. I hope the new owners get to play on it and have as much fun as we did. Yes you steer it with a rope.

Sorry Folks…. The ice is nice up at Pushaw but there isn’t a plate big enough for a proper regatta…. So we will be patient and wait it out.

Check the CIBC site for info on the lake and sailing.

Exercise caution as early season ice can be hazardous….