Hey Folks- Gretchen Dorian braved the wind and cold to get quite a few awesome shots of the action at the DN Nationals in MI last season-

Do yourself (and her) a favor and grab a disc!

2021 U.S. Nationals Photo CD – DN North America (idniyra.org)

Mike Webber, KC 5591

The Nova Ice Yacht Club lost one of its most active members on March 17 and the IDNIYRA lost a newer, committed DN sailor.

Mike Webber, KC 5591, of Petite Riviere Nova Scotia was a professional mariner, a marine engineer. His marine engineering career began on the Great Lakes and then moved to the salt water where he worked in offshore support and then on tankers. Most recently he was the Chief Engineer and Chief Superintendent for the Polar Prince, a Lunenburg-based research icebreaker engaged in seismic surveys, contract icebreaking and other Arctic operations.

Mike was a life-long sailor, who spent some of his time off as a professional mariner cruising the Caribbean with his wife and children. Mike only started iceboating about five years ago. He quickly graduated from beaters to competitive DNs. When he upgraded his DN program he helped others get started by giving way his beaters. He improved his performance through practice and seeking the advice of more experienced DN sailors. Last year he won his first race, and regatta, when he won the Maritimes Championship on Lake Mush-a-Mush, Nova Scotia. He finished 7th in the Silver fleet at the 2020 North American Championships at Fort Peck, Montana.

Mike will be remembered for his sunny personality. He could be counted on for support when help was required. Eight days driving with him, from Nova Scotia to Montana and back, was eight days well spent. Mike was 51: it was too soon for him to go.

Warren Nethercote, KC 3786

Mike’s full obituary can be seen at www.sweenysfuneralhome.com

Earlier in the week, I borrowed the words of the infamous John Belushi and in spite of a loose interpretation of world history, it came to pass. “Nothing is over until we decide it is!…” A number of sailors on a few venues proved that the season is still ON.

Saturday, the first day of spring saw New England action on Lake Winnipesaukee and up in Maine on Lake St George. Conditions were typical for this time of year. Cold overnights locking up the prior day’s slush from the high on the horizon late March sun. Randy said it was slush runner time, signaling the end is near.

Could we get another shot at sailing? The coming week’s weather is not promising. More north Moosehead maybe?

Sail Fast, Sail & Be Safe

John
DN5023
John@neiya.org

P.S. People if you have never seen Animal House or not in a while you owe it to yourself to watch. They just don’t and probably can’t make ’em like that anymore.

Hey Gang- Hope springs eternal!

Some boats will be sailing out of Leavitt Beach on Winnipesaukee Saturday and Sunday. Well, trying to sail anyway!

Forecast is for moderate breeze and temps well over freezing so bring the slush runners and skunners. We will have some marks set up so if possible scratch racing will be going on- if no scratch racing then some cruising. If neither, good times will be had flapping jaws in the parking lot!

There may be some sailing going on in Maine as well- check the CIBC site for any updates at Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club | Maine ice boat enthusiasts and friends

Hope to see some people up to give it a go! It sounds like there is a good base on some lakes in NH and ME, always interesting to see how the surface and launches hold up. With a little luck we can get some more weekends in. Stay tuned to this and CIBC sites for details as we head kicking and screaming into April.

As always be sure to observe all ice safety guidelines- ice picks and other safety gear are mandatory. Also be sure to maintain social distancing and COVID protocols- Mask up, keep your distances, and don’t share drinks or smokes. Do the right thing and bring extras for everyone!

Think ICE!

T

As those that were there and those who heard know, it was a true challenge for men, women, and craft. A single group of seven coordinated sailors completed the Hardway in a manner prescribed by the rules.

Official roster of finishers for the Fleet 19, March 16, 2021 Hardway

Charlie Silfvenius: Hardway Commodore
Ann Rowe
Jerome Holden
Peter Boynton
Bill Buchholz
Jim Gagnon
Milo Fleming

Special commendations go out to those who rendered assistance to those in need and specifically Jeff Kester who found the AWOL boat) and then towed it home. Jeff I am sure we will see you next time around.

This and all Hardways are a collection of stories from the sailors who participated. Some of those individuals (actually most, myself included) did not complete the up and back. There are lessons learned from everyone that hit the ice this past Monday.

I hope to have many of their accounts published for all to read.

Milo Fleming is probably the youngest sailor to complete the Hardway and his story will be posted in the next couple of days. He is working on it between his other high school assignments.

There was a toast made to Leo back at Brewster Beach and I know he is smiling down on all those that attempted and completed the Hardway. The legacy lives one.

I look forward to another attempt next time and know many other sailors do as well.

Sail Fast, Sail & Be Safe,

John
DNUS5023
john@neiya.org

P.S. I know that people sailed Winni and St George in Maine today. Condition reports are being coordinated and posted for the weekend shortly.

(Part 1 of 2)
Sailing in elements that press your abilities…

Broken tiller in hand… split mast, wood chips and a sore knee… Ebben Whitehair is still thumbs up after a hard tumble.

“To Go…. or not to Go…”

In the world of ice boating we are often faced with the decision ‘to go, or not to go”. If one were to simply look out their breakfast room window and make the call for the day I think nobody would ever make it to the ice. So by nature most of us just kit up and run with the thought ‘maybe this will work out somehow?’, and more often than not we have great days of sailing. But what about those marginal decisions you have to make AFTER you arrive on site? Thin ice? Too much wind? Skills of others we are sailing with? If EVERYBODY else is going then why not me? These seemingly simple decisions can have dire consequences. Here is how I go about making those decisions when it comes to my extreme sporting adventures:

1) Conditions – using your personal experiences what are YOU seeing exactly? Take the time to look at all the signs you can i.e.. wind types, variable ice thickness, ice surfaces, cracks, open leads, holes, bob houses, tip ups, personal fitness, fatigue etc. From there I seek out a few of my more experienced mentors to gather what is on THEIR minds at that moment and to see what things I have overlooked. Generally I pick up a lot of local details and items of heightened concern. Chances are somebody on scene has been playing there for days and has all the insider info – like the stuff that could hurt you. This is where taking the time to arrive early pays off. Take all of these details and multiply them together with the end thought being: can I handle all of these concerns if thrown at me at once? Be honest with yourself and consider the simplicity of deciding “maybe i’ll sit this one out”.

2) Mates – exactly who will be out there with you? As a group (big or small) if things go bad do you have a balance of skills to unjam a crises? Are you able to trust/work with everybody in the pod? Are you truly independent as a group and do you have the resources to self extricate if need be? do you have the hardware to approach the day safely or summon help if required? Does everyone have the capacity to evaluate their own skills needed to participate? If you have less experienced participants in your group who insist on ‘giving it a go’ do you have the experience to cover their needs? These items may seem trivial in the pits, but if you land in a hostile environment they become essential elements. If the feeling persists that you are in over your head…. well, you just might be. Consider again to take a rain check.

3) Overall plan – Who is the key person who knows of your sporting plans today should something go terribly wrong? If your group succumbs to a catastrophic event what is the fallback plan? Make sure you have somebody keeping an eye on you. Someone that is not only reliable, but currently in communication and timely in character and able to initiate a rescue group if events run foul.

4) Is your kit up to the task – when was the last time you had your gear apart for inspection? Are you confident it will be able to handle the conditions including an extra margin for safety? Normal wear and tear only accumulates. The off season is a great time to tear into your entire kit – I assure you, it is not as pristine as you last remember – the damage incurred from heavy weather on your boats hardware can be shocking. A simple repair at home beats one in the field any day! And lastly, Is your clothing sufficient for a wet walk home in the worst conditions you might face? Evaluate everything, fix what you can early, and have spares on hand when possible.

Of course there are many more considerations to be made before any extreme adventures are undertaken but these are a few basic thoughts I try to entertain prior to stepping into a harness or on any boat. There is a common saying in my mountain flying circle which says: “it’s better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than in the air wishing you were on the ground”. When you find yourself too deep in the breeze it can be a terrifying experience. Understand that the decision to go, or not to go, is ultimately yours to make. Trust your gut feeling and keep in mind that by sailing with good mates, dependable gear and a solid plan, then, when you find yourself over your abilities a 180 turn is all thats needed to return home safely.

Stay tuned for part 2 – “6 miles under bare poles – arriving back home after a great day on the ice?!”

Sundowner over Vermont

VC Jay Whitehair

…Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!…

After Monday’s Hardway assault on Winniaposaki, I know some people want another crack at the lake while others got more than enough. There is a little weather moving through that region. There will be people launching from Leavitt beach tomorrow Friday 3/19. Let’s see how they do and maybe Winni will come through for the weekend.

Still waiting on favorable conditions in Maine. I know that Bill Buchholz will find something to sail on. Stay tuned and check http://iceboat.me.

Another weekend is coming up quickly hope to see you all out there

The pictures keep on coming in from a great day on Webster Lake (MA) a couple weeks ago. Thanks go out to Bill Converse for sharing with us. More online here https://photos.app.goo.gl/asC6jsg8HUxYGhETA
Keep the pictures coming people. There is plenty of room in the cloud for iceboating pictures.

Sail Fast, Sail Safe and be Safe,

John
DN5023
john@neiya.org

Mike Acebo did what could be called a thorough job sailing the southern part of Bantam Lake over the last few days-

Take a look at his tracks vs the map of the lake and you’ll see….

Well done Mike, I think you may have invented a new art form!

There will be a Hardway attempt on Monday the 15th! If you don’t know what the Hardway is take a look at the posts below, that will tell you all you need to know-

It’s always an adventure and with a little luck you can make it happen this year!

Launch will be at Brewster Beach in Wolfeboro NH. There will be a push off time of 10:00 AM SHARP to take advantage of the hard ice in the morning. So be there early, rigged and ready to go by 10!

Keep an eye on this site for further details. Info may also be up on the CIBC site- Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club | Maine ice boat enthusiasts and friends

All usual safety protocols must be followed since this is a long haul over large expanses of the lake- helmets, picks, warm clothes, GPS, food/water, comm gear all even more necessary than usual.

Also COVID is still out there as well so be sure to mask up and maintain some distance between yourself and the rest of the gang. Even in the parking lot.

Stay tuned and sail safe. Think ICE!

While we’re waiting for all this wonderful slush to freeze and the gale to calm down, think about this for next March. Can’t make it to Siberia? Montana’s the next best thing! Potential for a container full of iceboats departing Boston area. Fly to Billings, rent a car for the four hour drive to Glasgow, or take the one hour flight. The container full of boats will be there on the beach, Baklal style, waiting for you.

Could be interesting- Having sailed out in Montana last season I can vouch for the venue, it really is out in the middle of nowhere and the scenery is AMAZING.

Take a look:

Home – MONTANA ICE SAILING (iceboat.org)

Karen Binder at speed. Photo Courtesy: Gretchen Dorian 2021

Due to the humble nature of the NEIYA’s Secretary treasurer Karen Binder I had to stumble into this great Zoom interview on SailJuice.com by good fortune. Check out the link below to hear how Karen and her growing troupe of fast female pilots have been gaining speed over the years and are now running the marks in the exclusive DN Gold Fleet. As always host Mike Madge throws a handful of great questions, this time to Karen and Julie Richards (2014 Central Regional Champion) and they spill the beans on what it takes to get their ships moving….. FAST. Common to both of them was their appreciation that we as a group are very welcoming to new comers and that picking up the pace into racing is a function of group support, commitment, and practice, as much as facing the inevitable fears of speed that we all encounter. If you are interested in learning what it takes to jumpstart your racing program, this interview will help you get to the line in style, with a smile.

https://youtu.be/WPEf8h-iKhM

Jay Whitehair
NEIYA Vice Commodore