Lake Wentworth NH has resurfaced. Kiters were on it yesterday and a few boaters will be setting up today. Slight dusting should blow off and a few bumps from snow machines. Not fully scouted yet. Happy New Years. Square pond in Shapleigh, ME was sailed yesterday.
Quaboag 12/30 Bob S
Conditions are shaping up all over the place. Based on Bob’s report below people will be gathering at Quaboag today. In New Hampshire Massasecum seems the the best option. Conditions below. Get out for the last sail of the year.
Further reports to come in the new year.
Bil Buchholz will be sailing Damariscotta Lake with I’m sure a good crowd. Check out https://iceboat.me/2025/12/30/sailing-on-tomorrow/ for details.
Massasecum is also rough, but sailable. A lot of crud from partially melted and refrozen snow and slush / tire tracks from ATVs. Possibly some remnants of smoother ice further out. Ice is 9-12 inches thick per fishermen.
Wind tomorrow in Bradford forecast at 8-10 w temps mid 20s.
Based on the thickness / safety factor and general surface character, I think Massasecum is a better bet for tomorrow.
12/30/25
6 inches of grey ice, except for a few snowmobile tracks it’s a grade 8+.
Temp was 21: at 10 am no holes spotted.Wind was 21 with gust to 32.
Tomorrow mid 20s wind 10 to 15 with some gust.
Bob S
Looking forward to sailing with you all in the new year. We will have our weekly call tomorrow night.
Think Ice
John
DN5023
John@neiya.org
Thanks to Bob S. For keeping a watchful eye on the Q. May the snow scrub off soon.
Just got back from Quaboag, the ice on the ramp was open, need a plank to get on.
Walked on the shore to the right of the parking lot, and there is 5 inches.
Pine street has 4.75 inches, that is the east side of the lake, there is open water near the south shore.
Stone road looks good, that is the west side of the pond, the point across from the far south cove has some open water.
Bob S
Temp 19 .00
BAD NEWS snow over night.
Think Ice and melt snow
John
John@neiya.org
Those in our northern reaches had a white Christmas. Not exactly what we asked Santa for but we ice boaters are optimistic and patient.
So keep the faith. The white stuff will blow off and evaporate.
For those faithful few that dialed in to our weekly call sorry for not officially canceling the call. Your family
I can report there are record high temperatures here but ice and cachasa in our glasses.
We will reconvene next Thursday at 6:30 pm. I know we are all eager to return to the ice especially DNers looking for some tune up time before the NAs at the end of January.
Think Ice,
John@neiya.org
4 brave souls with storm sails braved Lake Wentworth today for some playtime. Plenty of good ice but one sailor managed a runner in hole incident which resulted in a rapid disassembly of his craft. A sketchy tow back to the pits was accomplished. Be there tomorrow with a little less wind I hope.
Reports in from Quaboag today. Get it while it’s good. Bob S has put out the welcome mat for tomorrow.
Nine sailers showed up Wednesday to sail Quaboag, great wind all day,the snow was soft and wet, no problem sailing through it.
Got on the ice at 9;00 and sailed till 3;00, i’ll sleep good tonight.
Light winds in the morning,but there five boats set up hoping to sail..
Bob S
Lake Massesecum in NH was scouted today by several people more as it develops.
Lake Massesecum – Kate Marone
The above and others are sure to be discussed tomorrow night.
Think Ice,
John
John@neiya.org
Here’s the cover of this issue if Boathouse News from the New Hampshire Boat Museum with its new location in Moultonboro, NH.
I had the pleasure of restoring this wonderful old boat for the museum and it was used in last seasons ice boating display which included this one, a vintage DN, a Skimmer, and an ice Opti. I’d love to see a permanent section of the museum devoted to Iceboating.
Currently closed for the season and renovations, but will open in May. It’s really a treat to see the displays of boating in New Hampshire.
Now that I have the first sail of the season out of the way, the question came to mind of how much actual sailing time is required to say that you did indeed sail? I skated Lake Wentworth on Tuesday, a little snow/rain came through Wednesday/Thursday and setup occurred on Friday with howling winds. An exploratory sail happened with my super DN and storm sail. Running loose sheeted I made several runs up and down one side of the lake. This probably took maybe 20-30 minutes. Shakedown run was good but winds were building so I parked the rig. I think I would have considered that a short but definite sail. Saturday I had a rehabbed vintage DN that I wanted to test drive. With no wind to speak of, I figured I could at least do a push test. However, as the telltale began to flicker, I thought perhaps it might be enough to move on the rough ice. After getting my sprint training, a zephyr came up and I made 3 runs of about 1/2 mile in length. Another little puff gave me 2 more. Not bad I thought with an untried heavy rig and a totally flat sail. The question is, did it qualify as a sail? How far or how long, does one need to be moving under wind power to qualify as a countable day of sailing? I recall one day at the end of last season where after pushing out of Wolfeboro bay, I managed a 1/4 mile run with one tack and almost made it back to where I started. Since no one else moved under wind power, I was told that indeed I had sailed. No one can dispute that a day of racing or completing the Hard Way indeed qualifies. But how about when everyone is rigged and the teaser gets you out just far enough so the “walk of shame” back to the staging area has to occur. This may be followed by a repeat scenario the next hour and so on throughout the day.
Regardless of how you want to qualify a day of sailing, you can simply state that you had a day of ice boating. This covers all the bases no matter what occurs on the ice. Even if the boat doesn’t get set up, it qualifies as a scouting trip. If there is no wind it, becomes an on ice tuning clinic and information exchange meeting. It may even turn into a food fest once the grill comes out. The end of the day watering hole can still be counted as part of the experience, wind or not.
As the season begins, may you have smooth safe ice, adequate wind, and great companionship whether it is a day of sailing or a day of Ice boating.
Season’s Greetings to all.
This In from Bob S. Along with an invite to sail with small assembled group.
Two boats sailed Quaboag today with 5 inches of ice with 1 inch of snow.
No holes were spotted, a few wet spots over the cracks that were crossed with no problems.
Big winds today, some of the snow was blown away and we have 6 inch drifts in places.Two boats are set up to sail in the morning.
Bob S
Also check out Wentworth in NH. An intrepid few sailed Wentworth in high winds. The lake is ready for more dun
Think Ice,
John
John@neiya.org
People have been asking about Quaboag. Bob S did check yesterday and it is not ready.
Needs a few days of cold and let’s hope the snow stays away from a great looking base surface.
Think Ice
John
John@neiya.org
We had a strong turnout for last night’s weekly conference call, with what appears to be a record 20 percent of members dialing in. While a ready to sail call could not be placed last night, we do have several meaningful updates to share.
The call-in number remains unchanged from last year. We did experience a number of email notice bounces due to outdated or incorrect addresses, so if you believe you are current on dues but did not receive notice, please email me so we can make the necessary corrections. BTW the notice email came directly from john@neiya.org as the sender check your spam box.
Lake Wentworth is receiving high marks as a developing prospect and is expected to be sailed tomorrow. This is an emerging opportunity without full scouting reports, and hazards have not yet been identified. Caution is strongly advised. The best, though somewhat limited, access is via Wentworth State Park off NH Route 109. The parking lot cannot accommodate trailers, so please plan alternative arrangements.
A scouting party accessed Farrar Pond in Lincoln, MA earlier today. While small, it presents a good early-season opportunity.
Bob S. is currently scouting the always reliable Quaboag Pond and will report back later today. Additional locations in New Hampshire are also being scouted, with updates to follow.
Please be careful and do not let early season enthusiasm lead you into an unsafe situation. NEVER SAIL ALONE, and treat all ice with extreme caution until you have personally confirmed conditions. Do not rely on hearsay. Upon arriving at a location seek firsthand reports from those who have actually been on the ice and are aware of any known issues.
Think Ice,
John
DN5023
john@neiya.org
It seems the crews who traveled west for the Great Western Challenge have also helped usher the cold back our way. Reports are now coming in from Maine and New Hampshire’s Lakes Region. Skating and ice sailing have been reported in Maine by Bill Buchholz (iceboat.me), and Randy Rice has already put blades on the ice, sailing in light air on Pemi (Gewasset) Lake. We also have reports from Bob S. that Quaboag in Brookfiled, MA has set up and will only get thicker with the cold weather. Thanks to all the early scouters who keep watchful eyes on our ice.
Additional early reports indicate ice beginning to set up in several bays and lakes around the Winnipesaukee region. All reports are in the process of being confirmed, and with the predicted low temperatures, confirmations are expected soon in the next few days.
More information is coming on our two recent events. Many thanks to Stephen Lamb for hosting us at his shop in Canton, MA, and to Charlie Silfvenius at the Wooden Boat Museum. This has been a busy sales season, and time has gotten away from me, but full recaps are coming shortly.
Looking ahead, we will be restarting our weekly calls on Thursdays at 6:30 pm. The first call will focus on early-season ice conditions. Members in good standing will receive an email tomorrow with login information.
As always, you can reach me directly at john@neiya.org.
Think early ice,
John
DN5023
John@neiya.org
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