The Rodent Brings Us Luck
Punxsutawney Phil may be calling for six more weeks of winter, but based on what we sailed this weekend and the solid, thick ice holding beneith the snow on our larger lakes, we appear to have considerably more opportunity than the shadow seeing rodent suggests.
Conversations and conjecture ran high on last Thursday’s call. We all acknowledged that many of our colder lakes had too much snow, so attention shifted to smaller waters that may have frozen after with the recent cold snap and missed the snow. Another possibility was snow that had settled, wetted out, and refrozen into white ice. The third option were the brackish coastal bays and estuaries, Red Bank and Oceanport delivered in New Jersey, with Orient Point and other Long Island locations also seeing good sailing.
The prize of the weekend, miles and miles of smooth black ice. Members of the Chickawaukieice boat Club (iceboat.me) have been patiently watching Sebago for a while and the past several days were doing what ever was in their earthly or otherwise powers to ward off a fresh batch of snow. Their patience and many others were rewarded this Sunday with what was described as epic black ice. I will leave further elaboration to those that make it up to Sebabo on Sunday and those that are there as I pen this post.
My choices for Saturday were pretty much between Long Island and the Jersey Shore. Since I had to be Nassau County Saturday morning traveling out to the end of the North Fork was an easy choice. There were a good twenty or so boats on the ice. Some DNs, J14s and smaller skeeters as well as a number of Lockley Skimmers and one infamous South Bay Scooter. The bays of Long Island are there home and most every ice boater I know has some odd attraction to a craft that doesn’t have active steering capabilities. Unfortunately, the wind didn’t come in all that strong so there was more catching up with Long Island friends then sailing but that’s iceboating sometimes.
The NEIYA DN North American Regatta contingent are all safe back east and ready do for the next regatta. Congratulations to T on winning the newly minted national Championship and very strong showing in the NAs with a fifth a mere seven points out of first. Jeff Roseberry finished with a 10th place in the NA Gold Fleet. In the NA Silvers Paul Chamberland took a third place. Eben Whitcomb clawed his way to 12th after sitting out race 2 and 3 with some boat damage and taking a fourth in the Nationals. In Bronze Bob Haag pulled off a tenth place with consistent finishes throughout the regatta. Stay tuned we may get some first hand accounts from those who competed on Green Lake. NA Results / Nationals Results
Looking ahead we have a growing number of opportunities across the region. We are running right into a feast from our state of white famine just a week or so ago. To name a few Sebago, NJ shore, Long Pond in Harwich MA, Some of the bays on eastern Long Island including a high likelihood of sailing the Great South Bay a prize notch in any iceboaters belt. Also in the line up is Lake Champlain again and the prospect of Hudson ice.
Plenty of activities await us including some vast cruising and we will be looking to get the Don “Doc” Fellows race completed soon. The Doc Fellows is the NEIYA’s longest running regatta originating in 1975. Keep your eyes open and report in any findings you have. Did you drive by a body of water that needs further checking? Let us know.
Think Ice and encourage the winds to scrub our ice clean,
John
DN5023
John@neiya.org
2026 New England Championship Results
Long before the New England Regatta concluded yesterday, and well before the first skipper’s meeting, weeks of scouting, sailing, and securing local access were already underway. Race Committee Chairman Paul Chamberland and Jeff Roseberry put in the groundwork that made this regatta possible.
With the DN North Americans approaching, it was important to grab this opportunity. As most of you know, an ice opportunity not taken is often a missed regatta or days cruise. Paul was clear in his recommendation. Sandbar State Park had the best ice, and with his extensive scouting behind it, the decision was easy. And as we now know most of the rest of New England was covered in white this weekend.
The ice delivered. Conditions were generally smooth, though there was a light snow layer from early Saturday’s snows. It was not deep and inserts ruled the day. Winds cooperated generally out of the south up and down and always enough to move.
Special thanks again to Paul Chamberland, who pulled off an excellent regatta. In his own words:
“At times I was overwhelmed by all the details needed to pull off a successful regatta. There were no on-ice incidents other than a broken headstay tang. A fantastic time was had by all.”
Racing was competitive and clean. Congratulations to our friends to the north, with John Curtis taking commanding first and Jacek Marzenski second. Jeff Roseberry finished third, followed by Paul Chamberland in fourth. Ed Demerest rounded out the top five, holding on despite the only incident of the regatta, a broken headstay tang that resulted in a dropped rig. On a personal note I was able to sort out a number of issues and test them (on ice) in real time.
As always, no regatta happens without volunteers. Thanks to the Race Committee team, and to Nina Fleming, who transformed handwritten results into the official standings. Whether on wheels or blades Nina is our go to RC person.
Sandbar was not exclusively about DNs. Steve Lamb and Peter Coward arrived with their boats to take advantage of the expansive ice. Given the snow that covered much of New England, they made the right call and enjoyed big ice and miles of speed while the DNs turned laps. Next time we call big ice consider spending an extra hour or so of travel time. It is well worth the drive time.
Side note and a testament to the NEIYA’s history, we have outgrown NEIYA’s Grand New England Championship trophy. We have run out of room on the Trophy. To continue the 56-year tradition, Jeff Roseberry has volunteered to craft additional panels to carry future winners.
Think Ice,
John
DN5023
John@neiya.org
Happy 2024 Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Kicks Off the Ice Sailing Season
Happy Thanksgiving to all! Today, we celebrate gratitude, good food, family, friends, and football. But for ice sailing enthusiasts, it also marks the unofficial start of the season. While no secret pond in New England is quite ready for sailing yet, the countdown has begun. Our friends in Minnesota are gearing up, and we know it won’t be long for us here in New England and the Northeast.
Are You Ready?
With the season upon us, it’s time to prepare. Our first NEIYA Thursday call is scheduled for next Thursday, December 5th, at 6:30 PM. Current members will receive call details via email over the weekend. If you have not paid your dues, now is the time to take care of it! Visit the NEIYA website at www.neiya.org and use the membership section on the right-hand side of the homepage.
If your boat is still in storage, this weekend is the perfect opportunity to haul it out and get it ready. And don’t forget to connect with your winter ice buddies—it’s always better to prepare as a team.
Upcoming Off-Ice Gatherings in New York
For those in the New York region or anyone eager to connect with fellow ice sailing enthusiasts, two off-ice gatherings are scheduled for next weekend:
- Lake Ronkonkoma Ice Boat and Yacht Club (LRIBC)
When: Saturday, December 7th, 12:00–3:00 PM
Where: Frank M. Weeks Yacht Yard, 10 Riverview Ct, Patchogue, NY 11772 - Hudson River Ice Yacht Club (HRIYC)
When: Sunday, December 8th, 1:30–4:30 PM
Where: Hudson River Maritime Museum, Kingston, NY
Details: This potluck event is a must for fans of vintage stern steerers.
Questions?
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out via email.
Think ice, prepare your boats, and let’s make this season one to remember!
John Stanton
NEIYA, Commodore
John@neiya.org
New England Ice Yacht Association 