John Ziermann put together these wonderful iceboat calendars for 2026. It’s not too late to print one out and put it to work.
The Ice Queen says that the snow won’t amount to much on Sebago on Saturday. Nice breeze Sunday and Monday.
Stand by for snow report.
I recall when I when I built my first Gougeon wedge DN iceboat in 1988 or so. Racing was what we did for the most part. The CIBC had these competitions:
Linc Davis
Maine State Championship
Commodores Cup
Sebago Open
NE Spring Classic
I have been attempting to collect the years that these were raced, with the results. I have much of them on paper just so we have the history recorded somehow. John Stanton and I attempted to get the results that I collected onto our iceboat.me website, but we lost the transferred data the first time, so I plan to try again especially if others communicate to me that it matters. I suppose that most will be thinking who cares? But we will see, some members may care and let me know.
The reason I started this is that we do have ice, and we have not had a race this season. The Linc Davis is traditionally the first race, on the first race ready ice. We have a large sheet of black ice on Sebago Lake, and I believe the last Sebago Open was raced in 2015, and won by Bill Bucholz, so we know where that trophy is. The last Maine State Championship was 2017, and I happen to have that baby on my shelf.
So, all you DN racer types, please communicate and let me know if racing on Sebago sounds as good to you as it does to me. I plan to head out tomorrow and see how the access is at Nason’s beach.
Dave, 4690
In a previous post leading up to the two days of sailing at lake Sebago someone used the word “epic”. It should have been EPIC!. Achingly beautiful ice, great wind both days, lots of sailors incredulous at finding themselves on such a plate at this time of year with most of New England snowed out.
Eight inches of clear black ice extended over the horizon. There were a few pressure ridges, but easy to spot with a number of good crossings.
Skaters and skate sailors easily outnumbered iceboats; our hope is that all those gung-ho young folks will find their way into an iceboat eventually.
The boundary between grade ten and grade one:
One could follow along this marge, doing a circumnavigation of the bklack ice and covering about 25 miles in the process.
Right behind these three boats is the end of the black stuff, about half way down the Frye Island shore.
The MIT Iceboating Team came out of hibernation for their fist outing in years. Five students sailed for the first time, all undergrads with more winters ahead. Thanks to Professor John Brisson for making it happen, and Thatcher Chamberlain, one of the founding members of the club now back for grad school, for helping to organize.
There is no wind forecast for the next few days aside from a potential small puff on Wednesday. But the ice will be there until the next snow; just to go for a long walk with cleats skritching and the sun shining will warm the heart of any icehound.
Sharp reader Ben Fuller offers this correction:
The worlds was actually held at St. Michaels on the MIles River. Retired Jersy sailor instigated as everything else was snowed out. Homer Sedar as I recall his name. We used the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum where I was working as the launch spot and boat shop as the warmer. A number of boats ended up in Eastern Shore barns. The winter the Bay froze and the big blizzard hit New England.
Thanks Ben!
The storm is still tracking well offshore, we are building ice as we speak and the launch ramp at Nasons Beach is plowed out. Please don’t drive on the ice, but putting trailers on the ice should be fine. Dave Fortier has set up his big boat with his trailer on the ice so we know it’s ok. Thanks Dave!
There is reported to be a pressure ridge that might need to be crossed to access the big black ice section. We’ll need to scout that for a crossing if so. Please don’t sail into it.
People will be showing up between nine and ten on Sunday.
There are plans to sail Monday as well.
Meanwhile, down on the Chesapeake, Rambin Roger tells us the ice is lovely. After logging thousands of miles chasing ice, he can now sail just fifteen minutes from home. We miss you Roger!
Some of these DN’s are veterans of the 1977 Worlds, held in Annapolis that year.
Hallocks Bay in Orient, Long Island has also been sailed lately. Is Great South Bay next?
Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club 