Hopefully WordPress has shaken off its funk and we’ll get the rest of the story now, plus some really hot news:
In addition to the placement trophies, our intrepid and eternally optimistic Race Committee of One, Nina Fleming, assembled these awards from scraps and observations found on the flight line:
BAR NONE AWARD — Tyler Vroman
For the sailor who was most determined to keep sailing, even if it meant strapping a steel fence post to the underside of his plank. He set the bar high — or low — as it were!
While the fourth bi-annual land yacht racing regatta at Loring was another resounding success, the real story was BB Hredocik’s attempt on the 24 hour mileage record: sailing as many miles as possible in a BloKart in twenty-four hours. Local journalist Tom Hale sends us this fine report on the results: More records fall at former Loring Air Force Base | Up North Motorsports
The wind forecast was looking iffy as the week approached, but Friday filled in early and bit blew all day and well past sunset. The wind clocked around to the west giving him a beam reach up and down the big runway; ideal conditions.
Here’s his Kart laid up the morning after, his base camp looking a bit worse for wear:
BB took the final puff at 2am, having started at 5am the morning before. Mike Dinning found him becalmed at the end of the big runway, towed him back with his car, and went to get the champagne that we had left chilling in a snow bank.
Summer came in fast and hot, but this snow survived in a shady corner of the big hangar. There’s beer cans hiding in there, too.
There was a nearly full moon that night which in addition to helping with the navigation leant a magical air to the expedition. Tyler Vroman and Jeff Rosenberry took advantage of the conditions:
We banged out ten races Friday as BB was chasing his record. Saturday was a light air day, and after a few races that were as much pushing as sailing we decided to call it a day and went for a tour of the control tower and the arch hangar.
Our Bunker Inn host Tim McCabe led the way up ten stories of peeling paint and dusty decrepitude. But the view form the top was breath taking.
From this angle it was clear that we weren’t using enough of our playground, so for Sunday’s racing we had the unlimited class running a figure eight course nearly to the bottom of the flight line, and the BloKarts a figure eight course encompassing about half the way down. Opinion was unanimous that this was an upgrade from our old courses, so as long as there’s wind we’ll be running longer courses next time.
It’s all sailable; everything is in bounds!
The acoustics in the arch hangar are so perfect that a well innunciated word would echo perfectly.
When this was built in the fifties it was the largest free span thin skin concrete arched roof in the world. It is in excellent condition awaiting a second life.
The wind filled in late afternoon in time for a sunset cruise:
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After the Saturday night barbecue and yet more moonlight sails, Sunday came in with a fresh breeze from the SE, overcast and refreshingly cooler. We ran three races in both classes before noon, just in time to fire up the grill for a fine bon voyage lunch of barbecue leftovers. We had set more champagne to chill in the snow bank for the trophies, but not even tough Maine snow can compete with back to back ninety degree days.
Each trophy was given a splash of bubbly, we had a hearty skol, and after a little clean up left Loring it’s solitude just as the clouds lowered and the rain came.
Missing below are Dan Clapp, 3rd in BloKarts and Jim Turner, 4th in Unlimited.
Regatta Results:
There is one correction above: in the BloKarts 10th and 11th are reversed. Richie has tenth, James eleventh.
In addition to the placement trophies, our intrepid and eternally optimistic Race Committee of One, Nina Fleming, assembled these awards from scraps and observations found on the flight line:
BAR NONE AWARD — Tyler Vroman For the sailor who was most determined to keep sailing, even if it meant strapping a steel fence post to the underside of his plank. He set the bar high — or low — as it were
“RICH STRIKE” AWARD — Milo Fleming and Dan Clapp
For the sailor who started well beyond late, and against all odds still managed to find a hole in the pack and weave his way up to the front.
MOONLIGHT BROMANCE AWARD — BB Hredocik and Mike Dinning
What happens in Loring stays in Loring!
GENEROUS-TO-A-FAULT AWARD — Richie Bulboff
For the guy who always so generously shares food, water, and supplies — and also an endless supply of stories (!).
WHICH WAY? AWARD — Mike Dinning
Three runways, endless options, a long moonlit night, and a figure-eight course will throw anyone for a loop!
RUNWAY STYLE AWARD — Bill Buchholz
This may not be Paris Fashion Week, but Loring has runways galore…and who says you can’t color coordinate your jumpsuit with your ride?!
366.1 WORLD RECORD — BB Hredocik
Deep bow to the long-hauler, who circled us endlessly. We may have been sailing a regatta, but we were simultaneously witnessing BB’s attempt at the world record. And once the record was in the bag, he still managed to get in one regatta race. Unbelievable.
And cook us dinner:
Thanks to all the photographers who sent in pictures.
Ice first: Tyler Vroman, of Rockland, has made a great start on his new Whizz project. He’s been thinking about it for a few years and has realized the time is now. He’s right. Time keeps on slipping into the future and if you really want to sail iceboats seriously there’s not one season to waste. Tyler inputted the design into his cad program so if that’s any motivation for anyone to start building, contact Tyler.
Careful readers of this column will have heard plenty of accolades for this design, but suffice it to say that in terms of how we sail iceboats in New England there isn’t a more perfectly suited iceboat. Hopefully we’ll have enough Whizz in a few years to begin racing more seriously. Well, we do race pretty seriously but it’s the thing with going around the marks that may start happening. We still have a beautiful Whizz Regatta trophy, last sailed in 2017, looking for a new home.
One week from today is the opening day of Loring Landsailing IV. The unlimited class is filling out nicely with a hot collection of converted DN’s. With that in mind, Steve Duhamel will be there with a selection of conversion hardware.
Above, a front fork with multiple steering rod location options.
Here’s a rear wheel spindle with 5/16” threaded mounting holes that will bolt right to your existing plank, right though the same holes. If you’re not ready to sail this time, you can still show up, bum a sail on some one’s yacht, load up on hardware and be ready for the fall event, second weekend in September. Contact Steve at Northwind Iceboats for more info.
“Fifteen iceboaters and their significant others gathered on the sunny deck of Camp Kieve last Sunday for the CIBC annual spring meeting, overlooking Lake Damariscotta, followed by a potluck lunch.
President Bill Buchholz began the meeting with a welcome to a new member, Jost. Being Dutch, Bill has nicknamed him “Jost van Dyke,” after the BVI island and it seems to have stuck. His real last name is Roos, we think. Also of note was that Denis Guertin was in attendance with his wife Caroline all the way from Canada.
Bill presented an appreciation awards of a CIBC coat to your secretary (Curtis Rindlaub) and the Warner St. Clair award to Treasurer Jim Gagnon.
Jim presented the treasurer’s report. Income from membership and book sales was offset by expenses for a net gain of $1476, with $6894 in the bank. Discussion followed about the possibility of getting the membership list onto phones, as perhaps a pdf or contact list, and/or getting it on the website in some password protected way. Future expenses might include a 360 degree camera. Many thanks to Denis for his videos, which promote the sport and the club.
Racing was discussed. The finishers of the Link davis regatta were conjured from memory as 1. Guy Polllyblank, 2. Michael Young, 3. Tyler Vorman, 4. Dave Fortier, 5. Jim Gagnon, 6. Jeff Rosenberry. Bill Bunting suggested making available a set of marks that could be used closer to the pits for those who wanted to practice.
Parking at the Vannah Road boat launch was discussed. Mike Ball’s property across the street and toward the neck seems to have an ideal piece of land on Ice Palace Lane that could serve as off-street parking. Bill Bunting knew Mike’s brother, so Bill will ask for permission.
Safety and communication was discussed. While the website posting is one-sided, without the ability to have feedback, a large text thread with random chiming in becomes long and confusing, as experienced by Bill Buchholz when sailing out west. It was decided that our ice posting system is good, and that if smaller groups have found ice and are planning to sail it and want others to join, they should let Bill know, and he will post their plans.
Curtis proposed a smaller text thread, formed as boats head out to sail that is only used for safety and logistics, as a way to quickly let a whole group know what is going on should boats get separated. The group agreed to try this.
A few iceboating stories came up, including Frank losing a chock in Quebec, cobbling it together to sail home, fixing it in 45 minutes, and heading out again to complete a 120-mile day. The Lambs almost had a Hardway in the bag, but one of their group of three about faced and sailed for the pits with no discussion of his plans. By the time the Lambs caught up with him, it was too late to attempt the sail to Center Harbor. A text list might have been helpful in this instance. The next day, conditions were bad.
Meeting was adjourned, and a delicious lunch and catch-up time followed. Thanks to all who brought the good eats.”
Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club 