The ice is definitely in the air. As Lloyd reported, we have a brace of new members, all of whom appear to be of sailing caliber. Bob Able drove up from Long Island to repair the steering on his small side by side boat at brother Frank’s place. It went awol on Chickie last year with no harm done aside from a lost day of sailing. Steering always need to be absolutely bulletproof.
New member Guy Pollyblank has purchased the big skeeter from Vermont. We picked it up yesterday and set it up outside the shop in the fading daylight. It all went together well and, with the exception of a few small projects, is ready to go. Both cockpits have access to steering.

We just sold Whizz plans #15 to a fellow from Deer Isle who likes to have building projects during the winter! Can you imagine? But he’ll be picking up an older DN to get him through this season. We expect to see him on the ice with #15 next year. He was the one we’d hoped would take on the restoration of the 30’s tandem cockpit skeeter (see previous post for photo). The shape is good, side boards sublime, and the plank dreamy. Mast is shot, not much hardware. Free to a committed home. Actually being “committable” might help…call me. About the boat, not getting committed.

Bart Chapin has developed an excellent trailer for his Whizz, but will be sailing and trailering Yellowbird this season. Yellowbird is another nice pocket skeeter, even smaller than the Whizz; someone should take her lines and create a set of plans. She is reported to be a 7/8 model of the NorthEaster. Do we know if those plans exist?

Hoops are metal electrical conduit, cover is good old shrink wrap and should easily last a few seasons as long as no one skewers it with a runner. Has yet to pass the mile-a-minute test, but it looks great to me.

Next up is the Tune-Up clinic December 13th at Steve Lamb’s shop in Canton, MA. It’s just like the Swap Meet, but with lots of cool tools and no meeting! Actually, our NEIYA meeting went very well this year and we covered critical subjects and issues that interest and affect all of us as iceboaters. Big thanks to the officers for pulling it off so nicely.