Late eighteenth century ship expert and CIBC Century Award winner Don Sterns had the opportunity to check out the French ship HERMOINE of that era in Castine, ME, as she wound up her tour of the US east coast. He had these few words to offer:

Now, what your editor gleams from his observation is this:

1. Iceboating is an old guys sport that struggles to attract young sailors.

2. We know how to dress to stay warm, but don’t quite make it into the chick magnet category.

3. We totally have great rigging.

4. We lug ’em down to the ice, raise ’em by hand and sheet ’em double fisted.

5. The CIBC does not have any flag, let alone a great flag.

So, with the fall meeting about eight weeks away let’s all make an effort to come up with a design for a club burgee/flag/pennant; call it what you will. It should be triangular, about the proportions of the NEIYA’s, or maybe it’s a streamer or maybe it’s square. Let it all hang out and bring your ideas to the meeting. If you can’t make it, send it to your president and he’ll present it to the attendees who will then vote to select the winning design.

About that eight weeks to the meeting, that’s only eight weekends, and then just a few more until we have ice. Last year we sailed the weekend of Nov. 28 on Plymouth Pond (see the archives for details). Don’t get caught with your pants down the morning of first plate of black ice. It will sneak up quicker than you think. Patch the sail, pack the trailer wheel bearings, sharpen and align, replace that lost shackle, etc. And while your humming happily away at such delightful work, dream up a great design for a flag that would make Don proud!