The club learned a lot from last year’s Winnipesaukee, The Hard Way. The most important lesson was that we cannot call it ON for the entire club, have thirty or more boats show up, and then just do it. It doesn’t honor the rules, and it’s not safe.

But we want to give everyone the opportunity to take part in this classic New England iceboating event. What we’ve come up with is that groups of at least five will be welcome to participate. You need to form your group with like minded sailors, one of whom has done the Hardway before. This is in the rules.

People should start networking now, as with conditions like they are right now, we might get this in earlier than usual. If you can’t find four others, maybe you can find three. Smaller groups can be combined on the morning of the Hardway to make the minimum if they are in similar boats and sail at similar speeds.

Then each group is responsible for its members. If one boat breaks down and repairs can’t be made on the ice, the group needs to see him safely back to the pits unless there are at least seven in the group in which case two return and five continue, five being the minimum number in a fleet. This is all standard Hardway guidelines.

Maps have been printed and will be available at the pits when signing in. Bring reading glasses if you need them! Guidelines and stories are here:

Winnipesaukee “the Hard Way” | New England Ice Yacht Association

Hardway rules:

Bill Buchholz
NEIYA Cruising Chairman

Charlie Silfvenius
HARDWAY Captain