Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

Things are firming up nicely on the big lake. The north end is a massive sheet of black ice extending from the state park to Frye Island and nearly to the west side, and our access at Nasons Beach. The slush that Curtis observed Tuesday is now hard and Lee Spiller suspects that one could sail through the thin snow atop that slush ice out to the black ice.

Here’s the view from above:

The view from Nasons Beach:

We are working on getting the rest of the ramp plowed. The road in is just fine.

This photo shows Spider Island, just north of Nasons and not very far offshore. If we can get across the snow field then we’re golden. Thanks to the storm passing just offshore this weekend we will have good wind Sunday and Monday. Not much before or after.

A few folks plan to come Sunday, but if you want to join in, please let Jim Gagnon or myself know. That way if plans change you don’t show up and find yourself alone and confused. Also, this is big ice, serious stuff. We need to sail as a group. So if you do show up, please don’t be late.

We’ll update this report with final confirmation Saturday by 12:00.

Sebago will need a few of these very cold days to make something of itself. Alongshore there is 1.5” of ice covered with 3.5” of slush topped with some snow.

Looking east from Nasons Beach with Frye Island in the background right, the main body is grey. The snow extends out about 200 yards.

There might be a chance to go see the grey plate if the inshore mess solidifies in the next few days. Thanks to Curtis Rindlaub for scouting!

In other news, Red Bank and Long Island appear to have a good opportunity for ice this week.

The start of the North Americans have been postponed until tomorrow, but the starting order just goes to show how wacky the world is these days.

Now that we’ve been hammered with snow it’s time to get used to the new normal. Here are some tutorials to help you get started.

Stern Steerer sailing in snow youtu.be

You’ll need a big steerer with the torque of a locomotive.

You can also use a DN as demonstrated by Denis Guertin as long as the wind holds so you don’t need to slog through the snow dragging your boat home:

DN Iceboat on wet snow, Lac St-Francois, Lambton (Quebec) 20-01-2013 youtu.be

And if we get lucky some day and a bit of ice begins to poke through it could be as good as this:

DN Iceboat on Lac St-Francois, Lambton (Quebec) youtu.be

Meanwhile out at the North Americans, the venue has been shifted to Green Lake Wisconsin. Nice ice, snow free, but brutally cold all week. The results will be a question of the survival of the warmest. Our sympathies go out to the Jones brothers of Florida.

According to a reliable skater who heard it from the General Store, Sebago froze last night. There were light winds and sub zero temps over night, so it does sound plausible. With light wind ahead of the snow storm it will not blow out, but the snow will probably depress it, wet out the entire stack, turn to smooth grey ice and build strength and thickness all week.

Could be epic.

Racing is due to start Sunday for the North American DN Championship. Seventy-four sailors have signed up; mostly North Americans, but a sprinkling of Swedes and a portion of Poles have made the leap across the pond to join in.
As we prepare for yet another insult to our ice, it appears that the regatta site at Syracuse, Indiana will be just at the northern marge of the storm. They might only get a bit of snow, but the brutal temps that will follow will be challenging. Generally, racing will not take place in less than ten degrees, especially in strong winds.
We have a good New England contingent and wish them, as well as all the others, the best of luck.

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