Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

7 boats showed up at the launch and sailed on the morning breeze. Lee Spiller, Dave Fortier, Jim Gagnon, Bob MacEwen, Bill Grenier and two others enjoyed easy sailing in 6 knot winds on smooth ice. The boats glided effortlessly. We stopped for lunch, then after, we went out for one last run down the lake only to lose the wind suddenly which made for slow sailing and walking back to the pits. We were all loaded up by 3 and on the road. Everyone agreed it was a good day.

Rain and warm temps in the forecast leave us with a ? as to when and where our next adventure will occur.

Additional comment from Lee Spiller regarding ice conditions on Sabattus lake.Please Note Lee just sent this in:
There is grade 9 ice but plenty of refrozen snow patches, drain holes, etc. Still eminently sailable.
So again caution is the word of the day. No ice is 100% safe.

Sent from my iPad

Lee Spiller sent this photo of the ice he found on Custer Pond (AKA Sabattus Pond) in Sabattus. Lee skated the lake top to bottom and reports 3 to 4 inches of ice mostly grade 9. The lake has not been sailed, as always caution is to be used. The boat ramp is located on the southwest side of the lake just northwest of the town of Sabattus at Martin Point off Lake Street. Lee plans to sail tomorrow as do I. Winds are forecast to 5 to 6 MPH with possible rain starting around 4PM. Info on the lake can be found at lakesofmaine.org search for town of Sabattus.

Lance Bennet is keeping a close eye on his home ice. If it survives the rain we might have something.

Any other holiday cheer out there?

Bob McEwan’s new Mini Skeeter, with Zeus in the background.

A great image of how light and powdery was the snow. And that chicken hanging out of the backpack? We grilled and ate it. Sadly without the Robert’s Baked Beans.