Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

Memory’s lost and found

When the days so clearly shorten
And the morning air is chill
And though summer’s toys are handy
they have somehow lost their thrill

It’s then my mind starts rovin’
And my heart begins to glow
as I touch the winter magic
I’ve been blessed enough to know

The world is vast and varied
with splendors great and small
tall mountains, roaring rivers
which capture and enthrall

But my smaller world is bounded
and my heart has special claim
to winter’s icy magic
(will it come this year again?)

From the blur of thing forgotten
the names and dates and such
comes the jolt of what’s remembered
when the flow of life was hushed

When the mind’s pedestrian effort
to fully know and to contain
was cut short by sensory input
from some strange and higher plane

we all could tell our stories:
Remember that misty morning light
when the ice was bathed in feathers
left by fairies in the night?

sailing miles northeast on Moosehead
touching runners six abreast
’til someone gained some inches
and we had to prove who’s best

No, I’m not quite sharpening runners
this warm September day
no use in going crazy
as the slow months slip away

but i’m reaping the rich harvest
and can feel my heart rebound
as i touch the jewels remembered
in memory’s lost and found.

Many of you are members of the NEIYA and will already have received these compelling words from John Stanton, but for those who aren’t, here you go.

Respond to this post by replying above this line New post on New England Ice Yacht Association Looking Forward To The Coming Season by NEIYA Admin With shorter days and cooler nights, we are all thinking about sailing iceboats and the miles of black ice we’ll find this winter. Just as there are a few months till we sail again, a number of things MUST happen and individual efforts MUST take place before groups of pilots can safely congregate and sail. We all know what occurs prior to setting up your boat in the pits and pushing off toward a nice plate: Someone watches as the lakeside trees shed their leaves. All manner of boat building advice and help is freely given. Boats and equipment are bought, sold, traded and loaned by fellow sailors prior to first ice. Runners are sharpened individually and en mass by skilled sanding volunteers. Someone watches as fog and mists wafted over the body of water in the early morning hours. Eyes are on the lake while morning frosts creep toward the water from the shore. People gaze upon the first mirror black ice to skim out from shore. Occasionally taking the long way to work or home to check on ice conditions. One or more people poke at the new ice with a stick even though they know it is not ready. Swinging blunt instruments upon the ice, a wise man from Rockport swears by the blunt end of an axe, and drills test holes. Talk to ice fisherman who are generally happy to break their solitude for a conversation about fish and ice. Scout with skates, or sailing carefully and stopping periodically to check grade and thickness. People report back results. Insufficient ice or unsafe conditions change. A body of water’s history plays an important role for future safe sailing. Who are those someones? Who are those eyes? Who spent countless hours helping others get ready to sail? Who communicated observations so that others would benefit? The answer is simple: Members of the NEIYA and the CIBC. Please remember this when asked to contribute time, knowledge and skills toward club activities. Ice forms all by itself but it’s a team effort to bring a group of people the ice. John Stanton DN5023 NEIYA, Vice Commodore john P.S. Our annual meeting, swap and lunch are ON for Saturday October 28th Westborough, MA Knights of Columbus Hall. More on that shortly. NEIYA Admin | 09/07/2017 at 6:12 pm | Categories: 2018 Season | URL: http://wp.me/p1814d-2fz Comment See all comments Like

The Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club has been offered the gift of a trophy cup for its flotilla of Cheapskate ice boats from W. H “Bill” Bunting, a long-time club member, and skipper of the Nite-class ice boat # 86,“Red Herring.” Bunting said that he was inspired to make the gift because “nothing warms the spirits on a cold, grey day as does the sight of a flock of plucky little Cheapskates with their cheerfully colorful sails.”

Bunting also wished to recognize the camaraderie evident among Cheapskate skippers. The economical little craft attracts not only beginning ice boaters, as intended, but also veteran sailors wishing to downsize. The design has proved to be cheap, able, and relatively foolproof, with superior light air speed and the remarkable ability to sail in heavy winds without reefing.

Bunting is leaving it up to the Cheapskate fleet skippers to decide how the cup should be awarded, but suggested that this might be done at the start the season. For example, while for one season it might go to the winner of a regatta, the following season it might be awarded to the skipper who accumulates the most days on the ice.

The trophy, appropriately, is constructed of components of little value. The cup itself, an old Reed & Barton “Morning Glory” silver-plated pot, is a remnant from the estate of Miss Daisy Vorhees, an elderly spinster and a family friend, and had long been gathering dust in Bunting’s attic. It is now mounted atop a vintage Saab hubcap found by Bunting many years ago in a roadside ditch. The trophy’s base consists of an inverted pie plate from Reny’s. A surrounding strip of plexi-glass is intended to represent a layer of ice.

Internal ballasting is provided by a hydraulic pump gear from a dismembered 1948 John Deere “A” tractor, and a sack of pennies. A five-gallon hydraulic oil pail will serve as a secure case for the trophy when it is transported to and from the winners’ houses.

Lloyd Roberts, dean of Maine ice boating, noted author of the book “Think Ice,” who is the de facto commodore of the C. I. B. C. Cheapskate fleet, and the current holder of the class speed record of nearly 48 mph, when informed of the gift, expressed appropriate appreciation. He noted that it “was larger than most ice boating trophies, but not all.” C.I.B.C. president Bill Buchholz, recalling that Bunting had suggested the Cheapskate name, commented that “it took one to name one.” He’ amused by the fact that the most humble of iceboats has a trophy nearly as spectacular as the America’s Cup itself.

The official presentation ceremony will take place at the club’s pre-season meeting in early November, at Dave Fortier’s house in Biddeford. In the meantime, the trophy is doing useful service as the radiator ornament for Bunting’s circa-1970 Allis Chalmers HD16-DP bulldozer “Junior.”

SUMMER VISIT TO NOVA SCOTIA

      Eben, Eric and I made our summer trek to Nova Scotia last week. Like all of our summer visits to NS very enjoyable, and filling. The order of events is approximate, and may be out of order.

One of the major events for me was a visit aboard the Atlantic Destiny. Howard Garlands brought us for a tour of the ship he captains on the days he is not on the ice. An amazing ship and crew we got to see in action. The boat goes offshore for scallops for 3-4 weeks at a time. The catch is shucked and then frozen at sea, so the ship has many systems that are required to catch, and process the catch. The scallops are dragged, and the dragging equipment gets damaged some. The catch is processed and frozen. The compressors that are needed to freeze the scallops and keep them frozen are substantial, so need maintenance and sometimes repair when at the dock. From what we saw every piece of the Atlantic Destiny is ready to go in I believe 24 hrs. An impressive crew all of them. One more fact that is interesting, 5 tanker trucks of diesel fuel were pumped into her. These were not heating oil delivery trucks, but the fifth wheel type trucks that hold 9,000 gallons (per wikipedia). WOW 45000 gallons. I probably should verify that number, and if it is not accurate I will try to post the accurate number. That was a good tour, Howard showed us the entire ship from the bridge down to the area where the catch is shucked and frozen. I believe that he said when fishing there are 31 men aboard, when we were there I guess about 20 men, technicians were hard at it.

The next day was the club get together at Howard’s place. It was raining in the morning, but Howard had arranged for a giant tarp to be dropped off first thing in the morning. We were out there just after noon I believe setting that up with ropes, 4/4s, 2/4s etc. The wind and rain were quite formidable but we got er done. I believe about 1500 Howard started the hardwood cooking fire. When the fire was roaring as it should, large salmon filets attached to tinfoil covered boards are stood up near it. The radiant heat cooks them to perfection. We had scallops as well, potato salads, and much more. The wind, and rain continued, but the tarp held, and we all had a feast.

We partied and talked all evening and into the night. Oh, and did I tell you yet? We drank a bit of rum, I think later in the night we were in Howard’s bar/pool room, talking, shooting pool. I am not certain exactly what time it was, but we were late to bed.

The next day was Sunday, we went to Lunenburg, it was a perfect day, blue sky, light breeze, what a difference a day does make. We saw old schooners, many tourists Canadians from other provinces and I think some locals. It was a good crowd, and a really nice shorefront. Oh, I almost forgot, I saw the CIBC Banking Center, see picture. We drove back to Howard and Claudette’s place to pick her up for a drive back to Lunenburg (I think), for a lobster feed. It was a cool place, all the mussels you could eat, and blueberry shortcake for desert. If I remember correctly, we did not stay up too late because we had to get on the road to Yarmouth before 0600, 2.5 hour ride.

The drive went well, the roads are good and the traffic was light. Once again, we drove aboard with many others. The ship may not have been full, but it was close, most passengers traveling with cars, or trucks, advertised to hold 200. After a bit the ALAKAI left the pier and we hung out on the poop deck waving goodbye and watching the scenery. We also observed the jet wash out the stern, and I was able to see that the starboard side was the one missing an engine. I think with all engines and good weather it is a five hour cruise, with three engines about six and a half.

We then went up to the forward cabin/bar area and claimed three good seats so that we could sit together. Good seats, and very comfortable even though a blanket is needed because of air-conditioning if you want to get some shuteye! On the way to Nova Scotia on Thursday afternoon we were treated to some really talented folk musicians. They played songs about NS and PEI, and knew much of the history, they shared it well. Everything went well traveling in both directions, but the trip back we had breakfast sandwiches and other good stuff that Claudette the super hostess prepared for our trip, very nice.

Once again when we arrived in Portland disembarking went well and that was good because Eric was hoping to make it to a meeting in CT. We drove from Portland to Biddeford posthaste and quickly split our booty (Howard had given us a couple of bags of frozen scallops) I quickly found a cooler so that might keep the scallops frozen for the remainder of their trip, and off they went.

I know I had a full-fun five day weekend, and believe Eric and Eben did as well. Thanks to the Nova Iceboat club, and wish you had been there as well Bob C.. Thanks so much Claudette and Howard for the hospitality.

Dave US4690