Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

This was a rich day.Rich in wind, ice, people and boats. I can’t list them all, but throughout the day there were sails scattered all over the lake (standing on boats, thankfully). Megunticook is delightfully convoluted, yet around each point there were sails.

The ice did have some skimmed over drain holes and cracks, but I suppose that we’ve paid our penance at Winnipesaukee so there were no mishaps today. We did set out many cones marking the most serious hazzards; thanks Ben Fuller for bringing them all back at the end of the day. Nothing like a stern steerer for lightering duties. Speaking of which, we launched Whirlwind and Lloyd’s day became a microcosm of iceboating. Hours rounding up boat and gear, more hours assembling the boat and then a delightful quarter hour sailing. Had to get back quick to allow time for unrigging and packing. Isn’t that about how we structure our year? That’s Whirlwind below under cover. Video to come.

Thanks to Rankins Lumber and Building Supply for dropping off two staging planks on short notice so we could get the trailers off the ice.

We also launched the front seat DN for the second time, now with real whisker stays and it’s own plank. By all comments a great success. It’s a treat to look up and be sighting along the length of a well bent mast.

And we had our two sailing safari guys. Fred from Maryland, here in Maine with his Nite for a couple of months with nothing to do but chase ice. And Dave McKenzie from New Zealand, who was baptized in the chilly waters of Winni last week. Today he had a loaner DN, lots of boats to follow from which to take cues, good wind and ice a bit less hazzardous than Winni. By the end of the day he was hiking, spinning out, and seriously hauling on the sheet. Well done Dave. And the boat was returned intact and well packed.
A bit of background because it’s really a wonderful story. He thought iceboating could be a bit of fun, so he wrote to iceboat clubs in Europe, the mid-west and New England. He said we were far and away the most encouraging so he flew here, rented a car, called from Boston and said “what now?” Talk about pressure!

Moosehead was sailed today hoping it could become a venue for the DN North Americans, but serious shell ice nixed it. But the surface is good and if the shell heals we could be back for the Long Way. Damariscotta will be checked tomorrow in anticipation of a Sunday-Monday event pending outcome of Saturday’s sprinkles.

There was a bit of slushing this afternoon as the temps reached the high thirties in the full sun. It will be cooler tomorrow but it might be a good idea to get started earlier than later. And bring those slush runners just in case. There’s a moon rising late in the afternoon and we might not want to quit…

The lake wet out beautifully, leaving us with a #8 surface. Launch ramp at Bog Bridge it tight and trailers can be rolled on. There was a trace of thin water in places this morning but it should be well healed tomorrow. There are certain to be some drain holes and healed cracks, and the site of the old pressure ridge should be checked.

Wind forecast is excellent, nice sunshine and not too cold. Could be the perfect day to get up to the north end. Lloyd will be launching WHIRLWIND, so please some check it out!

Warm weather seems to be here for a while so there’s no telling what we’ll have for next week so come get it while you can. And feast your eyes on the potential here: The Birches Webcam | Moosehead Lake lodging | Maine | lodging | lakeside cabins | Maine vacation Is the Long Way in the offing? Greenville-Birches/lunch-and back…

There lots of great ice being reported in Maine today. Thompson Lake in Oxford, just north of Sebago was new black ice, and just over the ridge Jordan Bay has come in. Both have 3-4″, both were skated on this lovely windless day, and both will be deluged for the next two days. The good news is that the coming rain will wet out the snow on the well frozen lakes and probably freeze up again Wednesday night. We’ll be checking Damariscotta late Wednesday in anticipation. What happens to all the new ice with rain and forty degrees might not be a pretty picture.

Here’s Jordan Bay today, looking south to Squaw Island. Pat Keely and Nate Andrew skated a good part of it and report no pressure ridges and only a few small cracks. Sounds like just the kind of plate Lee and I should be sailing. Thanks for the photo, Pat!

Calm winds on Winnipesaukee today kept boats safely close to shore. The Bean Pot Regatta was a bust, but not for lack of trying. Forecast there now indicates more snow than rain.

We all suffer from varying degrees of iceocosis. When the plate is immanently threatened with snow and it’s the last known ice, and it’s really awesome, level heads don’t tend to prevail.
There were pressure ridges visible nearby the launch at Ellacoya and a north south crack just off the beach which was difficult to see. Chris and I found a narrow spot to cross and began to scout. It was hard to go slow in the 20-25kt wind but we found ourselves on a beautiful plate with no snow mounds and no ridges. There were some healed cracks; long dark lines which are common. What we didn’t realize was that were were also many unhealed new cracks, looking just like the others. We were trying to get to the better looking ice inside Rattlesnake Island when my runner found a crack, fell in love with it and remained behind as the rest of the plank, boat rig and skipper went for a long slide.

Chris helped lash up and we set out for the pits.

So with that route not such a great idea, Lee and Paul headed north, short tacking along the shore to get around the end of the ridge and onto a nice plate Lee had spotted yesterday. We watched as the two sails zipped around in the distance and were kicking ourselves for not following when his rig came down and the boat capsized. He had hit a downwind flat pressure ridge slightly misjudging the way back to the pits.

Caked in ice and minus a spring board. As Lloyd said ” A fine day of real iceboating”. On board the Gambit with Lee was Dave McKenzie, our pal from New Zealand who came all this way just to try iceboating. Today was his first time walking on ice (freaky), first time sailing an iceboat (wow) and the first time crashing one and becoming caked in ice (how do I get my frozen zipper down??!!) The spring board and bow runner were saved from the drink.

Thanks to Randy Rice for having the Ellacoya launch plowed out. It’s a great spot. But the ice off of Ames Beach is probably a better bet. NEIYA Beanpot Regatta there tomorrow.