Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

Lee Spiller found something north of Nason’s and lost something nearby that we should all be watching for:

> My GoPro fell off the boat in the 1/4 mile after the reef crossing off Nasons…I’ll be looking for that in the morning…
> I should have said something yesterday, there was a scary wet crack 20″ wide half way between Spider Island and the mouth of the Crooked River that Kate, Roger, and I sailed across by the grace of who ever looks out for iceboaters…active ice up in that corner of the lake. One more thing..the surface of the lake changed big time today…its smoothing and flattening…despite the many runner tracks..

Stay tuned for race results from yesterday’s Doc Fellows Regatta and potentially the New England Champs today.

We’ve been discussing ice grades a lot this winter, mainly how we need to accept that there is are grades one, two, three, etc and that we need to admit that we’ll actually sail on them. Grade zero is simply not sailable, for whatever reasons. As reliable scouts, we can confirm that grade one exists south of Frye Island. Three out of four boats attempting the island circumnavigation from Nason’s beach and back made it through, the forth jury rigged a broken mast and blew downwind to Pumphouse Bay. He was there in a few minutes as it was blowing 25-30 yesterday. I would say that one needed a solid twenty just to get through the grade one stuff:

His plank is just visible above the moguls.

Frank and Denis are trying to fix Lee’s mast while I refused to sail back through the crud, having complete confidence it their ability to fix anything:

But on the West side the ice is considerably better, if a bit bumpy. The fleet of 17 boats pushed and waited for wind until about 1:00 today, but when it came in from the SW it was a perfect 10 (mph) and held until dark:

The pressure ridge protecting the main plate from Nason’s Beach. The is a nice flat spot for crossing, but it is very active and needed to be cleared a number of times throughout the day. Yesterday it was tight at the crossing, by this morning it had opened up a foot, and by noon had come together and was piling up fast. Fascinating to sit and listen to the deep rumbles of the working plate accompanied by the tinkling of falling tiny ice. The were signs of warming ice on the main plate, the dreaded springtime re-alignment of the ice crystals. Every day from here on in is a gift. Be humble and take it!

There will be DN racing tomorrow and Sunday, and more sailing into the week. Check the weather, see if you like it, and rest assured there will be plenty of boats on the ice when you show up. Drive on the ice if you want, there’s plenty of room. Any old DN welcome to race: it’s fun!

Lastly, on the crud yesterday at Frye’s Leap:

Its in. Nason’s Beach is open. Lake was sailed today, Thursday, all way across and around Frye Island. Plenty of ice for regatta.

Graded at 5-6 by Fortier and Buchholz.

Raymond beach and Jordan Bay not so good, major snow field out in Bay.

Wind forecast for Friday dwindling NW wind in AM coming in from SW in afternoon.

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Thanks Phil!

New comment waiting approval on Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club Phil & Claudia Lowe commented on The Winds of Sebago Dave Fortier was the first to arrive this morning. No one else, except Roger, had left home when he called. As far as he could … Sebago Ice that’s nice! Ice boaters, It looks like the best ice of the season in North Sebago. What was 1′ drifts and then an inch of sleet and slush four days ago has melted and refrozen to the best sailing surface so far this season. At 4:00 PM, Wednesday, March 18 th, it is 21 F and the temperature is dropping like a rock. The surface is all solid with maybe 2% sailable snow spots as far as we can see, miles and miles. There is a major pressure ridge following the north west shore from off Nason’s beach all the way to the Songo River. It is very visible and three feet or better high in spots. The wind now 15-25 knots. Best of luck sailing over the next week. Phil Thanks for flying with WordPress.com

Dave Fortier was the first to arrive this morning. No one else, except Roger, had left home when he called. As far as he could see, the ice looked fine but as his car was rocking in the gusts (remember, he was alone…) he advised the rest of us to stay home.

Tomorrow will be just as sunny, warmer, with gusts only in the high twenties. Just the kind of power you need to really cover some ground.

Be there!