Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

There’s still one boat set up at Goulds, and since we haven’t explored the whole lake yet we will attempt it tomorrow. Winds are supposed to have moderated by then; we were blown off yesterday and are hunkering down today.

Looks about like this.

There is an open hole between the entrance to Goulds and Dollar Island. It bears about 2:00 when headed out of the pit area. Hopefully it will be marked. There may be others undiscovered. The wind is keeping spots from freezing. If the wind dies and these holes skim over, watch out for different ice with a white beard at the leeward end.

You’ve all heard the mantra “Never Sail Alone”. It is probably the most oft repeated instruction. It can be taken to mean that one shouldn’t go out sailing on a lake alone; clear enough. But it also means that even when there is a group of iceboats, always sail within that group WITH YOUR BUDDY. Stay in eye contact, give thumbs up or a nod when you pass close by, and don’t go back to the pits or wander away without your buddy knowing. The best way to communicate a change in plans is to stop your boat and get out. This will alert your buddy, who always has his eye on you, that you need to talk. Maybe you want to go back to the pits, or maybe you want to extend your sailing territory. STAY IN TOUCH ALL THE TIME.

These same rules apply to sailing in a small fleet to a common destination. If one boat stops, you all stop. And you know the one boat has stopped because you are watching. It might take a minute to register, especially if you are up front. If you are way out front, circle back and pick up the stragglers. Stragglers, please don’t you circle back, too.

Pushaw is ON for tomorrow. It has not been properly scouted aside from the first bay on the east side; a left turn as you leave the pits. We will attempt to sail the entire lake tomorrow. The above rules apply.

Here’s a link to a presentation at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum on the history of the Skeeter class at their monthly Think & Drink. Presented by Mike Peters and Deb Whitehorse.

Wisconsin Maritime Museum Presentation docs.google.com

Fresh from the Central Region DN Regatta, Milo Fleming shows off his fisrt place trophy in the Silver division. Way to go Milo!

Sailing in Maine today at Pushaw Lake was wonderful, as reported by T:

There’s great ice everywhere. Great Pond is reported to be completely frozen with very nice ice.
But for now, we are all going to Pushaw. Come join the fun. It looks like it will last a good while.

This was taken this morning looking north. West side scouted heavily, east side less so, Nils’s holes still open in the south end.

Should be great sailing tomorrow.

Thanks Bob!

Damariscotta Lake has open water top and bottom, with various ice thicknesses here and there. Not great.

Lovejoy Pond near Manchester was sailed today by Rob Dmitriov and a couple of Skimmers.

Speaking of Skimmers, long time iceboater Bill Cunningham has donated his to a home schooling family on Plymouth Pond. He sends us this report:
"Skimmer delivery went very well. Very nice family! Great kids! Will be a great home for my old skimmer. I plan to give them their first sailing lesson on Sunday at their waterfront area on Plymouth Pond. Will get pictures of them and the skimmer for the CIBC newsletter to recommend other older aging out sailers think about passing their ice boats on to more youthful ice sailers to make sure our sport and club continues on in the future in Maine.
Might be able to have other home schooled youth in the Plymouth area gather to learn ice sailing by using this skimmer on the Mears waterfront property next winter. Maybe a Plymouth Pond Ice Boating Academy for Youth will be opening then!!!”

Thanks Bill!

Now for what we’ve all been waiting for: PUSHAW ON!

Bob Lombardo and Nils Haentjens skated the lake today and found it to be in excellent shape and ready for iceboats.

This is not your child’s latest drawing, it’s real ice crystals, doing the amazing work they do in creating ice.

This is how it looks when you step back a bit. Thicknesses reported between 3" and 6”. Some ice is newer than others.

Nils tells us there were two open spots: one west of Ram Island and one west of Moose Island.

Nils will be there tomorrow and hopefully a few others. We’re in for a beautiful stretch of sailing, but snow is creeping in to our otherwise spotless forecast. If you can’t make it tomorrow, Monday will be a very nice day as well.
Launch from Goulds Landing.