Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

The DNA ‘DN’ Rig youtu.be

Catamaran sailors are discovering the wonder of the DN rig.

Kevin Cormier checked Kezar Lake in Lovell yesterday before the rain. Under a few inches of snow is 8-9” of ice right off The Inn at Pleasant Point. If this wets out we’ll have a very nice plate of ice with a cozy inn right on the water, big fireplace and all.

At Damariscotta Lake we have three inches of ice at Lake Farm.

The lake appears to be frozen completely, and is all wet out. Depending on the effects of the rain and warmth, there could be sailable ice by the weekend.

The web cam at South Twin is fogged out: a good sign that the snow is getting eaten.

On a hunch from an earlier skater’s report, Bob Lombardo headed to The Birches today to check it out. He headed north along the shore all the way to the top and found between 2.5 and 4” of black ice.

The lake is pretty much entirely frozen, with some older ice now under snow. But don’t think you’ve missed any sailing: it was skater’s heaven without a bit of wind. What is it with this windless winter?

Looking south at Kineo from the north end with nothing but ice from here to there.

And for a real treat, Bob came across this field of ice flowers. Those of you who sailed on that memorable day on Cobbosseecontee will recognize these:

Rain starting there late tomorrow initiates a warming trend punctuated by a day of snow mid-week before getting cold again. Don’t give up: ice will come. Thanks Bob!

Pushaw last December. We’re paying for it now!

While we’ve been pondering Plymouth and praying for Pushaw to finish her freeze, Millinocket Lake has been quietly freezing away. Reports from the New England Outdoor Center tell about snow mobiles riding over miles of ice. Ice, not snow. The NEOC has been an unrealized holy grail of the CIBC since forever. They have nice rooms, a great restaurant and bar, a launch site right on the lake, and access to the South Twin/ Amberjesus lake network. A regular destination iceboat sailing resort. We’ve never been there.

Snow is forecast for the region Tuesday. If, by some miracle the snow passes south, the wind forecast for the rest of the week is less than inspiring enough to get our southern ice sailing buddies to make the drive.

But, stand by for updates as intel comes in and the weather does what it will.

First Sail of Last Season Plymouth Pond 12:16:24 youtube.com

Many thanks to Dan Stillman for making this!