Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

Dan, Mike and Jim had a lovely day on the ice recently and got some newbies to boot!

Chasing Friends on Echo Lake 1 13 26 youtube.com

Lloyd always taught us never to go out and just “reach around”. You never learn to sail an iceboat properly. For that you must sail an upwind-downwind course. It’s true, of course, and there is usually a good option for both. Great Pond, like Megunticook, offer great upwind-downwind touring courses. But when the wind backs into the west, Megunticook becomes unstable and frustrating (i.e. this past Monday) but Great Pond becomes a reacher’s paradise. With miles and miles of excellent ice and winds in the twenties one could do full laps of the entire lake with only an occasional tack or gybe. And it’s a big lake.

There is one six mile stretch from deep in the southern marshes to that bay with the sandy beach was run at over a mile a minute in one shot, past islands points and lovely scenery. It only took six minutes but if felt timeless.

The line-up included Ben Fuller, Denis, John Hanson, your correspondent, Bryce, Chris Malliet and Nick Pagnon with Jory’s old Bluebird. Missing from the shot is Dave Fortier. We got a bit worried and went searching, but he was found high and dry and still sailing fast.

The star of the day was Bryce Geele with his DN powered Cheapskate. Huge performance upgrade from the Sailfish rig. What’s next, Sarns plates and a bendy mast? Way to go, Bryce.

Looks like a combination of light rain and snow over the weekend but if we don’t take too big a hit then early in the week looks good. Go find a lake and check it!

Lloyd always taught us never to go out and just “reach around”. You never learn to sail an iceboat properly. For that you must sail an upwind-downwind course. It’s true, of course, and there is usually a good option for both. Great Pond, like Megunticook, offer great upwind-downwind touring courses. But when the wind backs into the west, Megunticook becomes unstable and frustrating (i.e. this past Monday) but Great Pond becomes a reacher’s paradise. With miles and miles of excellent ice and winds in the twenties one could do full laps of the entire lake with only an occasional tack or gybe. And it’s a big lake.

There is one six mile stretch from deep in the southern marshes to that bay with the sandy beach was run at over a mile a minute in one shot, past islands points and lovely scenery. It only took six minutes but if felt timeless.

The line-up included Ben Fuller, Denis, John Hanson, your correspondent, Bryce, Chris Malliet and Nick Pagnon with Jory’s old Bluebird. Missing from the shot is Dave Fortier. We got a bit worried and went searching, but he was found high and dry and still sailing fast.

The star of the day was Bryce Geele with his DN powered Cheapskate. Huge performance upgrade from the Sailfish rig. What’s next, Sarns plates and a bendy mast? Way to go, Bryce.

Looks like a combination of light rain and snow over the weekend but if we don’t take too big a hit then early in the week looks good. Go find a lake and check it!

Dave Fortier and Jim Gagnon had a look at the Belgrade Lakes today and yesterday and it appears the Great Pond is the place to be once our recovery is completed.

This is the condition yesterday. With the warmth and light rain today it should be even better when the temperature drops Thursday night. Friday offers cool temps, sun and a brisk breeze. Not much wind promised after Friday, but let’s sail Friday and see what they say for Saturday at that time.

So that’s the call. Please send me a text if you plan to come. If plans change at the last minute it’s good that all those who plan to come can be informed of the changes. Its no fun showing up at a lake only to find no one there.

https://youtu.be/1LqAalJSgb0?si=JRFk_d1VFHTclfMs

Sent from my iPad