Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

Daniel Hearn wrote this thought provoking essay on how we might deal with the less than wonderful situations we sometimes find ourselves in, out on the ice.

What’s Coming Out of Your Megaphone?
Submitted by Daniel Hearn, US 5352

The internet, and all of the social media tools it has spurned, has put a powerful megaphone into the hands of every person who has a connection and a device. What was once reserved for news editors, publicists, speech writers and other professionals, is now a capability of anyone who cares to share a written or spoken word, photograph or video. Although we may not get paid to do it, today each of us is an “influencer.”

What does this have to do with ice sailing? In my opinion, it introduces a new responsibility that we should all take seriously. Each of us is now a publicist for the sport we love. That being the case, I would advocate that we protect our sport by adopting an unwritten rule that we don’t unnecessarily post the unfortunate aspects of ice sailing. Before you compose and click, ask yourself, “what good will come for my sport if I share this content?” What good comes from posting a photo of a boat that has gone through the ice? An ice inspector rolling himself out of a hole after falling through? A sailor in up to his waist while transporting equipment? The crumbled aftermath of a collision? A helmet video of a “splashdown” when a boat finds a hole at high speed? We’ve all seen it, but what exactly is the poster’s intent? What positive thing has the poster accomplished? In my opinion, nothing? In fact, I believe such posts do nothing but damage to our sport.

We don’t want or need this type of attention. It makes us look like a bunch of irresponsible knuckleheads doing unsafe things we ought not to. Every time we post content like this we run the risk of inviting unwanted scrutiny. This can lead to requirements that make our sport impractical. Fearing potential litigation, we could lose access to venues where we launch from private property. Liability insurance premiums could become cost prohibitive and permit fees excessive. And we could be discouraging new people from joining our sport. Particularly young people whose parents are naturally concerned about their safety. If we do have a serious occurrence at some point in the future, we have left out there, permanently, all sorts of evidence that could be used against us, potentially ruining our sport. Is it really worth it for a look-a-me moment?” Or checkout-aisle sensationalism that inspires, “you’re all a bunch of crazies” comments from those who have no real stake in our sport? In my book…not a chance!

Each of our megaphones is much better utilized sharing information that portrays our sport in a positive light. Share the excitement. Share the beauty. Share the friendships. Share the competitive spirit. Share the creativity. Share the inspiration. Share the community. And if you feel you must share something that is less than positive, consider sharing it with a select few in more private communication.

About an inch of dry snow covered lakes from Mass to Maine a couple of days ago, but the iceboaters just kept on coming. Two good days were had on Massebesic, the dusted black ice of Sebago was sailed today, Megunticook had its resident sailor ripping around in the fresh westerly, and Webster Lake had a very respectable fleet:

A few refugees from the DN Nationals came home for better sailing, set marks and got some races in today.

On Mt. Desert Michael Young tells us:
“Dashing thru the snow, on a zebras black and white, around the lake we go, enjoying all the sights, hiking here and there, as the wind isn’t so light, putting on many miles, all before night.
Tomorrow maybe the last hooray for awhile. 5 boats today, with 2 new to the sport trying it out.”

Regarding Sebago, here’s what it looked like day before yesterday, courtesy of Lee Spiller:

Dave Fortier checked with an ice fisherman for a thickness: four inches along the east side. No word on the main body of the lake, but it could be that this is the first year in a while that the entire lake will be sailable.

It’s bigger than we thought: in addition to all the fleets mentioned yesterday, there were two DN’s on Norton Pond in Lincolnville, and a pair of Lockley’s on dear old Chicky. So nice that she still gets some attention every now and then. That said, the coming snow will wipe out most of the sailable ice in Maine and New Hampshire, but two coastal lakes could dodge the white bullet: Walker Pond and Lake Chickawaukee. These are both so close to the sea that if the snow turns to rain alongshore these two will benefit. Will we be called back to our roots? Is racing round the marks in the cards?Or will the ice look more like this:

We left Dammy today after a delightful morning of light air. A fleet of five boats met at the pressure ridge, crossed both ways and then headed down the River. A fools mission in light air, but as this was the last chance perhaps before spring we went for it. After a tight match race to the bottom we rounded up to dead telltales, limp yarn, not a puff. A few of the boats didn’t make it all the way. Fortunately it was upwind back and we managed to find just enough puffs to keep moving. Wonderfully technical sailing, aided by good alignment and well tuned boats.

Keep iceboating in your minds eye as we work through the white stuff. Its been two weeks straight of fabulous conditions throughout the region. The wind left us today in the early afternoon, so there was plenty of time to reflect on our extraordinary good fortune. There was no rush to pack up boats and be gone. Being there was it. The crunch of cleats on ice, a tune that’s been ringing in our ears all this time, played an encore.

A lingering cup of coffee, one for the road, and that was it. The pits left as we found them, the ice beautiful, oblivious to it’s impending doom.

A meditation channel until we meet again.

Last, best of luck to all the DN racers chasing ice out west. The Nationals venue has been changed from Madison to Princeton, Illinois because of snow and bitter cold. What a great sport!

Well the ice is still tight but the winds were lite.

But we were able to fly around the southern end of Dammy. Approximately 15 boats mostly DN’s and a few skeeters 🦟
Sailed the day away in beautiful sunshine, sharing the lake with skaters, fishermen and kick sleders.
Thanks to all for following the parking etiquette and preserving our Vannha Road launch. More to come!

Sent from my iPad

There was a time not so long ago that the CIBC would all meet at one lake or another to sail or race. Often it was at Chickawaukee where Lloyd would have a fire going on the beach with a pot of bubbling baked beans. Occasionally there would be some inter-lake rivalry, one group wanting to sail here, the other there, but not often: there just weren’t that many of us.

But never in our memories of Maine iceboating has there been sailing on six different lakes on the same day. And if you count the pressure ridges that effectively make Damariscotta into three separate plates, you have eight.

The Nites are on Clary Pond, the Ruge Skeeter and a Cheapskate (how’s that for a pairing?) on Walker Pond, nine boats and a gaggle of non-feathered wings on Eagle Lake, a few on Megunticook dodging skaters, three on Pemiquid before the ice fishers stove it up, and two at the north end of Dammy, three in the middle and a dozen on Muscongus Bay.

It would seem that iceboating is alive and thriving. Sixteen MIT students came with their four DN’s, some from the tropics who’d never seen a big frozen lake before.

According to the forecast we’re not done yet!