While reefing out some seems on this vintage rowing shell and prepping it for varnish I couldn’t help but notice that #3947 was in my field of view and seemed to be calling me away from my promised boat work to others. It’s way too hot here in my shop and the thought of an icey wind is keeping me going for the moment. If you look closely you can see the pink foam board which will hopefully be shaped into a new tiller and glassed up in a nice streamlined shape that will not only tuck neatly between my legs at speed but also will allow me a better push and punch and the drop of the flag. This is the year I am actually getting an early start on my ice boat projects. I promised myself to switch over to an entire new plank line-up system and to get all my runners dialed in early. A big project…. so exciting to think about.

Finally, after a few shop minutes here, a few minutes there, the hull I bought on a whim at the fall trade/banquet (two years ago) is cleaned up, re epoxied, painted and ready to go for a loaner. My daughter has expressed interest in it as well (hooray!) so if you spot the trailer and the boat is inside feel free to ask about setting it up and getting a few pointers. NEIYA is about the most welcoming group for new sailing enthusiasts young and old and there is always plenty of advice for new sailors. If you spot this COVID escape rocket ship on the ice and have never sailed, don’t have a boat, or just want to give it a whirl please do just that. Simply ask for the keys.

Another swap meet/annual buffet purchased-on-a-whim barn find that will hopefully see the ice this winter is this two seat 40’s era Mead skeeter. Some of you may recall loading the old ship wreck onto my truck roof and thinking it would definitely NOT still be up there when I got home…. but it was! And it is beautiful now! As many of you know I have much more enthusiasm for ice boating than I do banking abilities and with the help of others in the NEIYA I was able to acquire the hardware I needed, a set of runners, and an updated mast/sail combo that should raise some ice chips for those behind us! If you spot Chilly Willy on the ice (formerly know as “Scat!”), a ride is yours for the asking. I rebuilt it specifically to give others their first rides.

I am so excited about the upcoming swap meet this fall. I hope my wife will allow me to go again?!? She seems worried what might come home on the roof next… : )

I look forward to seeing you all there!

Jay Whitehair
Vice Commodore NEIYA
Norwich, VT

Congrats to Bill Mattison on getting into the Sailing Hall of Fame! Bill is not only a central pillar of the Wisconsin iceboating universe but also an extraordinary boat builder, model builder, craftsman, veteran, and has a few America’s Cup campaigns on his resume as well.

Accolades rightly deserved!

RED ALERT: Bill Mattison Inducted Into the National Sailing Hall of Fame! – iceboat.org

We all know it’s important to have the major elements of any iceboat ready to go when the lakes flash off in the fall; Perfect runners, plank and runners all aligned, all the bits and bobs in place….

But it’s also good to have the ancillary stuff taken care of- the little things that make traveling and transporting easier. Trailer modifications, car-top rigs, runner boxes, tool boxes, trailer hitches, all that miscellaneous minutia that always takes more time to do than you’d think.

In the never ending battle to be ready by Thanksgiving (keep dreaming, right?) there has been some serious noise and dust being made in RI-

Here we see runner holders being made- amazing how much “snow” piles up from cutting the grooves in the plastic. Have to say the finished product doesn’t look bad!

Also have some pit runners taking shape for NEIYA Secretary and scribe Karen Binder- the runners will be handy later but the poplar shavings from the planer are already mulching the bushes at the house.

Nice to tick these items off the list while it’s warm out. Nice to work outdoors and still feel your fingers. And I’m SURE the neighbors don’t mind the noise!

Think ICE. Days are getting shorter….

Stay safe gang!

Landsailing on hot asphalt planned for Loring on Wednesday if the wind forecast holds. Anyone interested, call Bill Bucholz via the CIBC site. Regatta planned for September 11-13, details to follow. Pencil it in!

Cool Ice

No, not a Skimmer but a summertime craft- Click the link and take a look!

John Pepper sent this along- Many thanks for this and also don’t forget to send any iceboat related web-page fodder my way-

Lockley sailboat – boats – by owner – marine sale

Lockley sailboat – boats – by owner – marine sale This is a 12 ft sloop rigged sailboat. It was designed to be light enough to be carried on a car…

Think ICE!!

After the post about the Montana beach pebbles that hitch-hiked back to RI under my van last winter I received a few funny comments and suggestions-

The best was from Eben Whitcomb, who suggested I plant them in some good potting soil and see if I can grow some dental floss…. Had to laugh at that one and no, it isn’t a joke about my lack of dental hygiene (I hope).

It is yet another reference to the Frank Zappa song “Montana.” Like much of Mr. Zappa’s oeuvre it is very serious and somber. This particular piece relates the narrative of a young man who (like many) dreams of moving to Montana, getting a small horse, planting a crop of dental floss, and making a fortune. While wearing tweezers as jewelry.

Of course you could be a snob and say to yourself “What a cliche’. That same story has been told a thousand times.”

But do yourself a favor, click the link and have a listen. Enjoy the interpretation, subtlety and majesty of one of Frank Zappa’s better known works, “Montana.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smZA9Jv3qH0

If you made the trip to Glasgow, Montana for the DN NA champs you may recall the reddish brown stones and sticky mud at the launch site. Very tenacious stuff- I spent hours under the van with a pressure washer blasting it all off.

And now, half a year later, I’m still spotting these little nuggets in the driveway. Have to chuckle every time and also give thanks for a really fun season.

Here’s to the next one!

June 20, 2020. Solstice, baby.
Days will start getting shorter.
Nights will be getting cooler.
We all know what this means….
Think ICE….

On a slightly less cosmic note the Great Western Challenge is less than six months away…. get busy in the shop if you haven’t already!! Send pics and info on any interesting projects you have going- will post on the front page!

Hope all are having a safe and productive summer-

Cheers!

John Curtis checks in from north of the border, showing off his new garden trellis.

He says “Notice the 2 and 1/4” of crown and the slight gull wing profile in the trellis.”

The design is no doubt inspired by current fashionable DN plank measurements.

One wonders how it will deflect and react as the vines grow up and around it….

Not sure who the spokesmodel is but maybe Colin Duncan?

Thanks John- get the garden in order and get back to Iceboat stuff!

Getting back to fitness requires motivation and sometimes that’s hard to find, but the other night I found some. I prefer going to the track because it’s the easiest way for me to set measurable goals. Lately, I am walking a lot longer before I pick up the pace to a slow run. I know I need to run. I just don’t like to run. The other night it was running night. At the track I saw an acquaintance that competed and won the 1999 Around Alone solo race for his class. Our respective sons wrestled together in high school and I will admit to being fairly awe struck around the guy. He sailed around the world – alone. That’s huge.

He was walking too and we said hello, but we kept to our own fitness thing. After walking two laps, I started to jog and passed him. Then after a bit I started to hear some steps and breathing behind me. Around the world guy had started running too. I really wanted to stop and likely would have, but I decided that the guy that won the around the world race was not going to be beat me on the track. After another two laps, I noticed he’d departed.

Yes, it was a small cheap victory and he didn’t even know I was racing him! What can I say? I needed motivation. Later that evening, T and I watched some ice boating starts of those fast Europeans. Those folks run REALLY FAR before they slide into their boats. That will keep me motivated for a while…

Stay safe everyone!

Karen Binder
DN 5630

Whether you already know Ron or not you’ll enjoy this interview- Ron has an interesting history with iceboating and has become fairly proficient at it over the years….

Have a look and listen and enjoy the stories- and of course you’ll learn something!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0ZW1NG7OgI&feature=emb_title

It’s not Fabio. It’s not Zoolander. It IS Scott Valentine modeling one of the more stylish face masks you’ll ever see!

Hope everyone is being safe and staying healthy (physically and mentally) and looking forward to the fall and hopefully a time when we will wear face masks only because it’s cold out.

Thanks Scott!

Think ICE!!