The New England Championship Regatta is on for Jan 30 at Sunapee Lake in NH. We will be sailing in the main part of the lake and launching from Dewey beach on the Northwest side of the lake. You will have to google directions to Dewey or check the NEIYA hotline at 508-481-1011
     Skippers Meeting is scheduled for 10:45 with a first start at 11AM. The start time may be postponed if the weather is still in the single digits early.
     Sunapee received ¾" snow Thursday afternoon but is expected to blow clear in the high winds Thursday night and Friday. Weather forecast for Saturday is temps peaking at 18 deg in the afternoon with wind speeds 12 mph in the morning decreasing to 9-10 by 4 pm. Sunday is High of 23 with wind speeds of 8 mph. Don't forget your nutwarmers.      -- Eric Anderson

The 2010 Doc Fellows Regatta is ON for Norton Reservoir in Norton MA, Saturday Jan 23. Most will launch off of Reservoir road On the North end of the lake. Skippers Meeting and registration is at 10:15 on the ice at the startline. Because there are a number of possible launch sites on the lake, the start line will also serve as the official notice board.
     First race is 10:30. We will race as many races as possible. It is expected that all competitors will be NEIYA members (you can sign up and pay membership at the event), and you must have liability insurance. This race is open to all DN sailors so if you want to try racing, show up.
    Eric Anderson at 860.367.7806(cell)

Location

Jan 21: The Yankee Championships will be held this Saturday & Sunday on Lake Hopatcong in New Jersey. Notice will be up on the Iceline shortly. If weather on Friday makes for poor conditions (unlikely now) the Regatta will be postponed on the Iceline by 8:00 PM Friday.
     The Skippers meeting will be held at 9:00 AM Saturday and we will try to get the first race off by 10:00 AM. Since the wind forecast is better for Saturday than Sunday, we will try to race three races on Saturday. People to help serve as Race Committee are needed. Location

Dec 17, Jory and Dickie find some ice.

Grassy Pond, Midcoast Maine. ...from Jory's post: "Dickie and I kept hooting to each other: This is absolutely as good as it gets! As the sun began its long sunset behind the western hills, we stopped for tea, and tried to plan--if the whole gang were to convene here--how to overcome the difficult road access to this ice playground. I'm sure we'll figure something out, unless other large ponds, perhaps Cleary Lake, are also jelled."

   "But for tomorrow, in the icy-cold single-digit bright sun, I know one skater who wouldn't be anywhere else."

The tentative schedule of events for the season.

The schedule depends on being blessed with the basic and necessary conditions for iceboating which include among other things, ice. As of December 6th there has been very little hard water sighted in the New England states. Be patient, keep safe. We'll be sailing by the first of the year.

The NEIYA off-ice clinic is today! Saturday Dec 5. 11am to 3pm (free lunch!)

--The Commodore reports that the clinic was a big success. 40 sailors were exchanging tech info and catching up socially, chowing down on chili dogs. Thanks to all who helped, organized, and came out.

The 09 annual business meeting, lunch, and swapmeet

Held on a fabulous day, with record attendance. Here Steve Lamb sells a trailer load of old skeeters. They will eventually be sailing fast on the frozen lakes of midcoast Maine.

The 2009-2010 season starts with the NEIYA swapmeet, Luncheon, and Annual Meeting at the Doubletree Hotel, 5400 Computer Drive, Westborough, Mass. Saturday, November 7th! This is an important NEIYA meeting, but as you can see from the photo above, it's a casual affair.
   

Mallets Bay Vermont:
New England Championship regatta results

Ron Sherry's new website

DN setup, tuning tips, tuning guide, from national champ number 44.

2009 DN World and North American champs report

By James "T" Thieler
DN US 5224
As it was kind of a turbulent fall season for me I didn't have a chance (or didn't bother) to work on my gear, train or practice this year but decided to do the Worlds and NAs anyway and just have a good time sailing the course and catching up with the other ice addicts... read entire article

Jeff Kent's report on the Worlds

February 27, 2009: You may have heard about the crash at the Worlds in Michigan. Jeff Kent has sent some pictures of the accident and promises an insider's narrative of the mishap. Here are 21 rapid-fire pictures of the accident. Hover your cursor over these numbers to see the crash unfold.

Jeff Brown earns world speed record!

Sailing on a custom iceboard Freeskate, Jeff's new GPS maximim Speed is 64.6mph (103.96km). He also has a sustained 100m distance run of 63.6mph (102.36 km) which is another record in itself. "I am now ranked #1 in the world for the "freestanding rig icesled class" which covers all handheld windsurfer type craft on ice."

Location was Long Pond in Harwich/Brewster on the Cape, on Feb 12, 2009. Wind was 25-35 knots southwest, temperature was 45 deg on slick hard spring ice. "I think I could have gone faster if I only had more room, I was limited to half a mile."

Rob Myles & Alex Wadson were also present on Freeskates, hitting speed runs into the mid 50mph ranges as well, now the top worlds GPS ranks in that class.

Bill Ellis and Jack Frost

We got a note from Suzanne Ellis (DN US 2456) with this pic of her dad, probably on Winnepesaukee. He's now 94 and has fond memories of good times on the ice with the guys. Bill is doing fine and enjoying the newsletters. He remembers Stu Nelson, Jim Bonney, "Jack," Don Kent, Stew Hamel, The Stovers.

Bill says, "Think Ice!"

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We have received word that Bill Ellis passed away March 6, 2009 at the age of 93.