Weekend Review

Light rain fell this weekend while the snow missed us entirely. The latest I have ever sailed on the Hudson River was on Saint Patricks Day, but Ricky Aldrich recalls sailing on the day of Eisenhower's Funeral, April 2nd. I think we are done for the season unless we should get one last push of cold air this week that could set up Cheviot for a few days of sailing. A big push of arctic air could also bring on a big nor'easter as well. It's time to head off to Downeast Maine and get the brush burned before we lose all the snow cover.

Snowpack is now covered with a hard crusty layer

March 9, 2015.   Sailing has come to a halt once again -- snow, sleet, and rain has put a new crusty layer on the snowpack in the Hudson Valley. New Jersey and Long Island, the only places with any sailing in the area last weekend, got the same treatment Thursday and are now out of action. A few days of cold weather will follow, but next week the weather is forecast to turn warmer and the real melting will begin.

We may completely miss out on any sailing of this huge sheet of ice on the Hudson River. Once it gets soft, we cannot sail on it -- it will rapidly thin under the warm sun and spring runoff which will quickly come up in volume this week -- and then it will be gone. NSIBYC pulled their fleet of "A" boats and the ROCKET off the ice on Saturday morning -- the JACK FROST was packed up and off the ice on Friday. This all goes quite quickly and easily if there are many people available to help with the lifting and carrying -- we started at 8 am, and by 12:30 pm we were largely done for the day.

 
March 1, 2015

March 7, 2015 -- only a few DN's left on the ice

GALE and NORTH WIND -- sister ships -- at Orange Lake, NY

Mystery Photo

Large Marconi rigged stern steerer with a Hudson River style skeg.
I'm trying to deduce the location of this photo and the name of the boat.
The mirrored image offers several new clues -- looks like "J A Roosevelt" scrawled in chalk or grease pencil on the cockpit bottom,  but I have no definitive answer yet.
Mirrored Image

Special thanks to Ray Chipault and Underwood Archives.

Current Jetstream Forecast and Surface Conditions -- Image by Environment Canada
 

February 26 - March 1, 2015

With near continuous snow having shut down all the sailing in the Hudson Valley, Jack Frost and Rocket were dismantled last Thursday morning at Orange Lake and trailered to the recently formed up ice in Red Bank, New Jersey. Both boats were rigged and ready to go by Thursday evening and a great day of sailing was had on Friday. Saturday was rather windless -- but there was good energy on the ice amongst everyone -- the sailors and many visitors -- as word spread throughout the community about the big show going on down at the waterfront.

Sunday started cold and calm, but as the snow boundary approached late morning, the wind picked up, and the assembled fleet at the NSIBYC Clubhouse sprung into action.

The real action came Monday as the ROCKET and JACK FROST had their first formal duels ever on the ice. Both of these big ice yachts were built with the intention of winning the iceboating sailor's equivalent of the "America's Cup" -- the "Ice Yacht Challenge Pennant of America" -- a 30 foot long silk pennant endowed in the late 1800's. JACK FROST, a five time winner of the trophy, was the clear favorite, and under the steady and well practiced hands of the Lawrence family (Rick, Danny, and next generation Kevin), the "Frost" swept the contest in three races and earned the bragging rights to the handsome new trophy that the NSIBYC has created for the express purpose of fostering this friendly new competition. Do not discount the ROCKET -- this boat will be a force to contend with as they tune the newly restored ice yacht and hone their skills in sailing these largest of all ice yachts. ROCKET has 900 square feet of sail compared to the JACK FROST's 750 -- this will translate into an enormous horsepower advantage in light air when they get the kinks worked out in the coming seasons. I had the privilege to skipper the ROCKET this weekend and it is one very fine, well mannered, and capable ice yacht -- congratulations to John Holian, Robert Pulsch, and everyone at the NSIBYC who brought the project to fruition. David Disbrow took some great photos of the action.