Copyright John A. Sperr

Preserving and Sailing the Historic Gaff Rigged Ice Yachts of New York's Hudson River Valley

HRIYC.ORG

7 am Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Ice is Gone on the Hudson River -- the Season is Done


Saugerties (bottom) to Catskill (top) showing the disintegration of the ice sheet -- with no firm base ice, the upper snow ice fell apart overnight.

 

Ice Flight Photos Mar 31, 2015

Ice Flight Photos Mar 29, 2015

Ice Flight Photos Mar 25, 2015

Ice Flight Photos Mar 24, 2015

Ice Flight Photos Mar 23, 2015

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End of the Season -- End of an Era

The season ended on a very sad note for the members of the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club -- our elder statesman and a guiding force in the resurrection of the historic fleet of Hudson River ice yachts, Robert (Bob) Lawrence took his leave of us last week into the hereafter.

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He made his last visit to the ice just over a year ago, bundled up in his chair, taking the slow and painful ride down to the Hudson River at Astor Point in the back of a pickup truck, so that he might view the Jack Frost, the historic Archie Rogers Ice Yacht Challenge Pennant of America winner that was rebuilt in his basement some forty years earlier, sail under the hands of his sons and grandson against the newly restored Rocket of NSIBYC fame.

Bob grew up in the depression and knew the value of hard work -- he ran a dairy farm early in life before starting an orchard business -- today, Lawrence Farm Orchards is one of the premiere destinations in the Hudson Valley for families every fall -- a mix of modern sustainable agriculture with an acknowledgement of the historic past of farming in the Hudson Valley. Known to many as "Pop Pop", he took great delight in driving his horse drawn wagon with a load of kids through the small village of buildings he built and live farm animals he tended to on the farm.

Bob had a fantastic memory, and provided us with countless details of ice yachts, personalities, and events that he remembered just as if they happened yesterday. As a young school boy, he would walk or skate across the frozen Hudson River from Newburgh to Beacon at every opportunity that afforded itself to meet up with "Captain Drake", a noted skipper of the day, to go ice boating. When the day came that he could no longer sail, he would sit on the ice or in the shop to observe and coach us into the correct ways of doing things.

I firmly believe he died in peace when his sons and grandson came home with the trophy having finally beaten the "Jersey Boys" on their home ice two weeks ago. Rest in Peace, Bob -- we, and history, shall long salute you.

 

Ice Flight Photos


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

End of the Season Sailing at Cheviot

Many thanks to Lee Rubenstein for this short video he made of the action.

 


Galatea back on the ice with a new plank and repaired cockpit

The ice on the Hudson River finally leveled enough at Cheviot for a few days of sailing. I do not publicize these end of the season events -- it's just too precarious a situation to encourage the uninitiated to participate in -- one of our own sailor's went through a thin spot.

 

Web Page Archives

March 26, 2015 Archive

March 3, 2015 Archive

February 19, 2015 Archive

January 24, 2015 Archive

January 15, 2015 Archive

December 13, 2014 Archive

September 1, 2014 Archive

April 20, 2014 Archive

February 5, 2014 Archive

January 18, 2014 Archive

January 3, 2014 Archive

December 8, 2013 Archive

September 22, 2013 Archive

May 24, 2013 Archive     August 1, 2013 Archive

April 14, 2013 Archive     May 1, 2013 Archive

February 20, 2013 Archive     March 17, 2013 Archive

 September 23, 2012 Archive    December 22, 2012 Archive

June 4, 2012 Archive        July 14, 2012 Archive

January 16, 2012 Archive

Wreck of the Galatea Archive

December 26, 2011 Archive     December 15, 2011 Archive

October 2011 Archive          Early Summer 2011 Archive

May 2, 2011 Archive                    March 1, 2011 Archive

February 24, 2011 Archive     February 19, 2011 Archive


Weather Links



Stevens Tech SSWS & NYHOPS Zone Forecast Tivoli Bay 15 Image 5 Day GFS Forecast
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Day 3 Quant Precip Forecast Map Northeast Temperature 5° F Contour Quantitative Precipitation Discussion

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Links to Field Reports of Ice Conditions

IDNIYRA Ice Conditions Reports

Yahoo Group  "IceReports"

 

Iceboat Launch Site Maps & Directory for the Eastern US

 

Safety


Galatea's runner plank failed where the plank was bored for the gammon strap through some very funky wood. Rigging carried the left side runner and plank across the boat.
With no gammon strap securing the backbone, the cockpit rolled with the mast and the rim broke.
Pilot and passenger were gently ejected into the sail. No injuries were sustained.        photo Copyright Dock Shuter, Feb 2010

 


Rules-of-the-Road

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HRIYC.ORG is neither the official website, nor am I the webmaster, of the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club. I am a long standing member of the Club and during the sailing season  I frequently post photographs and information on this, my own personal website, about current iceboating activity in the Hudson Valley and beyond. I am the sole person responsible for the presentation of content and the opinions expressed herein. Interesting photographic contributions are welcome and appreciated -- I spend most of my time on the ice skippering and far too often fail to capture the best images of the day.                    ŠJohn A. Sperr MMXV