Late Season sailing in Maine!

       Photo courtesy Alex Innis

 Alex Innis & Tim Pfeffer brought Alex's stern steerer Whirlwind III way up north to Moosehead Lake in Maine on March 29-30.  Over two feet of ice there! The edges have receded so they dismantled after the second day.  They had the only stern steerer, while sailing with various DNs & Whizz's  from the Northeast & Canada. Quite likely the first old stern steerer on Moosehead in over 100 years. Looks like a great time! 

   Photo by David Frost - David travelled from Michigan for some  Maine ice boating!
 David's Facebook post with video.  

    Photo courtesy Bill Buchholz 

  

Whirlwind III came from the Syracuse area, sailing on Lake Onondaga and Oneida Lake. The Lamb family owned and sailed her for many years.  Not sure of when she was built, but it is beautifully crafted and has a rare second cockpit. The Lawrence family acquired her in from the Lamb's in 2016. Alex Innis is current owner.

Jan 1938 on Oneida Lake:  left to right are William Hurd's Gladiator, Bob Lamb's Whirlwind III and Raymond Wiegand's Question Mark. Schuelke Collection, courtesy of the Liverpool Public Library." more info here.

Whirlwind III on Orange Lake in 2017

More photos from Athens -- February 12, 2026

 

     Aurora

--- Check out some wonderful shots from Tara Kearsing, taken at Athens on Feb. 12, 2026.  

See many more shots at  Tara Kearsing Photography 

     Comet

All photos courtesy of Tara Kearsing

     Greyhound

Club Dinner was awesome!

 

Van Nostrand Cup Coverage

 NY Times    By Corey Kilgannon  

 

     photo from NY times article,  by  Mimi d’Autremont   

Hudson Valley Chronogram article      3/4/26

New Yorker    by Ben McGrath

Van Nostrand Cup video teaser...

 HRIYC sailor Alex Innis has been working hard with his friend and filmmaker Tim to catch the story of ice boating and the Van Nostrand race .  Here's a teaser they have put together. More to come! 

Van Nostrand Race clip

Sailing at Athens-on-Hudson - 2/16 update - sailing on hold

     Galatea & Vixen - Hudson-Athens Lighthouse.  2/10/26  - I love this shot captured by Reid Bielenberg

2/16/26 update   

---Monday - we have pulled boats from Murderers Creek and tucked them into a better protected cove a bit south of the Creek. We'll see how the river fares after this week's warm up and rain. No wind today either. Sailing paused for now. 

       Sunday 2/15 with little wind...

       Hound, Comet, Vixen

A beautiful day on the ice on Sunday 2/15  with a good crowd of locals and visitors gathering around the historic vessels.  Yet, another frustrating day of fickle winds. There were moments when the breeze picked up enough to get all six stern steerers sailing. Frank sailed Aurora all the way to the lighthouse, only to do a fair amount of pushing to get her back. Some lucky spectators got short rides/pushes including sailors as young as 4 or so and folks older than me!   Otherwise enjoying life on the Hudson River with the community

             New recruits ready to sail ice boats! 

                        Sonny's ready for a ride!

                        Wrapped up and tucked away for a week.  Stay tuned.

2/14/26 update    White Wings, Yellow Mustard

Dawn broke on Valentines Day without a puff of wind, and that continued until dusk arrived.  We set sails on a few boats and enjoyed talking with visitors about the boats and history of sailing on the River. Enjoyed a conversation with someone from Alabama who learned about iceboats for the first time.  He was driving by, saw these sails and said "what...???" 

Best part of  days like this is the famous hot dog center set up by former commodore Chris. 

     Vixen (1885), Comet (1903)  hoping...

2/12/26 

Ice boats in full swing at the state boat launch in Athens. This past weekend's deep freeze and the strong winds helped firm up the surface nicely. Not ideal ice but plenty fine for the old boats to sail across. Folks are skating as well. 

More boats set up today - Thursday 2/12 - including Comet & Hound. 

Aurora & Comet & Greyhound were out giving rides to a handful of onlookers and friends. A small group of bow steering boats joined the Hudson fleet. It was very nice to meet a few of the Saratoga ice group sailors - Paul & Tom had some fine sailing this afternoon. 

      Aurora off Murderers Creek, Athens 2.12.26     That's Galatea in foreground right.

                Comet, Tom Gilbert's old cat-rig boat, sailing for first time on the Hudson in 20+ years?? 

Wind forecast is not favorable these next three days unfortunately.  

      Glen at the helm as wind fills Hound's sails late afternoon.  How to convert your sloop rig to cat-rig??         Forget your jib!

On the ice at Athens currently:

Vixen, Galatea, Aurora, Greyhound, Comet, Hound. and the "Eerie" Lateen boat. 

 

Down south at the Rhinecliff dock a few DNs set up to enjoy the beautiful plate of black ice, up to the Rhinecliff Bridge. Access with the big boats is too unwieldy at Rhinecliff, but DN launching is possible, with major caution and understanding the danger of tidal ice flow.

                            Charlie, Brett & Scott off Rhinecliff dock.  photo courtesy Scott Larsen

Ariel sails to victory for Ice Yacht Challenge Cup of America!

 

   Luke Lawrence skippers Hudson River Ice Yacht Club's Ariel to two first place finishes in only the 4th race for Van Nostrand Cup in 135 years. Race on the Navesink River at Red Bank NJ February 9, 2026.

Hudson River Ice Yacht Club/ Orange Lake Ice Yacht Club  reclaims the Van Nostrand Cup after 135 years! 

Monday in Red Bank NJ, on the Navesink River. 

Luke Lawrence & Max Lopez sail Ariel to 2 firsts in only the 4th running of the Ice Yacht Challenge Cup of America! 

Brief recap:

HRIYC

Ariel: Luke Lawrence, Max Lopez    1st, 1st

Ice Queen: Rick Lawrence, Kevin Lawrence 2nd, ?

Whirlwind: Dan Lawrence, James Taylor

North Shrewsbury Ice Boat & Yacht Club

Ruth: Dave Disbrow, Jack Scott

Snowflake: Dan Clapp, Bryan Keeshen  3rd, ?

Georgie II: Steve Foster, Bob Sodon

Line up for second heat. 

1st heat results: Ariel, Ice Queen, Snowflake

Heat 2 results: Ariel,  didn’t matter…..

Skippers and crew from Race

Luke Lawrence & Max Lopez(r) accept Van Nostrand Cup in the Club House in Red Bank.

– A fuller accounting of the weekend will follow soon. 

If you are interested in a history of the Cup go HERE.

NY Times article - hopefully it can open for you