For over ten years I've wanted to share the beauty and magic of ice boating, on-line, in some fashion.
This blog is about ice yachting, particularly Hudson River ice yachting. My intent is to capture the beauty, the history and the stories of the antique ice yachts of long gone as well as those relics still sailed today.
I got my first sail, and the bug, in January 1990 off of Rhinecliff-on-Hudson. A sheet of beautiful, smooth ice ran 4 miles north to the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge. The day was sunny and the breeze steady and perfect. It was a re-creation of a Currier and Ives scene on the ice in the middle of the Hudson. Hundreds of people, children, dogs, sailors and on-lookers descended onto the ice off the train station.
There were about 15-20 boats sailing. I gravitated to the old stern steerers. I don't remember which ones I got rides on, though I'm sure I had at least one sail with Tom Gilbert aboard Sweet Marie. Riding the runner plank or back the in the cockpit was a thrill and I couldn't believe this sport existed, even though I grew up a few miles from where all this ice was.
Fast forward to 2011 and the ice boats are again sailing off of Rhinecliff. This time I skipper my stern steerer Cyclone for 8 straight hours, ending with a glorious sail up to and under the Kingston bridge and back to the train station.
Again there are at least a hundred people on the ice over the day. I give rides to kids as young as 5, adults into their senior years. We throw together an impromptu race with about 7 boats. The breeze keeps the boats moving till it's too dark to navigate. It is a day to remember. Ice Boating does that.
Since that first sail in 1990 I have been collecting photos, videos, oral histories, club records, and other artifacts on the history of ice sailing. I have served as commodore or secretary of the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club for many years. This is my unofficial blog to share the history and memories. Welcome.
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