Talkin' Ice Boats....

I'm giving a talk on the history of Ice Yachting in the Hudson Valley on Sunday in Livingston, at the Town Hall. 2pm.

I once helped display ice boats at an event for the historic Livingston estate Clermont a bunch of years back. I dug out a list of ice yachts that I compiled which were part of a series of estates connected directly or indirectly to the Livingston family in northern Dutchess/southern Columbia county. They were a good 45 miles or so north of the action in Poughkeepsie, yet there was a sizable fleet of ice yachts up this way (as it is in my neighborhood...) and several owners maintained membership in the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club.

The Livingstons and Ice Yachting;

Herman Livingston was a charter member of the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club, founded in 1885.

The following list shows boats owned by  Livingstons, along with a neighboring estate family, the Clarkson’s, as they appeared in club books:

From the 1888 HRIYC club roster:

Onteora               Herman Livingston         33’ in length                 443 sq ft of sail

Dashaway            Robert R.L. Clarkson      23 ‘                              220 sq ft

Galatea                Robert R.L. Clarkson     32 ‘                               410 sq ft   

Note: all 3 boats are still on the current day club roster.

From the 1900 HRIYC club roster:

Onteora               Herman Livingston         33’ in length                 443 sq ft of sail

Rocket                 Robert R. Livingston      22’                               156 sq ft

Bessie                  Robert R.L. Clarkson      35 ‘                              485 sq ft

Maelstrom            Robert R.L. Clarkson     36 ‘                               495 sq ft   

Kite                     Robert R.L. Clarkson     20 ‘                               225 sq ft

Alert                   Robert R.L. Clarkson     28 ‘                               250 sq ft

Rex                     Robert R.L. Clarkson     29 ‘                               260 sq ft

Rocket is still around, though hasn't been on the ice in over 10 years. 

Rocket, off Germantown, 1999, i think. It had certainly been re-rigged as marconi.
She blew out (tore up) her sail on her next journey down river that winter.

Dashaway is of the old side railer design. She is currently undergoing restoration.

Bowsprit with nameplate.

Hey, folks are scouting River ice off of Athens today - Sat. 1/10.

This cold may get us on to the River before you know it. 

Time to put the shrouds back on my mast...