Sailing to the South

Snow continues to plague any sailing here in the Hudson Valley. Incredible that in the midst of the coldest winter in recent memory, most all the fleet of ice yachts here have yet to set runners on the ice. The cold weather has slowed the melting and saturation of the snow. Drifted, packed snow is too dense to sail through right now.
So what to do? Head south! ( if you can).
The two big boats, Jack Frost of the HRIYC and Rocket, of the North Shrewsbury Ice Boat & Yacht Club were dismantled on Orange Lake and taken by trailer south to the Shrewsbury River at Red Bank, NJ. Both ice yachts had been snowed in on Orange Lake for several weeks.
The salt ice of the Shrewsbury has built enough thickness to support the weight of the big 50 foot ice yachts. This is the initial launching of the Rocket on its home ice since its rebuild. It first sailed last March on the Hudson River at Barrytown.
This weekend could see the historic event of the two largest ice boats ( traditionally rigged) sailing across the home ice of HRIYC's long time arch rival. Sailing competition between the two clubs dates back to the  1880s.    Long Live the Stern Steerers!                                                                                (Photos courtesy of Robert Wills)

                                                

Rocket, sailing on home ice at Red Bank.

Rocket, with Jack Frost beyond, pushes off on the Shrewsbury River.