Getting ready for 2020 winter sailing!

We had quite a snowstorm here Dec. 1&2 - about 16-20  inches in upper Red Hook.  Helps to bring down the temperature of the river.
Still we are getting ready for the season.  Last Saturday a group from the HRIYC pulled out Rip Van Winkle to ready it for display at Hudson's Winterwalk Festival on Dec. 7.  You can see Rip  at the Back Bar, at 347 Warren Street.
The annual meeting of the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club will take place on Sunday, Dec. 8 from 1:30-5:00;  We'll be at Hudson Hall, at 327 Warren Street, Hudson NY.

Galatea, displayed in 2017 at Winter Walk.
Right behind that big mainsail is the entrance to
Back Bar - great spot for a beer...

Rip Van Winkle is even bigger than Galatea, with a length of 40 '. We pulled it out of the barns at Rokeby,

in Barrytown, needing every hand we could find. Lots of dust to brush off and parts to find. 

 

Rip Van Winkle has been in the Aldrich family since the 1930's.

It was built by Ricky Aldrich's cousin Victor Livingston around 1920.

Lots more on Rip and other Rokeby ice yachts  here.

Nice long cockpit ( ~8'), but it is quite narrow at same time.  Tight fit when piloting.  

 Sketch/sail plan of Rip, done in 1969 by Ray Ruge.

 Plank & Backbone side by side.  Plank was rebuilt from a tulip poplar felled
along the Hudson at Rokeby about 15 years ago.

Planks loaded & ready to head to Hudson. Rip plank  is accompanied by perhaps the oldest and most historic

plank of all - from the ice yacht Sappho.    

"The Athens Boat"  Sappho (A. Whiting, owner, skipper) is from 1870, maybe earlier. It has a long recorded history of racing against Hudson ice yachts, as well as sailing down to Poughkeepsie to race Icicle & others. Sappho will get her own post some day... 

Sappho's Plank has been stored at Rokeby, on its way back to Hudson to be stored with  the backbone. 

While pulling out boats from Rokeby barns, you are steeped in the largest ( and perhaps filthiest) collections of historic yachts anywhere.  

 Runners (and tillers) .. some that fit the 50' yachts like Jack Frost

Planks, and more planks ... and a vintage Yankee (for sale actually)

just a little dusting to revive...

 Spars...

More runners....

                                             Sail Inventory on south lawn.... (Ames B. picture)

to be continued...