Hyde Park Ice Yachts at FDR Museum & Library

Boats from the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club are currently on display at the Wallace Center through January 5. 

 Allons, 1899; Owner Henry Sleight was out sailing Allons on February 10, 1903 off Hyde Park when Archie Rogers ( FDR's neighbor to the north), sailing his yacht Ariel, broke through the ice, tossing him and his wife, Ann Coleman Rogers, into the open water. As they struggled to stay on the capsized yacht, Sleight sailed up, cut the halyards from Allons, and tossed them to Rogers. Together with another ice boater, Sterling Bird, they hauled the Rogers onto firm ice and safety. They were wet, though unscathed.  A copy of the telegram Mrs. Rogers sent to her son Edmund Pendelton Rogers, away at Groton with FDR,  describes the incident and that "all is fine."  The Gilbert family acquired Allons from Henry Sleight in the 1930s.  She is owned by George Vengrin, of Rhinebeck.

      Comet, Archie Rogers fleet, circa 1903. Comet was sold at the 1943 auction of items from  the Rogers' Estate, including several iceboats.  She sailed in NJ for many years. Tom Gilbert saw an ad that it was for sale, and located in Claverack, NY. He acquired it in the 60s. Only the second cat-rigged ice yacht still around (Dash is also cat-rigged). There were many small cat boats in the clubs in the early 1900s. 

               Hound, Vincent Astor boat?? circa 1905.                                     Burger family boat. 

Burgees of the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club (founded 1885) (top) & the Hyde Park Ice Yacht Club (founded 1899)