Orange Lake January 17 &18 2025

                                    Ice Conditions 

This lake, just west of Newburgh, NY, finally froze over after the strong winds over several weeks finally subsided. Boats have been arriving this week.  Some of the action over the 17 &18th. 

                                   set up day Jan 16

RainbowII - Built by George Buckhout, 1902, from Hyde Park,  This was her maiden voyage back in the Hudson Valley after sailing in NJ and out in the midwest for over the past 100+ years... She was recently acquired by the Lawrences.

Rainbow II - reunited with the cup it won in a race with the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club in March 1904. 

Long story of how the Cup was found....for another time...  

Several ice yachts are up from Red Bank NJ.  Fickle winds for most of the day; 

 Some lively racing on Saturday between Rainbow II (HRIYC)  and Georgie II & Ymir (both NSIBYC).

Again winds were  fickle - shifting some and up& down. Still some close races with Rainbow & Georgie each taking a win. 

      Ymir  on a downwind lap.  Ymir was built by George Buckhout around 1898 for Percival Lloyd of Poughkeepsie. Dave Drawbaugh is current owner sailing for the North Shrewsbury Ice Boat &Yacht Club.
 

      Rainbow II  - first time in race, and she performed very well!

      NSIYBC    Steve Foster's Georgie II

     Jeff Morton in his B class sloop, Winny, circa 1930.

     A first for me - sailing in the rain! It came up quick around 12:30 or so as I was heading back to the pits.    Sails were quickly furled & boats covered for the day.   A few dns and an IceBird sailed for another hour.   We might get a few hours in Sunday Morn before the snow arrives.