NEIYA
club and membership information
NEWS FEATURES:
Minutes of the 1996-97 Annual Meeting On November 2, 1995
The Annual meeting of the NEIYA was held at the Best Western, Royal Plaza Hotel, Marlboro, MA. The meeting, attended by thirty-five members and guests (out of 192 current members), was called to order at 8:35 P.M. after the speaker, Ben Hall presented his perspective on high performance sailing. After some general comments on the types of boats that Ben has sailed or Hall Spars has been working on Ben Concluded that an "A" Class Catamaran is the next best thing to ice boat sailing.
Ben Hall considers the technical challenges of catamaran sailing nearly identical to those posed by ice boats. For hard water sailors catamaran sailing is excellent training for the winter season. His observation was that there are three aspects to high performance sailing: 1.) equipment (light weight, strong, tuned.); 2.) practice (learn your boat, learn the rules and use them) get a tune up partner - some one who you can sail with and compare the affects of your rigging and trim adjustments; and 3.) tuning (Attend the Jeff Kent's January 1ST clinic; a. Have the ball in the aft cup on softer masts. b. A more flexible mast requires a slightly fuller sail, although current sails should work well (yes, but to who's advantage?) c. Pull the boom aft rather than forward with the out hall, except in sticky sailing conditions where you would want to push it forward to make more belly in the sail by rotating the mast.).
Thank you Ben, for sharing your sailing experience . Think Ice. The annual meeting was called to order.
The minutes of the last annual meeting were published in the November 25, 1995 Newsletter. There being no errors or omissions brought forth, it was moved and seconded that those minutes be accepted as published. The motion carried. The Treasurer, Amos Heckendorf, submitted the treasures report for the 1996/97 Season: A motion was made, seconded and unanimously carried that the Treasurer's report be accepted as read.
Dave Koshiol our outgoing Commodore spoke a few words of encouragement about the tough 1995-96 season. In spite of the snow there were good memories and the races were as competitive as ever.
Report of Nominating Committee: Robert Kilpatrick, Chairman (Dick Price, Peter Ashley) for Commodore: Matt McCauley for Vice Commodore: Scott McDowell for Treasurer: Amos Heckendorf for Secretary: Amos Heckendorf. No other nominations from the floor were made and a motion was made to accept the slate. The motion passed.
Our new Commodore, Matt McCauley thanked Dave for a fine job and set his agenda for the new season: building enthusiasm in the organization By asking each member to contribute to the Club in an area where their skills are strongest. Matt asked for anyone interested in discussing the area manages responsibilities to contact him. both the Rhode Island and the Massachusetts positions remain open. Matt briefly described the NEIYA web site. where a page has been set up for posting ice conditions and where sailors can volunteer to spot ice for the club. Matt handed out a membership questionnaire at the meeting. He is requesting that the membership who are so inclined, complete it and return it with the ballot initiatives.
The new schedule for the season was presented and approved by the members present. Jeff Kent will be hosting a tune up clinic on 1/1/97 ice or no ice. This is an opportunity for all sailors to get their gear out, hopefully on the ice, and go over the basics of tune-ups. Jeff wants to first concentrate on tuning up gear, and then if the season permits, try to get another weekend in and concentrate on racing skills.
The New England DN Championship Regatta site is selected by the Governing Board which includes a member from each of the six New England States. Current sites for sailing and information about activities should be directed to them as well as to the Hot Line. Currently, they are: Maine Lloyd Roberts 207-596-2095 Maine-2 Peter Ashley 207-361-1320 Vermont Peter Hill 802-658-4362 Connecticut Jay Spalding 203-599-3686 Rhode Island open Massachusetts open New Hampshire Randy Rice 603-279-8051
Peter Hill was recognized by the NEIYA for an exciting New England Championship at Mallotts Bay on Lake Champlain, on rough ice in moderate winds. Commodore Matt McCauley thanked all those who had helped in making it the success it was. He also made note that this year's New England NEIYA Championship Regatta will be hosted by the Connecticut's contingent, headed by Jay Spalding, which hopefully will be as scheduled.
Commodore McCauley requested that Bill Converse run the Doc Fellows & New England regattas. He accepted and will be joined by other volunteers. Dates were proposed by the Racing committee for the DN schedule:
NEIYA HOT LINE 617-767- 2922 Started November 10th Chickawauki Iceboat Club 207-342-5774 The Chickawaukee Iceboat Club 207-342-5774 in Maine has indicated that they would be sponsoring the following regattas: The Linc Davis (the second weekend of ice), The Maine State, The Northeast Spring Classic, all with trophies! The "Classic" has a perpetual trophy 4th -1st and will ideally be held in a central location. The races will be with mixed equipment/capability fleets scored separately. Check the Chickawaukee Iceboat Club, since they typically would be racing before Christmas. Other hotline numbers are available on the NEIYA web site.
Don Coe, CIBC Commodore is looking forward to having us all come up. Membership is not compulsory but they do charge $5.00 for racing. Also the Vermont State Championship (Peter Hill) and the New Hampshire State Championship (Randy Rice) race dates will be announced later in the season. Check out Ann Roe's NHOC (New Hampshire Outdoor Companion) Internet site for updated sailing dates if we can get them to her in time.
Steve Madden who made the excellent trophies this year presented them for the 95-96 season winners: Keeper Awards: The Don Fellows Annual Regatta 1st Place: Greg Cornelius 2nd Place: Jim Papargiris 3rd Place: Jay Spalding NEIYA Annual DN Regatta 1st Place: Peter Hill 2nd Place: Don Brush 3rd Place: Jay Spalding Perpetual Awards: Commodore Burgee Matt McCauley Vice Commodore Burgee Scott McDowell Secretary Burgee Amos Heckendorf Race Committee Burgee Bill Converse The Don Fellows Annual Regatta Greg Cornelius NEIYA Annual DN Regatta Peter Hill ELMER KENYON AWARD (senior skipper >50 years old) went to: Andre Baby WARNER ST. CLAIR TROPHY (senior skipper >60 years old in NE's) to: Dick Price SOCIAL SECURITY TROPHY (senior skipper >62.5 years old, combined NE & DF) Dick Price
A discussion about a silver fleet (again) for the "bottom half" of the current fleet as a means to allow more winners based on performance not equipment involved the criteria for selection was reintroduced. For this proposal, the minimum participation was for 5 boats or 30% of the participants. The race committee holds the discretion for including or excluding sailors form the fleet. The motion past last year was thus proposed to be amended. A ballot is attached to the newsletter mailed to all members.
The committee established to develop guidelines for memorials for iceboaters, chairman Stuart Hamel reported then that they had drafted some initial recommendations. His committee recommended having 10 different memorial trophies for officers and an additional trophy for general members, without criteria for selection (other than death). A discussion of the complexity of the current trophies for the two regattas ensued with a suggestion to have either a single memorial trophy for all or to have the current year's regattas serve as a memorial to the particular decedent, which would then be included on the keeper trophy, rather than have additional perpetual trophies. In egalitarian fashion, we thus are sending you a ballot to help guide the executive staff on the thoughts of the wider club on this important issue. Not to be out done by this motion, an additional motion was made and passed regarding a second place memorial trophy for Hal Chamberlain. Stay tuned, I'm sure Hal is smiling (and not about the trophy).
The majority of officers of NEIYA recommend that the membership reject the proposal to establish a second place memorial trophy until after the results of the ballot are returned and the secretary can report the ballot results to the membership.
Having no additional business it was moved and seconded that the meeting be adjourned at 10:05 PM.
Maine Club holds their annual meeting
Don Coe here.
We had our fall meeting yesterday on Islesboro, an island off the coast of Maine. We had to take a ferry there. About 20 people show up. The most I've ever seen at one of our meetings. Scott & Ace Rolerson, cousins, put it on and it was great. They have a nice shop and have a collection of old ice boating memorabilia that's the best I've ever seem. There's about 6 of them that sail DNs on the island. They all sail with aluminum spars and plate runners so they can sail together in our "stock" or silver fleet. They've developed quite a rivalry among themselves. They even have an Islesboro Cup.
Of importance to tell you about from the meeting... A little grumbling about the NEIYA silver fleet based on performance rather then equipment, due to it differing from our silver fleet. I personally was in favor of the equipment based fleet but the more I think about it the better I like it on a performance based approach.
[Editors note: the Silver fleet guidelines were sent out to ballot for the entire NEIYA membership at the annual meeting. The governing board having reviewed an equipment based criteria opted for a performance based standard when no change in participation at regattas was experienced after trying a equipment based standard. Also considered was the fact that the IDNIYRA ranked skippers based upon performance rather than equipment the consistency between the two clubs was considered a benefit of the guidelines as proposed. Until the International association adopts a hardware based class the local NEIYA is likely to languish.]
At this point our schedule looks like this: 1st ice - a tune up, 2nd ice/weekend - The Linc Davis Regatta, Hopefully the Doc Fellows next, then the Worlds. Looks good on paper, we'll see how it unfolds.
In other news is Lloyd Roberts will be running our newsletter this year. He said he'd rather do that instead of being commodore next year. Dick will run the hot line, I'll back him up when he's not available.
Our dues have gone up from $5.00 a year to $10.00. Races will still cost $5.00 per boat/skipper. We had to raise our dues to cover the cost of the newsletter and in the future the hotline. Dick Saltonstall has picked up the cost of all this in the past but we didn't feel this should be part of the job when one takes over one of these positions.
I had a good time at the NEIYA meeting last week. It's the most socializing I've ever done with you guys. I met a few new people and had some great conversations with others I've only managed to say "hi" to on the ice. Particularly impressed with Northwind Iceboat's display of available equipment.
That's it for now, hoping for early ice up here.
The governing board is recommending that the Silver Fleet guidelines be adopted by the membership at the annual meeting. Please find below the guidelines developed by the committee and used during the '96 racing season.
Silver fleet guidelines
On behalf of the motion passed at the '95 annual meeting for a silver fleet for NEIYA sponsored races, the special committee has developed guidelines. They are as follows:
1) The silver fleet will be based upon performance only.
2) Racers will be required to declare their status at time of race registration.
3) A mandatory list of gold fleet racers will be established each season by the race committee. The list will be based on past performance in the last 3 years of the New England's and "Doc" Fellows regattas. Racers who have moved up into the Gold fleet may be moved back into the Silver fleet based upon their performance in the gold fleet.
4) The race committee has the right to move any racer up at anytime during the regatta at their discretion.
5) The 2 fleets will start on the same line and race at the same time.
6) The greater of either 5 racers or 30% of the total registered participants will be required for a silver fleet to be scored by the race committee awarded trophies.
7) A silver fleet racer is required to move up to gold fleet for rest of that season and next season upon winning a NEIYA sponsored regatta in the silver fleet.
8) These guidelines are on a trial basis and may be changed if warranted by the special committee.
Let's hope this increases the participation in the upcoming season. We'll see you on the ice.
Guideline committee: Bill Converse DN2804, Jim Papargiris DN4004, Jeff Kent DN 3535, Greg Cornelius DN1019.
European DN Membership Approves Five Ballot Initiatives:
North American Commodore Bill Condon reports that the European membership has approved all five ballot initiatives. All initiatives will become effective in time for this season's racing. The vote puts to rest the debate over expanding the DN mast construction materials list by adding fibers, glass, carbon, adhesives and foam to the list of primary building materials.
With the approval of the expanded materials list, pilots are planning to build or buy spars built to comply with the new specifications. Experimental masts raced in last years competitions took the majority of the awards at the North American Competition. Pilots are eager to get on the ice with the new equipment that offers to be faster, more durable and less expensive to produce than the previously approved spars.
Five ballot Initiatives Pass the North American Membership:
The North American International DN Ice Yacht Racing Association approved five proposals and elected two members to the technical committee on a special 1996 ballot. Closing day for balloting was 7/15/96 and when the votes were counted all proposals submitted to the member ship passed including one proposal to raise club membership dues 25% to $15.00 per year.
Proposal 1 approved the use of additional construction materials for one design class mast. Aluminum wood, carbon or glass fiber, adhesives, foam, fairing and finishing materials are now allowed in the official specification approved by the North American membership. European membership has until 8/15/96 to approve or disapprove the initiatives.
Proposal 2 allows for the optional use of a steel cable to be sewn into the luff of the DN sail. Previously the cable was mandatory in all DN sail construction. Removal of the mandatory requirement can reduce the cost of DN sails with out the wire by approximately $35 dollars according to DN sail makers.
Proposal 3 permits a throw out race in the IDNIYRA North American Championship regattas if five races are completed.
Proposal 4 amends the scoring rules. Any yacht finishing the race after the first yacht to complete the scheduled number of laps will be scored ahead of all yachts with fewer laps.
Proposal 5 was to raise the annual membership dues from $12.00 per year to $15.00 to cover the cost of printing and mailing club publications.
Paul Goodwin US 4061, and Jeff Kent US 3535 were elected to the IDNIYRA Technical Committee
There has been no word on whether the 1996 year book will be published. At the 1996 annual meeting the membership attending was informed that the year book was to be mailed in the near future.
Results of the European membership vote will not be received until after 8/15/96. The European Secretaries required more time to distribute ballots to their membership and requested additional time for balloting which was approved.
Mast Construction materials put to a vote:
After years of discussion and debate IDNIYA governing committee has brought a proposal to the membership. The 1996 Proposal & Ballot brings a proposal to open up the materials list for mast construction in addition to 5 other proposals: Check wire specification; Throw out race for the North American Championship; Add the Bart Rule to the Racing Rules; Increase the annual dues; and proposals for Technical Committee Candidates.
The Ballot stated the reason for the proposal. "The purpose of the change is to eliminate the wood requirement and the confusing , hard to enforce , wood-related specifications. The change keeps all dimensional minimum weight and center of gravity requirements the same. The change allows only the use of stated materials. [Aluminum; wood; carbon or glass fiber; adhesives; foam; fairing and finishing materials.] It will make it easier and less costly to build durable masts for suppliers and home builders. Old wood masts with compression failures can have sidewalls replaced with composites that will last and last. Several experimental masts made of fiberglass have proved to be extremely durable and less costly to build. Bob Schumacher has built several fiberglass masts, and has personally used the same mast for three years. Ron Sherry built 12 fiberglass masts this winter which were raced for 14 consecutive weekends including several Wednesdays and Fridays. These masts performed well in wide range of conditions. None of the masts have failed even thought they have been raced in 30+ knots of breeze on several occasions.
The ballots also state that if the proposal passes, an interpretation dated 7/1/96 will read as follows. "Masts built prior to 7/1/96 shall be considered legal if they meet prior specifications."
This proposal, if passed, is expected to have far reaching impacts on the feasibility of constructing durable masts that perform at competitive levels. The present specification limits materials to wood and adhesives. Competitive masts have failed due to the inadequacy of the combination of materials.
IDNIYRA Commodore, Bill Condon, Back from the European National Secretaries Meeting in Copenhagen, Sweden
I spoke with Bill Condon, Commodore of IDNIYRA after his return from his trip to Copenhagen, He attended the annual meeting of the European Division of the International DN Ice Yacht Racing Association The meeting was a once a year meeting of all the national secretaries, Of the 16 different countries represented in the European association 12 different languages were represented.
The meeting was held at the National Sports Headquarters outside of Copenhagen. In Bill's words "if you can name a sport they had facilities for it there" Meeting rooms were provided by the Sailing Authority in a nearby hotel. The meetings took nearly a day and a half. The length of the meetings due in part to the fact that over twelve countries were represented at the meetings each with their own language.
Bill came away from the meeting feeling that much was accomplished and a new understanding had been forged with our European partners.
Initially there were misunderstandings over the intentions of the proposed specification changes and some time was spent to explaining the intent of the change.
Bill noted that the principal concern of the Europeans was that the change in the mast specification did not develop in to a high tech race for mast design. To be more specific, the concern was that some theoretical technological development might occur that would make home fabrication of masts with the new materials list far inferior to masts made by a new process requiring specialized "high tech" equipment.
The European association agreed to the ballot that was sent out to the membership last June and is due to return theirs for counting on 8/15/96 one month after the US ballots drop dead date. The European date was extended due to logistics in getting the ballots mailed and distributed.
No one was able to come up with an example of what specific technique would be prohibited and it was agreed that mast development would be watched by the governing councils and if some specialized technique came up that threatened to prohibit mast construction by the hobbyist for cost or methods reasons, the governing committee was leaving their option open to prohibit the technique.
For future subjects of discussion Bill brought back an agenda to consider methods to simplify the runner spec. to make them easier to build. He found the Europeans very positive about addressing issues on runners.
Bill wanted to thank his host, Yorgen Holsen, who he said couldn't have been nicer,
Next on the agenda for Bill is a trip to England to meet with the International Olympic Committee and the IYRU regarding the Ice Yacht Racing and the Salt Lake City 2001 Olympics. Utah
Bill Condon, North American Commodore, Poland's, Stanislaw Macur, England's Chris Williams, and Peter Harken will be the Ice Yacht delegates to the exploratory meeting. The members also to include IYRU and IOC delegates will to explore the possibilities of including Ice Yacht Racing as an Olympic sport.
Earlier difficulties with Olympic racing has been related to pilot ranking, site selection and sailing conditions, and IOC's understanding of the sport. The IOC has specific qualification requirements that dictate hierarchical ranking systems to qualify for Olympic teams. Current IDNIYRA rankings don't fit within the IOC's system. Site selection is also problematic. Can a DN race fit in a two week window on a specific lake (and between commercials?) Bill let us know if you can teach them a thing or two about site selection?
That's about it until the ballot results are back.
NEIYA Spring Picnic and Swap Meet:
By the time the ice was off the lakes in CT, MA, ME, RI, and VT it was time to have an end of the year swap meet and picnic. Dick Price graciously opened his Arlyn Farms estate up to the club for a wonderful afternoon in April. Welcome, warm, spring T-shirt sunshine held-off the rain until after every one had come and gone. (I never thought that I'd type that). About 25 pilots showed up to enjoy the afternoon. There was some great equipment offered for sale and some when home with good equipment bargains.
Boat hulls, scopes, insert runners, masts, flat, full and storm sails, blocks, sheets, tillers everything but the ice. There was even a skimmer set up with wheels ready to be welded on.
The swap equipment award of the day - if it were to be given - should probably have gone to Dick Price himself for bringing out his SNOW runners. As he told the story to the newbies, these runners were all the rage some 25 years ago. He had made at least three pair and the set on display was the best set of the lot.
The basic design was a 36 inch long runner with a wide 3"-4" stainless steel ( I think) flat bottom. A a 3/16" narrow vertical runner extends down through the plate about 1/2". The runners had a gentle curved leading edge and they were dead flat for nearly the full length. They were sort of like BIG elf shoes (if elves were ever THAT big). The runners were made of cedar and wood screws. They felt as if they weighed about 10 lb. a piece. At $25.00 a pair they were certainly the best priced runners there. If anyone is interested he's still got them. They were certainly a breath of the past compared with some of the other high tech equipment spread out on the lawn.
.. See you at the swap meets in the fall.
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