Mayhem and Mania at Daigua 3/12/19

[Scott]

Mayhem and Mania at Daigua

Early Spring weather continued much like the Winter with wild changes in temperatures and wind. The weekend warm-up and rain melted the snow and crust on the local ice and the night-time freeze promised some hard surface sailing. Then I got the call.

My fellow ice boat friend, Dave, called and said Kershaw Park at Canandaigua Lake looked promising and he was sailing in the morning. I met Dave there around ten in the morning. He had one DN ice boat setup and was working on his larger Skeeter. He had already made a couple runs to scout out the ice conditions. There was good news and bad. Lots of smooth ice, some new and some old, and some holes! Don’t go here and don’t go there. “Don’t go looking for holes!” Ah yes, those words would later haunt me. It would haunt us all.

I quickly set my boat up and made some passes along the beach in the NW winds. I quickly did my own survey of the ice. It looked great, but then I spotted it. A hole in a totally random spot, maybe three by eight feet. Sitting low in the DN ice boat and traveling a speeds of 30+mph it is hard to spot and then avoid holes like this; I’m going to mark it. I headed back to shore and found a large branch. I carefully placed it in the boat and sailed over to the hole. Suddenly a loud bang and then I found myself laying on the ice. My starboard runner dropped right into a very small hole and my momentum snapped the plank in two. The large hole was right near by. I placed the large branch along side it. Whats done is done and I immediately go into recovery mode. Dave sailed over and we lashed the pieces of plank under the hull and I dragged everything back to shore.

Once I got things stashed away, I thought about setting up the kitewing, but Dave had two boats and graciously suggested that I sail his DN and he would sail the Skeeter. I hopped in and forgot about my misfortune, making several passes down the lake, joining Bill and Russ in their DN’s. Shortly later I spotted Bill walking about his stationary boat. As I got closer I realized the front of the boat was in the water! He dropped his front runner into a open crack and it sheared off the boat. Unlike the shallow area where I crashed, Bill was in deep water and I was nervous. We set about recovering the boat with ropes and with Dave’s assistance got the now submerged plank free and tied the remaining parts together for Bill’s walk of shame back to shore. Two boats down, but there is still sailing to be had. I made a couple more passes in Dave’s DN. The gusty winds picking the windward runner up off the ice at times sending the boat high in the air. It was getting fun! I spotted the Skeeter to the east and then suddenly it disappeared! I saw a puff of snow and then nothing. The Skeeter sailed into the hole that I had marked earlier! His huge plank was ripped off the bottom of the hull and the tall mast and sail lay on the ice nearby. Chaos! Mayhem! I walked over to Dave and quietly said, “Looks like we should call it a day?” “Yup!” Uncle Russ, who was born in an ice boat (which he still owns), swung by and with a grin said, “I can’t believe it, I’m the only one who didn’t wreck!” “Now Russ, you’re not to tell anybody about what happened today!” We laughed… well a subdued laugh, one tempered by the seriousness of the situation.

The boys packed up and I checked a text from Doug, who I had previously alerted regarding the ice conditions. It was a beautiful day, with wind, sun and smooth ice. I didn’t want to go home and Doug, Owen and Doug’s sister Sue were coming down.

I set the Kitewing up and grabbed my skates. The temperature was just above freezing and the sun had soften some of the ice but once away from shore it was firm enough for the skates. The Kitewing had an advantage over the DN’s in that it was easier to see any hazards and quickly manuvere to avoid them. I picked out the safest and smoothest ice and set about making pass after pass. Just flying and ripping parallel to the Canandaigua pier. Smooth carving tacks. It was the best winging conditions of the season. Cars were lined up on the pier, cars were lined up in the park. A helicopter, buzzed over head, the sound of its blades loud. It was a free show for everyone, or perhaps they were waiting for more carnage. But it was not to be as I stayed far far away from the suspect areas that had already claimed three boats including mine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf_lBW-T-iY

Doug finally arrived squeezing a work day and play day into one and was totally pumped! Owen put on his skates, grabbed a hockey stick and played on the slick surface while Doug and I played a high speed game of kitewing tag. At one point I took him over some fresh ice that earlier I had been avoiding but later found to be safe. From behind me I heard him shout “Whoooa!” Sailing on the clear black ice the sandy bottom was clearly visible. Owen had the small sail out and was making some really nice passes. He was even doing gybes! What a day. The good, bad and the ugly. Spring ice deserves a lot of respect. Be safe.

• This topic was modified 6 years ago by Scott.

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