Happy Independence Day 2020!

JD at the start of a race.

It’s been a Fourth of July tradition around here for several years to showcase the red, white, and blue Class A Skeeter built by Tom Nichols and now in the capable hands of Minnesota’s John Dennis.

But wait, there’s more – as an added bonus this year, enjoy Charles Wysocki’s “Ice Riders On The Chesapeake” Americana-themed print. Hope everyone enjoys the weekend and continues to Think Ice! You have 150 days until December 1 to sharpen those runners.

Ice Riders on the Chesapeake Bay by Charles Wysocki 

 

Ice Sailing Goes Postal

2013 Mozambique Postal Stamp featuring DN and Renegade Class iceboats. The boat left middle US44 is Ron Sherry of Detroit, MI.

2013 Mozambique Postal Stamp featuring a Renegade class ice boat.

Bob Cummins inquired if the iceboat stamp issued by the US Post Office had ever been featured on iceboat.org. His email was a great jumping off point to search for other examples. I knew that Poland had issued a set and the Google pointed to Postal History Corner; Canadian Postal and Philatelic History where there’s a comprehensive page dedicated to ice sailing stamps and postcards from around the world. Until yesterday, the only thing I knew about the eastern African country, Mozambique was that Bob Dylan had written a song about it. What a surprise to learn that Mozambique had issued 6 iceboating stamps in 2013!  All of these stamps are available to buy on ebay or stamp collecting websites.

1955 Hungarian postal stamp featuring a Monotype iceboat.

1978 Polish postal stamp issued in conjunction with the DN Gold Cup sailed at  Krynica Morska, Poland, February 6-11, 1978. 

1985 American stamp with a stern-steerer iceboat.

Another Ice Sailing Cover: Have the Time of Your Life!


Stern-Steerer enthusiast Andy Gratton shares one of his favorite magazine covers from 1952 and the plans to build the boat.  Andy even made a boat modeled after these plans many years ago for his son.

The Golden Age of Magazine Illustration: Ice Sailing Covers

From 1937. This is likely an iceboat designed by Ted Mead of Chicago, IL. 

Ran across these marvelous magazine covers during internet travels. They make me wonder the fate of the originals and make me hope they are being enjoyed somewhere by someone.

WISCONSIN: Fine Art in America

Scott Smith Art Print Stern Steerer Iceboat

“Iceboat” by Scott Smith

Here is something for the Labor Day weekend to get you thinking ice. Via stern-steerer skipper Andy Gratton who recognized his WISCONSIN iceboat but not the shoreline, though he thinks it may be Pewaukee. The image was created by Wauwatosa artist, Scott Smith, and can be purchased as a print or greeting cards on the fineartamerica website. Below is another great image of WISCONSIN in hiking mode.

Photo: Gretchen Dorian