Our club is called the CIBC, the Chickawaulkie Ice Boat Club, a name we keep for historical reasons.
Many of its founders and members helped bring iceboating to Midcoast Maine. Their memory is an inspiration: Warner St. Clair, Larry Hardman, Paul Volters and many others. Our history
will soon appear on this site.
This is not to mention many of our still-living inspirations, of whom Lloyd
and Dickie come immediately to mind. Knowing these men is as satisfying as eating home-made whole wheat bread.
And......they are just as crusty!
For many years, our club was concerned only with iceboating, and
Chickawaulkie Lake, in Rockland, was our favored spot. It is near the ocean, and often gets rain when other lakes get
snow. Snow is our enemy! So iceboating was the first element of our ice-passion.
But in the 2006 season, two new elements were added. Dickie,
Cam, and Bill Bucholtz began a move toward skatesailing. This was hastened when Will Tuthill got us a good deal on skatesails--skimbats
we sometimes call them-- and even some cheapskates jumped in. Skatesailing has the advantage of a quicker equipment
set-up, and an upright sailing position; but it works the body harder and gives it less protection. Great for the young
turks.
And in the same season, we began contact with Jamie Hess over in Vermont,
who is an ice-crazed nordic skater. Once some of us were skatesailing, we wanted to improve our skates, and Jamie sells
the longer, lower, thinner-runnered 'nordic' skates. We got on his ice- hotline and gradually nordic
skating is becoming a part of our club.
The 4th element of our Club is bystanding. This element is a fast-growing
sector as we all age, and is an important part of the whole. Spectators give us inspiration to continue to
get out on the ice and to share our experiences. They also support the club financially and give it direction.
