Alcort Icefish

18 Jan 25:

I don't think we can call ourselves true sailors until we have sailed an Alcort Icefish. The Icefish was actually one of Alcort's first boats, marketed around the same time as the Sailfish in the late 1940s. Here is our friend Alan heading out on his Icefish, if I remember he described it as "terrifyingly fast." 40 mph or so over the hard water.

There was one for sale on facebook marketplace recently, maybe it can still be yours...

But in the meantime, Skipper and I will stick to the wet water. 

 If you like "White Wings and Black Ice," check out this website: https://hudsonrivericeyachting.blogspot.com/2025/01/orange-lake-january-2025.html

Cheers,

Kent and Audrey

Navy Curtis (NC) Flying Boats 1919

 15 Jan 25:

NC-4, in the first photo below, was the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic back in May of 1919, flying from Rockaway, New York to Plymouth, England with a few stops along the way. The photo was taken in October 1919 at the Navy Wharf in Washington, DC. 

What is more amazing beyond the Transatlantic crossing was the logistics effort to disassemble the aircraft, safely return it to the US in a ship, reassemble and then launch on a publicity tour of the Eastern US. That's a lot of parts and pieces to keep track of. We also like the little sightseeing canoe in the photo, reminds us of something Capn Jack and Audrey would do.

NC-1 is shown here flying near Rockaway, she made it almost all the way to the Azores, and had to be abandoned at sea after being damaged in a landing, with the crew safely aboard a support ship.

We also enjoy seeing photos of the maintenance crew and flight crew, working together to make it all happen. Check out the flight crew's gear, we really didn't have aircrew flight clothing back then, so oilskins and thick long johns were the uniform of the day. The pilots could hide behind a tiny piece of glass in their open cockpit, while the navigator poked his head out of the bow cupola to take sightings with his aerial sextant. Meanwhile the Flight Engineer worked from engine to engine on the wing, checking oil and water, adjusting timing, etc...Hard core.

Abaco Dinghy Month

14 Jan 25:

This month's WoodenBoat Calendar photo of WIDGET, built by Winer Malone, reminds us that it is time to get out and work on our Abaco style Dinghy. The warm waters of the Bahamas and WIDGET look inviting, and beautifully photographed by Benjamin Mendlowitz.

More Snow

11 Jan 25:

Another tiny bit of snow came down Friday night, enough for Skipper to make a snowman. 

The snow was melting fast, so we headed over to our local park to take a few pictures.

Then today a huge pileated woodpecker dropped by to hammer one of our trees. 

Virginia Boat Registrations and Gorilla Cart Tires

 10 Jan 25:

Time for new Virginia registrations on the Day Sailer II CYANE, Drascombe Lugger ONKAHYE and Sorg 15 Runabout WILLOW. 

Maybe we'll splash one or two of them after the snow melts. In the meantime I need to order a few new tires for one of Skipper's Gorilla Carts. 

Back to boat registrations, it is cool that the Lugger has its hull number on the bow stem, all that was needed back in 1980 in the UK.

Honnor Marine created a US Hull ID Number for ON KA HY E before she shipped from Devon, and it is engraved on the transom, underneath the name badge.

Stay warm and dry...unless you want to be cold and wet...

Clark and Skipper

"Snow"

07 Jan 24:

We had our first little batch of snow a few days ago, with more forecast this weekend. Surprisingly, the snow is still on the ground in some areas after three or four days, which is unusual. We are happier when it is cold for one day and then warms up...to like 50F+...

Rather than going for a longer walk in the park in the 26F weather, we have been looping the back yard for 10 minutes at a time, then coming back in to warm up. I don't always put my watch into tracking mode, but every now and then it thinks I am out for a walk and asks to record the activity. I am grateful that my exertion was enough for the watch to become interested.

In only a few months the temperature tide will turn from ebb to flood, and with high heat indexes we will limit our outdoor activity to shady cool spots, or only 20 minutes of walking at a time.

Cheers,

Clark and Skipper

Happy New Year!

04 Jan 25:

Happy New Year from Virginia. We are looking forward to a little more boating this year, exploring some places we've already found and looking to discover more spots to muck about.

We were late in putting up the flagpole Christmas tree this year, at first we were going to skip this year, but that didn't feel right. So a few days after Christmas I went ahead and rigged the lights, you know, for the Twelve Days of Christmas and all that :)

 The January issue of Small Boats Nation is on the digital newsstand, we have an article on an RTIC travel mug that we like. Also in the issue:

"In our Profiles this month, we look at a traditional sprit-rigged yawl from Cornwall and a simple sprit-rigged pram dinghy that started life in Florida but went on to conquer the world. Christopher Cunningham explains why taking care of your trailer tires over the winter is important and describes ways to protect them. Kent and Audrey Lewis review a vacuum-insulated, spill-proof travel mug, and Ben Fuller discovers a hanger designed to dry neoprene wetsuits, gloves, and booties. Three friends take a 14′ power dory through the Skookumchuck Narrows in Sechelt Inlet to cruise some of British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast, and a 1960 copy of Mechanix Illustrated helps a California builder to recreate the paddleboat his grandfather built."

Here's the link: https://smallboatsmonthly.com/issue/january-2025/

(Image Credit: Small Boats Nation/Kent Lewis/Audrey's Mug/
Drascombe Lugger ONKAHYE Cockpit Sole)

You may or may not know how hard it is to get a good photo of a mug...Decent lighting...interesting nautical background...enough border space in landscape format but not too much...

We have enjoyed writing for Small Boats Monthly/Magazine/Nation since January 2018, we've been there for three name changes and now two Editors. Our friend Chris has turned over the editorial tiller to Jenny, Chris is shifting to provide support and writing articles. Jenny has been on the WoodenBoat crew for a while as well and we are looking forward to reading Jenny's small boat stories.

So check out the new issue. And grab a thermos or travel mug of coffee and read some of our 88 back articles :) A list of the articles and links can be found here: Small Boats Nation 

And as always, we started the blog to share information and Sea Stories with our friends, back and forth, so please drop a comment in the comment box, maybe just a greeting in your native language or let us know what plans you have for 2025. You are also welcome to contact us at our google mail address lewis dot kent and if you prefer phone/text, tap out Eight Five Zero Four Four Nine 4 8 Four One. We are Eastern Time USA, don't call before 8 am or after 8 pm or Skipper will keel haul you, bow to stern. 

Our plans for 2025? Mess about in small boats more, finish the Abaco Dinghy and find her a new home, and continue our fitness walking and biking.

Cheers,

"Clark" Kent and "Skipper" Audrey