Come see boats of the New England Ice Yacht Association, meet a few of the members (see the bios below), and hear all about ice boating in New England. They will be bringing two examples of DN boats: the type that they sail on frozen lakes in the winter. One is a classic, the other is a sporty modern marvel. No helmet or ticket is necessary to spend an evening with these enthusiastic speed-seekers.
They’ll be able to answer questions about membership, but also, if you have questions about joining the organization, please visit here.
About The Speakers
John Stanton is a seasoned sailor hailing from Stamford, CT, and Long Island Sound who has sailed everything from dinghies to large boats, around buoys, near and off shore… and iceboats, of course.
John’s three decades of iceboating experience has made him a prominent figure within the New England iceboating community and the NEIYA, where he is presently Commodore. His affinity for iceboating was sparked by practical necessity after too many winter swimming incidents while Frost Biting Dyer Dhows in Milton Harbor. Why iceboats? It's the SPEED.
John is also Director of Marketing at Landfall Navigation, a marine supply company specializing in nautical safety equipment.
James "T" Thieler is a lifelong sailor, having cut his teeth on an old Hobie 16 in southern New Jersey. His first dinghy sailing was on Lasers at St. Mary's College in Maryland.
Following graduation in 1991, T set out to make a living on the water, working as a Naval Academy coach, an instructor for the J-World Sailing School, and delivery crew aboard blue water boats. In 1994, he garnered a captain’s license that allowed him to "follow the water," eventually finding a niche in the classic yacht world running yachts such as BLACK WATCH and SONNY. His favorite and current boat is NEITH, a 1907 Herreshoff, 59’ LOA.
In 1999, he sailed a DN ice yacht in Maine for the first time and has been obsessed ever since—he sold his skis and never looked back. He spent the next several years working on gear and rearranging his life to revolve around hard water sailing, and he’s known for badgering his peers and competitors for go-fast tips. He has moved up in the fleet little by little with two-decades’ hard work, and his efforts paid off with a win at the 2020 North American Championships.