Walkway Connections: Ice Yachting in Poughkeepsie

On Sunday, October 18 from 2-3 p.m. at the East Gate Plaza in Poughkeepsie, Brian Reid will talk about the early origins of Ice Yachting on the Hudson River. Stories will be shared of Poughkeepsie sailors like Aaron Innis and John A. Roosevelt, whose ice yachts Haze and Icicle were national champions. Ice yacht races on the river were watched by thousands off the Poughkeepsie waterfront, with skippers vying for silk pennants and silver cups for the title of fastest ice yacht in the world. Brian will share the efforts to preserve these historic crafts and how they are still sailed and raced today. Brian Reid is the longtime club historian and secretary of the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club (HRIYC) whose members maintain, restore and sail the beautiful, antique, stern steering ice yachts from the Hudson Valley. Brian owns several vintage ice yachts, including Cyclone, built in Hyde Park in 1900. He maintains the blog “White Wings Black Ice”, which explores the history, races, and stories of ice yachting on the Hudson River. All Walkway Connections events are free to attend and appropriate for all ages.