Monday, December 29, 2008

Sailing into the Quadricentennial year



Mark the start of the 2009 Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial with the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club's display of ice boats in front of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Presidential Library in Hyde Park. After all, ice sailing technology is of Dutch origin and FDR owned an ice yacht as a young man. FDR's uncle, Commodore John E. Roosevelt, started the club, which still exists today.

The club plans to have an outdoor display of up to 12 Hudson River Ice Yachts dating from the late 1800s in front of the Presidential Library. Included in the exhibit will be world-championship winning ice yachts owned by John A. Roosevelt and his Hyde Park neighbor, Col. Archibald Rogers.

The exhibit runs through January 3 but will be closed on New Year's Day. (It also may close during inclement weather, so they advise calling ahead to confirm exhibit hours at 845-229-9115 or 1-800-FDR-VISIT.) Ice Yacht Club members will be there each day to talk about their boats, their sport and the history of ice yachting on the Hudson.

The Ice Yacht Display is sponsored by the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club in cooperation with the Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Site, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Presidential Library , the Hudson River Maritime Museum, the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area and Dutchess County.


Poughkeepsie Journal photo by Darryl Bautista

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