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Racing is in many ways the backbone of regional ice yachting communities. When the New England Ice Yacht Association holds a race, New Englanders, Canadians and New Yorkers show up. Racing is the magnet that brings together both racers and cruisers on the same patch of ice, which is often two or three hundred miles from their homes. Racers don’t want to miss an opportunity to compete, or see if they have improved since the last gathering. Cruisers want to be where there will be other cruisers to cruise with, and race or drag against informally. The race location is the place where both groups know other ice yachters will be. Both groups relish getting together because they share a like love; it’s another chance to talk about ice yachts and technique, and to share ideas. From these gatherings, the camaraderie of a like-minded group of people who speak the same language is born.
Ice yachters often travel together to the state that has the best ice on a given weekend. They go out to eat and have drinks together after a great day of racing and cruising (they say all days that they can sail are good), then split the costs of whatever bargain-rate hotel rooms they were able to find in the area. Those same people might end up doing the same thing on the next weekend, and the weekend after that if the sailing is good. During the off months, they work on their ice yachts together or help others build new ones. Because of the small size of the area’s ice yachting community, strong friendships and camaraderie rapidly develop. " It’s a great group of people, most of us are very friendly folks; it’s an odd mixture," says Doug Sharp." We have doctors and plumbers and carpenters and computer engineers and accountants, everybody you can imagine. It’s quite a broad spectrum. You never know who it’s going to appeal to: We have a forensic scientist that sails with us. It’s quite a mixture."
 Eben Whitcomb says that the friendly bond among ice yachters results in people wanting to help each out. "Another [ice yacht racer] told me that he used to race dirt track cars in the summer. On his first day racing they took up a collection in the pit and he asked what that’s for. The guy said ‘That’s for the first guy that puts you over the wall.’ It’s the complete opposite in ice boating. You’re likely to have somebody drop what there’re doing between a race and come over and help you, let’s say you’re having a problem with your boat, so you can race the next race. But then you’ll go right out there and be competing against that same person. That’s happened many, many times."
James Thieler also feels that ice yachting has a special relationship among its community that is sometimes lacking in other sports. "That’s one of the things that I like about the class [ice yachting]. I’ve raced in other classes of boats where everyone is really competitive. If you’re sort of new in the class and trying to get up to speed, sometimes people won’t help you at all, even if you ask for it. Ice yachting is the complete opposite. When I was just getting started, I was literally trying to put together my boat on the ice when somebody I’ve never met before goes ‘Hey, do you have all the nuts and bolts you need? If you’re missing any parts, I’ve got a whole bunch in my toolbox.’ As far as sailing technique goes, people are more than happy to share their go fast tips."
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