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Sometimes the conditions for a perfect day can be marred by certain elements. Too much wind can make the ice yacht difficult to handle. Too much cold can be uncomfortable and put yachters at risk of getting frostbite. Too much snow means the yachts can’t move over the ice. So what are the necessary ingredients for a great day on the ice? Each yachter has his own version of that. Doug Sharp says, "Ideally a nice thirty degree day, with a fifteen mile per hour wind is very much to our liking." Dave Fortier’s ideal is little different, "Fifteen knots wind and smooth ice, nothing else. I don’t care about the temperature."
The final ingredients for a perfect day of ice yachting are the size of the lake or pond that they are on and the scenery that surrounds it. New England, especially Northern New England, where many of the New England Ice Yacht Association events are held, is very scenic. Each lake or pond they meet on has its own unique scenery, shape and size. Because of this, individual ice yachters usually have one or several favorite bodies of water to race on. Often they seek out the big lakes; Lake Champlain in Vermont, Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, and Sebago Lake in Southern Maine are some of the most sought after. "The big ice is very exciting," says Eben Whitcomb. "You can get your best racing because you can usually get a bigger course and likewise you usually get a better turnout. More people will be excited about it than if I invited people down here to sail on a small pond in Connecticut." Dave Fortier also looks forward to races and events held on the larger bodies of water. "I like big ice, the bigger the better…Cruising Sebego Lake is a lot of fun because it’s just so magnificent, so huge. You can get on a tack and go four miles. The sheer rarity of it is exciting in that case."
 Ice yachting may well be one of winter sports’ best kept secrets. It is a mentally demanding activity that takes place in scenic environment and is fast moving enough to satisfy the adrenaline junkies. It has remained gentlemanly and very close to its roots because there are no financial incentives to win, and because it is truly a community based activity. To learn how to ice yacht properly and build an ice yacht, one must become part of group, and this group looks after its own. Yet because of its low profile, it will most likely remain a small band of highly dedicated aficionados that have a zen-like dedication to their sport. So what is the reason that this incredible niche sport continues to exist in an engine-powered world of speed? It is an arena for a certain type person to compete with others and themselves while enjoying outdoors and its beauty. Dave Fortier sums up best why the ice yachters love their sport so much. "You can spend a lifetime trying to be perfect and probably never be perfect. It’s a lifetime challenge."
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