gretchen dorian’s photography blog

Young Cooper Frost, from Charlotte, MI, drives to Northern Michigan with his father, most any weekend there is thick frozen ice covering Northern Lower Michigan’s Lakes. This is Cooper with his “Ice Opti”. It’s modeled after the DN Iceboat, although smaller with a lateen rig from an “Optimist” sailing pram (a popular learning to sail boat for kids). Cooper can sit up and steer and not have to lie prone or get hit by the boom as that’s the “de riguer” on a Racing DN Iceboat.

This is Cooper preparing his “Ice Opti” to go race in the IDNIYRA | Central Lakes | Ice Opti North American Championships.

It’s getting to be the season now. The hotlines are buzzing throughout Michigan…”where’s the ice? ..how thick?.