By Mark LaFlamme,Staff Writer

NEW LONDON, N.H. – A former Auburn businessman died Sunday after the high-speed ice boat he was driving collided with another driven by his brother.

Wayne Fortier, 67, of Wellesley, Mass., died at a New London hospital shortly after the Sunday morning crash on Lake Sunapee.

His brother, David Fortier, 47, of Biddeford, was taken to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon. He was in critical condition, a spokeswoman said.

The ice boats collided on the lake near Soo Nipi Park shortly before 11 a.m. Sunday, according to New London police.

n the 1970s and ’80s, Wayne Fortier owned and operated Lemay’s Ski Doo in Auburn. There, he was known to carry just about everything produced by Bombardier, one of the leading sellers of recreational vehicles.

n the mid-80s, Fortier sold the business and moved to Belgrade. He later moved to Massachusetts, where he owned a foundation repair business called Poxy-Crete of New England, which was later changed to New England Waterproofing.

Fortier’s love of outdoor recreation was not without its perils. n the 1960s, he and a friend fell through the ice while snowmobiling back from a fishing trip in the Moosehead region. His friend died in the water, but Fortier made it to shore.

He survived that ordeal by forcing his way into empty camps to look for dry clothes and matches to start a fire. t was days before he was rescued.

At the time of the weekend collision, Dave Fortier was testing conditions on the lake, where strong winds threatened to cancel the event, said Lloyd Roberts, who knew both brothers as a member of the New England ce Yachting Association.

Wayne Fortier was not planning to compete, but was sailing on his own. Roberts said it was a “quirk of fate” that sent him into his brother’s boat, estimating that they may have been traveling as fast as 50 mph.

ce-boaters from around New England were gathering at Lake Sunapee last weekend for an ice-yachting regatta. The sport involves wedge-shaped wooden sailboats that glide across the ice on skates.

The regatta was canceled after the crash.

David Fortier recently placed second at the association’s championships, and he was the New England champion last year. He came in third in the Eastern regional championship race in Vermont on Feb. 12, according to the nternational DN ce Yacht Racing Association’s Web site.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.