Spells don't seem to work right...

Or maybe I'm just not that bright.

I have 2 water shards (not "ice shards" as it states in most of the cold oriented spells).  When I cast "Ice Bolt" it says that the maximum damage that I can do with the spell is 60 (I have a 20 Int).

Cool, zap zap, mwhahahaha taste icy death...um.  Okay.  4 damage.  Hmmm, bad roll...okay.  Zap zap...3 damage.  Hmmm.  Zap zap...miss.  Zap zap...5 damage.  Zap zap...2 damage.

15 mana later I have done 14 damage to my opponent.  He is an ogre and he is going to kill me messily now.  I am 6th level, he is 4th.  Should this really be happening?  Note that the largest number I have ever seen come up on my 60 max ice bolt is 11.  Once.  After casting it about 30 times. 

Okay, now tell me what I'm doing wrong.