Gloria Melges with her husband, Buddy, at the 2007 Northwest Regatta at Menominee, MI. Buddy won the Skeeter title that year.
The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club and ice sailing community extend our deepest sympathies to the Melges family on the loss of their matriarch, Gloria Melges. Via Sailing Scuttlebutt:
Gloria Melges, 93, a beloved member of the sailing community and an esteemed race committee officer, passed away peacefully on July 20, 2024. Born in New Jersey on May 27, 1931, Gloria was raised spending summers aboard a Great Lakes cruising sailboat out of Chicago, where her father served as Commodore of the Columbia Yacht Club. This unique upbringing instilled in her a lifelong passion for the water and sailing.
Gloria pursued higher education at Northwestern University Dental School, where she graduated with honors. During her time at Northwestern, she met and fell in love with Wisconsin yachtsman Harry C. “Buddy” Melges Jr. Their relationship blossomed, but their time together was interrupted when Buddy went to serve in the Korean War. Despite the distance, their love grew stronger through the heartfelt letters they exchanged while he was away.
Upon Buddy’s return, he proposed to Gloria, and they were married shortly thereafter. Their deep bond and unwavering love for sailing became the foundation of their 69-year marriage, a passion they passed on to their three children: Laura, Harry III, and Hans. During their seven decades together, Gloria was a steadfast supporter of Buddy’s illustrious career, cheering for him both on and off the water.
Gloria’s legacy extends beyond her family. She was the first female Commodore of the Lake Geneva Yacht Club on Geneva Lake in Wisconsin, a testament to her trailblazing spirit. Continue reading.
Gloria and Buddy on the plank of Buddy’s Skeeter MICKEY FINN, talking to Bill “Curly” Perrigo and his son Will.
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In case you missed it, the Chicago to Mackinac race took place over the weekend. First, the good news: Keith Haas checks in with the news that MEDICINE MAN, owned by Rick Hennig—who also owns the world’s largest iceboat, DEUCE—took top honors in Section One. Keith writes, “Rick Hennig took first place in Section 1 of the Chicago MAC race aboard his boat MEDICINE MAN. The crew consisted of notable iceboaters Rick Hennig, Todd Knop, Abby Knop, Jay Yaeso, Eric Sawyer, and Richard Sawyer.” Congratulations, Rick and crew.
However, as Great Lakes sailors know, Lake Michigan can quickly turn dangerous. A storm hit in the dead of night, which resulted in two serious situations: a dismasting (USUAL SUSPECTS – Ron Sherry & Skip Dieball) and man-overboard (CALLISTO – Steve Orlebeke), Skip and Ron have shared photos and stories on their Facebook pages. Skip shared the following story from USUAL SUSPECTS owner Eric Wynsma:
“Tough night for the Usual Suspects as we were dismasted early this morning about 35 miles offshore during the Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac. Ripping along comfortably at 15 knots with an A2 and a Genoa staysail, a small cell popped up and whacked us with an 80-degree wind shift at 30+ knots, knocking us flat and breaking our mast in 3 places. We worked frantically to cut the rig away so it wouldn’t hole the boat as we jumped around in the waves attached by a million halyards and control lines. Everyone kept their act together, and nobody panicked as we just went into what we knew needed to happen. Very proud of our group.
Nobody was hurt. I had all three of my kids aboard, and it was my 25th Chicago-Mackinac race! While not as good as our 52-class win last year, I am satisfied that we returned 13 suspects to the dock disappointed but unharmed! Thank you all for the support; this truly sucks for all
of us, but we are keeping things in perspective. We consider ourselves fortunate under the circumstances! Sincerest thanks to some amazing sailors on board; the display of teamwork and seamanship in this situation was absolutely outstanding.”
Meanwhile, Steve Orlebeke and crew on CALLISTO had to deal with a man overboard situation that thankfully turned out OK. Phoebe Wall Howard’s excellent reporting about the race stated, “Disaster was averted after Madcap, a Santa Cruz 52 owned and skippered by John Hopkins, responded to a man overboard report from Callisto, a J/125 owned and skippered by Jim Murray. Both boats resumed racing the 333-statute mile (289 nautical mile) race without injury.”
The 115th annual Chicago to Mackinac race is taking place today, and among the competitors are several iceboaters trading the hard water for soft water. While the race’s website makes it challenging to see all boats and crew on one page, we know that ice sailors Steve Orlebeke (DN & A Skeeter), Ron Sherry (DN & Renegade), Skip Dieball (DN & Renegade), Dave Elsmo (DN and A Skeeter), and Ben Witman (DN and C Skeeter) are participating.
Steve Orlebeke is sailing on the J125 CALLISTO, Ron Sherry and Skip Dieball are crewing on the TP52 USUAL SUSPECTS, and Dave Elsmo and Ben Witman are aboard the TP52 LEGACY. All are in the same division and vying for the Mackinac Trophy.
Ron and Steve have a long history of intense competition. Their unforgettable duel at the 2020 DN North American Championship in Montana is one of the greatest battles, beautifully captured in a video by Sean Heavy. As they gear up for the challenges of the Mackinac race, it’s a perfect time to revisit that legendary moment. Watch it here.
Here’s an article written for the Wisconsin Maritime Museum’s magazine about the history of ice sailing in Wisconsin and the champions, innovators, and legends who have shaped the sport. Read it here.
The Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc is absolutely worth a visit. A few years ago, they hosted a fantastic exhibit dedicated to the Inland Lakes Yachting Association, featuring scows, trophies, and a wealth of history. Perhaps one day, they might consider creating a similar exhibit for ice sailing.
