ICE SAILING 101
Current UW students Soren, Will and Jonathon; and recent college east coast college graduate, now Epic employee, Clark, workin’ it in the Spaight Street Syndicate lab. New steering posts and plank attachments, runners shimmed, sharpened and aligned…ready for first test of the semester at the Great Western Challenge. Tip of the helmet to Steve Duhamel at Northwind Iceboats for the donated parts to resurrect P154.
4LIYC sailor Lars Barber sanding Doug Kolner’s DN plank.
Dust is being made and runners sharpened in preparation for the first unofficial fun DN regatta of the season, the Western Challenge. Stay tuned to the Minnesota Ice Sailing Association website for the latest. Battle Lake has been chosen as the site. Look for final confirmation on Wednesday. The ISA regatta was sailed at Battle Lake 2 years ago and the town was very welcoming to all the sailors.
Via Daniel Hearn:
P154 coming back to life in the hands of University of Wisconsin sailors, Soren and Will, at the Spaight Street Syndicate shop. Thanks to the legend, Peter Burczynski, for the donation!
The ice line is creeping south. The Minnesota sailors opened their season over the weekend on Silver Lake, 20 miles west of ‘Tonka. Mike Bloom reported, “4 inches of ice with 1/4 inch dusting of snow. Short course racing. Multiple races. 7 boats.Great day.” The Menekaunee sailors also opened their season on White Potato Lake, 30 miles west of Menominee/Marinette in Wisconsin. It won’t be long before the runners hit the ice here at Four Lakes!
Thunder Bay, Ontario DN sailor, Mike Madge is once again the first to ice sail in North America (as far as we know). Last year, he was sailing on November 9. Another box ticked!
Just back from Whitefish Lake
4″ of Black ice with maybe 1/4″ covering of Snow.Wind 15 gusting to 20 made for a fast ride
Meanwhile in Minnesota, lakes are coming online in the usual places near Alexandria and with tonight’s low at 10F, it will only get better! Stay tuned to the Minnesota ice boating website for the latest.
4LIYC members Don Sanford & Ken Kreider to the rescue with an on-the-ice lunch buffet at the 2017 DN North Americans on Lake Monona.
MORE EVENT INFORMATION
Here’s a reminder about a program about Lake Baikal ice sailing and social event and that the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club and Hoofer’s is sponsoring on Sunday, October 14 from noon to 3 PM at the Memorial Union in Madison. It’s your chance to learn about ice sailing, adventure travel, Siberia, the 4LIYC, and meet ice sailors from around the world and Midwest.
4LIYC Commodore Don Anderson called me this morning to talk about something that doesn’t get mentioned enough, how the friendships and camaraderie in iceboating are possible because it is such a unique sport. Bill Mattison’s classic line describing the sport,”nothing’s fickler”, can be a feature, not a bug, of iceboating. There’s an upside to the fickleness.
Don talked about the differences between a soft water and hard water regatta. If conditions aren’t right, ice boaters are freer to get off the lake and explore their regatta destination making it more enjoyable for everyone. “Anytime I set up my iceboat at a regatta, getting to sail is a bonus. What makes it fun for me is renewing friendships with others who have this sport in common. The first iceboat ride you take of the season is worth the price of admission (i.e. owning an iceboat) because it is such a thrilling ride. Even if you don’t get another ride, it’s still a good investment.” Sharing morning donuts on the ice before a day of sailing, grilled brats at lunch, and a few beers at the end of the day with Tom Hyslop’s giant bag of peanuts- in-the shell makes iceboating festive sport.
As these photos below show, iceboaters enjoy the social aspects of sharing a meal on the ice whether it’s on Lake Baikal or Lake Monona. If you are curious about the sport, we hope to see you there on Sunday so you can learn more about us. If you are a 4LIYC member or member of another club, we hope to see you there to begin the process of renewing old friendships.
UPDATE: DN Champion Ron Sherry To Attend 4LIYC Baikal Sailing Program Oct 14
Multiple DN World, North American, and Baikal champion Ron Sherry is making the drive from Detroit, Michigan to attend this event and catch up with iceboating friends. Ron has been to Lake Baikal twice and has won 3 titles there and will be on hand to share his experiences.
Free Program & Iceboat Exhibit Sponsored by the 4LIYC and Hoofer’s Sailing Club
Date: Sunday, October 14, 2018
Time: Noon to 3 PM Program at 1 PM
Location: University of Wisconsin Memorial Union, Tripp Commons, 2nd Floor of the Union
800 Langdon St, Madison, WI MAPDETAILS
Parking: Helen C. White Parking Garage MAP
State Street Campus Parking Garage MAP
Food: Your favorite Wisconsin beverages and food will be available for purchase at Der Rathskeller and other restaurants located in the Memorial Union.
Questions? Please email us: debwhitehorse@iceboat.org
National Iceboat Authority Web Page
Location: In person at the Elks Lodge 711 Jenifer St, Madison, WI 53703
Time: 6:30 PM
YOU ARE SKIPPER NUMBER
TO ROUND THE MARK SINCE NOVEMBER 1999.
