Footage from today’s historic Spaight Street Syndicate Global Championships on Lake Kegonsa.
Kegonsa has provided a decent venue for DN scrub racing so far – providing you sail and keep close with those who have local knowledge of areas to keep clear of. The next few days of cold temperatures should help to heal the seams on Kegonsa. Watch Geoff Sobering’s Lake Kegonsa drone video from Saturday.
There’s a mixed precipitation weather system coming through on Monday that NOAA reports “.. is a very complicated forecast and the details will most certainly change over the next 24 hours, so remain alert and flexible and keep up with the forecast.” Tuesday and Wednesday night’s low temperatures look very promising for Monona and Mendota because both are clean slates, having frozen and opened back up again. Stay tuned!
Earlier this week, there was an enjoyable story on the Duluth Tribune website about area ice sailors who took advantage of a snow-less December to sail Superior Bay. “Nice ice for sailing on Superior Bay” featured a boat called the “Hog Island Express”.
“Everybody around here builds their own boats… I think I spent $50 total building the Hog Island Express,” Hom said, noting the name comes from the island along the Superior side of the harbor. That’s where Hom found the huge white pine up on shore. He floated it back to Park Point, eventually had it milled and used part of the lumber for the ice boat.
A storm came through on Thursday ending their season and almost sent the iceboats drifting away.
Thursday a neighbor called Strange to tell him “Your boat is leaving.” With the help of friends and neighbors, and using plastic barrels for flotation and a long rope, Strange rescued his and another person’s ice boats.
Thankfully, the outcome was a happy one. They did a safe and commendable job rescuing the boats. Take look the pictures here.
The Lake Kegonsa ice check scheduled for today (Friday, December 28, 2018) has been postponed because of rain and warm temperatures. However, the Great Zamboni in the Sky is bringing much colder temperatures next week. The club will check Kegonsa ice on Sunday or Monday with the hopes of calling on the Holiday racing series and the infamous Bloody Mary 10-lapper for New Year’s Day. Next update by Monday, December 31, 2018.
There will be no 4LIYC Holiday Series racing for Wednesday, December 25, 2018. There are some open, working seams that limit launch sites.
Current conditions on Kegonsa are spectacular but somewhat limited by the seams to a sheet in front of Springer’s Restaurant. On Monday, the Spaight Street Syndicate DN fleet, Renegader Doug Kolner, and Nite sailor Lars Barber took advantage of the Hollywood conditions and scrub raced on a short course until their arms couldn’t take it any longer. The Spaight St. DNers are there again today – see video above. ICE CHECK: Please meet at Springer’s for the next ice check at 11 AM on Friday, December 28. Next update is Friday, December 28. Remember folks, ice is never safe!
Doug Kolner’s Renegade COLD FUSION on Lake Kegonsa.
Lake Kegonsa may be in play very soon. Ice checkers will scout the lake on Saturday.
The 4LIYC Christmas Holiday Series is tentatively called on for Tuesday, December 25. Final confirmation will be posted on Monday, December 24.
7. Holiday Series races shall be on December 25th, January 1st, Thanksgiving, and Easter for all classes, with one trophy for each class. There will be two races per class, per day with the first race starting at 2:00 PM.. The number of races required to complete this series shall be one in each class. There shall be no more than 8 races for each class. (12/17/68)
The results from the 2018 Renegade Championship have been posted. See them here.
A special shout out of appreciation from Renegade Race Committee Chair and 4LIYC Commodore Don Anderson to the regatta PRO, John Hayashi, for his extra efforts to get the regatta in. His hours spent checking ice, organizing the race committee, providing equipment, keeping the troops rallied and informed, and his overall positive attitude throughout the regatta in tough conditions were appreciated by all the competitors.
