The European stern-steerer class, the Monotype XVs, concluded their European championship in Estonia on Thursday. The championship went to Russian sailors Oleg Vasilev and Ruslan Rudenko. Oleg has had a successful 2019 racing season, having placed 13th in the A fleet at the DN European championship in Poland this year.
All boats and equipment are measured before the regatta. Photo: Jaak Nirgi
While North America’s Stern Steerers wait for regatta conditions, focus your attention to across the pond where the Monotype XV European Championship racing begins tomorrow on Lake Vortsjarv in Estonia. The boats arrived today for registration, equipment inspection, practice racing (no wind though) and the opening ceremony. Stern steerer sailors Mike Peters and Erich Schloemer made the trip over for a Monotype XV regatta several years ago and competed in a borrowed boat. Monotype XVs are the most popular one-design Stern Steerer class in Europe.
From the Monotype XV website:
The Monotype-XV ice yacht was designed in 1932 by the legendary Erik von Holst of Estonia. It became popular in a very short time, and more than 200 yachts were built in but a few years. The yacht is a strict monotype construction; in broad outline, it looks the same as in the nineteen thirties. The structural elements are nowadays joined by modern methods and the use of epoxy adhesive. The bronze runners have been replaced by runners in stainless steel. The sail is of course made of Dacron or an equivalent material. The Monotype-XV is the largest monotype class in Europe today, and the only yacht for two for which European as well as international championships are arranged.
Data: Sail area 15 m2, length=7.5 m, width 4.2 m and mast height 7.2 m. Minimum weight 205 Kg. Crew 1-2 persons. Read more.
Ken Whitehorse and Jim Gluek crunching the numbers of Class A Skeeter sails down at the Krueger/Whitehorse Skeeter Speed Shop.
4LIYC Skeeter sailors Ken Whitehorse, Paul Krueger, and Jim Gluek gathered at the Krueger/Whitehorse Skeeter Shop on Saturday. They brought and measured 8 sails and learned that all were less than 74 square feet. They also spent the day configuring a new Harken cascade pulley system designed by Steve Orlebeke for Ken’s new blue-soon-to-be-red Skeeter. Steve’s design is attracting a lot of interest including some from Daniel Hearn who stopped by to see it being installed. Ken reports that Tom Hyslop will also be changing his pulley system over Steve’s design which uses a combination of Harken block 3238, 3216, and 3215. Iceboat work never stops!
Jim Gluek took some of the photos and sent along this note:
Great day with two legends in our sport. PK and Kenny. Stories of the Skeeter side-car so Kenny could take a crew; two sets of chocks on the plank so you could move the runner in board. One of the most awesome thing about ice boating are the people and the stories over the years.
Steve Orlebeke sailing a Class A Skeeter at the Northwest regatta on Lake Pepin, MN, January 20, 2019.
4LIYC Skeeter & DN sailor and head of Harken Engineering Steve Orlebeke explains why he’d rather be on ice in the Harken publication, At The Front.
Like a lot of us here in Pewaukee, I’m a lifelong sailor. Maybe less like most of us, my favorite sailing is done where you really hope you never get wet. For the last several years I’ve been working as hard as I can in the Skeeter and DN iceboat classes. I descend from a grand Harken tradition. Get them in the right moment, Peter and Olaf might let slip that they like iceboating best too. Read more.
“When I grow up”
A splendid picture from Uppsala in Sweden with the famed historic ice yacht NORA and an Ice Optimist as they wait together for the wind to come up.
Nevada’s Renee Fields at the helm of 4LIYC’s Jori Lenon’s DN at the DN World Championship, Indian Lake, OH
A quick update before heading out for the first day of the DN North Americans on Lake Wawasee in Indiana. Yes, we’ve moved 3 hours west from Ohio to better ice. You’ve all probably heard by now that 2019 DN World Champion, Michal Burczinski of Poland, won the regatta in a boat borrowed from 4LIYC member and Spaight St. Syndicate director Daniel Hearn, and not just any boat, Daniel’s best equipment. An incredible testament to true sportsmanship by Daniel when he learned that the Polish boats were delayed in transit and wouldn’t make the regatta in time.
But that’s not the only 4LIYC boat on the line. Jori Lenon loaned her boat to land sailor Renee Fields of Nevada who had never sailed an iceboat prior to this regatta. Renee was the third highest placing female in the Gold Cup. I think we may have another convert. So thank you Jori and Daniel for helping to promote this sport by loaning your boats to competitors. Follow the action at idniyra.org! Off to the lake….
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.
