While we wait for ice, Norwegian ice sailors share videos and photos from Soløyvatnet Lake near Bodø, where the scenery is incredible. They appear to take advantage of every drop of daylight with a narrow window of opportunity to sail. The sun rises in Bodø at 10:30 AM and sets at 1:48 PM.
Big lake, big ice, big booming Skeeter hike on Lake Winnebago at the 2010 Northwest Regatta. Photo: Gretchen Dorian
Are you ready for some legendary arms-falling-off-from-pulling-sheet ice on big inland lakes? If we believe the weather forecasts this far out, ice sailing hotspots in Wisconsin like Menominee, Lakes Geneva, Winnebago, and Green should be coming online in the next two weeks. Fingers crossed.
Accuweather: Polar vortex set to unleash coldest air of season yet in US
By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Jan. 9, 2021 3:11 AM CST
Accuweather January forecast for Madison, WI as of January 9, 2021.
Enjoying the Vortex
via Accuweather:
“Many of the chips are beginning to line up to suggest we will see a shift of the polar vortex and an Arctic invasion across the central and eastern U.S. and Canada toward the end of the month,” Pastelok warns.
“The pattern also looks favorable for the bitter Arctic blast to be ushered in by a big storm somewhere in the eastern U.S.”
“Enjoy the ‘warmth’ while it lasts,” Anderson says, “because Old Man Winter is looking to return with a vengeance.” Read more.
Date: Wednesday, January 6, 2020
Time: 6:30 – 7:30 PM
Location: Your most comfortable chair
Zoom alert! 4LIYC members, you won’t want to miss this one, a PowerPoint presentation from Archie Call about the history and development of iceboating. Archie has made some significant discoveries about who exactly was the first to iceboat in America and the Hudson River-style iceboat lineage. Archie will also take questions during the presentation; please mute your microphone unless you have a comment or question for Archie. Watch for the link to the Zoom presentation in your email box.
Archie sailed Renegades for 46 years with the Toledo Ice Yacht Club and the 4LIYC and retired in 2017 from active sailing. Archie has worn many hats during his life, including computer programmer, production manager, manufacturing operations researcher, data scientist, and system IT management. He’s been busy giving talks on various topics such as U.S. Twelve Square Mile Reserve Survey: 1805, DNA: The code of all life, Human Mortality, Roads in America, Historic survey of Perrysburg in 1816, and Ice Boating on the Inland Seas.
Archie Call sailing his Renegade on Lake Mendota in 2011. Photo: Robert Resnick
Happy to see boats and sailors on the ice as we wait for conditions to improve here in the Four Lakes area. Thanks to MN ice sailor Mike Bloom for sending along.
Why snow ski when you’ve got ice!
Three Powder Hounds from Big Sky Montana, John Loomis, Russ Lucas and Jim Haeger, spent New Year’s Day iceboating with David Gluek on Canyon Ferry Reservoir. Thanks go to David for taking the picture.
Some enterprising folks on Airbnb are offering an opportunity to camp in a glamorous Oshkosh, WI “ice cave.” The ad brought to mind Andy Gratton’s recent visit to Lake Christina in Minnesota, where he sailed his new blue Renegade. Andy did something he said he always wanted to do; he pitched his tent and slept on the ice. Thanks, Andy, for being a good sport and letting me have some fun with this parody ad.
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.
