Lake Pepin’s Latest Skeeter

Ed Newcomb thinks ice!

Ken Whitehorse’s Class A rear-seater Skeeter WARRIOR headed off into the Wisconsin sunset on Friday on Lake Pepin iceboater Ed Newcomb’s Skeeter trailer. Ed is looking forward to sailing WARRIOR and is keeping the livery because “all Pepin boats are red.”

Previous: West Coast Doubles Skeeter Fleet
The Rear Seat Skeeter Era
Important News for Class A Skeeter Owners

 

Check Out the Ice Checkers

You know you want one.

These are a game-changer for iceboat regatta management. Need to quickly pick up the starting blocks, drag a starting line, head up to weather to change a mark, check out a seam? Jump on one of these and GO! However, they need a cool name.

Via the Corporate Office of RASSS:

Check Out the Ice Checkers

The much hyped collaboration between the Spaight Street Syndicate and Russell Aviation has finally resulted in some product output. After completion of just three powered kick sleds, a company spokesperson announced that the entity was selling out to a private equity firm intending to take the company public. When asked what drove the decision, Russell’s attorney suggested that his client brought all of the intellectual property to the relationship, while the other brought, well, nothing. When asked to comment about the statement Hearn said, “Oh, that Jeff, he’s such a kidder.
One time I even brought snacks to our work session. And picking out pretty paint colors is a remarkably difficult job.”

2021 ISA Regatta Cancelled

Jay Yaeso hikes in his Class A Skeeter iceboat on Lake Winnebago. Photo by Gretchen Dorian. gretchendorian.com

Notice from the International Skeeter Association Executive Committee.
ISA Page

2021 CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA NOTICE
November 12, 2020

The ISA Executive Committee and International Race Committee met on November 11, 2020 to discuss the status of the 2021 ISA Championship Regatta currently scheduled for the second weekend of January 2021.

 

After careful consideration of the possible impacts of gathering our members from across the nation to meet in either the Western or Eastern Regions of the ISA, our consensus was to cancel the 2021 Regatta.

We feel that local club sailing will be possible with safety protocols in place for face covering, separation and only outdoor activity.

 

We encourage everyone to get out and sail locally. Mark your calendars for the 2022 ISA on the second weekend in January 2022.

 

See you on the ice.

 

Don Sanford, President
Nite 384

 

Steve Schalk, Secretary/Treasurer
I564

Wisconsin Skeeter Association Awards


The top 3 finishers in the Wisconsin Skeeter Association belatedly held their 2020 spring awards banquet this week at the KW Skeeter Shop. Ken Whitehorse won the Bottle Trophy, Tom Hyslop was second, and Paul Krueger third. They also took the opportunity make a final check of the rear-seat Skeeter which is heading west tomorrow with Ed Newcomb.

Previous: West Coast Doubles Skeeter Fleet
The Rear Seat Skeeter Era
Important News for Class A Skeeter Owners

Ken, Tom, and PK.
If you’ve ever wondered how a sail made for a 24′ rig looks on a 26′ rig. (No worries, Ed – that sail won’t be in the quiver!)

What Made Milwaukee Famous

Can there be any better way to introduce the new Nite YouTube channel than by starting off with this Schlitz commercial that ran in 1979? Not only that, Nite Treasurer Maureen Bohleber collected the back story on the making of the commercial. Be sure to go over to the Nite YouTube page to read it all.

Starring: Dick Slates, Will Perrigo, Tom Sweitzer and Mike Sangor

In 1979 the Schiltz Brewing Co. decided to make a series of commercials for the upcoming 1980 Winter Olympics featuring several sports that were winter related but definitely not in the mainstream of the official events. Iceboating turned out to be one of them. I’m not sure how they ended up with Nites and Pewaukee Lake but I’m guessing it had something to do with their corporate HQs being in Milwaukee at the time and Pewaukee Lake sailors’ reputation for enjoying their product. Kind of a win-win situation. Continue reading.

While We Wait: Here’s a Russian Stern-Steerer With Interesting Runners

Photo from “konstantin_k_n” Instagram account

November is the toughest month, when ice sailors patiently conceal their impatience for that first ice report. While we wait, here’s a photo of a  lovely gaff-rigged Russian stern-steerer that I ran across on Instagram. The unusual runners are what attracted my attention. Wonder how they worked in snow?