UPDATE SEPTEMBER 7, 2020: Mike Butler corrects the record:“Just a couple of corrections. The boats name is really the Ace of Spade. Not sure why that was. It was not built for my dad. Connie Korsmo built it for my great uncle Ray Butler who worked with Connie at Madison Kipp. This would have been around 1935. Ray gave it to my dad after the war.
He built the new hull, that Mike has now, in the 50’s after he boom jibed the boat and damaged the hull. The attached photos are of the original hull. I still have the blueprint of that boat. Jack Ripp took the photos. Jack took a lot of photos over the years and I got together with Jack and dad shortly before he died. Spent an afternoon going over lots of Jack’s pictures. Hopefully someone still has them.”
Peter Fauerbach noted that Connie Korsma was the chief engineer at Madison Kipp Corporation. “The Kipp” as it’s often called here produces machined die castings and has been in operation since 1898.
Here’s another beautiful iceboat model from Mike Butler up in Oshkosh, WI of his dad Dave’s C Class Stern-Steerer ACE OF SPADES. When Jerry Simon asked the late Jack Ripp about the boat’s lineage, Jack told him Connie Korsmo, who worked at Madison Kipp, built 2 Hudson River style C Class Stern-Steerers, one for himself and the other for Dave’s uncle, Ray Butler, Sometime later, Dave added a new cockpit backbone, likely for comfort. Dave Butler was a life long 4LIYC member who served as a officer and was inducted into the 4LIYC Honor roll in 2012.
And the ACE OF SPADES? Just look for the bright orange/red stern-steerer at any regatta. She’s currently owned by Mike Peters.
ACE OF SPADES, Mike Peter’s C Class Stern Steerer at the 2019 Northwest on Lake Pepin. Photo: Pat Heppert
Via Jane Pegel of the Skeeter Ice Boat Club in Williams Bay, WI:
Attention Iceboaters:
Due to the COVID pandemic, the annual iceboat swap meet that is customarily held in Williams Bay, WI in early November is CANCELLED for 2020.
Anyone wanting to Buy or Sell an iceboat may get on a list that will be emailed in early October to over 400 iceboaters. Email info to sailing19@charter.net
Another option is to get listed in the Buy and Sell section of iceboat.org. Email to debwhitehorse@iceboat.org
4LIYC’s Bill Mattison National Sailing Hall of Fame induction was formally announced on June 23, 2020. He and 7 others will be inducted in a virtual ceremony September 12, 2020. You can be a part of it all by registering for the virtual induction ceremony here.
New England DNer and America’s Cup aficionado James “T” Thieler puts the AC’s ties to iceboating in perspective with his article, “Iceboaters Fingerprints”.
Iceboater Fingerprints…..
If you are ever in Osterville MA there is something to be seen….
…Two of these were Bill Mattison and Jeff Kent. Bill had worked on the Heart Of America campaign in 1987 and had been building and racing soft water and hard water boats in Madison, Wisconsin for decades prior to that.
A soldier who missed sailing his iceboat back east must have been stationed at Fort Sherman, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho back in 1890. Wonder if Lake CDA freezes like that now? Via the Museum of North Idaho:
HAPPY NATIONAL RIDE THE WIND DAY! Sailing Lake CDA isn’t just for the summer. In this photo (circa 1890) Fort Sherman soldiers are ice boating and skating on Lake Coeur d’Alene! That is Tubbs Hill in background. George Donovan, 4th Inft. band from Fort Sherman may have been a member of the skating party.
Aniela Graczyk is a champion Ice Optimist sailor from Poland who competes in the annual Junior World Ice Sailing regatta held in Europe. Watch and listen as she explains in an entertaining 2 minutes why she is passionate about ice sailing. Consider introducing your kids to ice sailing this winter. The Ice Optimist is the perfect boat for junior sailors. Learn more about youth ice sailing here. Questions about Ice Optimists or ice sailing for kids? Please email to us!
Michal Skawinski/Kornik P339, Laura Taggu C4, and Aniela Graczyk P375 push off to race at the 2020 Junior World Championship in Sweden.
Aniela Graczyk listens as her father, Robert, coaches her on the upcoming race at the 2020 Junior World Championship.
Previous: Super Models
Here’s another scaled down stern-steerer ice yacht- more on the artistic sculptural side.
I did this piece called “Rounding the Mark” in the ‘90’s. It was originally for outside the South Side Ice Yacht Club in Oshkosh, WI but it eventually came home to my farm. It is all painted steel although the rust is starting to have its way. The plank measures 32”, the backbone is 48” and the mast is 60”. The tiller works as do the runners.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 7, 2020: Mike Butler corrects the record:“Just a couple of corrections. The boats name is really the Ace of Spade. Not sure why that was. It was not built for my dad. Connie Korsmo built it for my great uncle Ray Butler who worked with Connie at Madison Kipp. This would have been around 1935. Ray gave it to my dad after the war.
