March brought the Fat Lady’s warmth and rain, signifying the close of the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club racing season. Lake Monona provided some exceptional conditions this season, and it was reassuring to be back on home ice. After a two-year pandemic hiatus, we are looking forward to resuming our annual spring trophy awards banquet in April. All the pieces are falling in place, Tim McCormick has tabulated the scores, and our trophy chair, Damien Luyet, will be organizing the hardware. We’ll have more banquet news coming soon.
With regret, we must announce that the Hard Water Summit will not be happening this year. Mother Nature decided she wanted an extended period of warm days, lots of sunshine and nights barely below freezing. The snow is, indeed, gone, but this weather pattern is leaving us with lots of slush that will likely only get deeper.
We appreciate your enthusiasm for this adventure and we may decide to give it a go again next year. We’ll have to consider whether doing the event in the same season as a DN Gold Cup in the US makes sense. If you have any input on this question, we’d love to hear it. montana.icesail@gmail.com From a timing standpoint, we may also move up our target week to the first week of March. This would steer us clear of any conflict with land sailing events and possibly increase the likelihood that we’d have the ice and weather we need. Again, feel free to let us know what you think.
Of course we are a bit disappointed, but then again, we are blessed to not be hiding from Russian artillery as we go about our daily lives. Keep the Faith!
Matthew Sheehan “takes a look at the need for speed” on this episode of Planet Sail, and he doesn’t forget ice sailing. Using drone video from 4LIYC racing a few weeks ago, Skeeter sailors Mark Isabell and Rob Evans provide the example of the fastest sailing on the planet in contrast to the beauty and slower pace of Henry Bossett’s drone video of a South Bay Scooter. Link to YouTube video.
There is a serious need for speed out there right now. From state of the art super sleek foiling Moths that will go upwind at 20knots, to ice yachts that will hit 80mph and more – both of which we cover in this episode.
Provisional Results
A quick update about the DN Western Region Championship in Clear Lake, Iowa. 4LIYC Commodore Daniel Hearn found the shifts and grooves to take three bullets today. There were three races before the winds built too much to sail on the rougher ice safely. 4LIYC Junior sailor, Thor Rosten, missed the second race because of a rig change. Tomorrow’s winds look better. Follow the provisional results tomorrow because they are updated quickly by Ann and Bob Foeller in Toledo.
From left, Maureen Bohleber and Lars Barber in Nites, Mike Ripp, Skip Dieball, and Daniel Hearn in Renegades
Skeeters, Renegades, and Nites gathered on Friday for what possibly was the last day of racing on Lake Monona. Saturday’s record 1.2″ of rain, high winds, and forecasted warm temperatures may have put an end to the season here, but we’ll check to make sure of that.
Ken Whitehorse and Paul Krueger raced nine times in close match racing style. Ken told me, “Paul wanted to go for a record-breaking ten races, but I was the voice of reason and said we have to get the boats home.” Thanks Ken and Paul for getting us out there on Thursday and Friday .Always a pleasure to see the familiar red Renegade #11, with Mike Ripp at the helm, back on Lake Monona.
Taking advantage of our proximity to downtown Madison, Scott hauled us in the ATV trailer to the shore. We clambered up the sea wall, walked across the street, and had iceboaters lunch.
Lake Monona has been perfect for us this season, generating more interest in our sport and reintroducing Madisonians to the reality that we’ve been sailing these hard waters since the 1870s.
Via Greg Whitehorse, “I think Iceboating lends itself well to Photoshopping some photos. Played around with this one from today’s setup, on Lake Monona, on my phone. Ken Whitehorse M-197, Paul Krueger M-165.”
Skeeter sailors Ken Whitehorse and Paul Krueger rallied the 4LIYC troops to Lake Monona on Thursday for some spring sailing. Renegaders Mike Ripp and Greg Whitehorse joined them, and more boats are setting up this morning for what could be the last day of sailing on Lake Monona. 61F on Saturday with a half-inch of rain could take out the landings. So get out there today to enjoy the best lake we’ve had this season.
