Welcome to iceboat.org

The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club is one of the most active iceboat clubs in North America. We’ve been building and racing iceboats for over 100 years in Madison, Wisconsin, USA.

Ice Is Never 100% Safe.

Our ice reports are strictly for iceboat racers. Recreational iceboaters, kite boarders, cross country skiers, and ice fishermen should not rely on our ice reports. We have safety equipment. Do you?

Buy or Sell Your Iceboat

One of the best pages in North America to buy or sell iceboats and their parts. There’s also a complete list of vendors who will supply iceboats, sails, and their components.

Common Questions:

How can I get started? How fast can they go? How much do they cost? Is it safe?

Regatta Watch

Information about the ISA, NIYA, WSSA, Nite, and DN regattas.

Iceboat Classes

Learn about Skeeters, DNs, Stern Steerers, Renegades, Nites, and Ice Optimists.

The Rules.

The purpose of iceboat racing rules is to prevent collisions.

Ice Yacht Clubs

The best way to learn about iceboating and make life long friendships is to join a local club.

Why We Sail.

“If all our ice were glass, slightly wet, and all our air reasonably steady with lifters just where needed, sailing would be perfect. Sometimes we do find this, and it is worth waiting years to have. Meanwhile we must accept the more ordinary ice conditions, ordinary weather and wind, and gracefully accept snow, sometimes for weeks. Our ideal comes from time to time, the Great Maker gives only so much of the very best.” Charles H. Johnson.

Iceboating for Kids

Ice Optimists were created specifically as a youth trainer, designed to be easily built using commonly available materials, and to keep costs to a minimum.

UPCOMING:
4LIYC Meeting :November 20, 2024 @ Elks Lodge More Information
4LIYC Shipstore: Order custom iceboat shirts, hats, and gear. More information.
BURGEE:
 Order your 4LIYC Burgee
Pay Your Dues Online

Friendly Reminder – Skeeter Summit Wednesday @ 6:30 PM CT

1991 ISA Regatta. Notice there’s only one cockpit-forward Skeeter on the line.

Henry Bossett, Dan Clapp, and Pat Heppert have created an exceptional production that covers the past and future of the Skeeter class.

The photo above from the presentation displays the first cockpit-forward “bubble-boat, ” COMING ATTRACTIONS, which marked the beginning of a new phase in Skeeter design. In 1991, Dan Clapp towed this boat from New Jersey to Lake Geneva and emerged victorious in the International Skeeter Association regatta.

If you’ve registered, we’ll email you the Zoom link Wednesday morning. If you have questions during the presentation, we encourage you to ask them using the chat option, and the Skeeter specialists will answer them at the end of the presentation. Or you can email your questions ahead of time to to debwhitehorse@iceboat.org.

What To Know
SKEETER SUMMIT
Date: Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Time: 6:30 PM CT / 7:30 PM ET
The Zoom link was emailed on Wednesday, December 13, 2023. 

Regatta Watch: 2023 Northwest Cancelled

 

Northwest Regatta Home Page

The Northwestern Ice Yachting Association 2023 race committee has not located any location suitable for the regatta for next weekend. With holidays filling the following two weekends, the 2023 Regatta is cancelled.

The 2024 NIYA Regatta is scheduled Friday January 19  – 21, 2024.

Steve Schalk

Northwestern Ice Yachting Association

Secretary/Treasurer

Historical Photos from the 1947 Northwest

A55 is TAKU, currently owned by the Schloemer family of Lake Geneva, WI. Photo colorized by Photoshop.

Northwest Regatta Page

Thanks to Lori Klein-Clossen for sharing two captivating photos from her grandfather’s collection from the 1947 Northwest at Oshkosh. These photos are a welcomed addition to the 1947 Northwest history page.

In 1947, after a five-year hiatus due to World War 2, the first post-war Northwest convened at Oshkosh. Among the notable triumphs, the 4LIYC’s FRITZ, under the new ownership of the Lunder brothers with Carl Bernard at the helm, clinched the A Stern Steerer trophy. Ed Rollberg, a future bearer of the Ice Yacht Challenge Pennant, secured the E Skeeter title.
The post-WW2 era brought a wave of innovation, with returning iceboaters, like the visionary Elmer Millenbach, designer of the Renegade.

A noteworthy read from the start of the 1946-1947 season: Yachting Magazine published a comprehensive article by eastern iceboater Ray Ruge, offering an in-depth exploration of iceboating in North America. Dive into the past and read it here [insert link].

Tip of the Helmet to Lori Klein-Clossen for connecting us with these historical photos.

UPDATE: Stern-Steerer skipper Mike Peters weighs in:

The only boat I can identify in the Skeeter picture is the left hand skeeter WILLY built by Al Ziebell of Oshkosh. I think the boat was new that year.
In the Stern Steer picture, from left is the FLYING DUTCHMEN owned by John Buckstaff, A-55 PHANTOM owned by Jimmy Kimberly, then sold to my Dad and Harvey Hayes. The boat is know TAKU out of Lake Geneva. Number 9 is FERDINAND the Bull from Detroit. Now owned by the Melges family from Lake Geneva. A3 is a mystery, looks like a Johnson Boat Works A Class. C12 is a bow steer CRAZY Craft owned by Bud Stroshine of Oshkosh. The last boat is a B from Pewaukee that won her class that year as noted in one of the most recent articles on iceboat.org.

 

Regatta Watch: 2023 NIYA Postponed to December 15 – 17

Photo: Will Johnston

Via Steve Schalk:

The 2023 NIYA was postponed to December 2023 last spring. The Race Committee as of today has not found ice suitable for a Northwest Regatta anywhere in our range of travel.

The Committee will confer again next Sunday to make a final decision on 2023. If on Sunday December 10th, there are no feasible locations for December 15th the 2023 Regatta will be cancelled.

Steve Schalk

Northwestern Ice Yachting Association

Secretary/Treasurer

We Meet Again – 4LIYC Meeting Dec 6 @ 4LYC


We are pleased to announce that our in-person meetings will resume on a limited schedule at the Four Lakes Yacht Club in Monona, WI. We will alternate between meeting at the Four Lakes Yacht Club and on Zoom.

The 4LIYC is grateful to the 4LYC for using their facility and recognizing our long-shared history as people who enjoy and treasure our Four Lakes.

Our first in-person meeting is on Wednesday, December 6, 2023 at 6:30 PM at the Four Lakes Yacht Club.

FOUR LAKES YACHT CLUB
6312 Metropolitan Ln, Monona, WI
Parking: There is a public parking ramp across the street from the Yacht Club

FOOD AND BEVERAGE OPTIONS
Pizza & Bev: Pay $20 for pizza and beverages.
We will order pizzas for delivery and purchase beer and soda from the club refrigerator. Please keep track of your purchases by noting them on the beverage list.

Bev Only: $10 for beverages only. Please keep track of your purchases by noting them on the beverage list.

Bottle Bringers: BYOB

Ways to Pay
Please bring cash or write a check to the 4LIYC. Deb can accept credit or debit card payments on-site.

2023 – 2024 4LIYC MEETING SCHEDULE
December 6 – Four Lakes Yacht Club
December 20 – Zoom
January 3 – Four Lakes Yacht Club – Honor Roll Nominations
January 17 – Zoom – Deadline for By-Law or Racing Rules Amendment Submission
January 31 – Four Lakes Yacht Club
February 15 – Zoom – Business Meeting
February 28 – Four Lakes Yacht Club
March 13 – Zoom

Iceboating 101


4LIYC Junior Sailing Page
IDNIYRA Junior Sailing Page

This slide presentation, created by Sam Bartel, the IDNIYRA Junior Sailing Director, is cross-posted on DN North America. However, it is too valuable not to share with the entire ice sailing community. Keeping the pipeline full is crucial for DN Junior Sailing, and Sam’s presentation helps maintain and improve momentum.

2023 DN Western Challenge Called ON for MN Dec 1 – 3


The informal first regatta of the season, the DN Western Challenge, has been called on for December 1 – 3, 2023. Primary site is Lake Christina in Ashby, MN. Final confirmation for regatta and site will be made on Wednesday, November 29, 2023. The DN Western Challenge is a fun regatta with no formal racing or scoring.
Next update will be Wednesday, November 29, 2023 by noon CT. 

First!


Staying true to our tradition of recognizing the first boat on the ice, we present Canadian DN sailor Paul Chamberland. Yesterday, he powered two DNs through the woods to get to Owlseye Lake near his hometown in Alberta, Canada. Paul reported that the lake is 5.5″ maximum depth, making it the perfect early season lake.

Online Ship’s Store

Regatta Dates 2025

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Click for 4LIYC Meeting Dates

2024-2025

  • November 6
  • November 20 Elections
  • December 4
  • December 18
  • January 2 THURSDAY Honor Roll Nominations
  • January 15 Deadline for By-Law or Racing Rules Amendment Submission
  • January 29
  • February 12 Business Meeting 
  • February 26
  • March 12 Last Meeting of the Season

Location: In person at the Elks Lodge 711 Jenifer St, Madison, WI 53703

Time: 6:30 PM

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Lake Access Permits

A year-round permit required for designated launch sites in the City of Madison and Dane County Parks. Locations include:

    • Lake Mendota Warner Park Mendota County Park
    • Lake Monona Tonyawatha Tr. Olin Park
    • Lake Waubesa Goodland Park

Purchase Lake Access Permit Online.

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