2020 Northwest Ice Yacht Racing Association Information
March 13-15,2020
Lake Waconia, Minnesota
Four Lakes Aerial Ice Checking
Lake Monona froze over in the early morning hours of January 15, 2024. Photo: Ethan Brodsky
On Monday, January 15, Ethan Brodsky, one of our favorite pilots, toured the lakes in Madison. Lake Monona appeared to be completely locked and covered in white frost, which is not snow. We have been blessed with ice due to the brutally cold temperatures. However, we are waiting for the ice to thicken and for the temperatures to be a bit warmer before we start scouting. This is sure to be a topic of discussion during our Wednesday night 4LIYC Zoom meeting. As always, respect the ice and be safe.
There’s still plenty of open water near Middleton, but by the “rowboat” definition, Lake Mendota froze last night. Monona is frozen solid – it was was wide open yesterday (January 14.). Lake Wingra is also frozen solid – it had a small open patch in the middle yesterday. I have to laugh at all the people who were predicting the lakes wouldn’t freeze this year. – Ethan Brodsky
The Art of Ice Formation – Mendota Today
To see our playground start to come to life, check out this time-lapse video of ice formation between the Edgewater and the Memorial Union on Lake Mendota. It’s -13F here this morning, and the middle of Lake Mendota is still steaming, but the ice is coming in. Keep an eye on the Mendota Today webcam for more thrilling ice formation videos!
Video link
Regatta Watch: 2024 Northwest Postponed to Jan 26 – 28
B Skeeter: Fritz Buttons
There are currently no suitable locations for the Northwest Ice Yachting Association Regatta for January 19 – 21, 2024. THE REGATTA IS POSTPONED TO January 26 – 28, 2024. Next update is Sunday, January 21, 2024.
Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
Northwestern Ice Yachting Association
Regatta Watch: 2024 ISA & Renegade Championship Postponed to January 26 – 28, 2024
Photo: Will Johnston
The 2024 International Skeeter Association Regatta and Renegade Championship has been postponed until January 26 – 28. We are waiting for recently frozen ice to build. Next weekend’s extremely cold forecasted temperatures are also a factor in postponement. Next update is on Sunday, January 21, 2024.
John Dennis, ISA Regatta Chair
Think Ice Globally – Sail Mongolia!
The sport of ice sailing has expanded to Mongolia. From the land of horses, yurts, and vast open spaces, Ganaa Davaa recently contacted Nite Commodore Maureen Bohlebher and me to talk ice sailing. Ganaa related that the conditions in Mongolia, similar to the dry landscapes of Montana, are perfect for our sport, with ice from December to April. Ganaa urgently needed iceboats for a January 12 winter festival, so John Hayashi of Windward Boatworks, got on the road and drove two boxed Lockley Skimmers to a Chicago shipping firm, which ensured their timely arrival. The 4LIYC’s Lars Barber helped out by giving his Skimmer sail to John so that the boats would be complete. Expect to see more iceboats in Mongolia as they continue to build their fleet.
Meanwhile, the first-ever international DN regatta is taking place in Jinzhou, China. Minnesota’s Mike Bloom is there, along with several Europeans and Russians. Follow the regatta in the DN website and Facebook page. It is remarkable how this sport brings together people from around the world.
Scott Goetz Memorial Postponed & Weather Update
View from Lake Mendota Webcam on January 12, 2024. This is a good thing. Watch the live webcam for ice-making starting Monday.
Southern Wisconsin is currently weathering heavy snow and winds. The blizzard has prompted the postponement of Scott Goetz’s celebration of life, initially scheduled for Saturday, January 13, 2024. The family will likely reschedule when the weather is warmer.
Weather Underground temperature forecast.
We expect very cold weather next week and are hopeful for good ice sailing conditions in the coming days. The good news is that all Madison area lakes are open. Maybe we’ll have ice like Lake Vanem in Sweden right now, pictured below! Keep your runners sharp, it’s coming to southern Wisconsin.
In the News: Peter Harken in Seahorse Magazine
Peter Harken Archives
Via Sailing Scuttlebutt:
Carol Cronin on an article she wrote about Peter Harken for Seahorse Magazine:
Just like his name, Peter Harken’s life story is so intertwined with the company he helped to build that I gave up trying to separate the two. And the fifteen-month delay between writing and publication meant I was enchanted all over again when I read through Part I. So many Hall of Famemagaz inductions… yet the humble Peter seemed quite surprised that I (and Seahorse’s readers) might actually be interested in his life story The editor has graciously given me permission to share the PDF with you, but that only covers up to the 1980s. To read Part II, you’ll have to subscribe. Well worth it for all the Rod Davis lessons! Thanks for following along, and let me know what you think of ‘Plodding along dropping white plastic balls‘.
Excerpt from Plodding along dropping white plastic balls by Carol Cronin for Seahorse Magazine:
The most famous of those ideas solved a classic iceboat problem: how to get enough purchase on the mainsheet without adding so much friction that the boom had o be pushed out downwind. ‘Iceboating, your reactions have to be really fast. When you let the sheet out a little bit it has to happen right away – or you’re going over!’ Read here.
Fond Du Lac Ice Yacht Club Readies for the Season
Dave Lallier with mother Carol in 2013 sailing their Johnson A Stern Steerer on Lake Winnebago. .
Carol Nichols ready to sail in 2013.
Fond Du Lac Ice Yacht Club members in 2023.
Our friends from Fond du Lac Ice Yacht Club recently shared a photo which features three original founding members – Dave Lallier, his mother Carol Nichols, and Karen Whealon. In 2013, Dave and his late brother Jeff had a fantastic day of sailing on their Johnson A Class Stern-Steerer with their mom, Carol. The Lallier family’s passion for ice sailing started with Dave and Jeff’s parents. “This iceboat thing started for me when I was a baby sitting on Mom’s lap in the back seat of MR. DASS, an old Don Ward D Skeeter still in the family. Jeff and I were lucky to have spent much time sailing with mom and dad when we were young.”
With the forecasted cold temperatures, here’s hoping that Lake Winnebago has a good freeze this season.
Tip of the Helmet: Julie Jankowski
SOLD! January 6, 2024: Skimmer in MI
SOLD! Lockley Skimmer
Fresh paint, new lines, runners sharpened.
Sail and rigging bags, runner box and tools included.
$750
2024 ISA & Renegade Championship Postponed Until Jan 19-21
2023 ISA on Lake Kegonsa. Photo: Will Johnston
Via ISA Regatta Chair John Dennis:
The International Skeeter Association Regatta and Renegade Championship has been postponed until January 19, 20, 21, 2024. Extreme cold temperatures forecasted for next weekend should give us more options for ice. The next update is on Sunday, January 14, 2024
John Dennis
Senior Shuffle Postponed
Chilling and grilling.
The first annual Senior Shuffle has been postponed. Light winds and 3″ of powdery snow caused the postponement of the 2024 Western Region Championship on Twin Lake at Phelps, WI. We still plan to hold the Shuffle on the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday after the Western Region Championship, whenever that may take place.
2024 DN Senior Shuffle Called ON for Phelps, WI
DN fleet at the 2010 Northwest on Lake Winnebago. Photo: Gretchen Dorian
SENIOR SHUFFLE CHAMPIONSHIP
REGISTER: Click here to register for the regatta.
DATES: January 8 – 10, 2024
LOCATION: North Twin Lake, Phelps Wisconsin
Launch: North Twin Lakes Landing Road, Phelps, WI. Roll trailers on please.
LODGING:
Best Western Derby Inn
US-45, Eagle River, WI 54521
+17154791600
Days Inn by Wyndham
844 N Railroad St North, Eagle River, WI 54521
+17154777025
Coady’s Point of View Resort
3932 Point of View Trail, Phelps, WI 54554
+17152044111
https://povresort.com/
SCHEDULE:
- Saturday: 5 PM CT online registration closes.
- Monday: 9:00 AM CT Skippers Meeting. 10:00 CT First start. Senior Fleet will start first (if multiple fleets).
- Tuesday: 10:00 CT First start.
- Wednesday: 10:00 CT First start. Races can start as late as 1 PM or at the discretion of the Race Committee.
Eight Bells: George S. Hendrie Jr.
George S. Hendrie, Skipper of the BULL. Photo from the Carl Bernard Collection. (This photo is likely George S. Hendrie Sr.)
The opening line of an obituary often sets the tone for a life well-lived, and when it begins with the mention of sailing on the famous stern-steerer FERDINAND THE BULL, you know you’re about to dive into the story of a true sailing legend. George S. Hendrie Jr., an avid iceboater hailing from the Detroit, Michigan, area, passed away on January 1, 2024, at the remarkable age of 96.
Fair winds and following seas, George.
George S. Hendrie Jr., 96, died Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. He was a loving husband and father.
George was president of Color Custom Compounding prior to selling the company in 1984. He also was an avid sailor and iceboater. At age 16, he was the trimmer for his father aboard Ferdinand the Bull, when they won the Stuart Cup in 1943. The Stuart Cup was considered the world championship of iceboating in the unlimited class in that era. George and his father repeated as Stuart Cup victors aboard Ferdinand the Bull in 1944.
His involvement in sailing on Ferdinand the Bull ended in January 1945, when he joined the U.S. Navy to fight in World War II. Upon his return from the war, he continued racing iceboats. He was a past commodore of the Detroit News Ice Yacht Club and Detroit Ice Yacht Club in the late 1940s and early 1950s. On or around 1961, he won the national championship for the Arrow class of iceboats. Continue reading.
Letter to Carl Bernard from George S. Hendrie Sr.
Regatta Watch: 2024 DN Senior Shuffle Called ON
The 2024 Senior Shuffle
Dates: January 8 – 10, 2024, after the DN Western Region Championship
Location: Two locations under consideration for the DN Western Region Championship: Lake Osakis in Minnesota or Vilas County in Wisconsin. Final confirmation of location by 5 PM CT Thursday, January 4, 2024.
NOTICE OF RACE
SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Get ready for North America’s take on the European DN Grand Masters Regatta.
It’s the first, maybe annual, no-running regatta for the “more seasoned” DN sailors. It will take place the three days following the Western Regional Championships, on the same ice.
DATES
- January 8 – 10, 2024, the three days after the DN Western Region Championship, which is scheduled for January 6 – 7.
WHO’S INVITED?
- Open to Seniors (50-59), Masters (60-69) and Grand Masters (70+) who will race under Shuffle Rules with one start.
- Open to “aspiring” Seniors (49 or younger) who will also race under Shuffle Rules with a separate start.
WHAT ARE THE SHUFFLE RULES?
- No running. Not at the start. Not during a race. No track stars allowed in a Shuffle race!
- Starting positions will be determined, in advance, by random draw for every race. No one is advantaged or disadvantaged with a starting position based on their previous race performance. It’s all luck of the draw.
- Racers must start with one foot on their plank, and are limited to five kicks.
- Racers must stay in their boats unless they come to a complete stop during a race. In that event, a racer will have one additional 5-kick opportunity to complete a race. A second stop is an automatic DNF.
- No more than 4 races which count on any one day. Scrub racing may continue after official races for any who are interested.
Maybe we’ll award prizes…maybe we won’t. But what we do know, is that this is all about fun and camaraderie. - Oh, yeah. And that means no protests. We’re going to race like a Wisconsin intersection. “You go. No, you go. Ohhhh, please, I insist der my friend. Oh, cripes, tanks, der good buddy!”
OTHER DETAILS
- $50 registration fee to cover prizes and extras
- All registration will be online. If you’re tech-challenged, ask a youngster for help.
- Because we’re so green, race documents will only be published online.
EVENT CONTACTS
- Daniel Hearn dhearnUS5352@gmail.com 608-692-4007
- Deb Whitehorse debwhitehorse@gmail.com 608-347-3513
SOLD January 3, 2024: DN Program in WI
SOLD Race Ready Sherry “Clone ” hull
Built by the Pewaukee Syndicate.
Loenneke built ‘glass wrapped ash and cedar strip
plank with Struble chocks.
Sherry Carbon Quil spar with
Forstman boom and Harken blocks,
and tapered sheet.
Boat comes with 2 sails ,…1 FO-1 and 1 Speed
Also included, 1 set 1/4″ x 36″ Carbon inserts
Boat is Race Ready and in beautiful condition,
located in Lake Geneva.
Price is $ 6450.00$6050.00
Buddy Melges Documentary Feb 6 @ Union South
If you’d like to attend this viewing, act now to secure your space in this 300-seat theater. This event is open to the public.
WIZARD OF ZENDA DOCUMENTARY
Date: Tuesday, February 6, 2024
Location: Marquee Cinema at Union South
1308 W. Dayton Street #245
Madison, Wisconsin 53715
Time: 6:15 p.m., followed by a short discussion.
Cost: $10
Register: https://my.mendotayc.org/event/240
Regatta Watch: 2024 WSSA Postponed
The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to January 27 and 28 due to lack of ice and cold weather. The next update will be Sunday, January 21. Check back here at that time. The Northwest Ice Yacht Association regatta takes precedence.
Andy GrattonWSSA Secretary/Treasure
Regatta Watch: 2024 Renegade Championship Postponed to Jan 12 – 14
Mike Ripp & Jeff Russell at the 2023 Renegade Championship on Lake Kegonsa. Photo: Will Johnston
Renegade Home Page
Via International Renegade Ice Yacht Racing Association Regatta Chair Don Anderson:
The 2024 Renegade Championship Regatta originally scheduled for January 5 – 7 has been postponed until January 12 – 14. Check back on Sunday, January 7, 2024 for the next update.
Eight Bells: Scott Goetz
Read Scott’s Obituary
With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Scott Goetz, an invaluable member of our Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club. Scott passed away on December 24, 2023. He left behind a selfless legacy of service to the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club and the ice sailing community.
Always ready to go the extra mile, Scott offered assistance wherever and whenever needed. Jim Nordhaus referred to Scott as a “boat brother” who was part of a group that met every Tuesday night at Jim’s shop to work on iceboats and enjoy the camaraderie. Whether helping with race committee, building or repairing iceboats, or simply being a friendly face at our gatherings, Scott was a true friend to all. Scott’s departure serves as a reminder of how one person can impact a community.
Details to come on celebration of life. See Cress Funeral Home for details on arrangements. Family and friends are invited to join us to celebrate Scott at the Cress Center, 6021 University Avenue, Madison, on Saturday, January 13 from 1-4 pm.
The Iceboaters Universal Challenge
Henry Bossett discovered a vintage cartoon panel that may only make sense to an iceboat builder. When I was a kid, my dad and his fellow 4LIYC members built Skeeters in our basement. Extracting the finished hull out of the basement was a carefully orchestrated affair requiring the removal of doors and windows to navigate the boat out to the waiting trailer. Iceboats are sometimes built or repaired in a dining or living room that has been transformed into a workshop for iceboats.
The cartoonist Quin Hall had a successful career, including a stint at the New Yorker Magazine, but I couldn’t find any connection to iceboating. Perhaps he had a neighbor who faced the same problem when living in New Jersey, near Red Banks.
Tip of the Helmet: Henry Bossett
Just like in the cartoon, these kids are having a blast in their home-built iceboats.
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