2020 Northwest Ice Yacht Racing Association Information
March 13-15,2020
Lake Waconia, Minnesota
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
SOLD! December 10, 2023: Runner Sharpener in WI
SOLD! Pacco Edge Sander
Would be good to sharpen large runners
50″ Platen
Good condition
Heavy duty
Lightly used
Wired for 220
4-5 used belts included
On casters
Easy back-up and load
Madison, WI
$475 OBO
Historical Photos from the 1947 Northwest
A55 is TAKU, currently owned by the Schloemer family of Lake Geneva, WI. Photo colorized by Photoshop.
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.
SOLD! October 24, 2023: Arrow in NY
SOLD! Two-person Arrow with trailer (unregistered), two sets of steel runners and one wood.
Located in Rockland County, NY.
$700 OBO
SOLD! November 13, 2023: Vintage DN in IL
SOLD! Classic DN – 70’s to 80″s Vintage
Complete DN Iceboat, Good shape, wood mast, Good sail, newer plank, complete hardware.
$500
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
SOLD! February 20, 2023: DN in WI
SOLD! DN
Boat is in good shape.
All hardware included and ready to sail
Great beginner boat or a boat just for cruising.
There is no trailer.
$900 Negotiable
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
Wisconsin Stern Steerer Association Newsletter
The Stern-Steerer class is planning for the upcoming season. Wisconsin Stern Steerer Association Secretary Andy Gratton has shared the WSSA annual newsletter, providing a perfect reason to hang on tight and watch Dave Elsmo’s epic Deuce video.
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.
Happy Thanksgiving from the 4LIYC
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.
4LIYC Meeting Tonight – 22 November – Zoom Only
The Mark Setters
Join us tonight as we conduct our bi-weekly Four Lakes Ice Club meeting on Zoom. We’ll be on Zoom only tonight because many of you are getting ready for the Thanksgiving holiday. Club members will have received the Zoom link in your email. See you tonight at 6:30!
WHAT TO KNOW:
Date: Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Time: 6:30 PM CT
ZOOM ONLY!
SOLD! February 13, 2023: Nite in WI
SOLD! Nite #44 excellent condition. 2 sails ,good trailer.
$4500. Or best offer
Skeeter Summit – Evolution of the World’s Fastest Iceboats
Reserve your virtual seat and join us for a Zoom session with Henry Bossett, Dan Clapp, and Pat Heppert on the journey of the Skeeter class — how it morphed into the speed demon we know today as the fastest iceboat class in the world. We’ll also explore how the Skeeter class is evolving. Join the conversation and bring your questions.
So, please register for the presentation, mark your calendar, grab a cold one, and let’s get ready to talk iceboats, Skeeters, and the need for speed. It’s like a virtual hangout at the iceboat shop. See you there!
What To Know
SKEETER SUMMIT
Date: Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Time: 6:30 PM CT / 7:30 PM ET
Drake Sparkman & George Ratsey – Stern-Steerer Sailors
A fascinating thread connects renowned figures, iconic boats, and the ice yachts of the glory years. Here’s a look at the interconnected legacies of Lord Admiral Nelson, Ratsey Sailmakers, Sparkman and Stephens, and iceboaters Drake Sparkman and George Ratsey.
INTREPID, DORADE, COLUMBIA, and SHIVER? Soft water sailors will recognize the first three boats designed by America’s most successful yacht designer, Olin Stephens. Dozens of classes and championship yachts emerged from his partnership with Drake Sparkman and their business, Sparkman and Stephens. In 1929, Drake Sparkman was a yacht broker who gave Olin Stephens his first break and hired the novice Stephens to design boats. Drake Sparkman was an iceboater.
Henry Bossett shared a 1950 news clipping about the Alcort (Sunfish) Skeeter on Peach Lake in New York. What caught my attention was a mention that Drake Sparkman had donated his stern-steerer SHIVER to the Larchmont Iceboat Club. Of course, Henry’s extensive archives have a file dedicated to Drake Sparkman, and I couldn’t resist taking a closer look.
The rabbit hole revealed an unexpected link between ice sailing, a famous naval battle, and the America’s Cup. A 1935 article reported that sailmaker George Ratsey “with his FROSTBITE, passed everything in sight” while sailing with Drake Sparkman on Peach Lake in New York. Ratsey’s ancestors were the sail makers of HMS VICTORY, and a piece of sail from the Battle of Trafalgar is on display at the Naval Museum in Portsmouth, England. In 1905, Ratsey & Lapthorn established a loft in New York. Ratsey sails were famous among America’s Cup boats and the majestic stern-steerers of the east coast.
The December 24 edition of Red Bank Register in New Jersey reported about a yacht with “a new Ratsey Rig. The mainsail will be cut on a more advanced plane, reducing the size of the jib in order to hold the combined sail area size within the limit of 350 square feet of canvas.”
Sparkman & Stephens and Ratsey & Lapthorn had a long connection with the America’s Cup. Ratsey & Lapthorn supplied the sails for the 1958 America’s Cup winning boat, COLUMBIA, designed by Olin Stephens.
Drake Sparkman and George Ratsey’s connection went beyond the design table in their shared passion for ice yachting.
Tip of the Helmet: Henry Bossett
The Spirit of ACME
Minnesota mastermind Pat Heppert slapped the ACME seal of approval on his latest build, a Mini-Skeeter, a boat that does double duty for land or ice. Pat has created a new blocking system and is anxious to try it on the ice. I suspect we’ll see MINI DRIFTER the first week of December at the Minnesota Western Challenge.
“[The blocking system ] worked well and didn’t break or bend, so rework is unnecessary. Putting the ratchet block between my feet was definitely a good call. You should be able to keep your arms under the deck at all times without difficulty.”
Previous ACME Lab posts:
Getting Framed
Still Somewhat Confused
Mike McCormick: Eight Bells
Mike McCormick building a Renegade at the “McFactory. “The Renegade Factory (otherwise known as the “McFactory”) operated in the old fuel office at McCormick Lumber between 1977 and 1979 under the seriously misguided notion that you could build four just as easily as one. There, the selfless labors of many 4LIYC members (but a faithful few in particular) helped grow the Renegade fleet by an “instant” four boats. Is this a great club, or what? Photo Credit and Caption: Mark Langenfeld McFactory Archives
Mike McCormick Obituary
It is with heavy hearts that the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club mourns the passing of Mike McCormick, who departed on November 7, 2023. A devoted club member for over seven decades, Mike’s legacy spans generations.
In addition to serving as a 4LIYC officer, Mike was an active racer in various classes, including in his C Stern Steerer PIECES OF EIGHT, DN, and Renegade. Mike was also a 4LIYC Honor Roll member.
Alongside his late brother Bill, he laid the foundation for the McCormick family tradition of ice sailing. Mike passed on his love for ice sailing to his sons, Andy and Tim, who continue to carry forward the McCormick legacy on the ice. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH, 5101 Schofield St., Monona at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16, with a celebration of life to follow.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Mike’s name may be made to the Lake Monona Sailing Club, 1407 Morrison St. Madison, WI, 53703 or Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club, 5106 Reynolds Ave., Waunakee, WI. 53597
Historic 4LIYC group photo from 1987 in front of Sunnyside (now Springers) when AJ Whitehorse and Bill Mattison won the Ice Yacht Challenge Pennant. Mike is in the middle behind Bill Hanson and Jerry Simon. Mike’s late brother, Bill in in the front in the red coat.
SOLD! January 19, 2023: DN in MN
SOLD! DN Sherry Clone – 2004
Complete boat ready to race.
Includes:
Sherry Rocket mast, blunt nose runners, Ulman ABSS sail, mooring cover, full trailering cover, etc.
Minneapolis, MN
$4,200
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