2020 Northwest Ice Yacht Racing Association Information
March 13-15,2020
Lake Waconia, Minnesota
Regatta Watch: 2022 Northwest Cancelled
Stern Steerers line up to race
The Northwestern Ice Yachting Regatta is cancelled for 2022. We have no viable locations left.
Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasure NIYA
4LIYC: The Final Scores
Daniel Hearn’s C Skeeter flies by a Renegade at the 2022 ISA championship on Lake Monona. Photo: Will Johnston
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.
HWS Update: Try Again in 2023
Photo: Pat Heppert
Ice Sailors:
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!
Your HWS Team,
Daniel, Sean and Deb
4LIYC Meeting Reminder for March 16, 2022
What a season!
Please join us tonight for the last meeting of this season. We will resume meetings in November 2022. We will be meeting via Zoom only and not in-person.
WHAT TO KNOW:
Date: Wednesday, March 16, 2022
Time: 6:30 PM CT
ZOOM MEETING ONLY (No in-person meeting this week.)
Didn’t get an email with a link? Get in touch with Deb. debwhitehorse@iceboat.org
Lake Monona Skeeters are Speed Special
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.
SOLD! March 6, 2022: Yankee in MI
SOLD! Yankee Class Iceboat
20 ft. fuselage, 25 ft. mast, 6 ft. springboard, 18 ft runner plank, 75 sq/ft full batten Boston sail, Sharpnack blocks. Two sets of runners. New runner set is made from chrome vanadium tool steel, hardened and Blanchard ground with sharpening jig,
Trailer has new tires. Stored inside, I need the space for another project. Good condition.
Located in Mount Clemens, Michigan
Price: $2000.00 negotiable
Regatta Watch: 2022 WSSA Postponed to March 26-27
Photo: Jim Koepnick
The 2022 Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to March 26 and 27. The next update will be Sunday, March 20. Check back here at that time.
Andy Gratton
WSSA Secretary/Treasurer
Regatta Watch: 2022 Northwest Postponed to March 25-27
Via NIYA Secretary/Treasurer Steve Schalk:
The Northwestern Ice Yachting Regatta is postponed to March 25-27, 2022. Possible locations will be identified and announced Sunday., March 20.
Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
NIYA
Regatta Watch: Nite Nats Called On for March 18-20
Nite Website
Via Nite Commodore Chad Rechcygl
Nite Nationals has been tentatively called on for March 18-20
Going north may be our best answer to finish out the season. Green Lake has beautiful ice underneath the cover of snow that will be melting down this week. The word has it that Escanaba and Menominee look great too.
So get those Nites ready and let’s hope it all falls into place. Final call will be Wednesday March 16th.
Our Commodore Chad will be MIA due to a family ski trip. Also Lars and Brian will be unavailable. All 3 will be missed. Vice-Commodore Maureen and our Tech Advisor Mike will be running the show.Sail Safe, Sail Fast,
Commodore Chad Rechcygl #322
DN Western Region Championship Update
Pat send them off.
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.
Regatta Watch: DN Westerns On for Clear Lake, IA
“If you scout it, they will come…”
Finally, there’s some good regatta news to report rather than what seems to be perpetual postponements. The DN fleet is heading west this weekend to Clear Lake, Iowa, for the DN Western Region Championship. On Thursday, Belle Plaine DRIFTER, Pat Heppert, sailed his freeskate windsurfer around Clear Lake and made a detailed map. Ice thickness is 20″ except for the open water from the two large permanent aerators on the lake which are detailed on the map. He rates it a 4.5 and says it’s rough, though sailable. See the IDNIYRA website for more information and registration.
SOLD! February 24, 2022: C Skeeter in NJ
SOLD! C Skeeter.
First iceboat built with cockpit forward and mast behind by Tom Nichols in about 2005.Stainless runners, wood hollow mast, front spring suspension, and three sails – one newer high aspect sail, and two low rig. Must sell declining health.
$2,500 firm
Regatta Watch: ’22 Nite Nationals Postponed
Nites line up at the 2022 ISA regatta on Lake Monona. Photo: Will Johnston
Nite Website
Nite Nationals has been postponed to March 18-20, 2022Well it’s that time of year, will we or won’t we? Mother Nature is making us wait again. We are all still hopeful that a sheet of ice will come into play. So maybe the luck of the Irish will be with us and we can all get together and play next weekend.🍀
Sail Safe, Sail Fast,
Commodore Chad Rechcygl #322
Regatta Watch: 2022 WSSA Postponed to March 19-20
Stern-Steerers on Lake Monona in 2016. Photo: Joe Stanton
Via WSSA Secretary/Treasurer Andy Gratton
The 2022 Wisconsin Stern Steerers Association Regatta has been postponed until March 19-20. Check back on Sunday, March 13 for the next update.
Regatta Watch: 2022 Northwest Postponed to March 18-20
Jay Yaeso and Steve Orlebeke in Class A Skeeters hiking around the weather mark at the 2016 Northwest on Lake Monona, Madison, WI. Photo: Joe Stanton
Via Northwest Secretary/Treasurer Steve Schalk:
The Northwestern Ice Yachting Regatta is Postponed to March 18-20, 2022.
There are still locations with thick ice that just need smoothing out of old drifts and bumps. Next update Sunday, March 13.
Steve Schalk
NIYA Secretary/Treasurer
HWS: On Hold…Still Hopeful
On Hold…Still Hopeful
As of this morning, the Hard Water Summit remains on hold. The weather on the Fort Peck Reservoir has remained cold, so the drifts are still too large and stiff. Warm weather is coming the week of March 13. We’ll monitor the weather that week to see if we get the melt we need to clean up the snow, and the below freezing temps at night to keep the ice firm. Please stand by. We intend to make a final call one way or the other on Thursday, March 17.
Think Ice!
Your HWS Team,
Daniel, Sean and Deb
Regatta Watch: 2022 WSSA Called On for March 12-13
Photo: Gretchen Dorian
The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta for 2022 has been tentatively called on for March 12 – 13. Final confirmation will be made by 1 PM Thursday, March 10. Check back here after that time. If the Northwest Ice Yacht Association has scheduled their regatta for the same weekend, that regatta takes precedence.
Andy Gratton
WSSA Secretary/Treasurer
Regatta Watch: 2022 Northwest Called On for March 11-13
2013 Northwest on Green Lake in Wisconsin. Photo: Gretchen Dorian
Via Northwest Secretary/Treasurer Steve Schalk:
The 2022 Northwestern Ice Yachting Association Regatta is on for March 11, 12, 13, 2022. Potential locations are Green Lake, Madison, and Petenwell Lake.
The final call will take place Wednesday March 9, 2022 before noon CT.
Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
Regatta Watch: Nite Nationals Tentatively on for March 11-13, 2022
2022 ISA regatta on Lake Monona, Madison, WI. Photo: Will Johnston
Via Nite Commodore Chad Rechcygl:
We have regatta ice at Geneva, Green, Pewaukee and Madison. Lakes north of Green lake are not ready yet unfortunately. We are eyeing a storm that can bring some rain or a few inches of snow. We will know what lakes are affected in 24hrs. The temps look favorable for the rest of the week to bring us our regatta. Keep your trailers ready and your runners sharp. We’ll give you final call Wednesday night 9pm.
Sail Safe, Sail Fast,
Commodore Chad Rechcygl #322
Nite Class website
Succeeding the Last Time
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.
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