NIYA

Northwest Ice Yachting Association An iceboat regatta first sailed in 1913 in Menominee, Michigan.

Stern Steerers

The NIYA was originally a stern-steerer regatta organized to determine ice yacht supremacy in the Midwest. A,B,C,& D stern-steerers continue to compete in the NIYA.

Skeeters

Class E Skeeters first raced the NIYA in 1936 when Lake Geneva sailor Harry Melges won in MICKEY FINN.

DN Class

Skip Boston of Detroit was the first winner of the NIYA in the DN class in 1954.

Renegade

First sailed as a seperate class in 1958 and won by “Mr. Iceboat”, Elmer Millenbach.

NIYA Centennial

The NIYA celebrated 100 years of iceboat racing in 2013 on Green Lake in Wisconsin.

2020 Northwest Ice Yacht Racing Association Information

March 13-15,2020
Lake Waconia, Minnesota

Junior World Ice Sailing Championship: Day 1

Photo: Michał Skawiński “Kornik” POL 333 P-339

Provisional Results IDNIYRA Europe

The 2019 Junior World DN & Ice Optimist Championships got underway today on Lake Siemianowka in light air and sticky ice. Ron Rosten reported that the wind shut off during the day’s last race and they tore down their boats in the dark. Ron also praised Estonian DNer Rasmus Maalen C20, currently in first, who “went out of his way to give Thor [Rosten] advice and offer encouragement.”
Rasmus Maalen, it should be noted, won the first race of the European Championship 2 weeks ago and finished 6th overall. Another junior who competed at the Europeans, Zuzanna Rybicka P119, is in second place just 2 points behind Rasmus tonight.
In the Ice Optimist fleet, Estonian sailor Lisbeth Taggu C1 holds first with Poles Mateusz Gigielewicz P89 and Anielka Graczyk P375 tied for second. Aneilka’s father, Robert Graczyk, won the Polish Championship last Saturday. There are a combined total of 80 skippers registered for the regatta. Youth iceboating is doing well in Europe.

Previous: Junior Worlds See the World
Previous: 2019 Junior World Championship Begins

Regatta Watch: Nite Nationals Postponed

Nites line up to race at the 2019 ISA                           Photo: Pat Heppert

Nite Nationals has been postponed to the weekend of February 16 & 17, 2019. Ice checkers in Madison and Pewaukee found that even with the recent thaw, ice conditions are not quite ready.

Next announcement will be posted on the Nite class website on Friday evening, Feb 10, 2019

Junior Worlds See the World

Junior DN & Ice Optimist sailors at Lake Niegocin in Gizycko, Poland                   Photo: Mihkel Kosk

IDNIYRA Europe

“Double ice [the Europeans’ name for shell ice], not frozen slush, and snow drifts” on Niegocin means the juniors are on the move today to greener iceboating pastures on Lake Siemianowka at Poland’s border with Belarus. Opening ceremonies and racing for the Junior World DN & Ice Optimist championships are scheduled for Wednesday Feb 6th.
Previous: 2019 Junior World Championship Begins

SAILING Magazine: “Ludicrous Speed On Hard Water”

JR Francis US807 Photo: JH Peterson

Pick up a print or digital February issue SAILING Magazine for a feature story with high quality photography by JH Peterson about our favorite sport. Steve Orlebeke, Harken, mentions of the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club and Skeeter Iceboat Club, Jane Pegel – I could go on but the author has covered all the bases on the Wisconsin and Minnesota iceboating scene.

4LIYC Meetings Move to Off Broadway Drafthouse

A sign of excellence seen on the wall at Off Broadway Drafthouse

Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club Moves Meetings to
Off Broadway Drafthouse

We are excited to announce that the 4LIYC will meet at Off Broadway Drafthouse for the remainder of the season. Thank you to Joe and Rita Klinzing and the Off Broadway staff for accommodating us on short notice. OBD is a friendly neighborhood pub with a way above average menu. An enlargement of the historic photo (posted above) covers an entire wall there! We look forward to Jack Ripp letting us know some history on these boats.

Off Broadway Drafthouse
5404 Raywood Rd, Madison, WI 53713
Website
Map

Details:
Table service for food and drinks will begin at 5:45 PM. We will meet in the room behind the bar which is to your left as you enter.
The meeting begins at 6:30 PM.

Remaining Meeting Schedule

February 6
February 20 4LIYC Business Meeting
March 6
March 20

2019 Junior World Championship Begins

Thor Rosten at the 2018 Junior DN World Championship

EU IDNIYRA Junior News

The 2019 DN & Ice Optimist Junior World and European Championships were called on for Lake Niegocin in Gizycko, Poland for February 4-8. 4LIYC DN sailor Thor Rosten and his dad, Ron, are there and again traveling with the Swedish team.  Ron reports that they may be looking at an alternative site because of a snowfall during the night. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, February 5 at 10:00 with racing to follow. Stay tuned!

Regatta Watch: Nite Nationals Called ON

Nite Skippers
Nite Nationals has been tentatively called ON for February 9 & 10, 2019.
Potential locations are:
Madison area (Mendota, Monona or Kegonsa)
Pewaukee

Southern Wisconsin has experienced thawing conditions during the past 24 hours with another 12 hours of above-freezing temps and rain. Current forecasts call for a hard freeze and below freezing temps beginning on Monday. We expect that this may produce sailable ice on one of these four lakes. Ice scouts will be out the next few days and also Wednesday and after their reports and careful review of the forecasts we will make a final regatta call on Wednesday, February 6, by 9 PM CST.

Please check the class website for more updates.
Pre-register for the regatta now on our class website and save the $10.00 late registration fee that will be charged those who register after 12 noon, CST on Friday, February 8.

Regatta Watch: WSSA Postponed

Thank you Thomas Olheden for sharing these photos of this historic stern-steerer NORA of Sweden.

The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to February 16 and 17, 2019. The next update will be Sunday, February 10. Check back here at that time.

Winnebago was totally covered in 6″ of snow yesterday with large drifts. Today it is 90% clear with 2″ to 6″ deep water on the ice. Conditions are changing rapidly, we may be able to sail soon!

Andy Gratton

WSSA Secretary/Treasurer

4LIYC Meeting News

Angelo’s Italian Restaurant, home base for 4LIYC meetings, suffered a major kitchen fire during the recent extreme cold snap. Angelo’s will be closed for at least a month while they repair the damage. In the meantime, we continue to look for another meeting place. We hope to have news for you tomorrow as to where the club will meet this Wednesday, February 6.

 

In The News: Toledo Ice Yacht Club


Happy 100th to the Toledo Ice Yacht Club where they are hosting Winterfest today. If you are in the area and want to see what iceboating is all about, this is the place to experience it. Check out the article and accompanying video. 

Ice boat racing a pastime in Point Place

JAY SKEBBA
Blade Staff Writer
jskebba@theblade.com

Mr [Kent]. Baker said ice boaters and racers have created a sense of community with each other.

“I’ve been in the club over 20 years, so I’ve known a lot of these people that long,” he said. “You make friends and end up traveling together with random people. The guy I went to Maine with, we’ll call each other up and talk about going somewhere to race. A lot of times we’re the only ones nutty enough to do it.” Read more.

Windsurfing Championships @ Fond du Lac – Feb 5-10

Andy Gratton & WISCONSIN enjoying the festivities at the 2015 WISSA on Lake Winnebago

While we wait for slightly warmer weather and the great Zamboni to arrive, George Gerhardt passes along news of an event that will  keep our winter instincts sharp, the WISSA Windsurfing Championships on Lake Winnebago at Fond du Lac. Not only is there windsurfing, it’s also the Sturgeon Spectacular, a big celebration of winter. Check it all out here.

February in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin can only mean one thing. Sturgeon Spectacular. We will be celebrating our 4th year in 2019 and will be welcoming back the Ice & Snow Sailing World Championships presented by Alliant Energy, The Wisconsin State Snow Sculpting Competition, Boogie & the Yo-Yo’z, Running of the Sturgeon Parade, an outdoor curling competition, the Inaugural Sturgeon Spearing and Beering event at Lakeside Park presented by Lakefront Brewery, and much, much more! Read more.

Snow Means Shop

Perfect conditions this weekend for building at the Spaight Street Syndicate. Junior sailor, Soren Hughes, glued up the sideboards of his new DN with assistance from friend Seth.

Tropical Party Feb 23 @ Breakwater

Invitation to a Tropical Party via Eric Kerlow:

Tropical Party
By 4LYC, MYC, LMSC, 4LIYC, Madison Kiteboard, MadisonRCsailing.org

Sat. Feb. 23rd, 6pm Drinks, 7pm Buffet Dinner
Breakwater Restaurant, 6308 Metropolitan Lane, Monona

$20 & Cash Bar (Advanced Purchase Required)
To help the cook shop, please RSVP by Feb. 16th

We’re turning up the thermostat to 80°F.
Wear shorts, Hawaiian Ts, and sandals.
Enjoy blender drinks and Jimmy Buffet

Skeeter Swap Meet

Some big developments at the Krueger/Whitehorse Boatbarn-
The Krueger/Whitehorse Boatbarn hosted a sort of swap meet on Saturday, January 26. Recent NIYA and ISA Class A Skeeter regatta champ, John Dennis, made the 5 hour drive from the Minneapolis area to pick up Ken’s Class A Skeeter, WARRIOR 5. This will double the size of the Class A fleet in Minnesota!
That frees up space on the trailer for Ken’s latest acquisition, a very fast modern Class A skeeter originally owned by Bob Kau and built in the attic of a Suamico Skeeter builder. Everyone has had their eye on Kau’s blue Class A Skeeter since its been for sale and the 4LIYC is glad that Ken decided to make the boat part of our Skeeter fleet. The paint schemes will switch up with JD putting WARRIOR 5 in blue and Ken changing the blue Kau Skeeter to the traditional 4LIYC red and white livery.
JD and PK talked at length about runner technology. JD shared his vast knowledge of the numbers on crown and flat.  Much thanks and credit to Jay for coordinating the sale. All participants are very pleased with the exchange. The Skeeter fleet is growing!

DN European Championship Complete

Chris Berger US5166 and Rafal Sielicki P254 on Lake Śniardwy in Poland             Photo: Gwidon Libera

The DN European Championship was completed today in Poland. Congratulations to Chris Berger US5166 for his 7th place finish in the A fleet, not an easy thing to accomplish in Poland.
Head over to the DN class website to see more about this regatta including some incredible photography.
Results

 

Geneva Lake Ice Cam

Geneva before the snow deluge.

Mary Jane Schalk alerts us to a live web cam set up at the Lake Geneva Yacht Club. What’s really cool about this one is that by clicking on the left of the image, a menu slides out with links to time-lapse images from previous days. Above is a screen shot from Monday, January 21, where you can see the beautiful sheet of ice now covered by snow.
LGYC Ice Cam

 

Northwest C Stern Steerer Trophy Request

ACE OF SPADES, Mike Peter’s C Class Stern Steerer at the 2019 Northwest on Lake Pepin. Photo: Pat Heppert

Mike Peters (with crew Terry Reynolds) won the C Stern Steerer division at last weekend’s Northwest regatta. Mike is asking if those who attended could check to see if they mistakenly took the C Stern Steerer keeper trophy last Sunday. He saw it on the trailer before the awards ceremony but then it was gone. Please get in touch with Mike or myself.