
2020 Northwest Ice Yacht Racing Association Information
March 13-15,2020
Lake Waconia, Minnesota
Regatta Watch: The ISA & Renegade Championship Called On for Jan 11-13
The International Skeeter Association Regatta and the Renegade Championship have been tentatively called on for January 11-13, 2019. Potential sites include Lake Pepin in Lake City, MN, Lake Puckaway near Montello, WI, and Lake Kegonsa in Madison, WI. Final confirmation will be made on Wednesday, January 9 by noon CT.
Next update Wednesday, January 9 by noon CT.
DN Western Region Championship Update
Quick update from Lake Pepin where the 2019 Western Region Championship is taking place this weekend. Today was one of the warmest days I’ve spent on an iceboat course. The folks who live in Lake City, Minnesota have been the ultimate hosts. Four Gold and three Silver races made for a great day. More tomorrow!
No 4LIYC Racing Jan 5 – 6
Word from Commodore Donny is that Kegonsa is too soft and rough for racing this weekend.
Just pulled into Lake City MN for the DN Western region regatta. Stay tuned for updates.
4LIYC Ice Check Friday Jan 4
4LIYC members, if you are interested in checking ice on Kegonsa, please meet at Springer’s on Friday, January 4, 2019 at 11 AM.
I walked a bit of Kegonsa on Tuesday and was surprised to see a lot of grey ice. The rain that preceded the snow on Monday caused the snow to wet out and turn into slush. The lake was in a changing state – with slush freezing over a thin layer of water. Kegonsa is definitely worth checking for weekend club racing. Next update Friday, January 4, 2019.
4LIYC Sailing Update: No Racing for Jan 1
There will be no 4LIYC Holiday Series racing for Tuesday, January 1, 2019. We are hopeful that the weather system coming through today will either improve or have no negative effect on Kegonsa. Next 4LIYC racing update, Friday, January 4, 2019.
Regatta Watch: Renegade Championship Postponed
Regatta Watch: WSSA Postponed
Via Wisconsin Stern Steerers Association Secretary/Treasurer Andy Gratton:
The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to January 12 and 13, 2019. The next update will be Sunday, January 6, 2019. Check back here at that time. Note that there is 10″ to 12″ of smooth ice on an area of Lake Petenwell.
Kegonsa 30 December 2018: Spaight St. Syndicate Championship
Footage from today’s historic Spaight Street Syndicate Global Championships on Lake Kegonsa.
Kegonsa has provided a decent venue for DN scrub racing so far – providing you sail and keep close with those who have local knowledge of areas to keep clear of. The next few days of cold temperatures should help to heal the seams on Kegonsa.
Watch Geoff Sobering’s Lake Kegonsa drone video from Saturday.
There’s a mixed precipitation weather system coming through on Monday that NOAA reports “.. is a very complicated forecast and the details will most certainly change over the next 24 hours, so remain alert and flexible and keep up with the forecast.” Tuesday and Wednesday night’s low temperatures look very promising for Monona and Mendota because both are clean slates, having frozen and opened back up again. Stay tuned!
Happy Ending in Duluth
Earlier this week, there was an enjoyable story on the Duluth Tribune website about area ice sailors who took advantage of a snow-less December to sail Superior Bay. “Nice ice for sailing on Superior Bay” featured a boat called the “Hog Island Express”.
“Everybody around here builds their own boats… I think I spent $50 total building the Hog Island Express,” Hom said, noting the name comes from the island along the Superior side of the harbor. That’s where Hom found the huge white pine up on shore. He floated it back to Park Point, eventually had it milled and used part of the lumber for the ice boat.
A storm came through on Thursday ending their season and almost sent the iceboats drifting away.
Thursday a neighbor called Strange to tell him “Your boat is leaving.” With the help of friends and neighbors, and using plastic barrels for flotation and a long rope, Strange rescued his and another person’s ice boats.
Thankfully, the outcome was a happy one. They did a safe and commendable job rescuing the boats. Take look the pictures here.
4LIYC Ice Check Update
The Lake Kegonsa ice check scheduled for today (Friday, December 28, 2018) has been postponed because of rain and warm temperatures. However, the Great Zamboni in the Sky is bringing much colder temperatures next week. The club will check Kegonsa ice on Sunday or Monday with the hopes of calling on the Holiday racing series and the infamous Bloody Mary 10-lapper for New Year’s Day. Next update by Monday, December 31, 2018.
Holiday Greetings from the 4LIYC
4LIYC Sailing Update: No Racing for 12-25
There will be no 4LIYC Holiday Series racing for Wednesday, December 25, 2018. There are some open, working seams that limit launch sites.
Current conditions on Kegonsa are spectacular but somewhat limited by the seams to a sheet in front of Springer’s Restaurant. On Monday, the Spaight Street Syndicate DN fleet, Renegader Doug Kolner, and Nite sailor Lars Barber took advantage of the Hollywood conditions and scrub raced on a short course until their arms couldn’t take it any longer. The Spaight St. DNers are there again today – see video above.
ICE CHECK: Please meet at Springer’s for the next ice check at 11 AM on Friday, December 28. Next update is Friday, December 28.
Remember folks, ice is never safe!
4LIYC Sailing Update: Kegonsa To Be Scouted
Lake Kegonsa may be in play very soon. Ice checkers will scout the lake on Saturday.
The 4LIYC Christmas Holiday Series is tentatively called on for Tuesday, December 25. Final confirmation will be posted on Monday, December 24.
Remember, ice is NEVER safe.
From the 4LIYC Bylaws:
1. Stay at Home Series and Regattas
7. Holiday Series races shall be on December 25th, January 1st, Thanksgiving, and Easter for all classes, with one trophy for each class. There will be two races per class, per day with the first race starting at 2:00 PM.. The number of races required to complete this series shall be one in each class. There shall be no more than 8 races for each class. (12/17/68)
2018 Renegade Championship Results
The results from the 2018 Renegade Championship have been posted. See them here.
A special shout out of appreciation from Renegade Race Committee Chair and 4LIYC Commodore Don Anderson to the regatta PRO, John Hayashi, for his extra efforts to get the regatta in. His hours spent checking ice, organizing the race committee, providing equipment, keeping the troops rallied and informed, and his overall positive attitude throughout the regatta in tough conditions were appreciated by all the competitors.
Weekend 2 on Winnebago
2018 Renegade Championship
The 2018 Renegade regatta is in the books. Saturday was a bust with no racing because the wind never arrived.The day was not wasted though because sailors took advantage of the beautiful day to tune their boats and exchange information. Patience paid off on Sunday when the first race started at 11:12 AM on Lake Puckaway near Green Lake, WI in tricky light air. Three races later, Greg McCormick won the regatta. Stand by for results. George Gerhardt and Tim McCormick were tied for second.
2018 Renegade Championship ON for Dec 15-16, 2018 @ Puckaway
The 2018 International Renegade Ice Yacht Racing Association championship regatta has been called ON for Lake Puckaway (near Green Lake, Wisconsin) December 15-16, 2018. This is a 5 race regatta series. 3 races will take place on Saturday and 2 races will take place on Sunday.
The lake currently has 9 inches of good ice with a thin film of slush maybe a 1/4 of an inch at most. The lake has now been sailed for about two weeks. The main landing we will be using is at Apucckawa Park off of Toepper Drive.
We will be running starts for both the Renegades and also the local Nites. The first starts will be for the Renegade Championship starting at 10:30 AM CT
Our races will be run by PRO John Hayashi, with scoring by Maureen Bohleber and Mimi Hayashi. We have assistance with others but welcome any and all help.
If you have any questions you can contact either Donny Anderson 608-577-8527 or John Hayashi 608-575-8033
REGATTA INFORMATION
LAUNCH
Apuckawa Park Access
LODGING
Mecan River Outfitters:
(920) 295-3439
The Renegade Association has rented a cabin as a gathering spot here. If anyone wants to stay in the cabin, it will cost $25. There is another cabin available for rent for $120 plus tax (will hold 6 – 8 people.)
There are 4 hotel rooms left (2 people per room) for $99 plus tax
Acorn Ridge Motel
920-295-6533
Heidel House Resort
800.444.2812
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Saturday, December 15, 2018
Registration at the launch: 9:30
Racing begins at 10:30 AM
Banquet at 7:30 Mecan River Outfitters, order off the menu.
Sunday, December 16, 2018
Racing begins at 9:30 AM
Prize giving to follow
2019 Northwest News

Class A Skeeters lined up at the 2010 Northwest Regatta on Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin. Photo: Joe Terry
Acting NIYA Secretary Steve Schalk has updated the Northwest Ice Yacht Association 2019 regatta documents. See the Notice of Race and 2019 NIYA Agenda over on the NIYA page.
The first possible dates that the NIYA could be sailed if conditions allow are January 18-20, 2019. Stay tuned for the next 2019 NIYA regatta update which will be on Sunday, January 13, 2019.
Wounded In Battle
Big Iron ISA Video
Always a pleasure to see what Minnesota iceboater Jim McDonagh comes up with video-wise after a regatta. Ride along on the range with JD and Marty Robbins as they race JD’s Class A Skeeter at the ISA regatta in Battle Lake, MN.