Previous: Fort Peck 2022
Where will you be in 365 days? Picture yourself pulling sheet as you accelerate upwind, sailing the vast open expanse of Fort Peck Lake in Montana.
Daniel’s March 3 Facebook post asking “Who wants to go to Fort Peck” received a strong response from ice sailors who are eager for a Baikal-like adventure at Fort Peck Lake.
The first half of March is typically the area’s best ice sailing. Daniel, myself, and a few others are planning a Hard Water Summit open to all ice sailors around a 3-week window, from which we will select the best week as conditions are known.
If you are interested in joining us, please visit the Hard Water Summit page and fill out the survey. Glasgow is a small community, and capacity for our entourage could be limited, so don’t delay!
Richard “Dick” Lichtfeld of Monona, WI, passed away this week. He was a generous Renaissance man who filled his garages and storage sheds with unusual finds, vintage cars, and iceboats. He was the caretaker of a distinguished historic stern-steerer iceboat, MISS MADISON, the last “Madison-style” iceboat ever built by Carl Bernard in 1927. He kept her in period condition and raced in regattas a few times but was happiest sailing her in front of the Madison skyline on Lake Monona. Sometimes he pulled his kids and grandkids out of school to join him for a day of ice sailing because he knew that sailable ice was fleeting and the importance of living life to the fullest. In 2016, Dick enthusiastically opened his property for a 4LIYC iceboat show. I’ve posted photos of that weekend below. When the ice calls to you in the middle of the week, take the day off in honor of Dick Lichtfeld.
Here’s a video I put together from footage that Dick had given me a few years back.
An update from Daniel Hearn’s Spaight Street Syndicate:
Nameless No Longer
According to maritime lore, it’s unlucky to rename a boat. Guess it makes sense, since all boats are women, and it’s generally frowned upon to show interest in another. Particularly by the original. What’s the expression, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?” No doubt penned by some sad sack who found out the hard way.
I’m not really sure what the deal is if the previous owner never named the little hussy. After all, she voluntarily surrendered her virginity without any expectations from the short little man she entertained in her cockpit. As an aside, I’ve always wondered why it’s called a “cockpit”. If you want to speculate, go ahead, but this update will avoid a PARENTAL ADVISORY warning.
The short little man is one of my favorites in the sport. Quick with a smile, a relentless kidder, an amazing craftsman and quite an ice sailor when he was holding a tiller, rather than a bullhorn. These days he spends his time giving back to the sport when he’s not turning gorgeous pieces of wood art or crafting a one-of-a-kind Chris Craft bar for a customer of Norton Boat Works.
I’m honored to own one of his boats now–Nite 595. Of course he built all of the components, and they are beautiful. And innuendo aside, he treated the nameless little lady like a queen. The same way he treats the true love of his life, wife Lauren. I imagine the two have been married for decades, and I know from Joe’s Facebook posts that he still adores her.
So, the next time you see me on the ice, keep your wandering eyes off of “JoJoe.” She’s spoken for and has no interest in entertaining your sorry a$$!
Many thanks to Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club DN sailor Tim Sugar for sharing this good-news story.
In the Season of Giving, the Sugar families were greeted with not one, but two exceptional surprises.
DNer Mark Isabell was selling his DN trailer to Tim and Hugh and “threw in” two, hand-crafted, Ice Optimist hull’s built by Mark. The only ask was to outfit the hulls and get them on the ice. You’ll see one of these beautiful hulls in the picture of the Sugar kids practicing their Opti skills in the front yard! Thanks so much Mark!
The second surprise came two weeks later, when Renegade sailor Greg Simon, emailed Tim offering two complete ice Optimist programs to the Sugar clan! These hulls were built by Jerry Simon for his grandkids Meta & Fritz. Greg Simon completed the programs by hand sewing Optti sails! Meta & Fritz have outgrown the Optis and the Sugar kids are the proud new stewards of these beautiful boats!
At delivery, the Simon’s rolled out the red carpet. Cheese, sausage, beers, and personalized rigging instructions from the Simon kids were the order of the day. It was an amazing evening of fun! Thank you Simon family, we’re beyond grateful for your generosity.
If there are any families that are interested in trying the Optis, please give Hugh or Tim a call. We are happy to continue the Season of Giving with any interested kiddos.
The Sugar kids have been waiting for this since first being on the ice in 2013 with dad Tim at the Western Challenge.
Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club members should have received a group email from me today with a link to our next Zoom meeting. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at 6:30 PM. If you didn’t get the memo, please email to me debwhitehorse@iceboat.org.
Fort Peck 2022: The Hard Water Summit
