The sun shines again on 4LIYC sailors Paul Krueger and Ken Whitehorse as they take a break on Paul’s A Skeeter RAMBL’N XII
The Skeeters are all done for the day in Battle Lake, Minnesota. The wind was too light to get a third Nite race in. Results have been updated on the ISA page.
And isn’t it great to see PK back in the saddle again. To say that iceboaters are a determined lot is an understatement.
Ken Whitehorse
In 4LIYC iceboat shop news, the Krueger-Whitehorse shop is being torn down and the contents relocated 50 feet north of its present location. This all began in the 1950s when Walter and Harry Whitehorse needed a place to work on their open-wheel sprint and midget race cars. Iceboats were added to the mix in the 1960s when Harry and Walter discovered a way to keep going fast in the winter. Paul Krueger has been in the shop since the beginning when he was a teenager, first turning wrenches on midgets and then working his magic on Skeeters.
Group shot of a Skeeter from yesteryear.
Via WSA Correspondent Jay Yaeso:
The Wisconsin Skeeter Association held a Spring Fling on March 3-4, 2018 in Suamico, Wi on Green Bay. Friday night’s Smoker was a festive event; stories were told and Commodore Ken Whitehorse reflected on past events dating back to the 70’s. We sure we’re impressed with Ken’s recollection of these events in years past.
A discussion was had with regard to the lack of wind on Friday. Ken graciously volunteered to chat with Mother Nature hoping to convince her to show up Saturday.
Photos below are proof that we did sail. Tom Hyslop and Mark Isabel at top mark. John Dennis was the speed demon on Sunday demonstrating his fine sailing ability along with the perfect setup. John is crowned champion of the Spring Fling with one race completed
U311 and M197 Class A Skeeters in 2015
This story appeared on my doorstep this morning, hand written. I deciphered it as best I could.-Editor
Windjammers Yacht Club Hosts the Wisconsin Skeeter Racers Tournament of Champions Jan 27-28, 2018
Saturday brought westerly wind speeds greater than 30 mph. Many iceboaters of various classes set sail in spite of the too-windy-to-race conditions. Tom Hyslop V738, Director of Competition, canceled racing for the day at 3:30 PM. Shortly after, Windjammer, sponsored the well attended smoker gathering.
Sunday morning brought northwest wind speeds of 12-15 mph. Whitehorse, M197, won the first race by the slight margin of a springboard over Yaeso, U311. Yaeso won the second race with a slightly larger overlap over Whitehorse.
M197 and V737 returned to the race course starting line. Yaeso remained in the pits where he assembled two Ice Optis, one DN, and one Renegade. Two thumbs up for Jay for supporting and building the local club! HOWEVER short track Skeeter racing waits for no one and shows no favorites. U311 fails to make the start of race four. Race four is won by Whitehorse, second by Hyslop, and DNS for Yaeso.
Race five: The wind, now northerly at 18-21 mph. Whitehorse gets off to a jack rabbit start. At each leg of the race Yaeso skillfully reels in the leader. On the last lap to weather, U311 and M197 round with a complete overlap. Both push sheet as both were in a five foot hike with Whitehorse to the leeward. THE TRAP WAS SET! Both yachts carried a starboard runner aloft and each mast blew out three feet to the leeward. Yaeso put on a sail racing clinic as he used the windward position and hiked across Warrior’s bow to win the race.
Race six: Northeasterly wind at 22 mph. There was a 3 boat overlap on the first leg to weather. WARRIOR was in the favored windward position, then U311, then V738. M197 had a 100% overlap over U311 yet somehow U311 caught a lift, turned left, and forced M197 up the lake. M197 was losing speed and was forced to dive below U311’s stern in an effort to freshen. The maneuver worked! M197 gained tremendous boat speed! Now it was time to use the Shake and Bake tactic and slingshot by U311. Yaeso was ready for it and he rolled over the WARRIOR and tacked to starboard. WARRIOR could only watch as Yaeso disappeared. Whitehorse desperately needed a favorable wind shift to get back into the race. BUT WAIT…HE GOT IT! Brother wind and sister sky blew a mighty 30 mph gust straight out of the east. Some may call it luck and same may call it “an old Indian trick”. No matter, the mighty blast threw U311 into the top mark. Her nine foot long cold steel runners were no match for the slashing fury of Mother Nature. Whitehorse wins race six, Hyslop takes second, and Yaeso scores a DSQ. After the race, Yaeso approached the other two racers with a dazed look of confusion as if to say, “what just happened out there?” Whitehorse looks back with and gives Yaeso the slight Paul Krueger grin.
At this time, Hyslop, Director of Competition for the Wisconsin Skeeter Racing Alliance (WSRA) assembled the racers for a driver’s meeting. Tom is a walking library of sailing rules, regulations, and tactics and the WSRA is fortunate to benefit from his expertise. He proceeded to inform the skippers of a seldom used racing rule designed to manipulate for a more keen competition. The rule states in part “…if six races are completed before 2:35 PM, a yachtsman is allowed a throwout. Yaeso throws out the DSQ.
Race seven: Thus the stage is set. The tournament is an even tie between the 2017 Battle Lake ISA Champion and the 2017 Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club Skeeter Champion! It appears Yaeso had his fill of that day’s antics as his 6” 11” 285 lb. frame of tendon and muscle pushed the teal green U311 to the line. Yaeso lays the flawlessly prepared U311 off to maximize the now 25 mph northeast wind. He digs in with his 2.5” long razor sharp spikes. CRAAAACCCCK! At the sound of the starting gun, Yaeso was an automaton equal a Duramax Turbo Diesel. His thousand foot pounds of torque spun and churned a trench leaving a two foot high shaved ice drift behind. Whitehorse, just as willful, used less torque but ever increasing RPM on the slick starting surface. The start was an even sprint at the five yard mark, then ten yards, then twenty yards. Both racers glared at one another, neither ready to conceded the foot race.
POW!!! THUD THUD THUD
At twenty five yards, Whitehorse blew a moccasin! Even so, both entered their yachts in unison. Now, it was a boat race. Folks, you just can’t make this stuff up!
Yaeso wins race seven. Little big red and white from Four Lakes is no match for big jet green from Suamico. Congratulations to Jay Yaeso and U311 the 2018 short track Windjammer Skeeter racing champion.
Article..unknown author Fact checked by no one!
Class A Skeeter pilots Tom Hyslop & Ken Whitehorse
Wisconsin Skeeter Race results from Green Bay, Suamico, WI.
1st Ken Whitehorse
2nd Tom Hyslop
3rd Jay YaesoShort track racing, 7 races completed.
Nice day to sail, if you like to sail..
Jay
National Iceboat Authority Web Page
Location: In person at the Elks Lodge 711 Jenifer St, Madison, WI 53703
Time: 6:30 PM
YOU ARE SKIPPER NUMBER
TO ROUND THE MARK SINCE NOVEMBER 1999.
