Read full report here.
In case you missed it, the Chicago to Mackinac race took place over the weekend. First, the good news: Keith Haas checks in with the news that MEDICINE MAN, owned by Rick Hennig—who also owns the world’s largest iceboat, DEUCE—took top honors in Section One. Keith writes, “Rick Hennig took first place in Section 1 of the Chicago MAC race aboard his boat MEDICINE MAN. The crew consisted of notable iceboaters Rick Hennig, Todd Knop, Abby Knop, Jay Yaeso, Eric Sawyer, and Richard Sawyer.” Congratulations, Rick and crew.
However, as Great Lakes sailors know, Lake Michigan can quickly turn dangerous. A storm hit in the dead of night, which resulted in two serious situations: a dismasting (USUAL SUSPECTS – Ron Sherry & Skip Dieball) and man-overboard (CALLISTO – Steve Orlebeke), Skip and Ron have shared photos and stories on their Facebook pages. Skip shared the following story from USUAL SUSPECTS owner Eric Wynsma:
“Tough night for the Usual Suspects as we were dismasted early this morning about 35 miles offshore during the Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac. Ripping along comfortably at 15 knots with an A2 and a Genoa staysail, a small cell popped up and whacked us with an 80-degree wind shift at 30+ knots, knocking us flat and breaking our mast in 3 places. We worked frantically to cut the rig away so it wouldn’t hole the boat as we jumped around in the waves attached by a million halyards and control lines. Everyone kept their act together, and nobody panicked as we just went into what we knew needed to happen. Very proud of our group.
Nobody was hurt. I had all three of my kids aboard, and it was my 25th Chicago-Mackinac race! While not as good as our 52-class win last year, I am satisfied that we returned 13 suspects to the dock disappointed but unharmed! Thank you all for the support; this truly sucks for all
of us, but we are keeping things in perspective. We consider ourselves fortunate under the circumstances! Sincerest thanks to some amazing sailors on board; the display of teamwork and seamanship in this situation was absolutely outstanding.”
Meanwhile, Steve Orlebeke and crew on CALLISTO had to deal with a man overboard situation that thankfully turned out OK. Phoebe Wall Howard’s excellent reporting about the race stated, “Disaster was averted after Madcap, a Santa Cruz 52 owned and skippered by John Hopkins, responded to a man overboard report from Callisto, a J/125 owned and skippered by Jim Murray. Both boats resumed racing the 333-statute mile (289 nautical mile) race without injury.”
The 115th annual Chicago to Mackinac race is taking place today, and among the competitors are several iceboaters trading the hard water for soft water. While the race’s website makes it challenging to see all boats and crew on one page, we know that ice sailors Steve Orlebeke (DN & A Skeeter), Ron Sherry (DN & Renegade), Skip Dieball (DN & Renegade), Dave Elsmo (DN and A Skeeter), and Ben Witman (DN and C Skeeter) are participating.
Steve Orlebeke is sailing on the J125 CALLISTO, Ron Sherry and Skip Dieball are crewing on the TP52 USUAL SUSPECTS, and Dave Elsmo and Ben Witman are aboard the TP52 LEGACY. All are in the same division and vying for the Mackinac Trophy.
Ron and Steve have a long history of intense competition. Their unforgettable duel at the 2020 DN North American Championship in Montana is one of the greatest battles, beautifully captured in a video by Sean Heavy. As they gear up for the challenges of the Mackinac race, it’s a perfect time to revisit that legendary moment. Watch it here.
Pat Heppert flags Chad Atkins on Day 1 of the 2023 DN North American Championship sailed on Lake Kegonsa in Madison, WI. Photo by Cathy Firmbach
Chad Atkins and his travel partner, Chris Gordon, are east coast based but keep their DN and Renegade programs in Madison taking advantage of a good season so far. Chad placed 10th in the 2023 DN World Championship and 2nd in the North American Championship sailed on Lake Kegonsa last week. They look forward to pulling their Renegades out of the trailer for some 4LIYC racing or the Northwest. 2023 DN North American Results
A RACE TO REMEMBER By Chad Atkins
Hello from a very mild Rhode Island. As a winter transplant, a few weekends a year, joining the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club was a no-brainer. I have to give a huge shout-out to Daniel Hearn, who, behind the scenes, went above and beyond with fellow C Skeeter tuning partner and PRO Pat Heppert for going to equal lengths to get both the 2023 DN Gold Cup and North Americans in on Lake Kegonsa. Renegader Ron Rosten was also out helping and moving start lines daily! Don’t forget Deb Whitehorse and the other 4LIYC members that made this 50th-anniversary event such a blast. Thank you all.
Once the Gold Cup was complete, many of our European friends decided to head for home, and more than a few North American regatta registrants. Friday’s one race in each fleet (Gold and Silver) was all worth it! Blowing up deep semi-sticky drifts in solid pressure was a race to be remembered!!
Keith Schwark plows through a snow drift on Day 2, in the final race of the 2023 DN North American Championship. Photo by Cathy Firmbach.
It also reinforced a point that our good friend Jost Kolb from Germany expressed that, as a class, we need to see these events through to the end. He talked about a Russian competitor that travels about five days each way in Europe to attend these continental championships and how throwing in the towel or leaving the event because of a forecast isn’t good for our class or why we all do it and love the sport so much.
What a day Friday was!!! Thursday night’s snowfall was pleasantly light and fluffy and at the lower end of the forecast. We woke up to trees and branches dancing and the temperature reasonably steady from night to day. It looked promising to complete the North American championship. The day before, the wind died, and we ran out of sunlight.
Those who stayed arrived at Springer’s launch to find limited visibility from pulsing whiteout conditions and low-level haze on the lake. Chris Berger and Jost Kolb both took a few laps and determined with Pat that the surface of the course was sailable and we should hang tough for an hour or two to let visibility improve.
Around 10:30 AM, Pat decided we would try and start the Gold fleet first. Ron Sherry and Paul Goodwin gave a short safety speed chat about dealing with breeze and snow. Then it was time to get our thoughts, emotions, and breathing in order – this was happening! The breeze was still up, and runners were the easiest choice of equipment with Ronny’s Composite Concepts 440c Bullnote Plates and Slipper Front.
When I considered buying those runners, Ron said, “You will thank me when you need them, even if it’s five years from now.” Thanks, Ron, for all three Slipper runners the day before as well; it’s why we have plates.
The big question was, what were the drifts doing in texture and size? Can I stay lit with a speed sail, a soft top batten, or keep the power with a full sail? It was a mix with Matt Struble running an ABSS and, I believe, the rest of us running Power Gold or FO1. Matt doesn’t really count since he could beat most of us strapped to some 2×4’s powered by a napkin! He’s a great guy, a natural sailor, and a polished competitor; great to have him back this year!
Most of us took a rip up and down, and it would be some physical, exciting sailing with an emphasis on semi-clear goggles. Another snow line came through with some very solid pressure that left us all attending our boats and not letting our sails beat themselves to death.
Then the “dry slot” appeared, as Deb refers to it. Pat called Gold fleet to the line. The flag is up, GO! With just a few quick steps, the sail eased, boat hiking as we jumped on the plank and stepped into the boat. We were off, tied by a string, a seesaw back and forth battle plowing and blowing through drifts with a few clear spots to gain speed up the course.
At the top, the right side had overstood by less, with US4, young Griffin Sherry, leading as he came off the one block he earned the day before. I was close behind and could sense Jost close behind with the left side boats blazing in under the darling mark (so glad to have these for races like this) and hunting us down. Now for the first turn into a steady line of oncoming traffic from the left. Griffin found his line, and I had to stay a bit higher to avoid a few boats.
By the time the snow cleared, we were just bouncing and hiking downwind, and it was all I could do not to start hooting and hollering. That is until a quick glance to leeward showed that Griffin had slid back in my window looking slower and mast straight; he looked ok. And POW, a huge drift exploded all over me! I wiped my goggles, and nothing happened.
Oh boy, all that snow on my face had made its way under and inside my goggles, leaving me with enough visibility to see the pits of the leeward mark. With compromised visibility, I was glad to have a thinned-out fleet as I cleared out enough frozen snow to see properly before another drift, hike, butt, and shoulders back to steady things out.
Another solid vein of pressure sent us into a gybe to the bottom mark, and around we all went. Quickly after rounding, this US44 guy (Ron Sherry) appeared to leeward, absolutely ripping, deep breath going fine, and by the time I looked over my left, another boat with red numbers reading US183 (Matt Struble) had just tacked, so off to starboard we went.
Damn, I was way overstood and bouncing off and through drifts. Reaching down had no advantage like it would on cleaner ice. Another few laps of the same exciting non-stop action, the North American championship was complete!
PRO Pat Heppert ran a last Silver fleet race on top of that, making it three races in each fleet before the dry slot closed and more weather came in. A great way to end a memorable week. Congratulations to Matt Struble for his Gold Cup and North American win and the entire fleet for sticking it out and having the confidence to make it happen. There’s plenty more racing left in the season if Mother Nature allows it. Chad Atkins
2022 IRIYRA Championship Recap by Skip Dieball
What a fun weekend in Madison Feb 18-20. The collection of iceboating enthusiasts really encompassed the spec-
trum of abilities, which makes the experience so fun. The way folks light up when they have first ride…and the
hardened veterans that tweak their set up. Continue reading
Two: I’m not going out on a limb to predict there will be ice across Wisconsin in the next two weeks. Accuweather says…
Forecasted temperatures in the Four Lakes for the last 2 weeks of December 2022. Are you ready?
Next milestone – who will have first runners on the ice in North America?
Ron Sherry and Skip Dieball
Nite guys Don Sanford, Mike Peters, and Brad Wagner.
More ice talk next to some DNs on offer.
Iceboaters love models!
Susie Pegel continuing the family tradition of organizing and staffing the raffle table.
There’s a big story behind this guy and this boat. Ron Sherry and a Bob Kau-built Class A Skeeter. Ron won the 1996 Northwest Free-For-All trophy in this boat.
