The great thing about the Western Challenge is that Lake Christina is a day’s drive from Glasgow, Montana, home of photographer Sean Heavey.
He sends his apologies for not getting everyone because he spent a lot of time practicing flying the new drones and figuring out to cover the action with them. See the photos here.
Daniel Hearn C Class Skeeter at Fort Peck Montana February, 2021. Photo: Sean R. Heavey
Via the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club Facebook page from Daniel Hearn:
Who wants to go to Fort Peck, Montana next year? I’m thinking a Baikal-like annual adventure open to all ice sailors. At the end of the season when the rest of our ice is typically un-sailable. Those of us in the Midwest and further left would likely still drive. And maybe we arrange for containers to go from the Central Region and the East? The town would roll out the red carpet for us and maybe even throw in some tourism dollars support. What do you think?
Let us know what you think. Email debwhitehors@gmail.com
Pat Heppert C Class Skeeter on Fort Peck . Photo Sean R. Heavey
Daniel Hearn C Class Skeeter at Fort Peck Montana February, 2021. Photo: Sean R. Heavey
Tim Ogrinic sails a DN on Fort Peck Reservoir on Saturday, February 20, 2021.
Montana’s wild western ice has long been a bucket list item for ice sailors east of the Mississippi and even east of the Atlantic ocean into Europe. The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club’s C Class Skeeter fleet will soon travel west, destination a wide-open range of ice on Fort Peck Reservoir near Glasgow, Montana. (Pat Heppert has dual citizenship, he’s a Minnesota ice sailor and a 4LIYC member.) I will be joining Pat and Daniel Hearn and making my second trip to Fort Peck. The DN North American Championship was sailed there in 2020, the farthest west the regatta has ever been.
Minnesota ice sailors and others have been sailing Canyon Ferry in Helena for many years. Montana Mini-Skeeter developer John Eisenlohr alerted us to Fort Peck’s potential for the 2020 DN North Americans. We made good friends in Fort Peck, such as photographer Sean Heavey.
So why Montana now? This trip began in Gothenberg, Sweden with Sail Racing. They looked to Sean because of pandemic travel limitations and their need for more photos. In Wisconsin and Minnesota, poor ice conditions turned our gaze west to Montana ice, the canvas Sean lives and breathes. Conditions appear to be just right.
Perhaps there will be some other ice sailors who will meet us there, you never know. There’s big ice, scenery, adventure, and more coming this week. Stand by for Montana.
Fort Peck Reservoir in Montana on 20 February, 2021.
Ice Boating Christina Lake, Minnesota from Sean R. Heavey on Vimeo.
Here’s a drone’s eye view of the C Skeeter iceboats sailing Lake Christina near Battle Lake, MN, on December 12, 2020. Ice conditions were perfect.
Mike Maloney R299 and Brian Hearn R507 sailing Renegades on Lake Christina near Ashby, MN on December 12, 2020.
Sean R. Heavey Lake Christina Photo Gallery
Thanks to photographer Sean Heavey for posting these photos from the weekend. Click on the red button to see them all.
Andy Gratton R541 and Brian Hearn US5652
Pat Heppert’s DRIFTER Class C Skeeter
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.
