April 12, 2008
Trophy Awards Banquet at the Kennedy Manor
 

Commodore Geoff Sobering starts the awards program portion of the evening.	Daniel Hearn presents the Junior Opti awards to Frank and Sheridan Hearn.
The DN Fleet. Joye Ebert won the overall DN championship.	Tim McCormick win the Renegade Championship
Ron Rosten congratulates Greg Simon on winning the Bill McCormick trophy for winning the last Renegade club race of the season.	George Gerhardt won the Renegade Saturday series.
Peter Fauerbach receives the "Simon Try Harder" award presented by Jerry Simon in the Renegade classe.	Nite skipper Don Sanford pays tribute to fellow Nite skipper and long time club member, Don Ermer, who passed away in 2007.
Jim Nordhaus receives a custom "Pin Dropper" award for Aye Carumba's (note the little hat!) involvement in a mark-hitting incident. Though Jim was not piloting the boat at the time, Jori Lenon created the award for the boat.	Tim McCormick receives the Payton Service Award for his years of taking care of the scoring duties. Thanks, Tim!
Sheridan Hearn receives the DN Junior Service Award which hasn't been awarded in quite a long time.	A new trophy was announced this year, the Jim Nordhaus Builders Trophy. Sponsored by Greg Simon. Jim will choose the recipient each year.

March 15, 2008
Lake Mendota
Photo Credits: Allen Penticoff

Renegades line up		Plenty of DNs
George Gerhardt's Renegade	Follow the arrows...	...then, jump to shore...
...for another party at Jeff & Rhonda's!		Hmmmm...

March 18, 2008
Why Would You Want a Roll Bar?

By John Cassidy, Canyon Ferry, Montana
It was so fine to be sailing the Skeeter again after a 5-week layoff because of snow. The spring ice offered plenty of grip, even if it wasn’t glassy smooth. And the wind! The northwesterly was true to form, offering both gusts and shifts, usually at the same time. Anybody can sail the smooth and steady southerlies. It’s the north westerlies that both challenge and exhilarate!

Several years back, I had done a total restoration of “Therapy”. The boat is one of the first wooden Krueger rumble seaters, maybe even the first. In addition to repairing and reinforcing bulkheads and stringers, the hull was wrapped in fiberglass, Kevlar, and epoxy. I also fabricated a roll bar out of carbon fiber, almost as an after thought. “Too spindly to do any good,” said some. Perhaps they were right. The boat looked good, and was ready for another 20 years on Canyon Ferry.

Yes, it was so fine to be back in the cockpit. The winds were 15 gusting to 25, and we had sailed for 6 or 7 hours with minimal breaks. Dave Gluek, Dale Livezey, Rusty Johnson and I chased each other around imaginary windward leeward marks, fighting hard for bragging rights.

I had just rounded the windward mark in a stiff gust, which produced a wonderful low hike, a rare delight on “Therapy”. Soon the ferocious acceleration had us going somewhere around 250 mph. (at least!), and I had the 3:1 fine tune trimmed way harder than one ever should. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Mr. Westerly thought more would be in order, and offered up a stiff lifting puff. “Therapy” responded with an exceptionally rare but easily controlled running hike! As I was very gently easing the starboard runner back to earth, I heard a very loud bang, and in a fraction of a second I was slammed on the port side and then rolled on my head. The boat was skidding down the ice at full speed, quite content and stable while inverted, slowing ever so gradually. All I could think about while pinned in the cockpit with my helmet and gloves scraping the ice was “Too spindly…too spindly!” That and a 55 gallon drum some drunken fisherman left on the ice, 300 yards downwind the last time the shiny was side up, and right in our path. Finally I was able to squeeze out around 20 mph, just in time to see “Therapy” slowly come to a stop, rolling back upright. The rig had been flying behind horizontally like a hang glider, connected by the forestay and the mainsheet blocks.

As it turns out, the plank had snapped right next to the cockpit on the leeward side. It all happened in the blink of an eye. I am sure had I not had the roll bar, I’d either be dead, or wished I was! The bar wasn’t too spindly! Fortunately, “Therapy” and I survived virtually unscathed, but for the plank and a few bruises. It stayed balanced the whole time, skidding quite happily on the rudderpost, mast base, and roll bar.

Few Skeeters have roll bars. Jim Crichton had the foresight to put one on his, and it saved his life on its maiden voyage 2 years back. He’d dropped a runner into a crack, flipping and slamming him down so hard the 1” solid steel bar it was made from was sprung. He still looks kind of funny (maybe he always did), but he’s still sailing. Maybe you might want to put one on yours? Me? I think I’ll add a couple more layers of carbon fiber when fitting the new plank. Anyone know of some nice, clear 20’ lengths of Sitka Spruce laying around, looking for new life?

- John Cassidy, March ‘08



Sunday, March 16 2008
Lake Mendota
Photo credits: Geoff Sobering

Doug Kolner was the first off the ice today.

Fauerbach pennant

Peter Fauerbach trying to get a ride

Jori Lenon trying the same thing.

There are days you don't want to ever end....
Bob Listeki, Greg Simon, Jeff Russell, Rico, Jori Lenon, Peter Fauerbach, Geoff Sobering, Jerry Simon, & Don Anderson.


Sunday March 9, 2008
Lake Monona
Photo credits & report: Peter Fauerbach
We had fast fun today! All of Lake Monona to ourselves - except a bunch of slow ice fishermen. The rest of the ice yacht fleet was racing at Lake Geneva. Both will be awesome this week with wind. With light winds Jerry and Jori were still able to keep their boats going all day. Maggie and I had many good runs but will continue to work on our boats to gain speed. Mine needs alignment and Maggie's t-runners were slightly limited in the 1/2 -1 inch snow drifts.

Saturday March 8, 2008
At the UW Union on Lake Mendota

Photo Credit: Jori Lenon
Jori really wanted to join you all at the regatta, but she just couldn't pass up that good chili at Memorial Union!
Via Jori:" Sailing today were Jori Lenon, Jerry Ebert, Peter Fauerbach, Wayne Schmeidlin, Jim Kalupa, whose runners are now beautifully aligned, and new local DN'ers Bob Lutfi and Dick Kurtz. Peter Lundt and his son Hans stopped by to say hello.
Photo Credits: Jim Kalupa

Sunday, March 2, 2008
Canyon Ferry, Montana Report
Via Dale Livezey: "We had the best day of the season on Canyon Ferry, this past Sunday. Steady winds with lots of sunshine. The ice is still a bit rough, but should improve this week. I got in 94 miles."

Monday, February 5, 2008
Lake Mendota
Don't Tell Mom!
The Simon family was able to take advantage of the nice ice on Lake Mendota today.
Greg writes, "Meta, Fritz, and I went for a quick sail this morning.  The ice was smooth with no snow. The snow was replaced with a 1/4" of slush.  Too bad about the impending snow storm.  This might be our last ride for some time.

Two ice monkeys

Don't tell Mom we were ice boating today!

Saturday, February 2, 2008
Lake Mendota
The magnificent stern-steerers were set up and ready to start their championship regatta when it began to snow.

Photo Credits: Jori Lenon

It's been one snowy winter and here's the 07-08 official 4LIYC logo appropriately covered in snow.
Here's the Eclipse from Michigan.	What we do best lately, stand around.
The sun struggled to break through.	There was wind!	Tim Shriver makes his season debut.

Sunday, January 13, 2008
West End of Lake Mendota
Here are some shots from Jori Lenon taken before the camera batteries died.

Saturday, January 12, 2008
West End of Lake Mendota
Via Jori Lenon,"The DNs sailed two races. First race: 1st Jori Lenon, 2nd Joye Ebert, 3rd Jim Kalupa. Second race: 1st Joye Ebert, 2nd Jori Lenon, 3rd Jim Kalupa.

The Renegades sailed a few races and Geoff will give you their report.

In between running the races, Geoff took Jori's newest boat version, which contains half his old boat parts, out for a lap and caught a nice ride. Some, but not all DNs and Renegades, had to get out a push once or twice. The sailors enjoyed chili, gumbo and the Packer game at Jeff Russell and Rhonda Arries' lake house. Thank you, Jeff and Rhonda!"
 

Don Anderson	Geoff Sobering
Jeff Russell	Jerry Simon
Jim Kalupa	Jori Lenon
Race ready	Renegades Go!
Geoff Sobering, Jerry Simon, Greg Simon, Ron Rosten, Thor Rosten, Jerry Ebert, & Joye Ebert wait out the early morning snow.

Saturday, January 5, 2008
West End of Lake Mendota
Thirteen Renegades, five Nites, four Skeeters, and about twenty DNs came to race on Mendota today. There were DNs from all over the Midwest including Minnesota, Green Lake, Lake Geneva, and Pewaukee. The Renegades were able to sail two races in wet conditions in medium to light winds. George Gerhardt won both races with a commanding lead and when asked what his speed secrets were, George replied, "Well, every dog has its day". Mike Ripp and Tim McCormick took seconds. Chris Croasdale won the DN race while Tom Hyslop won the Skeeter race. The ice and landing are rapidly deteriorating in the warm temperatures and there will be no racing on Sunday, January 6, 2008.
 

Good to see our friend Craig Wilson with his Kite Cam on the ice Saturday. These are from Craig's website.

Here's Bill Mattison in his Skeeter.	Tom Hyslop's Skeeter.
DNs waiting to race.	DNs line up to race.
Here's a Nite ice boat.

 

Photos by Jim Carrier

Ron Rosten
Pewaukee Nites	Jeff Russell
Nite Skipper Paul Bate.

 

Photos by Lori Conner

Hiking Out	DN race winner Chris Croasdale
Capitol view with Jack Ripp	Doug Kolner in Cold Fusion
Carmen Diaz makes an appearance.	Don Anderson in Easy Rider
George Gerhardt in Frozen Assets

Here are some photos from Allen Penticoff:

The Aftermath
Long-time Skeeter pilot Paul Krueger had a nasty flip that broke the mast, shattered the cockpit cover, and sent him to the hospital with a broken leg.

 

Tim & Andy McCormick	Greg & Jerry Simon
George Gerhardt

Friday, January 4, 2008
West end of Lake Mendota
DNs, Renegades, a Nite or two, and a couple of Skeeters took advantage of one of the best days of ice boating that the Four Lakes has seen in a long time. Winds were steady and perfect while the ice was hard and not too bumpy. About ten DNs with a large contingency from Pewaukee kept busy racing and tuning all day. Every time I looked, Jim Gluek was out in front by a half a lap in the DN class. Renegade skippers took turns winning in the morning while Don Anderson won both in the afternoon. The batteries in my camera died before I could get some shots of the DNs and other boats. Bill Korsgard was set up at the bottom mark and will have some good video of the DNs and Renegades in a day or so.

DN Race

Here's video shot by Bill Korsgard of Friday's racing action when the conditions were much better. Links to Bill's other two videos from Friday:
Renegade Race Part 1 
Renegade Race Part 2
DN Race (as seen above)
 

Below, some long shots taken by Allen Penticoff

More photos by Allen Penticoff.

Watch the progress as Paul Krueger and Bill Mattison build fastback skeeters and work on other ice boats.

Follow the exploits of a group of Madison ice boaters as they meet every Tuesday night to build and restore Renegades.