About the Renegade Iceboat
The Renegade is an excellent boat for those seeking spirited on-design racing. It has been a winner and trend-setter ever since its unveiling in 1947, providing many of the design features found in today’s Skeeters. The Renegade bears 67 square feet of sail on a bendy wing spar, making it a powerful racing yacht in a small package. It is compact and light enough to be car-topped. The local Renegade fleet has seen tremendous growth as many skippers move to perhaps the fastest of the one-designs. For more information on the Renegade class, contact the Renegade Association. Detailed plans are available on this webpage in the links above or from the IRIYA (for a mere twenty bucks).
Regatta Watch: 2026 ISA Postponed to Jan 23-25
Photo: Will Johnston
…and the second domino falls.
The ISA race committee after reviewing the morning ice check and the upcoming weather forecasts has decided to postpone the 2026 ISA one week to January 23-25. The surface of Lake Kegonsa roughened up in the flash freeze last night after the very warm temperatures. The NOAA forecast has visibility-blocking snow showers on both Friday and Saturday, and all forecasts rule out Sunday as never getting to minimum temperatures. The Committee believes there is time to wait for better conditions. The next update will be Sunday evening, January 18 following the 7 pm conference call.
Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
International Skeeter Association
Regatta Logic, Explained
Wondering how can three things be true at the same time, three regattas (the Northwest, ISA, and Nite Nationals) tentatively called on for the same weekend?
For January 16–18, all three are in play and they are connected. Multiple fleets are trying to do the right thing without stepping on each other.
Here’s the flow-chart version, in words.
Step 1: Look North
The Northwest Ice Yachting Association Regatta is tentatively on for Lake Winnebago at Fond du Lac, starting Friday, January 16.
Classes sailing at the Northwest include DN, Renegade, Stern Steerer A, B, C, and D, and A, B, and C Skeeters.
The final call will be made by noon on Wednesday, January 14, after ice and forecast checks.
This is the first domino.
Step 2: If the Northwest Is ON
NIYA sails in Fond du Lac.
The International Skeeter Association does not sail on Lake Kegonsa.
The Nite Nationals continue watching Kegonsa to determine whether Nationals conditions exist.
Step 3: If the Northwest Is OFF
Everything shifts south.
The International Skeeter Association Regatta is tentatively on for Lake Kegonsa, but only if the Northwest is postponed.
ISA racing includes A, B, and C Skeeters, Nites, and Renegade classes.
The NIYA decision is announced at 11:00 am Wednesday.
The ISA decision follows at 11:30 am.
By noon Wednesday, it will be clear whether the ISA is on and where.
Step 4: The Nite Nationals Decision
Nite Nationals are tentatively scheduled for January 16–18 on Lake Kegonsa, for either two or three days.
This is the National Championship for the Nite class.
If the ISA is officially called on, the ISA regatta takes precedence.
The Nite Board will provide updates after 3:30 pm Wednesday, with a final decision by early evening, based on ice conditions.
In plain English:
Wednesday is everything.
The Northwest decides first.
ISA reacts to the Northwest.
The Nite fleet watches Kegonsa and defers to ISA if needed.
By Wednesday night, the picture should be clear.
Regatta Watch: 2026 ISA Tentatively Called ON for Lake Kegonsa Jan 16-18
International Skeeter Association Home
The 2026 International Skeeter Association Regatta is tentatively called on for Lake Kegonsa for Friday January 16th, but only if the Northwestern Regatta at Fond Du Lac is postponed on Wednesday the 14th.
The final call on Wednesday for the NIYA is being held at 11 am and the ISA at 11:30 am, so by noon Wednesday the 14th, the call will be made as to which Regatta is on and where.
Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
International Skeeter Association
Regatta Watch: 2026 Northwest Tentatively Called ON for Lake Winnebago Jan 16-19
2025 Northwest Photo – Rob Resnick
Northwest Ice Yachting Association Regatta Home
The NIYA Regatta is on for Fond Du Lac starting Friday January 16th. The final call will be made by noon on Wednesday the 14th after a check of ice and weather forecasts. Next update, Wednesday, January 14 by noon.
Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
NIYA
Regatta Watch: ISA & Renegade Championship Postponed to Jan 16-18
Photo: Rob Resnick Revelations of Design
The 2026 ISA Regatta and Renegade Championship are postponed one week to January 16-18. 2026.
There is no suitable ice available for a Championship regatta for January 9th.
The next scheduled weekend is concurrent with the first possible date for the Northwestern Ice Yachting Championship. If the Northwest is held on those dates, the ISA will be postponed. Next update is January 11, 2026.
Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
International Skeeter Association
4LIYC Grand Slam Open Report Day 1
Aerial Photos: Jim Stevenson
Day one (Saturday, December 20) of the Grand Slam Open brought Renegades and DNs to Lake Kegonsa. The Nite fleet chose to race locally and when your home club has ice, that’s the right call. That’s how clubs survive and grow.
Ice was hard and bumpy. Everyone agreed with Daniel Hearn’s call of a 6 or 7.
Pat Heppert brought his C Skeeter and spent all of Friday working her around the lake. On Saturday he set the course and ran the races. Pat knew the wind would build. He set the Skeeter up for a 25 mph blow, figuring the day would end with a few extra laps just for him. Those of us still near the leeward mark were in awe when he came around. Fastest many of us have ever seen that boat go. He was clearly having fun.
We ran five races in each fleet.
Renegade highlights came early. Damien Luyet won his first race ever. The fleet opened with a missing man formation in honor of Tim McCormick. Fittingly, cousin Greg won that race. The Renegades mixed it up all day with tight racing. Runner to runner at the leeward mark more than once. You didn’t know who had it until the line. New member Matt Critchley jumped straight into racing. He started the day hanging back and watching. By the end, he was making moves. That’s how it’s supposed to work.
View through a bar window.
In the DN fleet, Chris Berger dominated. So much so that he finished a race early enough to grab the flags and hold the checkers as the rest of the DNs crossed the line while Pat went to move the weather mark. First time I’ve seen that.
There was drama at one DN finish when Frankie Hearn lost a runner just before the finish line. (Pro tip. Always check your bolts.) Frankie kept it together, finished the race, and pointed hard at his plank to get his dad’s attention.
The wind came up hard in the final DN race. The fleet handled it well, turning it into a lesson on managing big downwind pressure and avoiding spinouts. Best part for me was seeing new DN racers out there. With a small fleet, it’s the perfect place to learn. Congratulations to all of you.
As I write this Sunday morning, it’s 10°F. Windy says we may see 6 mph. Enough to move the boats? We’ll find out.
Thanks to everyone who came out. One of the best parts of the day was ending it at Springers, some arriving by iceboat, replaying the races and warming up with a hot meal and a beverage.
Regatta Watch: 2025 ISA – CANCELED
Pat Heppert sailing DRIFTER at the 2022 International Skeeter Association Regatta on Lake Monona in Madison, WI. Photo: Will Johnston
Via International Skeeter Association Secretary/Treasurer Steve Schalk:
The International Race Committee has reviewed the current conditions and forecasts and determined that the Minnesota race venues are out due to temperatures in single digits and coming snow depths. Without other options and the arrival of the holidays, the decision has been made to let 2025 go. We are back up and pointing next to January 9th 2026 for the first day of the 2026 Championship. Next update: Sunday, January 4, 2026.
Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
International Skeeter Association
Regatta Watch: 2025 ISA & Renegade Championship Postponed to Dec 12-14
Kyle Navin, finished 2nd at the Nite Nationals
Via ISA Secretary/Treasurer Steve Schalk:
The 2025 International Skeeter Association and Renegade Championships have been postponed until December 12 – 14. Ice will be starting to form at our target sites of Minnewaska and Battle lakes tonight. The forecasts look promising for December 12-14. Next update is Sunday, December 7, 2025.
Steve Schalk
Regatta Watch: 2025 ISA & Renegade Championship December Outlook
Steve Schalk sailing a B Skeeter on Lake Kegonsa at the 2023 ISA. Photo: Will Johnston
2025 NOTICE OF RACE
ISA HOME PAGE
Via ISA Secretary/Treasurer Steve Schalk:
The ISA & Renegade Championship Race Committee is cranking back up to find the location for the postponed 2025 ISA. The conference calls restart on November 30th. There is a cold front moving through Minnesota as I write this, with none of the sites yet frozen, so the current snow is just falling in open water. The following cold will close up the lakes and allow for the search to begin. Minnewaska and Battle Lakes are favored sites with their launch facilities.
The ISA Race Chairman believes that it should be possible for a DN Western Challenge by December 5th, with the two following weekends available for the ISA. Of course the weather will dictate the outcome. We will post Sunday 7 pm updates starting November 30th.
Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
International Skeeter Association
Tribute to Elmer Millenbach – Archie Call
Elmer Millenbach Archives
Renegade Home Page
Elmer Millenbach (1912–1996) was a Detroit iceboater and who worked for the automotive industry whose inventive spirit reshaped the sport. Elmer combined his automotive know-how with his passion for iceboating. In 1947, he designed and built the Renegade, a sleek one-design iceboat larger than a DN but more manageable than the Skeeters and stern-steerers. The Renegade has become a modern classic, still actively raced today. Elmer’s craftsmanship and leadership created not only a new class of boat but also a tight-knit community that carries his legacy forward.
Read Archie Call’s Tribute to Elmer Millenbach here.
Renegades for Sale
January 3, 2025: Renegade Parts & Trailers in WI
Renegade parts for sale: Planks, springboards and runners.
Also complete C-rigs including like new mast, sail and boom.
$1500
I also have several iceboat trailers for sale.
Madison, WI
Donny Anderson
Boats@madisonboathouse.com
September 26, 2025: Wanted Renegade Mast Hardware in WI
Wanted – Renegade mast hardware
We are planning to build two new Renegade masts and are looking for either new or good condition hardware including spreaders, diamond stays, halyard catch, external hounds etc.
mreilly0725@mac.com or 920-740-7176
September 12, 2025: Renegade 416 in MI
Renegade 416
High quality build with a full re-hab in fall of 2024. Very nice and smooth boat to sail. Re-Tuned and Race Ready.
North-Boston Sail with RBS Batten
100% Harken Upgrades
Runners sharpened and tuned
$5,000 – can be delivered to Swap Meet
Trailer available at additional cost
Contact: Skip Dieball – sdieball at yahoo dot com (419 392 4411)
September 12, 2025: Renegade 107 in MI
Renegade 107
Prepped for racing in Fall 2024. Natural finish and nicely tuned for racing.
2 Sails – North-Bossett & Doyle- Boston with battens
100% Harken Upgrades
Runners sharpened and tuned
$4,800 – can be delivered to Swap Meet
Trailer available at additional cost
Michigan
Contact: Skip Dieball – sdieball at yahoo dot com (419 392 4411)
Regatta Watch: 2025 ISA & Renegade Championship Postponed to March 14-16
The ISA and Renegade championship regatta for 2025 is postponed to March 14th -16th, 2025. The Race Committee is hoping for a freezing period to stabilize some of the locations that still have thick ice. Next update, Sunday, March 9, 2025.
Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
International Skeeter Association
Regatta Watch: 2025 ISA & Renegade Championship Postponed to January 17-19
The ISA and Renegade Championships are postponed a week.
It appears that multiple potential destinations for the regatta will need to be checked in the week ahead to locate the best ice. Next update is January 12, 2025.
Steve Schalk
ISA Secretary/Treasurer