Welcome to iceboat.org

The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club is one of the most active iceboat clubs in North America. We’ve been building and racing iceboats for over 100 years in Madison, Wisconsin, USA.

Ice Is Never 100% Safe.

Our ice reports are strictly for iceboat racers. Recreational iceboaters, kite boarders, cross country skiers, and ice fishermen should not rely on our ice reports. We have safety equipment. Do you?

Buy or Sell Your Iceboat

One of the best pages in North America to buy or sell iceboats and their parts. There’s also a complete list of vendors who will supply iceboats, sails, and their components.

Common Questions:

How can I get started? How fast can they go? How much do they cost? Is it safe?

Regatta Watch

Information about the ISA, NIYA, WSSA, Nite, and DN regattas.

Iceboat Classes

Learn about Skeeters, DNs, Stern Steerers, Renegades, Nites, and Ice Optimists.

The Rules.

The purpose of iceboat racing rules is to prevent collisions.

Ice Yacht Clubs

The best way to learn about iceboating and make life long friendships is to join a local club.

Why We Sail.

“If all our ice were glass, slightly wet, and all our air reasonably steady with lifters just where needed, sailing would be perfect. Sometimes we do find this, and it is worth waiting years to have. Meanwhile we must accept the more ordinary ice conditions, ordinary weather and wind, and gracefully accept snow, sometimes for weeks. Our ideal comes from time to time, the Great Maker gives only so much of the very best.” Charles H. Johnson.

Iceboating for Kids

Ice Optimists were created specifically as a youth trainer, designed to be easily built using commonly available materials, and to keep costs to a minimum.

Get Started Iceboating
UPCOMING:

4LIYC Awards & Social Event: Saturday, April 22 @ Springer’s More information.
4LIYC Club Sailing:
Warm weather and rain have taken their toll on area lakes. 
4LIYC Meeting :
See you next season in November 2023.
NEW! 4LIYC Shipstore. Order custom iceboat shirts, hats, and gear. More information.
BURGEE:
 Order your 4LIYC Burgee

Regatta Watch: 2023 WSSA Canceled

Their first look at Eric Sawyer’s Class A stern-steerer MICHIGANDER

Unfortunately the Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta for 2023 has been canceled due to lack of cooperation by Mother Nature. Perhaps next year will be worth the wait.

Andy Gratton

WSSA Secretary/Treasurer

When the What Ifs Come True

When What Ifs Come True

After squeezing all we could from Lake Kegonsa two weekends ago, Four Lakes members tucked away their boats and winter gear because surely the season was over. Kegonsa’s shoreline disappeared, and Monona was never an option because of the many holes, or as Greg McCormick stated, holes so big they deserved their own lake name. We knew Mendota was solid but figured there might be holes and a weakened spring shoreline.

On Wednesday, March 15, Don Sanford helpfully checked ice from 10,000 feet as he flew back from Newport, RI. Kegonsa was a mess, but Mendota looked good from that altitude.

What if:
Mendota survived the warm temperatures?
Thursday’s rain polished the surface?
Friday night’s 10f hardened things up?
The shore was tight on the east end?

DN and Renegaders Chad Atkins (RI) and Chris Gordon (MA) flew into Madison this weekend to pick up their DN trailer and head east. On the way to pick up Chad Thursday morning, I took a five-minute detour to look at Mendota’s Warner landing and was surprised to see the miracle of a tight shoreline. A few minutes later, fresh off the plane, Chad saw the flat expanse of Lake Mendota’s ice. We alerted Renegader Don Anderson, who is game for any iceboating adventure. We agreed to keep an eye on things, hoping for the What Ifs to fall in place.

Thursday night’s rain gave us little confidence for Mendota. Chad and I stopped at the lake on Friday morning before picking up Chris, again surprised to see the tight shoreline. Later that morning, Donny arrived to see for himself. After walking out in the raging wind to scout Warner Bay, Donny, and Chad pronounced it sailable but urged caution because of drain holes and cracks—spring ice changes by the hour. Boats might leave a perfectly fine shoreline only to return to 20 feet of open water. They would have to carry their Renegades to the ice because rolling on trailers would weaken the shoreline.

The hook was set; they couldn’t leave if there were a chance to sail their Renegades on Warner Bay. Chad and Chris bought Renegades last season but need more seat time because they focused on the DN World & North American Championship this season.

The promised cold arrived Saturday morning to tighten the ice, but the winds were gusting to 40 mph, which meant another day of waiting. Chad, Chris, and Damien Luyet tried a few laps at 4 PM but quickly realized the wind was still too strong. A puff made toothpicks out of Damien’s Renegade mast. Thankfully, Donny has spares.

Their patience paid off. Chad and Chris were rigged at sunrise Sunday morning, set up marks, and sailed a short course for 5 hours. Donny and Damien joined them at a reasonable hour for some scrub racing before Chad and Chris had to load up and drive back to Jamestown, RI, and Nantucket, MA. Everything fell into place. Chad and Chris look forward to competing in the next Renegade Championship.

Even in cold temperatures, spring ice changes quickly. A large heave popped up towards the middle of Mendota, foiling Donny’s plan to scout ice for a sail to the University of Wisconsin Union. Donny, Damien, and Brett Hulsley took advantage of what was there and sailed for the rest of the day.

 

2023 4LIYC Social Event: Please Join Us April 22

Trophy sipping time. Photo from the Bernard Collection. Andy Flom celebrating winning the Hearst Cup in 1939 sailing FRITZ.

Please join the the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club as we celebrate the end of a successful ice sailing season at one of our favorite and familiar places, Springer’s On the Lake. RVSP today! Hope to see you there.

Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club Awards & Social Event
Location: Springer’s On the Lake, Stoughton, WI
Date: Saturday, April 22, 2023
Time: 5:30 – 6:30 Social Hour
6:30-7:30 Dinner
7:30  Awards presentation
Ticket: $40 cash or check (made out to 4LIYC) at the door
Menu: A buffet featuring roast beef, baked chicken, parsley buttered red potatoes, rice blend, green beans, garden salad, green beans, desert, and one drink ticket.
RSVP to debwhitehorse@iceboat.org

4LIYC Spring Social: Save the Date – April 22


We are pleased to announce that the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club will officially conclude the season at Springer’s On The Lake, the home of some of the best ice sailing in the United States this year. Please save Saturday, April 22, and join us once again on Lake Kegonsa to celebrate ice boating. Stand by for the details.
What: Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club Awards & Social Event
When: Saturday, April 22, 2023
Where: Springer’s On Lake Kegonsa, Stoughton, WI

Regatta Watch: 2023 WSSA Postponed to March 25 – 26

Emil Fauerbach and possibly Andy Flom in the PRINCESS in front of the Fauerbach Brewery on Lake Monona, Madison, WI, c.1910s.

The 2023 Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to March 25 and 26. The next update will be Sunday, March 19. Check back here at that time. The Northwest Ice Yacht Association regatta takes precedence.

Andy Gratton

WSSA Secretary/Treasurer

Regatta Watch: 2023 Northwest Postponed to March 24 – 26

Ken Kreider hiking in his classic rear-seat Class A Skeeter POON

The 2023 NIYA Regatta is postponed to March 24 – 26. There are no sites currently close to having conditions for the event.

The next update will be Sunday March 19th.

Steve Schalk

Secretary/Treasurer

NIYA

Iceboating Goes to University

Boecraft Continuum

Boecraft Website
Meet Jared Kaesmeyer, a former Lake Geneva, WI resident and a recent graduate with a Master’s in Architecture. Jared’s thesis project was on iceboating, again proving that iceboating is a highly creative endeavor. Please let me know if you want to see Jared’s remarkable and unique 165-page thesis.

My name is Jared Kaesmeyer. I used to live in Lake Geneva, WI, and grew up hearing about and seeing ice boating. It always intrigued me. Since that time, I’ve gone to college at North Dakota State University and graduated with my Master’s in Architecture. As part of that degree, I had to create a thesis project. My thesis was on ice boating.

I spent 9 months developing a proposal for an iceboat cultural center in Lake Geneva’s downtown. I did research, and worked with Steve Schalk to get a better idea for the history and background. In the end, I designed a destination establishment that featured year-round display of ice boats in a prominent location downtown, with a workshop and event space for hosting year round training and events. The thesis went on to win an award, and in all was just such a fun process!

I have sent this to Steve, and thought I would share it with iceboat.org. Maybe you will find it interesting, or know someone else who may!

4LIYC Racing Update: Snow Means No Go

Tim McCormick R385 and cousin, Peter McCormick R309 racing Renegade iceboats on Lake Kegonsa, March 5, 2023. Photo: Ethan Brodsky

Heavy, wet snow has fallen on all lakes around Madison. There will be no club racing for March 11 – 12, 2023. However, this post is an excellent opportunity to share more photos from Ethan Brodsky.

 

Online Ship’s Store

Regatta Dates 2023

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Click for 4LIYC Meeting Dates

2022-2023

  • December 21
  • January 4 Honor Roll Nominations
  • January 18 Deadline for By-Law or Racing Rules Amendment Submission
  • February 1
  • February 15 Business Meeting
  • March 1
  • March 15

Location: In person at S & B Strategic Marketing or Online using the Zoom App Members please email debwhitehorse@iceboat.org for the link.

Time: 6:30 PM

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Lake Access Permits

A year-round permit required for designated launch sites in the City of Madison and Dane County Parks. Locations include:

    • Lake Mendota Warner Park Mendota County Park
    • Lake Monona Tonyawatha Tr. Olin Park
    • Lake Waubesa Goodland Park

Purchase Lake Access Permit Online.

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