From left, Maureen Bohleber and Lars Barber in Nites, Mike Ripp, Skip Dieball, and Daniel Hearn in Renegades

Skeeters, Renegades, and Nites gathered on Friday for what possibly was the last day of racing on Lake Monona. Saturday’s record 1.2″ of rain, high winds, and forecasted warm temperatures may have put an end to the season here, but we’ll check to make sure of that.

Ken Whitehorse and Paul Krueger raced nine times in close match racing style. Ken told me, “Paul wanted to go for a record-breaking ten races, but I was the voice of reason and said we have to get the boats home.” Thanks Ken and Paul for getting us out there on Thursday and Friday .Always a pleasure to see the familiar red Renegade #11, with Mike Ripp at the helm, back on Lake Monona.

Taking advantage of our proximity to downtown Madison, Scott hauled us in the ATV trailer to the shore. We clambered up the sea wall, walked across the street, and had iceboaters lunch.

Lake Monona has been perfect for us this season, generating more interest in our sport and reintroducing Madisonians to the reality that we’ve been sailing these hard waters since the 1870s.