Regatta Watch: ISA & Renegade Championship Postponed to Jan 16-18

by | Jan 4, 2026 | Home Page, ISA, Regattas, Renegade

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

Regatta Watch: WSSA Postponed to Jan 17-18

by | Jan 4, 2026 | Home Page, Regattas, WSSA

Photo: Rob Resnick – Revelations of Design

The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to January 17-18, 2026. The next update will be Sunday, January 11. Check back here at that time. The Northwest Ice Yacht Association regatta takes precedence.

Andy Gratton

WSSA Secretary/Treasurer

Unofficial Eye Opener and New Year’s Speed on Lake Kegonsa

by | Jan 3, 2026 | 2025-2026, Home Page, ISA

LINK TO VIDEO
Lake Kegonsa has seen serious traffic this week.

Skeeters or DNs, no matter what, alignment is key.

Multiple DN World Champion Matt Struble arrived Monday to get acquainted with his new Class A Skeeter, recently acquired from Tom Hyslop. (Previously: The Bubble Expands) The boat is a Clapp build with a solid pedigree. Matt spent two long days in Daniel Hearn’s shop learning the boat inside and out, and quickly learned that sharpening Skeeter runners is heavier work and a much longer commitment than anything he’s used to with DN runners.

On Thursday, the Skeeter fleet welcomed him on Lake Kegonsa. Ken Whitehorse and Mark Isabell set up under the watchful eye of Paul Krueger, with pit help from Daniel Hearn and Damien Luyet. Conditions weren’t ideal, but they managed a few solid rides. For Matt, it was exactly what he needed, time on the boat, learning how it behaves. Ken Whitehorse sent in this report from the day:

New Year Eye Opener – Wisconsin Skeeter Racing

Results:
1st – M197 (Ken Whitehorse)
2nd – Matt Struble (sailing with an “M” on his usual DN number for now)
Mark Isabell – DNS

Two races were sailed. M197 finished first in both. Matt followed, with Isabell DNS. Speeds were good.

M197 carried 50 pounds of lead in the trunk, a winning setup that helped punch through the drifts. Tried to keep that quiet.

Excellent hard ice under the snow. A great day of tuning and racing. Best of all, the boats are safe and back on the trailers.

Huge thanks to Daniel Hearn and Damien Luyet for organizing the day. We’re lucky to have club members like them.

Matt was offered $100, a wheel of cheddar, and a Packers hat to put an “M” on his sails. Mostly kidding. Mostly. Also trying to stack our roster for the Ice Yacht Challenge Pennant of America.
Ken Whitehorse M197

“Now listen up, Enzo and Dash—if anyone tries to port-tack you…”

Midweek also brought a visit from the Geneva Nite gang. Olympic sailor Paris Henken, Harry Melges IV, Kyle Navin, and RJ Porter were among several Nites that rolled in on New Year’s Eve and ripped it up on Lake Kegonsa. Two future 4LIYC members, Dash and Enzo, made their debut on the ice, sailing all day with their grandfather, Daniel Hearn. Geneva Nites pushing off on Lake Kegonsa (short video)

 

Look, Don’t Touch (From Space) – Mendota & Monona Edition

by | Jan 3, 2026 | 2025-2026, Home Page

January 2, 2026 view from space.

This Sentinel satellite image tells the story pretty well.

Lakes Mendota and Monona are currently Swiss cheese after a strange, uneven freeze.  However, Lake Kegonsa is locked and covered, consistent and predictable by comparison. Lake Winnebago looks solid from space and remains our most reliable big-lake option right now.

Next week’s forecast shows daytime highs in the upper 30s to low 40s, with a few wet systems mixed in. If that holds, we’re hoping the snow cover on Lake Kegonsa melts down, which would improve surface conditions significantly. That kind of weather is the right direction.

Worth noting: Sentinel satellite imagery is now available through the Copernicus browser, which makes checking current ice conditions faster and easier than before. It’s another useful tool to keep in the kit, but still no substitute for cleats on the ice.

More updates as conditions evolve.

Links:
https://browser.dataspace.copernicus.eu