FRITZ ARCHIVES
After 25 years of stewardship, Fred Stritt has passed the helm of the historic Class A stern-steerer FRITZ to a new caretaker. The iconic iceboat, built by Carl Bernard, has found a new home on Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota.
Fred shared his thoughts on the transition on the Midwest Hardwater Sailing Facebook page:
FRITZ is an incredible machine—smooth in light air, exhilarating in medium air, and on the edge of terrifying in heavy air. She’s like hanging onto the tail of a dinosaur—if they want you gone, you’ll be flicked off and flying! Congratulations to Bill and his group and I look forward to seeing Fritz blossom under your guardianship!
Some History:
The Class A stern-steerer FRITZ, built by Carl Bernard, roared into iceboating legend as a Madison, Wisconsin icon. Owned by Frederick Jungbluth and sailed by Bernard, FRITZ achieved an extraordinary feat in 1934, winning all four major trophies—the Stuart Cup, Hearst International Trophy, Northwest Class A, and Northwest free-for-all—in a single year, a record unmatched at the time. FRITZ was a powerhouse, and her victories were celebrated in the Wisconsin State Journal and beyond.
Tragedy struck in 1935 when a mysterious fire—suspected to be arson—destroyed FRITZ and her companion, Miss Alice in Madison. Yet FRITZ endured, and Carl rebuilt her after the fire; she was painted bright red to honor her survival. By 1948, with Bill Mattison crewing for 18-year-old Jim Lunder, she reclaimed the Northwest Class A title on Geneva Lake. Please see the FRITZ archives for more history on this boat.
MARY B and FRITZ at the Edgewater on Lake Mendota,
The ISA Race Committee has postponed the regatta to March 7-9, 2025.. The weather forecast of high temperatures and high winds for February 28th made it impossible to predict the ice condition for the following two days, and the Sunday wind forecast made it unlikely to get two race days in any case.
The forecast ahead looks very promising for both Lake City (24” of ice) and Madison (18” of ice). Temperatures go to 40 degree highs with mid 20 degree lows, with at least half of each 24 hours below freezing.
Both locations will be sailed and thoroughly checked prior to March 7th. We have a good chance for a solid three day regatta this time, so check your equipment and sharpen your runners. Next update is Sunday, March 2, 2025.
DN complete racing package with enclosed trailer: $6,400
Sherry clone fuselage with custom hiking rack, carbon-fiber steering rod. Sherry carbon fiber Rocket mast with reinforced hound. Sherry standard carbon mast. Heavy duty rigging with Struble spreader-bar and toggles. Aluminum boom with tapered sheet, Harken blocks, 3-inch ratchet for light air, rear block track adjustable. Sherry plank with Sarns chocks. Thirty runners collected over 35 years: 4X 3/16×36 440c inserts with Sherry carbon fiber sides. 1X 3/16×34” steering 440c carbon insert. 4X soft-ice ¼ x 36 inserts carbon sides. 8X Sarns 1/4-inch plates, all shapes and lengths. 3X 3/16×30-inch snow inserts. 3X Polish min.-width 36” Ts. 2X max.-width 36” Ts. 5X slush runners. Six sails: nearly new North F-01; 2X old F-01s; ABSS speed sail; small speed sail; storm sail. Boat-assembly tools, cover, horses.
All of these components interchangeable with Sherry clone: wide cockpit fuselage built by Tom Hamill with wood veneer mast. Second Sherry plank. Second heavy-duty rig with Struble spreader. Wood boom with ratchet and 3-inch blocks, adjustable track.
Racing marks. Regatta gear box. Heavy-duty spud. Shop box for maintenance. Spare parts.
Enclosed trailer for these two DNs and all this gear. Located in Muskegon, Mich.
Randy Rogoski, dnus4192@aol.com
SOLD! A- Class Rear-seat Skeeter NOTORIOUS
Wood mast 26
No Trailer
Runners in good conditions
plank in good great condition
Multiple sails in like new condition
Asking $1,500 OBO
The 2025 ISA and Renegade Championship are on for Lake City, Minnesota for Friday February 28th, Saturday March 1st and Sunday March 2nd 2025. The ice thickness is over 18 inches of smooth black stuff.
The snow cover is now an average of 2” but it will likely be gone by the time the Wednesday check is done, based on the forecast temperatures upcoming.
The final call will be made by noon Wednesday February 26th. Next update will be Wednesday, February 26.
FRITZ ARCHIVES
