It was a beautiful evening yesterday at the 4LIYC trophy banquet at the Mariner’s Inn on Lake Mendota. With the lake just steps away and the venue decorated in a nautical theme, it couldn’t have been a more suitable setting for an ice sailing gathering. We’re going to miss that restaurant — and after last night, we’re even more grateful for the many years the von Rutenberg family has supported the sailing community.
Renegader Don Anderson served as the evening’s master of ceremonies. He reminded us of the von Rutenbergs’ long history with sailing and the famous Edgewater to Mariner’s race that used to take place in softwater days on Lake Mendota. It was a casual race where simply not falling in was considered a win.
The von Rutenberg family’s generosity didn’t stop at hosting us — they also donated a raffle prize: a spot on their famous Betty Lou Cruise. Barb Sanford won the raffle, which was especially fun because her husband, Nite sailor Don Sanford, was a longtime captain of the Betty Lou Cruise boats!
Before dinner, we gathered in the bar to mingle and catch up. It was amazing to see so many out-of-town guests, including IDNIYRA Commodore (and stern steerer owner) David Frost, who made the trip from Michigan via Thunder Bay, Ontario where he had hoped to get one last DN ride in. Andy Gratton came down from Fond du Lac, and George Gerhardt joined us from Oshkosh — strong stern steerer representation all around. Pete Johns also made the trip from Illinois, combining the banquet with picking up a brand-new Ron Sherry DN hull. We were also happy to see Maureen Bohleber from Green Lake and long-time club member Gary Sternberg in the crowd.
Even though we sat for dinner a bit earlier than planned, it worked out perfectly. Ken Whitehorse kicked off the awards by presenting trophies to Paul Krueger from the Skeeter fleet. Ken shared the story of how a “magic sail” rediscovered in their inventory made PK’s boat fly this season. He also talked about a memorable day on Lake Monona when they weren’t planning to sail — but seeing German DNers Anja Fiedler and Holger Petzke (here on a year-long U.S. sabbatical) inspired them to rig up and head out.
Don Anderson took a moment to update everyone on the MARY B’s success this winter. He reflected on how much the boat has sailed since coming under the Foundation’s care. Several people in the room raised their hands when Don asked who had a chance to ride the B this year. Don also gave a shoutout to Andy Gratton for jumping in at Frozen Assets Festival to help with the MARY B, making important improvements to her steering and rigging. Andy even hopes to bring his famous red stern steerer WISCONSIN down to Frozen Assets next year.
After a hearty dinner and dessert, it was time for the main event: handing out the trophies. A big thank you to our Trophy Chair, Damien Luyet, for the countless hours he put into organizing, polishing, and preparing the trophies — even making new bases where needed — to ensure everything looked perfect for the banquet.
On display was a pencil sketch of Tim McCormick sailing his Renegade AIM against the Lake Monona skyline, drawn by Greg Whitehorse and brought by Greg McCormick — a meaningful reminder of Tim’s contributions to the sport we all love.
Among the specialty awards, the “Pin Clipper” prize — given for notable mark mishaps — was awarded to Renegader Doug Kolner this year for an incident on Lake Monona where he gave a cone a ride for a few laps.
Ron Sherry was the evening’s highlight, captivating the room with his stories about ice sailing, boat setup, and racing tactics. Ron talked about advice he received from Buddy Melges on setting up a Renegade, and shared memories of sailing Renegades with his dad, Lorne Sherry, on Lakes Geneva and Mendota. He was in his element as he delved into the subtleties of setup and tactics with an audience that valued every detail. I strongly recommend that all yacht clubs invite Ron as a speaker — he is an outstanding storyteller. He closed with one of my favorite stories: the time he won the Northwest Free-For-All Trophy on Lake Geneva, made even more special because so many of the people involved were right there in the room, including my brother, Ron Rosten.
We did miss our Commodore Daniel Hearn, who was on vacation with his family — but he was with us in spirit. It was a night full of storytelling and memories — the very best of what iceboating is all about.
We’re thrilled to announce that Ron Sherry, one of the most accomplished and respected DN sailors in the world, will be our guest speaker at the 4LIYC Spring Awards Banquet!
Ron will host a Q&A session during the banquet — an opportunity to ask questions, hear stories, and learn from a true legend of the ice.
The banquet is Saturday, April 26 at Mariner’s Inn RSVP Deadline: Tuesday, April 22
Don’t miss your chance to be part of this special evening — sign up today and come celebrate one of our best seasons in years with great company, great food, and a great guest!
All entrees include a salad, family style sides of hash browns, mashed potatoes, beans, dinner rolls and a choice of Key Lime Pie or Cheesecake for dessert. Mariner’s Inn:
5339 Lighthouse Bay Dr.
Madison, WI 53704
When 4LIYC Nite sailors Lars Barber and Brad Wagner hit the road for land or ice sailing events, they don’t just set the cruise control and blast down the highway. These two turn every road trip into a treasure hunt—stopping at flea markets, poking around small towns, and always keeping an eye out for something unusual. On their return from the 2025 Blokart North Americans, they pulled into a hotel in Cimarron, New Mexico—and sure enough, Lars spotted something unexpected: an old black-and-white photo of a stern steerer iceboat hanging on the wall with the caption: “Mr. Whitney’s ice boat on Cimmeron (French) Lake.”
New Mexico isn’t typically known for iceboating, but French Lake, situated in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Cimarron, is located at an elevation of about 6,300 feet. At this altitude, small lakes can freeze during the winter.
Using old newspaper and genealogy archives, I tracked down “Mr. Whitney.” He was Frederic Whitney, born in 1879 in Iowa. His father and ancestors were from Maine, so he possibly brought that knowledge with him when he moved west. During his time in New Mexico in the early 1900s, Whitney became a prominent local figure. One article even noted that he had installed a tennis court at his ranch, showing his passion for sports and outdoor life. Later in life, he moved to Alaska and died on the Kenai Peninsula in 1978 at 99.
Though I couldn’t find any specific record of Whitney iceboating, I sent the photo to iceboating sailmaker and historian Henry Bossett to get his take. Henry pointed out that Mr. Whitney appears to be sailing while standing up—an unusual style. (Perhaps a windless day?) He also noted the rig features a jib-headed topsail, a small triangular sail used on gaff rigs and set between the gaff and the mast. In the sport’s early days, some iceboaters repurposed their summer sailing rigs and mounted them on iceboat frames. Henry shared a historical example of a similar setup, included below.
While we may never learn much more about Frederic Whitney’s brief moment on the ice at French Lake, it remains another interesting footnote in the unexpected history of ice sailing.
From left: Deb Whitehorse, Michelle Dunn, Bret Hulsey, Aiden Schmeidlin, Alex Schmeidlin, Wayne Schmeidlin. Geoff Sobering, Lars Barber, Jim Nordhaus, Brad Wagner, and Don Sanford. Photo: Steve Irby
The 2025 Blokart North American Championships were held last week on the legendary Ivanpah Dry Lake in California. Known as the Cathedral of Land Sailing, Ivanpah served up classic conditions—strong wind and fast playa. The wind was shifty and puffy, much like our inland lakes in Wisconsin, demanding technical sailing and fast decision-making.
The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club was well represented, with a strong crew from the Madison area making the trek west to compete.
Results:
Aiden Schmeidlin – Performance Light, 1st
Alex Schmeidlin – Performance Light, 2nd
Don Sanford – Performance Middle, 4th
Lars Barber – Performance Middle, 5th
Wayne Schmeidlin – Performance Heavy, 4th
Jim Nordhaus – Performance Super, 1st
Geoff Sobering – Performance Super, 2nd
Brad Wagner – Performance Super, 4th
Brett Hulsey – Performance Super, 5th
Michelle Dunn – Production Light, 1st
The regatta featured 15 races across both Production and Performance fleets, with trophies awarded by weight class. Ivanpah’s tricky wind made for tight, tactical racing and provided excellent conditions for both seasoned sailors and first-time competitors.
The week before the Blokart regatta, Ivanpah also hosted the North American Land Sailing Association (NALSA) Championship. Several ice sailors competed in the Mini Skeeter class, including our own Commodore Daniel Hearn, who finished 2nd in the fleet. Other ice sailors of note included Bill Dale, who placed 6th, and Bob Cave, who finished 14th.
You can view results and media from both events at the links below:
