The great thing about the Western Challenge is that Lake Christina is a day’s drive from Glasgow, Montana, home of photographer Sean Heavey.
He sends his apologies for not getting everyone because he spent a lot of time practicing flying the new drones and figuring out to cover the action with them. See the photos here.
Skip Dieball and Chad Atkins get ready to push off.
Bright sunshine, moderately light winds, and reasonably hard ice made for a perfect first day on the ice at Lake Christina. Marks were set, and laps were run. We had just a dusting of snow in Battle Lake overnight, and we expect moderate wind and temperatures. “Father Nature shows up around noon and we’ll go from there.” Photos from Thursday, 2 December, 2021 on Lake Christina near Ashby, MN.
It’s on. Picture from Lake Christina near Ashby, MN n Sunday, November 28, 2021.
DECEMBER 1: UPDATE: Final confirmation. Regatta is called ON. Via John Dennis, the Western Challenge is called on for Lake Christina in Ashby, MN December 3 – 5, 2021. The Western Challenge is a an informal tune-up fun regatta for DNs.
What: Western Challenge
Date: December 3 – 5, 2021
Where: Lake Christina in Ashby, MN
Lodging: Recommended nearest Battle Lake, Minnesota
Battle Lake Inn and Suites (almost full, no vacancies for Friday night)
102 Glenhaven Dr, Battle Lake, MN 56515
+12188622500
Bonnie Beach Resort
20341 Bonnie Beach Road
Battle Lake, MN 56515
$175 night 3 bedrooms, (sleeps 4) with kitchen
218-864-5534
The Hideaway at Xanadu Island
35484 235th St, Battle Lake, MN 56515
+12188648096
The Otter
306 MN-78, Ottertail, MN 56571
+12183672525
The big boats are Thinking Ice. Via WSSA Secretary Andy Gratton, here’s the 2022 newsletter.
Iceboaters are problem solvers, and Andy Gratton is one of the best. Based upon his experience at Lake Christina near Ashby, MN, last season, Andy figured out a way to make it easier to ferry a Renegade up and down a steep bank. Having “lifted hulls up and down banks one too many times,” he built a helpful device that easily picks up a Renegade hull.
“The crane will easily pick a Renegade (or perhaps a C skeeter hull.) It has a pick point about 11 feet aft of the trailer axle. I think that will do for getting the hulls over the bank we were using last year. As you can see from the photos, the slings and spreader bar works well for a Renegade hull. Both slings are the same length.”
And now for something completely different, via Daniel Hearn at the Spaight Street Syndicate.
The World According to Dash
If you’re like me, time always seems to run short when you’re prepping for the first regatta of the season. So, when nature calls, “ain’t nobody got time for dat.” Well, fret no more! Just get yourself a combo rolling work bench/changing station, like my Pappy’s, and do what I do. Drop that deuce right in your pants. Faster than a Struble start, you’ll be back at it before your runner even cools. Critical Hack–Make sure your sanitation engineer clears the bench of any carbon fiber dust. That can be very unpleasant on a fella’s bum.
National Iceboat Authority Web Page
Location: In person at the Elks Lodge 711 Jenifer St, Madison, WI 53703
Time: 6:30 PM
YOU ARE SKIPPER NUMBER
TO ROUND THE MARK SINCE NOVEMBER 1999.
