Eight Bells: Tim McCormick

Peter, Tim, and Greg McCormick on Lake Kegonsa, March 2023

OBITUARY INFORMATION
Visitation & Funeral

11 AM Friday, March 15, 2024
Monona Terrace and Convention Center
1 John Nolen Dr.
Madison, WI 53703
The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club mourns the loss of our esteemed member, Tim McCormick, who passed away early this morning after a prolonged illness.

As news of Tim’s passing spreads, I wrote this post during and after the annual meeting of the DN class in Waconia, MN, and asked Ron Sherry for some comments. He remarks, “We lost an icon of the iceboating community who has won International Skeeter Association and Northwest Regatta Renegade titles, was a great class representative, and helped to grow the sport. Ha has served as our secretary-treasurer of the National Iceboat Authority since Jane Pegel retired and has done an outstanding job of taking iceboating in the future.” On a more personal note, I have fond memories of being able to spend time with Tim, his brother Andy, and cousin Peter last March on Lake Kegonsa, Tim’s last time ice sailing.

We extend our deepest condolences to Tim’s family and friends during this difficult time. More information will be shared as it becomes available.

UPDATE: The ice sailing community is posting tributes and condolences to Tim on the 4LIYC Facebook page. Jane Pegel emailed this last night: “The iceboating community will have a difficult time finding someone to replace Tim McCormick. He was outstanding both on the race course and the time-he devoted to the National Iceboat Authority .
With respect, Jane Pegel”

Friendly Reminder – 4LIYC Meeting Tonight @ 4LYC

Renegades on Lake Monona. Photo: Mike Ripp

UPDATE: This is our last meeting of the season. Don’t miss out!
Join us tonight at the Four Lakes Yacht Club celebrate our club members’ recent achievements at the Northwest Regatta. Please join us in-person tonight Wednesday at the Four Lakes Yacht Club at 6:30 PM on March 6, 2024 Let’s celebrate our club members’ recent achievements at the Northwest Regatta.

4LIYC NIYA Results
Ken Whitehorse’s E Skeeter Championship,
Doug Kolner 2nd Place Renegade
Mike Bloom 2nd place and Bob Cummins’ 3rd place in the DN fleet.

The club will provide pizza and drinks for everyone to enjoy as we celebrate the achievements of our members.

WHAT TO KNOW:
4LIYC MEETING
Date: Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Four Lakes Yacht Club
6312 Inland Way, Monona, WI
Parking: There is a public parking ramp across the street from the Yacht Club

Balancing Act: Navigating Tongue Weight at the Current Fast Champions Ice Boat Shop

It took half the race committee to move the trailer at the DN North Americans.

During the recent Northwest regatta and 2024 DN North American Championship on Lake Waconia in Waconia, MN, attendees who had the task of maneuvering the DN Western Region ATV trailer on the ice might have felt like they were steering the Titanic due to its hefty tongue weight. However, despite its weight, the trailer was a dream to tow and allowed me to improve my trailer-backing skills. Nevertheless, the necessity for maneuverability on the ice outweighed the benefits of towing ease, prompting a visit to the Current Fast Champions Ice Boat Shop (formerly known as the Past Champions Ice Boat Shop) for further customization and weight reduction.
CFCIBS Wrench-Turner Ken Whitehorse reports:

The tongue weight on DN Western Region trailer was 400 lbs ! That’s like throwing a 55 gal drum of water in the back of you car! Yikes! Hope you DN racers don’t need this next week! The Current Champs Shop is kinda busy swapping out old used air for new air in trailers tires this month!

Tale of the scale.

The Current Fast Champions crew found their runner-sharpening halted by an open-wheel midget racing car that had rolled into the shop.

Luckily, they were able to access the big machine.

Regatta Watch: ISA & WSSA Postponed Until Dec 2024

Photo: Shane Lewis – Silverfoxviz – See all Northwest photos here

INTERNATIONAL SKEETER ASSOCIATION REGATTA
The ISA Race Committee has postponed the 2024 Regatta to December 2024. We will be looking for perfect early season ice like we had at Battle Lake Minnesota in 2018.

Steve Schalk

Secretary/Treasurer

International Skeeter Association

WISCONSIN STERN STEERERS ASSOCIATION

The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to December, 2024. Unfortunately this was a short season chasing thin ice. Being optimists, iceboaters always look forward to next season.

Andy Gratton

WSSA Secretary/Treasurer

The Neighborhood Just Got Better


PREVIOUS: There Goes the Neighborhood
The next door neighbor of iceboat.org made some improvements on their building on the Monday after the Northwest regatta.. Greg Whitehorse was there to help and document the change.

It was a busy day at the Past Champions Iceboat Shop in Monona, Wisconsin. Ken WhiteHorse captured the Northwestern Class A Skeeter Championship last weekend on Minnesota’s Lake Waconia, 47 years after capturing that same title in 1977(!!!). You do,after all, have to keep things “Current”.

2024 Northwest Regatta – A Note of Thanks

Photo: Shane Lewis – Silverfoxviz

See all of Shane Lewis – Silverfoxviz photos here.

The Northwestern Ice Yachting Association Championship Regatta came to a successful conclusion on Sunday February 25th 2024.
As Regatta Chairman and Secretary/Treasurer and competitor, I have many people to thank and acknowledge for the success of the event.
My number one support was Pat Heppert who drove all over Minnesota sailing potential ice sheets, and then set marks at the crack of dawn every day and moved them throughout the event as the wind moved around. He started most races and called numbers as well.
Thanks to the DN Western Region who let us use their ATV and trailer for the whole event.
Thanks to everyone who helped set, pick, move and reset the starting blocks and safety zone markers. Colton Hibbard got to learn the trade at his very first regatta.
Thanks to Deb Whitehorse for her usual efficiency in getting the data down right through all the weather changes and course moves, also instantly posting notices of all changes we made. Thanks to Ann Foeller for setting up the tabulating file and Mary Jane for completing that file and tabulating Saturday. Thanks to Julie Jankowski for monitoring the windward mark throughout. Thanks to the rest of the race committee for splitting the workload and making timely decisions.
I want to especially acknowledge the participation of Paul Kreuger and John Davis, who are still racing hard in all conditions at the ages of 84 and 80 respectively. They are perfect examples of the competitors who built and maintained this sport that we all love.

Steve Schalk
NIYA Secretary/Treasurer