4LIYC Ice Check Friday Jan 4


4LIYC members, if you are interested in checking ice on Kegonsa, please meet at Springer’s on Friday, January 4, 2019 at 11 AM.
I walked a bit of Kegonsa on Tuesday and was surprised to see a lot of grey ice. The rain that preceded the snow on Monday caused the snow to wet out and turn into slush. The lake was in a changing state –  with slush freezing over a thin layer of water.  Kegonsa is definitely worth checking for weekend club racing. Next update Friday, January 4, 2019.

4LIYC Sailing Update: No Racing for Jan 1

The 4LIYC Bloody Mary Eye Opener Trophy – Ready for 2020

There will be no 4LIYC Holiday Series racing for Tuesday, January 1, 2019. We are hopeful that the weather system coming through today will either improve or have no negative effect on Kegonsa. Next 4LIYC racing update, Friday, January 4, 2019.

 

Regatta Watch: WSSA Postponed

2018 WSSA on Pewaukee Lake.

Via Wisconsin Stern Steerers Association Secretary/Treasurer Andy Gratton:

The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to January 12 and 13, 2019. The next update will be Sunday, January 6, 2019. Check back here at that time. Note that there is 10″ to 12″ of smooth ice on an area of Lake Petenwell.

Kegonsa 30 December 2018: Spaight St. Syndicate Championship

Footage from today’s historic Spaight Street Syndicate Global Championships on Lake Kegonsa.
Kegonsa has provided a decent venue for DN scrub racing so far – providing you sail and keep close with those who have local knowledge of areas to keep clear of. The next few days of cold temperatures should help to heal the seams on Kegonsa.
Watch Geoff Sobering’s Lake Kegonsa drone video from Saturday.

There’s a mixed precipitation weather system coming through on Monday that NOAA reports “.. is a very complicated forecast and the details will most certainly change over the next 24 hours, so remain alert and flexible and keep up with the forecast.”  Tuesday and Wednesday night’s low temperatures look very promising for Monona and Mendota because both are clean slates, having frozen and opened back up again. Stay tuned!

Happy Ending in Duluth


Earlier this week, there was an enjoyable story on the Duluth Tribune website about area ice sailors who took advantage of a snow-less December to sail Superior Bay. “Nice ice for sailing on Superior Bay” featured a boat called the “Hog Island Express”.

“Everybody around here builds their own boats… I think I spent $50 total building the Hog Island Express,” Hom said, noting the name comes from the island along the Superior side of the harbor. That’s where Hom found the huge white pine up on shore. He floated it back to Park Point, eventually had it milled and used part of the lumber for the ice boat.

A storm came through on Thursday ending their season and almost sent the iceboats drifting away.

Thursday a neighbor called Strange to tell him “Your boat is leaving.” With the help of friends and neighbors, and using plastic barrels for flotation and a long rope, Strange rescued his and another person’s ice boats.

Thankfully, the outcome was a happy one. They did a safe and commendable job rescuing the boats. Take look the pictures here.