DRIFTER: Now in Stereo

by | Oct 15, 2021 | 2020-2021, Home Page, ISA

DRIFTER Archives
C Skeeter Archives

Pat Heppert’s seeing double and working like a madman up in MN to get ready for the season.

Best ISA rule ever: “ 5.4 Each yacht shall carry on both sides of her hull a name, of the owner’s selection, in letters not less than 3” high, in a color contrasting to that of the hull side.” It’s an official rule, not a suggestion. But how do you go about picking a name? A proper yacht would bear the name of the owner’s spouse (like the Mary B), but these modern ice missiles are far from proper yachts, I don’t think they even float. Some pick a clever play on words relating to the cold winter (Icicle, Ice Scream, Frozen Asset). Others incorporate the boat design name (Nite Flight, Good Nite, Whizz kid, Wizzard, Cheese Whizz). Some have admitted their personality in their boat name (Instigator, Notorious, Rebel). Still others name it after their favorite things in life (see Ken Kreider).

 

So what’s with this total lack of creativity to pick a new name for the new boat. It turns out, I don’t have a choice anymore. A while ago, when in high school, I was sailing a DN that was super fun, but when it hit a snow drift, it seemed to either just stop, or hike up, or get kind of airborne. Meanwhile, Dad was right next me in his 700 lb Class E skeeter, and he would go right through the drift which would just absolutely explode into a spectacular white cloud of powder, and keep rumbling down the ice without any loss of speed.

 

So when we built my Renegade a couple years later, we had to pick a name. I thought “Drifter” because I wanted to blast through snow drifts just like Dad. Fast forward a few decades and the name kind of stuck. Every winter it seems like I am approached by multiple people who don’t really know my name, but instead ask me “Are you the Drifter?”. So I have finally come to terms with the fact that indeed I have no choice, it turns out that I am the Drifter.

 

Pat Heppert

C-Skeeter “Drifter” I-291

International Skeeter Association: 2022 Notice of Race & Dues

by | Oct 15, 2021 | Home Page, ISA


ISA DUES/MEMBERSHIP FORM

ISA HOME PAGE

International Skeeter Association (ISA) Secretary Steve Schalk has released the 2022 ISA Championship Notice of Race and Notice of Dues. Download the dues form and send it to the address provided.

INTERNATIONAL SKEETER ASSOCIATION 2022 CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA NOTICE OF RACE

DOWNLOAD IN A PDF FILE
10/2021

All races will be sailed under the rules of the National Iceboat Authority and those of the International Skeeter Association (ISA).
Date:  The Regatta will be held on January 7, 8, & 9, 2022.

Race Schedule: 

  • The first race will be at 10:00 AM local time on Friday, January 7, 2022
  • Preliminary site location will be announced by 6 p.m. CST on the Sunday prior to the regatta
  • Final call will be announced by 12 noon, C.S.T on the Wednesday prior to the regatta
  • Races will be held for A, B, C Class Skeeters, Nites and Renegades should Renegades choose to hold their national championship regatta in conjunction with the ISA Championship Regatta.
  • Nine races are scheduled for each division. Three are necessary for a complete regatta.

Postponement:

  • The Regatta will be postponed if the Northwest Ice Yachting Association Regatta is held on these dates.
  • The Race Committee may postpone the regatta or change regatta site any time prior to noon, C.S.T on the Thursday prior to the regatta.

Location:  Possible locations, in order of preference, are: East Division, Green Lake, Lake Geneva, Madison, Green Bay.

Entries:

  • Each competitor must be a current member of the ISA. Dues may be paid on the ISA website or at the regatta.
  • Entry Fee is $15.00 per yacht.

Registration:

  • Will be available at iceboat.org on the ISA page when the regatta is called ON
  • Competitors may also register at Regatta Headquarters from 8:30 A.M. to 9:30 A.M. local time on Friday, January 7, 2022.

Sailing Instructions:  Will be available on the ISA website and at the time of Registration. Awards will be given according to Part II Section 3 of The International Skeeter Association Constitution, By-Laws and Racing Rules

Geneva Lake Skeeters On The Line

by | Jul 13, 2021 | 2021-2022, Home Page, ISA

Another instance of finding a picture when looking for another one, here’s a big line-up of Skeeters on Geneva Lake at either an ISA or Northwest Regatta, sometimes in the 1980 or 1990s. If this looks familiar, drop me a line.

1948 ISA Footage

by | Jun 15, 2021 | 2021-2022, Home Page, ISA

I can find no newspaper accounts or photos from the 1948 International Skeeter Association regatta, but this 30 second YouTube clip makes up for the lack of pictures. Sailed on Fox Lake in Illinois, Elmer Millenbach won in RENEGADE II, described as a “magic” boat.  The Renegade class competed as  Class A Skeeters in the ISA regatta until 1950 when they first sailed their own championship.
Tip of the Helmet: John Eisenlohr

From “The Renegade Story.”
The non-profit association formed was to not sell plans, but to include them with first years membership dues. The first year, besides scattered memberships all over the sailing area, fleets were building in Toronto, Toledo, and Detroit. At a Detroit regatta, of 42 boats on the starting line, 22 were Renegades. My boat still did most of the winning and in our fleet we tried switching boats in “scrub races”. Whomever sailed my boat won. This seemed to impart some sort of message to some people even though I was handicapped trying to sail someone else’s boat that was set up for someone 6″ sorter than I. Less than subtle suggestions were made that I should build a new boat (according to the plans drawn up) to eliminate any “magic” inherent in Renegade II. This was of course a challenge I couldn’t refuse. I sold Renegade II at the end of the 1949 season.”
Elmer Millenbach

Getting Framed 2: Still Somewhat Confused

by | May 29, 2021 | 2020-2021, Home Page, ISA, Spaight St Syndicate


Previous: “Getting Framed”
Pat Heppert checks in with a note about his summer project, a new C Skeeter build and his continuing travails with “ACME” customer service.

Wide Hull Somewhat Explained, Still Confused

The ACME Corporation. Wide selection, instant delivery, questionable quality.

The next shipment arrived from ACME Iceboats Inc., and now it is clear why the frames for the new hull are so messed up looking. The mainsheet assembly actually is about a foot and a half wide. But it seems to have three ropes instead of just one and definitely doesn’t seem to belong on an iceboat. May have been a shipping error. So I got on the phone with customer service again, and they insist that this is what I ordered. How exactly do you expect me to deal with three ropes in the cockpit? “Well, sir, the problem is that you failed to also order our rope-less cockpit conversion upgrade”. They didn’t have pictures of this in the catalog; apparently, it is still under development and doesn’t come with a warranty. Again with the credit card, will see what shows up. But what are all three of these ropes for? “Sir, you need to pull on one of them for more power and pull on the other one for more speed.” That explains two of them, but then I asked what is the third one for? “You pull really hard on that one when you want to beat Daniel Hearn.”

Pat Heppert