Photo: Rob Resnick Revelations of Design
The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to January 10 and 11, 2026. The next update will be Sunday, January 4. Check back here at that time. Happy New Year.
Andy Gratton
WSSA Secretary/Treasurer
While we wait for ice, here’s a small history lesson. The American Legion on Lake Winnebago at Oshkosh (now The Waters) seen here with the stern steerer DEUCE rigged on the ice. The Legion hosted and sponsored ice yacht regattas, including the Army–Navy races. Photo from the Carl Bernard collection.
With the Army–Navy football game played yesterday, some old newspaper clippings surfaced that report on another Army–Navy rivalry, this one on ice.
In the 1930s, the Oshkosh Ice Yacht Club hosted an annual Army vs. Navy ice yacht race, sponsored by the American Legion. One clipping, from January 1935, describes a decisive Army victory sailed in rough conditions, heavy snow cover, strong northwesterly winds, and difficult ice.
The American Legion’s striking white building on Lake Winnebago, now The Waters, served as regatta headquarters for many events.
It’s perfect weather here at -7F in the Four Lakes area this morning and Lake Mendota is steaming like hell. Check out the Mendota Today live-cam to watch some ice making.
Tip of the Helmet: Henry Boshkossett
Stern Steerer sailor Andy Gratton checked in from Lake Winnebago with a note and a surprise. His wife Ann was cleaning the attic and found an oversized coloring book from 1976, price tag still on it, 88 cents. Along with a spread of historical scenes, it includes this DN drawing. Andy added that Winnebago “got too much snow. The ice was looking really nice on Monday. Drats!”
Their attic discovery sparked an idea, so here are a few quickly AI generated ROSEMARY and WISCONSIN coloring-book pages.
Stern-Steerers at the 2025 Northwest- Photo by Rob Resnick
The Wisconsin Stern Steerer Association remains an active class dedicated to racing and preserving the original iceboats. They are ready for a full season on the ice, and their latest newsletter is now available online.
2025 Northwest. Photo – Jim Stevenson
Iceboat club secretaries and treasurers, take note! It’s time to send in your Northwestern Ice Yachting Association 2025–26 club dues. Details in the PDF.
From Great Lakes freighters to iceboats on Lake Monona, Captain Erik Sawyer keeps the season going year-round aboard MICHIGANDER. Photo by Gretchen Dorian.
Erik Sawyer likes big boats, whether he is at the helm of a Great Lakes freighter or behind the wheel of his magnificent modern Stern Steerer, MICHIGANDER. Fellow Stern Steerer sailor and WSSA Secretary Andy Gratton recently toured the Soo Locks and was surprised to spot a photo of his friend Erik, recognized as the captain of the first ship to arrive at the Soo Locks for the 2025 shipping season on March 21. Perfect timing, right around when the ice went out. Andy and his wife Ann left a note for all to see, proudly pointing out that this captain also commands on the hardwater.
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.
