Welcome to iceboat.org

The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club is one of the most active iceboat clubs in North America. We’ve been building and racing iceboats for over 100 years in Madison, Wisconsin, USA.

Ice Is Never 100% Safe.

Our ice reports are strictly for iceboat racers. Recreational iceboaters, kite boarders, cross country skiers, and ice fishermen should not rely on our ice reports. We have safety equipment. Do you?

Buy or Sell Your Iceboat

One of the best pages in North America to buy or sell iceboats and their parts. There’s also a complete list of vendors who will supply iceboats, sails, and their components.

Common Questions:

How can I get started? How fast can they go? How much do they cost? Is it safe?

Regatta Watch

Information about the ISA, NIYA, WSSA, Nite, and DN regattas.

Iceboat Classes

Learn about Skeeters, DNs, Stern Steerers, Renegades, Nites, and Ice Optimists.

The Rules.

The purpose of iceboat racing rules is to prevent collisions.

Ice Yacht Clubs

The best way to learn about iceboating and make life long friendships is to join a local club.

Why We Sail.

“If all our ice were glass, slightly wet, and all our air reasonably steady with lifters just where needed, sailing would be perfect. Sometimes we do find this, and it is worth waiting years to have. Meanwhile we must accept the more ordinary ice conditions, ordinary weather and wind, and gracefully accept snow, sometimes for weeks. Our ideal comes from time to time, the Great Maker gives only so much of the very best.” Charles H. Johnson.

Iceboating for Kids

Ice Optimists were created specifically as a youth trainer, designed to be easily built using commonly available materials, and to keep costs to a minimum.

UPCOMING:
It’s Building Season!
4LIYC Meeting : November 2025

4LIYC Shipstore: Order custom iceboat shirts, hats, and gear. More information.
BURGEE:
 Order your 4LIYC Burgee
Pay Your Dues Online

2019 4LIYC Awards Banquet

UPDATE 22 APRIL: The reservation deadline has passed.
Please join us as we celebrate the end of another iceboat racing season with our good friends at Springer’s on Lake Kegonsa.
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2019
Time: Social Hour 5:00, Dinner 6:30

When The Ice Becomes A Boat

Semantically, it qualifies!

When the ice is no longer sailable. A different kind of iceboat experience on Kegonsa March 19, 2019.
Eric Kerlow

Skeeter Shop Mast Repair


Monday was a busy day for Ken Whitehorse and Paul Krueger at the Skeeter shop. Via Ken Whitehorse:

Work continues. Had much trouble pulling halyard and sail up. Went to Menards and got the ACME mast tube clean-out reamer.Some assembly needed. Kit included a 3/8ths 4ft long threaded rod and 2 30 ft long heavy galvanized wire. This allowed for two people to seesaw the barbed rod and thus ream out the glue in the mast tube. Also 180 psi of air helped! Smooth sailing now. Will bring the ACME mast tube roto -roorter to the meeting so other iceboaters can borrow.

Regatta Watch: WSSA Cancelled For the Season

The season is over for the Wisconsin Stern Steerers Association. Here’s the Stern Steerer kid to help give the season a send-off.

Regrettably the Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been cancelled for this season. Perhaps there will be some early ice in December that might allow us to race for the 2019 season. In the meantime you have all summer to fix those nagging problems, or for some of us, to finish the new boat so it is ready for early ice. Keep your runners sharp!
Andy Gratton
WSSA Secretary/Treasurer

Have You Seen Our Marks?


Our 4LIYC marks have gone missing. They were last seen in their florescent round storage bags on the ATV trailer on Kegonsa Sunday, March 17. Perhaps someone took them by mistake. If you have them, please get in touch.

2019 Nite Nationals Wrap Up & Photo Gallery

Nite Nationals Gold Fleet Champion, Tom Nordlie 560              Photo: Rick Myslinski

Results

Congratulations to all competitors who hung tough during a week of warm temperatures and rain leading up to the regatta. Many thanks to co- PROs Doug Kolner and Pat Heppert for setting courses, dropping starting blocks, and keeping things running efficiently. Thanks Grant Frautschi and Lars Barber for making the drive to Kegonsa every day before the regatta to check the landings and ice. Thanks to Nite officers John Hayashi (Mimi too!), Mike Peters, Maureen Bohleber, and Don Sanford for their help. Thanks to Steve and Mary Jane Schalk for staffing the off-shore scoring office from Fontana, WI. Thanks to Daniel Hearn for the use of the DN Western Region ATV, marks, and equipment. Thanks to the members of 4LIYC for their continued strong support for the sport of iceboat racing by ensuring the Nite regatta had the best course. And finally, thanks to everyone who jumped into action on Sunday to help take the trailers off the ice when the landing deteriorated. Watching the ingenuity and cooperation was truly iceboating at its finest!

Keeping ‘er movin…

Photos: Rick Myslinski

Nite Nats Day 2: AM Report

Photo: Tim Stanton

Results

The flag dropped at 9:10 AM Saturday and the Nites were able to complete 3 races in each fleet before the wind shut down and the ice became crusty. Racing begins at 9 AM this morning. Time to head to the lake and see what the day brings!

Nite Nats Day 1: AM Report

Nites & 4LIYC Skeeters and Renegades on Lake Kegonsa

Good morning from Four Lakes, site of the 2019 Nite Nationals. Doug Kolner, Pat Hepper, and I are lending a hand as Race Committee for the regatta. Temperatures are below freezing this morning which has tightened up the ice. Mary Jane Schalk will handle the tabulating duties from Skeeter Haven in Fontana, WI. If you’d like to follow along, check out this link for updated scores during the day.
http://dniceboat.org/isaniya/2019NiteNationals.htm

Naming Rights

The Horse With No Name.

Attention Nite National sailors and 4LIYC members: During this weekend’s regatta and club racing, Ken Whitehorse is holding a mini-fund raiser for the Mary B Stern Steerer Foundation by giving you a chance to help name his new Skeeter (formerly Bob Kau’s Skeeter). For only $1, you can suggest a name for the blue Skeeter and all the money will go to support the Mary B Stern-Steerer Foundation. See Ken on the ice this weekend for more information.

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Regatta Dates 2025

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Click for 4LIYC Meeting Dates

2024-2025

  • January 2 THURSDAY Honor Roll Nominations
  • January 15 Deadline for By-Law or Racing Rules Amendment Submission
  • January 29
  • February 12 Business Meeting 
  • February 26
  • March 12 Last Meeting of the Season

Location: In person at the Elks Lodge 711 Jenifer St, Madison, WI 53703

Time: 6:30 PM

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Lake Access Permits

A year-round permit required for designated launch sites in the City of Madison and Dane County Parks. Locations include:

    • Lake Mendota Warner Park Mendota County Park
    • Lake Monona Tonyawatha Tr. Olin Park
    • Lake Waubesa Goodland Park

Purchase Lake Access Permit Online.

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