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

Bring It On

The Skeeters are back on Lake Pepin this weekend to bring it on for the Northwest, including this boat, Jim Gluek’s A Skeeter Merlin. A Jim McDonagh video production.

 

Northwest ON for Jan 18-20 @ Lake Pepin MN

Provisional Results
During the regatta, Mary Jane Schalk will be continually uploading Northwest fleet results like she did for the ISA. Check the link often because she tabulates after every race. In the meantime, check out the list of competitors at the Results link.

Notice of Race
Sailing Instructions

Notice – Finishing Method Update for the NIYA Regatta
Please note that the finishing procedure for the One Design classes (DN and Renegade) and the Skeeter Classes must conform to their respective rules per the NIYA By-Laws. Since all of those Classes currently specify use of the Bart rule, that method will be used for 2019 and future NIYA Regattas. The Bart rule method of finish will not be used for the A, B, C, and D class Stern Steerers sailing in their combined race.

Weather Underground PWS KMNLAKEC11

LAUNCH
Roschen Park.

SAILING AREA – WHAT TO KNOW
There’s a fairly obvious pressure ridge about 1/3 of a mile south of the launch. Do not sail to the Willows because of open water. There’s about a  2 mile x 2 mile sailing area. Don’t go wandering off!
MAP

LODGING:
THE WILLOWS:
Willows on the River Condominium Resort
100 Central Point Road
Lake City, MN 55041
1-651-345-9900
Website
Map
When making reservations you must tell them you are with the ISA regatta.
IMPORTANT: Must call the hotel directly at 651-345-9900 to get discount. No Expedia.

    • Single condo rooms sleep 1 – 4.
      Thursday is $125.00, Friday and Saturday are $87.50.
    • Double rooms sleep 6 -8.
      Thursday is $205.00 with Friday and Sat. $127.50.

AMERICINN
Website
1615 N Lakeshore Drive Lake City, Minnesota
651.345.5611.
2 Queen room (no view) 89.90 + tx.
Single queen with a view $89.90 = tx.
2 queen handicap $89.90 + tx.
2 single King $99.90+ tx.
Suite with 1 king and 1 queen separate rooms $109.90 + tx.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, January 18:
8:30 – 9:30 AM Registration at the launch
10 AM First race
Order of Rotation:
See Sailing Instructions for more detail.

  1. DN
  2. Renegade
  3. E Skeeter
  4. A, B, C, D Stern Steerers
  5. ISA B & C Skeeters

6 PM Annual NIYA  Meeting at the AmericInn
NIYA AGENDA

Saturday, January 19
9:30 AM First race
Banquet at the Lake House Restaurant at the Willows.
6:30 PM  cocktails
7:00 PM dinner and order off the menu.

Sunday, January 20
9:30 AM First Race

Regatta Watch: WSSA Postponed

The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to January 26 and 27. The Northwest Ice Yacht Association regatta has been called on for January 18 to 20, that regatta takes precedence. Further WSSA updates will be posted January 20.
Andy Gratton
WSSA Secretary

The 1901 Minnesota Ice War


50 racing Stern-Steers and an ice harvesting business around Lake Calhoun were not a good mix back in 1901. Read the whole story, “Competition on the ice” from the Southwest Journal.

The people took matters into their own hands. They poured kerosene oil on the ice. The Cedar Lake Ice Company retaliated by laughing that those responsible would simply have to pay more for their unspoiled ice in the summer. And when that didn’t stop them, the ice company started spreading ashes on the ice tracks used by the ice boaters.

2019 Renegade Championship: The Prizes

2019 Renegade Championship Regatta
January 11-13, 2019
Lake Pepin, Lake City, MN
Photos: Greg McCormick
2019 Renegade Championship Results

2019 ISA: The Prizes

2019 International Skeeter Association Regatta
January 11-13, 2019
Lake Pepin, Lake City, MN
Photos: Julie Jankowski
2019 ISA Results

2019 ISA & Renegade Championship: Now, the Thanks

Photo: Steve Brown

It took a cooperative effort to make the ISA a success. Thanks go to the following:

John Dennis & Jim McDonaugh: Ice checking, course setting, race starting
Steve Schalk: ISA Secretary/Treasurer, course setting, flagging, and anything else that needed doing.
Jason Thompson & the rest of the SIBC sailors who helped in any way asked.
Mary Jane Schalk: Off site tabulation. She published race results at a blazing speed, even before the sailors had a chance to walk over to look at the line up sheets to see how they finished! She also contacted the hotels and arranged the banquet.
Julie Jankowski: Facebook video and photo updates which were much appreciated around the world.
Steve Brown: Lake City resident and licensed drone pilot who shared his videos and pictures with all of us.
Don Sanford: Flagging, race starting
Wayne Schmeidlin (Wayne’s Automotive on Cottage Grove Road, Madison) and his son, Adam, who not only tuned up our ATV but made sure my car was in good shape to haul it. We would not have had as many races without an ATV in good working condition.
The people of Lake City, Minnesota who welcomed ice boaters for the second weekend in a row. It’s heartening to see them come to the landing to see what we are up to, ask questions, and take pictures.
All four fleets for always being lined up and ready to race as soon as the last boat crossed the finish line.

 

2019 ISA & Renegade Championship: First, the Congratulations

Lake Pepin’s titanium-hard ice provided one of the best ISA and Renegade Championships seen in years. The Renegades and A Skeeters had 7 races each which the B and C Skeeters and the Nites had 6, that’s a 26 race regatta, folks!  Stay tuned for more photos and some well deserved thank yous.
Final Results
Congratulations to all who participated and to the fleet champions:
A Skeeter: John Dennis, Windjammers Ice Yacht Club
B Skeeter: Jason Thompson, Skeeter Iceboat Club
C Skeeter: Pat Heppert, Skeeter Iceboat Club
Renegade: George Gerhardt, Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club, Oshkosh Ice Yacht Club
Nite: Maureen Krueger Bohleber, Green Lake Ice Yacht Club & Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club

A special congratulations to Nite Class champion Maureen Krueger Bohleber who made history as the first woman to ever win an ISA fleet championship.

Nite Class winners (with Nite Commodore Don Sanford far left) from left: 2nd Mike Peters, 1st Maureen Krueger Bohleber, 3rd Drew Vandervelde, 4th Peter Vandervelde    Photo: Julie Jankowski

 

WSSA Regatta Tentatively Called On for Jan 19-20

The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association annual regatta is tentatively called on for January 19 and 20 at Lake Petenwell between Necedah and Wisconsin Rapids. Final confirmation will be on Thursday, January 17. Note that the Northwest Regatta takes precedence. There is 14″ of ice at the launch site with 12″ to 13″ in the area we plan to sail.

Andy Gratton
WSSA Secretary

Online Ship’s Store

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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