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

Geneva Ice Watch

Geneva changing state.

Happy New Year from the frozen tundra of Madison, WI where the temperature has climbed from -14F to -12F since the sun came up. Most of the area webcams haven’t been functional because of the cold except for Gordy’s on Geneva Lake. You can watch Geneva turn to ice by going to Gordy’s website and clicking on the webcam link on the top right of the page.

2018 WSSA Regatta Update

Via Andy Gratton, WSSA Secretary:

Happy New Years, iceboaters!
The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to January 13 and 14.  The next update will be Sunday, January 7.  Check back here or call the Iceboat Hotline 608-204-9876.  Lake Winnebago has more than 12″ of ice but the snow drifts are rock hard.

Pictures of the Year

The fine folks at the Toledo Ice Yacht Club were out in force yesterday on Maumee Bay. Wayne Mckinney was there and shot these eye catching photos.  That’s the KAY E BARKER, an 11,948 ton “bulk discharging carrier.” But wait, that’s not just any Great Lakes Freighter, she’s captained by none other than Eric Sawyer, who also skippers the Class A stern steerer, MICHIGANDER.
UPDATE: Yes, according to Eric’s dad, Chip, he was at the helm yesterday and that “he watched the boats sailing as he entered Toledo.”

Photo by Gretchen Dorian. Eric Sawyer’s MICHIGANDER at the 2016 Northwest Regatta on Lake Monona, Madison, WI

Mendota Report 12-20-2017

First of all, there will be no Bloody Mary Classic sailing on New Year’s Day because of the cold temperatures.

Some intrepid 4LIYC ice checkers including Don Anderson, Don Sanford, and Scott Goetz, braved the bitter conditions on Lake Mendota’s west end, Middleton Bay this morning. They found 5″ of hard, smooth ice covered in less than one inch of snow. Don said the sheet looked sailable.

There’s talk of a coming outbreak of the iceboat flu and taking a day off a day of work to sail during the coming week if the temperatures moderate. Stay tuned.

 

No 4LIYC Racing Dec 30-31, However….

ENTERPRISE on Kegonsa, oil on canvas by Harry Whitehorse Note the old Sunnyside (now Springer’s) on the shore.

There will be no 4LIYC racing December 30-31. Commodore Don Anderson and a large group of ice checkers (and lunch eaters) confirmed that Lake Kegonsa is covered with hard snow drifts, some up to 5″. The drifting and Saturday’s brutally cold temperatures made it an easy decision.

The group will reassemble on Middleton Bay tomorrow, Saturday, 30 at 11 AM at the Captain Bill’s landing. Don walked on Middleton Bay yesterday and thought the ice looked good (except for one goose hole), If there are sailing conditions, club members are tentatively planning on setting up boats there Sunday, December 31 for a day of scrub racing followed by the Bloody Mary Classic 10-lapper race on January 1 with more scrub racing. If you would like to help check ice, please be at Captain Bill’s tomorrow at 11 AM.

Next update will be tomorrow, Saturday, January 30.

 

Gladstone Ice

The fleet at Escanaba, MI is growing and it’s no wonder with ice like this in Little Bay de Noc. Via Terry Reynolds

Drone pictures and video done at 1330 EST December 26 at Gladstone, Michigan. Ice depth at that time 5 inches. The video [not shown in these pictures-Deb] shows areas of open water within the ice fields. The ice field extends all the way to Escanaba lighthouse. Isolated areas of open water do exist from the Terrace hotel to the Escanaba light house. Drone and photos/video courtesy of Rick Elrod.

Grand Slam & Weekend Update

Lake Monona on Dec 27, 2017. Downloaded from vertical_granite on Instagram.

The Grand Slam fun-regatta has been cancelled for December 30-31 because of the frostbite inducing temperatures. It’s just too cold to race.
Club members are checking Lake Kegonsa on Friday, Dec 29 to get an idea of thickness and ice surface conditions.  If you’d like to join them, or watch them check ice while you enjoy a nice lunch inside, be at Springer’s at 11 AM. They may also check Lake Monona.

 

You Know It’s Cold When…

Via Jim Cambell’s Facebook page. Nite sailing on Christmas Day. 

..It’s Too Cold to Iceboat! 
We had planned on checking Lake Kegonsa ice conditions today, but wiser heads who want to keep warm are prevailing. The temperature of 1F at noon is keeping us off the lake.
Commodore Don Anderson will set up his Renegade there on Thursday when the temperatures will soar to 15F so we can get an idea of conditions.

GRAND SLAM FUN REGATTA & BLOODY MARY CLASSIC UPDATE: We’ll assess Lake Kegonsa and have the final decision about the Grand Slam posted on Friday, December 29th if not sooner. The Grand Slam is a fun two day regatta that is tentatively scheduled to take place December 30-31, 2017.

Buckstaff Recommends the “Iron Fireman”

At -7F in Madison, Wisconsin this morning, we’re all thankful for a good home furnace!
From back when ice sailors had endorsement deals, we present the legendary Oshkosh sailor John Buckstaff’s ad for a coal burning furnace. (Tip of the Helmet: Mike Peters)
Buckstaff’s most famous ad was for Camel cigarettes, below.

Online Ship’s Store

Regatta Dates 2025

Subscribe

Enter your email address to subscribe to iceboat.org and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 284 other subscribers

National Iceboat Authority Web Page



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

YOU ARE SKIPPER NUMBER

Web Analytics

TO ROUND THE MARK SINCE NOVEMBER 1999.



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.

Search