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

No 4LIYC Racing Dec 23-24

Today’s view of a still-unsafe Lake Kegonsa is much improved with this forecast graphic.

Bad News/Good News


There will be no 4LIYC  racing for the weekend of December 23 – 24, 2017. 

Ice checkers found only 3″ of ice on Lake Kegonsa and discovered a large goose hole near Colladay Point.
We strongly advise everyone to stay off of Lake Kegonsa because of thin ice and goose holes.

Now for the good news. Take a look at the Christmas gift of ice making weather coming our way. This is what dreams are made of for ice sailors. We will check Kegonsa’s ice on Tuesday December 26 and if it’s safe, plan on some fun scrub racing all during the Holiday week.

UPDATE: DNs ON WINGRA via Daniel Hearn: team maDisoN will be scrub racing once again this weekend on Lake Wingra in the heart of Madison. Ice remains in the same condition as last weekend, which was quite nice. Wind will be stiffer than previous weekend, this time out of the west, which is the opposite direction from last weekend (and a good direction for the shape of the lake). Forecast to be steady at 12-13 mph with gusts 16-17. Gusts easing off a bit as the afternoon progresses. Marks will be set and we’ll scrub race until we can’t pull anymore.

GRAND SLAM: Next update on our fun-regatta, the Grand Slam will be Friday, December 29. If there are conditions, we will hold the Grand Slam on December 30-31 and our annual Bloody Mary 10 lap race.

Kegonsa Ice Coming Online

Tim McCormick sends these photos of Lake Kegonsa from today and reports:

Lake Kegonsa looks promising for this weekend. We’ll check it on Friday but in the meantime assume it is NOT safe.
Sharpen your runners!

UPDATE: Please join us at Springer’s at Lake Kegonsa on Friday, December 22 at 11 AM for ice check!
If the ice checks out, the club will sail the Tune Up series on Saturday December 23 and Sunday morning, December 24. Next update will be Friday afternoon.

The Grand Slam: Stay tuned for news about our fun regatta, The Grand Slam. If we have conditions, the regatta would take place on December 30-31 on Lake Kegonsa. We’ll know more next week.

Wingra Wingers

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc0S8a8nbf3/?hl=en&taken-by=davidelsmo

Turn the sound up for this one! Wingra was again the place for DNs to be today. Via Dave Elsmo’s Facebook page:

Here is a little video from a rounding today! We had 8 college sailors show up to play, just not enough gear to get them all sailing. Bring your backup old hulls and gear to the ice!

Lake Kegonsa has iced over but it isn’t thick enough yet for ice sailing. There’s some precipitation likely Thursday, December 21 that we’ll all be keeping a weather eye on followed by prime ice-making temperatures.

The ice maker cometh!

Northwest Ice Yachting Association Update


NIYA Homepage
Via Acting NIYA Secretary Steve Schalk, documents for the 2018 NIYA regatta tentatively scheduled for January 19-21, 2018. Next update January 14, 2018.

January 19-21, 2018 is the first weekend that the regatta can be sailed IF THERE ARE CONDITIONS. The regatta will be postponed on a weekly basis until there are optimal conditions for all classes. Keep informed by visiting this website and by calling the Iceboating Regatta Message Hotline: 608-204-9876

International Skeeter Association Update

ISA Homepage
Via Acting ISA Secretary Steve Schalk, documents for the 2018 International Skeeter Association Regatta. The 2018 ISA championship is tentatively scheduled for January 12-14, 2018. Next update January 7, 2018.

January 12-14, 2018 is the first weekend that the regatta can be sailed IF THERE ARE CONDITIONS. The regatta will be postponed on a weekly basis until there are optimal conditions for all classes. Keep informed by visiting this website and by calling the Iceboating Regatta Message Hotline: 608-204-9876

Wingra First

Photo: Mike Barnett

Our littlest lake came through and provided the first opportunity for ice sailing in the Four Lakes region. Lake Wingra is in the heart of Madison near Edgewood College and our local DN fleet took full advantage in a nice breeze.

4LIYC Election Results

The Vice Commodore hunts down the Commodore on Lake Mendota.

The Commodore and Vice Commodore lead the pack.

We had a good turnout at last night’s 4LIYC meeting. Renegader Don Anderson was elected Commodore and fellow Renegader Tim McCormick was elected Vice Commodore. Jerry Simon agreed to serve as Treasurer again as well as myself as Secretary.
Many thanks to outgoing Commodore Ken Norton for all he accomplished for this club. We hosted some major regattas during his tenure and Ken was always checking ice and making sure everything ran smoothly behind the scenes. Ken is a “doer” which is what makes a successful ice yacht club. Also much gratitude to outgoing Vice Commodore Geoff Sobering who always steps up when needed. Thank you two for keeping this iceboat club one of the best around.

 

4LIYC Meeting Tonight Thursday, Dec 14!

Thursday you say?

ATTENTION ATTENTION ATTENTION
4LIYC members and friends, please join us tonight, December 14th for the second meeting of the season. Normally we meet every other Wednesday but a holiday party scheduled for last night moved our meeting to tonight. The $10 all you can eat pizza, pasta, and salad buffet will be served so you might want to arrive a bit earlier. We elect our new officers this evening.
Hope to see you all there as the season is heating up!
If you could email or text to me to let me know if you are coming, Angelo’s would appreciate a count for dinner.
4LIYC Meeting
Time: 6:30 PM
Date: Thursday, December 14, 2017
Location: Angelo’s 5801 Monona Drive Monona, WI
We meet downstairs and all are welcome.

 

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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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