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Mosquito Season Comes Early
Mosquito Season Comes Early
By Pat HeppertDespite the vast postponing of most regattas due to warm weather this weekend, the first annual “Minnesota Mini-skeeter Mayhem” regatta was completed as scheduled on 2/3/24. The warm humid weather sure does bring out the skeeters! The small fleet size of three Minnesota boats, piloted by Bruce Wegger, Tom Kvale and Pat Heppert were fully dialed in and wound up around a 0.5 mile course on tiny Lake Riley, Eden Prairie, MN. The small lake size in a metro area seriously did make for a lot of tactical decisions with plenty of shifts, gusts, and shoreline effects, which was super fun. The mini-skeeters shared the course concurrently with about 10 boats total from around the lake including DN’s, Nite, JX-14, and Skimmer. The PRO, race committee chairman and venue provider John Bushey took great care in ensuring a safe, fair competition among a competitive fleet. The 12” of flat black ice with zero obstacles stayed hard until 2 PM, which was plenty sufficient to get the regatta completed in one day. Boat speeds were so blazingly fast that I thought the loud “crack” I heard was me breaking the sound barrier, but it turned out to be a broken bulkhead apparently from builder error. No problem, kept sailing. The scoring team had incredible difficulty writing finishing numbers at the speed and tight formation of this group, but the conclusion of the day was that everybody was a winner, and the trophy awarding is being held off until next year.
Renegade B Roll
During the nationally televised Purdue v Wisconsin basketball game yesterday, Greg McCormick glided across the screen in his Renegade sailing on Lake Monona.
Regatta Watch: ISA & Northwest Postponed
Rob Evans sails his A Class Skeeter on Lake Monona, January 15, 2022. Photo: Joe Berger
NORTHWEST:
The NIYA is postponed one week to February 16th, 17th, and 18th 2024. Colder weather returning The week of the 12th should provide one or more viable locations.Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
Northwestern Ice Yachting Association
ISA:
The ISA Regatta is postponed to February 16th, 17th, and 18th, 2024. Colder temperatures the week of February 12th will allow for multiple locations to become available.Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
International Skeeter Association
No 4LIYC Racing for Feb 3 – 4
No Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club racing this weekend, February 3 – 4, 2024.
We will wait for some colder temperatures to return.
This is Deb – posting while on the road in Latvia to Estonia for the 2024 DN World Championship. Stay tuned for reports.
Regatta Watch: 2024 ISA & NIYA Postponed to Feb 9-11
Greg McCormick
The Northwest and International Skeeter Association & Renegade Championship Race Committees have postponed for one week to February 9th, 10th, and 11th, 2024. Both Committees determined that the high temperatures, sun, and lack of overnight freezing will make the ice too soft for acceptable regatta conditions. The presence of plenty of ice that should stay in place until colder weather arrives gives us a good chance coming later in February.
Steve Schalk
NIYA & ISA Secretary/Treasurer
Regatta Watch: 2024 WSSA Postponed to Feb 17-18
The 2024 Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to February 17 and 18. The next update will be Sunday, February 11. Check back here at that time. The Northwest Ice Yacht Association regatta takes precedence.
Andy Gratton
WSSA Secretary/Treasurer
Waconia PUFFER
Link to Video
Speaking of Lake Waconia, here’s Jim McDonagh’s video from Sunday, January 28, 2024 on Lake Waconia in Minnesota sailing the B Skeeter PUFFER.
Regatta Watch: WSSA Called ON for Feb 3 – 4 @ Lake Waconia, MN
The 2024 Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been tentatively called on for February 3 and 4. The site selected is Waconia, MN. Final confirmation will be made by 1 PM Thursday, February 1. Check back here after that time. If the Northwest Ice Yacht Association has scheduled their regatta for the same weekend, that regatta takes precedence.
Andy Gratton
WSSA Secretary/Treasurer
Regatta Watch: Northwest AND ISA Called ON for Feb 2-4 on Lake Waconia, MN
Ken Whitehorse / Photo: Dave Delap
A Regatta Watch two-for-one tonight:
The Northwest Ice Yachting Association Regatta is called on for Lake Waconia, Minnesota for February 2nd, 3rd and 4th, 2024. The final call will be made by noon on Wednesday January 31st.
The International Skeeter Association and Renegade Championship are also called on for the same location and date. If the Northwest is called on Wednesday, the ISA & Renegade Championship will be postponed. If the Northwest postpones on Wednesday, the ISA Race Committee will determine if the ISA & Renegade Championship can proceed or be postponed. That decision will be announced at noon on Wednesday January 31st as well.
Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
NIYA & ISA
DNs, Nites & Renegade Photos from Dave Delap
Chris Berger US5166
Dave has shared another batch of photos with us, shot on Sunday, January 21 on Lake Monona. Thank you, Dave. You can find his work on Instagram under his handle, @aspiring_astro_boy.
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4LIYC Governing Documents
Click for 4LIYC Meeting Dates
- 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
TO ROUND THE MARK SINCE NOVEMBER 1999.
