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

MARY B Makes a Visit

MARY B visits the old neighborhood.

Madison’s historic stern-steerer, MARY B, has been set up on Lake Mendota for the past few weekends at the Frozen Assets Festival and the University of Wisconsin Winter Carnival. The Iceboat Foundation volunteers made the special visit, a stop in front of Mauretta Mattison’s house.

Via Don Anderson of the Iceboat Foundation

We took MARY B to Bill and Mauretta Mattison’s house for a photo shoot. Mauretta came out and took a picture, and Bill helped build many parts of this boat, including the current mast, which Bill signed.

Photo by Jeff Miller | University Communications Hundreds of people watch as fireworks launch into the night sky above an inflatable replica of the Statue of Liberty’s head, arm and torch on frozen and ice-covered Lake Mendota during the conclusion of the Wisconsin Union’s Winter Carnival on Feb. 11, 2023. The event was held along the shoreline of the Memorial Union Terrace at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The Lady Liberty tradition began with a prank in 1979 by the Pail and Shovel Party.

Regatta Watch: 2023 Wisconsin Stern-Steerers Regatta Postponed

2010 Northwest on Lake Winnebago. Photo Gretchen Dorian

The 2023 Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to February 25 and 26. The next update will be Sunday, February 19. Check back here at that time. The Northwest Ice Yacht Association regatta takes precedence.

Andy Gratton

WSSA Secretary/Treasurer

4LIYC Racing Update: No Racing for Feb 11-12, 2023

Class A Skeeters hiking out at the 2016 Northwest on Lake Monona, Madison, WI. Photo: Joe Stanton

There will be no club racing this weekend Feb. 11-12. Ice checkers found 2-3“ of stiff snow with a layer of water underneath before reaching hard ice. Hopefully the warm temps and sun will turn the top snow to liquid and then we’ll get a hard freeze. Keep’m sharp!
4LIYC Commodore Daniel

University of WI 2023 Winter Fest, Feb 11 – 12

Bucky Badger on the MARY B at the Frozen Assets Festival on Lake Mendota.

The Wisconsin Memorial Union is having a winter fest this weekend, February 11 – 12, 2023,  and the 4LIYC has been invited to display iceboats. The MARY B will be there, and I believe, INSANITY. Looking for others who would be willing to display boats from other classes. This will be excellent exposure for our club and sport. Not to mention, that there will be many attractive coeds looking to meet a big, strong, iceboatin’ man. As an added incentive, there’s a free case of beer chilling for the skipper of every displayed boat. You’ll probably meet several coeds with whom you could share it. Wow! Please let me know if you’re willing and which boat(s) you’ll bring. Thx! Commodore Daniel

The Iceboat Tourist

Swedish Skeeter

Results
DN Sweden Community Facebook Page for Live Reports
I’ve been in Rattvik, Sweden, on Lake Siljan, helping with the fourth annual 2023 DN Grand Masters Regatta, a three-day event for sailors 60 years and older. Hal Bowman US1277 and Mike Bloom US123 are the first Americans to ever participate in the regatta.

Lake Siljan is 137 square miles, formed 377 million years ago by a meteor. It’s almost as big as Lake Winnebago at 215 square miles.

There were three Skeeters that came out to watch yesterday. I was too busy to be able to get a closer look. I’ll try to get better pictures today, the last day of the regatta.
-Deb

Ice Sailing Speed Symposium

A group of top DN sailors gathered at 4LIYC Commodore Daniel Hearn’s office during the recent World Championship to answer questions about iceboat racing. Thanks Sam Bartel for shooting the vide, editing, and posting to YouTube.
Link here.

Navins Nab Nite Nats

Via the Nite Facebook page, Kyle and Dave Navin.

2023 Nite National Results
Congratulations to father and son Dave and Kyle Navin for their one and two finishes at the Nite Nationals sailed on Lake Geneva February 4-5, 2023. (I’ve been waiting over 20 years to write that alliterative headline, “Navin Nabs Nite Nats – even better having to add the s to make it Navins -Ed.) 4LIYC Commodore Daniel Hearn took 4th in the Gold fleet, while Brett Hulsley took 7th in the Silver fleet.

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

YOU ARE SKIPPER NUMBER

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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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