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:
4LIYC Awards Banquet:
Saturday, April 26, 2025 at Mariner’s Inn. Sign up here.
4LIYC Meeting : November 2025
4LIYC Shipstore: Order custom iceboat shirts, hats, and gear. More information.
BURGEE:
 Order your 4LIYC Burgee
Pay Your Dues Online

Regatta Watch: WSSA Cancelled for 2022

HAYWIRE with Clay, Jason, and Jay Yaeso

The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association annual regatta for 2022 has been cancelled due to lack of cooperation on the part of Mother Nature. Our last hope was Escanaba but a large amount of rain and snow is forecast for this week with potential for more rain next week. We will need a barge to get to the ice. Work on your boats this summer and check back late December 2022 for 2023 regatta info.

Andy Gratton
WSSA Secretary/treasurer

4LIYC: The Final Scores

Daniel Hearn’s C Skeeter flies by a Renegade at the 2022 ISA championship on Lake Monona. Photo: Will Johnston

4LIYC Season Scores

March brought the Fat Lady’s warmth and rain, signifying the close of the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club racing season. Lake Monona provided some exceptional conditions this season, and it was reassuring to be back on home ice. After a two-year pandemic hiatus, we are looking forward to resuming our annual spring trophy awards banquet in April. All the pieces are falling in place, Tim McCormick has tabulated the scores, and our trophy chair, Damien Luyet, will be organizing the hardware. We’ll have more banquet news coming soon.

 

HWS Update: Try Again in 2023

Photo: Pat Heppert

Ice Sailors:

With regret, we must announce that the Hard Water Summit will not be happening this year. Mother Nature decided she wanted an extended period of warm days, lots of sunshine and nights barely below freezing. The snow is, indeed, gone, but this weather pattern is leaving us with lots of slush that will likely only get deeper.

We appreciate your enthusiasm for this adventure and we may decide to give it a go again next year. We’ll have to consider whether doing the event in the same season as a DN Gold Cup in the US makes sense. If you have any input on this question, we’d love to hear it. montana.icesail@gmail.com From a timing standpoint, we may also move up our target week to the first week of March. This would steer us clear of any conflict with land sailing events and possibly increase the likelihood that we’d have the ice and weather we need. Again, feel free to let us know what you think.

Of course we are a bit disappointed, but then again, we are blessed to not be hiding from Russian artillery as we go about our daily lives. Keep the Faith!

Your HWS Team,

Daniel, Sean and Deb

4LIYC Meeting Reminder for March 16, 2022

What a season!

Please join us tonight for the last meeting of this season. We will resume meetings in November 2022. We will be meeting via Zoom only and not in-person.

WHAT TO KNOW:
Date: Wednesday, March 16, 2022
Time: 6:30 PM CT
ZOOM MEETING ONLY (No in-person meeting this week.)
Didn’t get an email with a link? Get in touch with Deb. debwhitehorse@iceboat.org

Lake Monona Skeeters are Speed Special

Matthew Sheehan “takes a look at the need for speed” on this episode of Planet Sail, and he doesn’t forget ice sailing. Using drone video from 4LIYC racing a few weeks ago, Skeeter sailors Mark Isabell and Rob Evans provide the example of the fastest sailing on the planet in contrast to the beauty and slower pace of Henry Bossett’s drone video of a South Bay Scooter. Link to YouTube video.

There is a serious need for speed out there right now. From state of the art super sleek foiling Moths that will go upwind at 20knots, to ice yachts that will hit 80mph and more – both of which we cover in this episode.

Regatta Watch: 2022 WSSA Postponed to March 26-27

Photo: Jim Koepnick

The 2022 Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to March 26 and 27. The next update will be Sunday, March 20. Check back here at that time.

Andy Gratton

WSSA Secretary/Treasurer

Regatta Watch: Nite Nats Called On for March 18-20


Nite Website
Via Nite Commodore Chad Rechcygl

Nite Nationals has been tentatively called on for March 18-20
Going north may be our best answer to finish out the season. Green Lake has beautiful ice underneath the cover of snow that will be melting down this week. The word has it that Escanaba and Menominee look great too.
So get those Nites ready and let’s hope it all falls into place. Final call will be Wednesday March 16th.
Our Commodore Chad will be MIA due to a family ski trip. Also Lars and Brian will be unavailable. All 3 will be missed. Vice-Commodore Maureen and our Tech Advisor Mike will be running the show.

Sail Safe, Sail Fast,

Commodore Chad Rechcygl #322

DN Western Region Championship Update

Pat send them off.

Provisional Results
A quick update about the DN Western Region Championship in Clear Lake, Iowa. 4LIYC Commodore Daniel Hearn found the shifts and grooves to take three bullets today. There were three races before the winds built too much to sail on the rougher ice safely. 4LIYC Junior sailor, Thor Rosten, missed the second race because of a rig change. Tomorrow’s winds look better. Follow the provisional results tomorrow because they are updated quickly by Ann and Bob Foeller in Toledo.

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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