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

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.

Regatta Watch: DN Westerns On for Clear Lake, IA

“If you scout it, they will come…”

Finally, there’s some good regatta news to report rather than what seems to be perpetual postponements. The DN fleet is heading west this weekend to Clear Lake, Iowa, for the DN Western Region Championship. On Thursday, Belle Plaine DRIFTER, Pat Heppert, sailed his freeskate windsurfer around Clear Lake and made a detailed map. Ice thickness is 20″ except for the open water from the two large permanent aerators on the lake which are detailed on the map. He rates it a 4.5 and says it’s rough, though sailable. See the IDNIYRA website for more information and registration.

 

Regatta Watch: ’22 Nite Nationals Postponed

Nites line up at the 2022 ISA regatta on Lake Monona. Photo: Will Johnston

Nite Website
Nite Nationals has been postponed to March 18-20, 2022

Well it’s that time of year, will we or won’t we? Mother Nature is making us wait again. We are all still hopeful that a sheet of ice will come into play. So maybe the luck of the Irish will be with us and we can all get together and play next weekend.🍀

Sail Safe, Sail Fast,

Commodore Chad Rechcygl #322

Regatta Watch: 2022 WSSA Postponed to March 19-20

Stern-Steerers on Lake Monona in 2016. Photo: Joe Stanton

Via WSSA Secretary/Treasurer Andy Gratton

The 2022 Wisconsin Stern Steerers Association Regatta has been postponed until March 19-20. Check back on Sunday, March 13 for the next update.

Regatta Watch: 2022 Northwest Postponed to March 18-20

Jay Yaeso and Steve Orlebeke in Class A Skeeters hiking around the weather mark at the 2016 Northwest on Lake Monona, Madison, WI. Photo: Joe Stanton

Via Northwest Secretary/Treasurer Steve Schalk:

The Northwestern Ice Yachting Regatta is Postponed to March 18-20, 2022.

There are still locations with thick ice that just need smoothing out of old drifts and bumps. Next update Sunday, March 13.

Steve Schalk

NIYA Secretary/Treasurer

HWS: On Hold…Still Hopeful

On Hold…Still Hopeful

As of this morning, the Hard Water Summit remains on hold. The weather on the Fort Peck Reservoir has remained cold, so the drifts are still too large and stiff. Warm weather is coming the week of March 13. We’ll monitor the weather that week to see if we get the melt we need to clean up the snow, and the below freezing temps at night to keep the ice firm. Please stand by. We intend to make a final call one way or the other on Thursday, March 17.

Think Ice!

Your HWS Team,
Daniel, Sean and Deb

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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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