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: ISA Postponed


The International Skeeter Association regatta has been postponed until February 18 – 20, 2022. Next update is February 13.

Bucky on the B

Photo: Don Sanford

Bucky on the B

University of Wisconsin mascot Buckingham Ulysses “Bucky” Badger was seen yesterday at the Frozen Assets Festival kicking the tires on the stern-steerer, the MARY B.

Bucky’s been around campus for a while, and no doubt remembers the fleet of stern-steerers that Bill and Carl Bernard kept for university students.
Today is the last day of Frozen Assets Festival at the Edgewater and your chance to see the MARY B.

Ice Yacht Academy

Page from 1937 East High School yearbook in Madison, Wisconsin.

Many Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club members graduated from Madison’s East High School, including Bill Mattison, Jack Ripp, Dave Rosten, Bob Brockel, and more. Don Sanford came across this page from the 1937 East High School yearbook that again proves ice sailing has been a constant in this city’s history. 1937 would have been too early for the sailors mentioned, and when I have time, I’ll take a look at the archives to see who might have been members of the East High School Ice Yacht Club.

 

4LIYC Feb 2 Meeting News: Join Us or Zoom Us, You Choose

Sean R Heavey: 2022 DN US Nationals &emdash; Heavey_DJI_0249

The 4LIYC on Lake Monona. Photo: Sean R. Heavey.

Join Us or Zoom Us, You Choose

Our next hybrid meeting format is Wednesday, February 2, 2022. We’ll have local ice sailing tales and regatta updates to share.

WHAT TO KNOW:
Date: Wednesday, February 2, 2022
IN-PERSON MEETING
Food will be delivered at 6 PM
Meeting begins at 6:30 PM
At Daniel Hearn’s Office–S/B Strategic Marketing, 1352 E. Wilson St
Menu for Dinner Delivery: Eldorado Grill. Link to menu

For those who’d like to meet in-person and enjoy a good meal together, we’ll be ordering takeout from a different restaurant each meeting. This week, we are heading towards the border with Eldorado Grill for the best Tex-Mex in Madison. Please review the menu and fill out the form below to let us know your food choices. Here’s a link to the Eldorado Grill menu.

Once you know what you want, submit your order using the form below. Please place your order no later than 3:00 p.m. day of meeting. Food will deliver at 6:00 p.m. Bring cash to pay Deb for food and delivery driver tip. Word has it that club members are bringing beer, otherwise BYOB.

ZOOM MEETING
4LIYC members will receive the Zoom link via email as usual. Not getting the emails? Please contact Deb.

For those who are out of town or feel more comfortable plugging in electronically, we’ll look forward to seeing your smiling face on the big screen in the conference room.

 

Sean R. Heavey Photo Gallery

Sean R Heavey: 2022 DN US Nationals &emdash; Heavey__1223864

Paul Krueger creating some smoke with RAMBL’N

Photographer Sean R. Heavey spent a few days on Lake Monona taking photos and flying a drone before the snow ended hopes of a DN U.S. Nationals regatta. Take a look at his photo gallery here.

See the MARY B at Frozen Assets Festival Feb 5 – 6


Ice Boat Foundation

Make a plan to show up at the Edgewater Hotel on Lake Mendota this weekend (February 5, 2022) for this year’s edition of the Clean Lakes Alliance Frozen Assets festival.

In addition to all of the activities, displays and exhibits, you’ll have a rare opportunity to see the MARY B where she belongs—on the ice! Volunteers from the Ice Boat Foundation will be there to show her off and tell you everything you want to know (and more) about this legendary icon of Madison’s long and storied history of iceboating. MARY B was designed and built right here in 1948 by Carl Bernard and Frank Tetzlaff for O. T. Havey. Skippered by Carl Bernard and Jimmy Payton, she was the fastest thing on the ice.

Regatta Watch: 2022 WSSA Postponed to Feb 12 – 13

ACE OF SPADES, 2010 Northwest on Lake Winnebago. Photo: Kevin Chapman

The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to February 12 – 13, 2022. The next update will be Sunday, February 6. Check back here at that time. The Northwest Ice Yacht Association regatta takes precedence.

Andy Gratton

WSSA Secretary/Treasurer

Online Ship’s Store

Regatta Dates 2025

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National Iceboat Authority Web Page



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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