UPCOMING:
4LIYC Spring Social: April 25 @ Breakwater More Information
4LIYC Meeting: November 2026
4LIYC Shipstore: Order custom iceboat shirts, hats, and gear. More information.
BURGEE: Order your 4LIYC Burgee
Pay Your Dues Online
Hey Joe
An update from Daniel Hearn’s Spaight Street Syndicate:
Nameless No Longer
According to maritime lore, it’s unlucky to rename a boat. Guess it makes sense, since all boats are women, and it’s generally frowned upon to show interest in another. Particularly by the original. What’s the expression, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?” No doubt penned by some sad sack who found out the hard way.
I’m not really sure what the deal is if the previous owner never named the little hussy. After all, she voluntarily surrendered her virginity without any expectations from the short little man she entertained in her cockpit. As an aside, I’ve always wondered why it’s called a “cockpit”. If you want to speculate, go ahead, but this update will avoid a PARENTAL ADVISORY warning.
The short little man is one of my favorites in the sport. Quick with a smile, a relentless kidder, an amazing craftsman and quite an ice sailor when he was holding a tiller, rather than a bullhorn. These days he spends his time giving back to the sport when he’s not turning gorgeous pieces of wood art or crafting a one-of-a-kind Chris Craft bar for a customer of Norton Boat Works.
I’m honored to own one of his boats now–Nite 595. Of course he built all of the components, and they are beautiful. And innuendo aside, he treated the nameless little lady like a queen. The same way he treats the true love of his life, wife Lauren. I imagine the two have been married for decades, and I know from Joe’s Facebook posts that he still adores her.
So, the next time you see me on the ice, keep your wandering eyes off of “JoJoe.” She’s spoken for and has no interest in entertaining your sorry a$$!
4LIYC Racing Update for Jan 23-24, 2021
4LIYC Commodore Don Anderson and Jeff Russell checked ice on Mendota today. They will recheck Friday morning in the hopes of calling on club racing for the weekend. As reported in the Renegade regatta post, there was 4-5″ of ice covered in 1″ of snow. The snow was never above the runner of the motorized kicksled. The lake holds promise for weekend club racing but the wind forecast is for very light air as of today. We will learn on Friday how today and Thursday’s warm temperatures affected the snow. The next 4LIYC racing update will be Friday, January 22, 2021, by 5 PM.
Regatta Watch: 2021 Renegade Championship Postponed to Jan 29-31
Via Renegade Regatta Chair Don Anderson:
The 2021 Renegade Championship has been postponed until January 29-31. Lake Mendota has 4-5″ of ice with 1″ of snow on top. We are waiting for more ice thickness and are concerned about the possibility that warmer temperatures will cause the snow to become sticky.
Big Boats on Geneva Part 3
More thrills and spins from the Class A Johnson Stern-Steerers on Geneva Lake. On Facebook, Fond du Lac sailor, Dave Lallier, commented that “According to what both Chauncey Griggs and Sid Morgan told me, there were several new Johnson Class A boats delivered to Lake Geneva by train. They were a gift for Christmas. These could be from that batch.”
Many thanks to 4LIYC Nite sailor Don Sanford for taking the time to find the nuggets in old movie footage and editing them into something worth watching.
Previous: Big Boats on Geneva Part 1.
Regatta Watch: 2021 WSSA Postponed to January 30-31
Toledo Ice Yacht Club’s Jim Stribrny tests the limits of his Class A Stern-Steerer at the 2013 Northwest Regatta. For the record, WILD GOOSE landed back on the ice just fine.
Via WSSA Secretary Andy Gratton:
The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to January 30 and 31, 2021. The next update will be Sunday, January 24. Check back here at that time.
Thanks for leaving the freezer doors open, the cold air is arriving. If you capsize, try to do better than both Don Ward and American Magic (see iceboat.org for more details).
Andy Gratton
WSSA Secretary/Treasurer
Regatta Watch: 2021 Renegade Championship Called ON for Jan 22-24
Via International Renegade Ice Yacht Association Regatta Chairman Don Anderson:
The 2021 Renegade Championship has been tentatively called on for January 22-24, 2021. The primary site is Lake Mendota for this three-day event. Don reports that there is a good surface layer of ice over slush and water on Lake Mendota. Colder temperatures this week are expected to firm it all up. Final confirmation will be made on Wednesday, January 20, 2021, by 1 PM CT.
Who Did It Better?
The iceboating community has been paying attention to the America’s Cup racing in New Zealand. We know that this year’s crop of foiling AC boats sometimes behaves like Stern-Steerers, and yesterday’s dramatic capsize is fodder for the commentariat around the planet. 4LIYC Commodore Don Anderson called me this morning. He suggested a comparison graphic between AMERICAN MAGIC and a Stern-Steerer, both about to capsize, which brought to mind the famous video and story about “The Day the Rosemary Tipped Over.” Thankfully, AMERICAN MAGIC’S crew safely survived the capsize though the boat sustained damage. (Maybe they ought to think about a front-steering AC boat?)
Here’s the video embedded below, along with a link to Andy Gratton’s story. It’s also an excellent time to revisit when the Baker company tested foiling boats on Lake Mendota in the 1950s. Reread Foiled Again, initially posted in 2017.
Read Andy Gratton’s story, The Day The ROSEMARY Tipped Over.” Somewhere, Don Ward must be smiling.
Big Boats on Geneva Part 1
Many thanks to 4LIYC Nite sailor Don Sanford for taking the time to find the nuggets in old movie footage and editing them into something worth watching. It’s Sunday morning, let’s go hiking on Geneva Lake in Wisconsin! I’ll upload the second part tomorrow.
Scout Mendota from Home
Mendota Today: North Cam Snap at 8:45 AM
Would you like to scout ice from your comfortable chair? Remember to check in with the Mendota Today webcam for live views of Lake Mendota. The time lapses from the previous days are worth your time as well.
A slow-moving low-pressure system has enveloped much of Wisconsin the past day. What little snow the Four Lakes area received has melted in the ice on Mendota, as evidenced by this morning’s webcam view. However, there were reports of heavy slush on Mendota Friday. Lake Monona was a different story because its early freeze invited more snow cover. Monona has more thickness but more snow and slush. The ice is changing daily, and we are all holding our breath, hoping that sailable ice comes out of it all.
4LIYC Club Racing Update for Jan 16-17, 2021
Photo: Lori Conner
There will be no Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club racing for the weekend of January 16-17, 2021. Club members are keeping close watch on the state of the lakes and they are not quite yet in club racing condition. Colder weather moves in Sunday evening which should help us for next weekend. The next update will be on Friday, January 22, 2021.
Online Ship’s Store
National Iceboat Authority Web Page
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.
