NIYA

Northwest Ice Yachting Association An iceboat regatta first sailed in 1913 in Menominee, Michigan.

Stern Steerers

The NIYA was originally a stern-steerer regatta organized to determine ice yacht supremacy in the Midwest. A,B,C,& D stern-steerers continue to compete in the NIYA.

Skeeters

Class E Skeeters first raced the NIYA in 1936 when Lake Geneva sailor Harry Melges won in MICKEY FINN.

DN Class

Skip Boston of Detroit was the first winner of the NIYA in the DN class in 1954.

Renegade

First sailed as a seperate class in 1958 and won by “Mr. Iceboat”, Elmer Millenbach.

NIYA Centennial

The NIYA celebrated 100 years of iceboat racing in 2013 on Green Lake in Wisconsin.

2020 Northwest Ice Yacht Racing Association Information

March 13-15,2020
Lake Waconia, Minnesota

Feb 15 – 4LIYC Meeting Tonight on Zoom


Happy day-after Valentines Day. Our normally scheduled meeting should have been last night, but to keep everyone on good terms with their significant others and out of the doghouse, we scheduled for tonight. Club members in good standing should have received an email with the Zoom link.

4LIYC ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING – 2 PROPOSALS
Club members in good standing will vote on two items, a dues increase and the induction of Ken Whitehorse into the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club Honor Roll.
Ken Whitehorse Nominated for 4LIYC Honor Roll

BY LAWS PROPOSAL
A By Laws Proposal has been submitted by Daniel Hearn and Lars Barber. The club will take a vote on the proposal at the February 15, 2024 4LIYC Business Meeting.

Proposal to change Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club Bylaws, Article 3, Section 4
Section 4 – Effective 11 /1 /96 dues shall be as follows:
• Senior member – $20.00
• Junior member – $5.00 (3/27/96)

Change to

Section 4 – Effective 11/1/2024 dues shall be as follows:
• Senior member – $30.00
• Junior member – $5.00 (3/27/96)

Reason: Expenses have increased significantly since 1996.
Submitted by: Daniel Hearn and Lars Barber

Regatta Watch: 2024 WSSA Postponed to Feb 24-25


The “P” word strikes again.

The 2024 Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to February 24 – 25. The next update will be Sunday, February 18. Check back here at that time. The Northwest Ice Yacht Association regatta takes precedence.

Andy Gratton

WSSA Secretary/Treasurer

February 15, 2024: DN Equipment in MI

DN Equipment
– Doyle Boston sail (recreational use) $75
-Dieball speed sail with battens $350
-North speed sail with battens $475
-1D Power Gold P-36 with cambers and battens like new available after NAs $800
-Plank made by Mark Isabell $250
– European minimum Ts carbon mold bodies. $1000
Items are located in Northern Michigan
All items can be delivered to NAs
Photos on request
Contact JR Francis
Francisyachting@yahoo.com

Feb 14, 2024 Regatta Watch: Postponement for ISA & NIYA

Patience

NORTHWEST
The Northwestern Ice Yachting Association Race Committee has postponed the 2024 Regatta to February 23rd, 24th, and 25th. A combination of incoming snow, snowy travel, 5.5 rated surface with high winds forecast led to the postponement.

ISA
The International Skeeter Association Race Committee has postponed one week to February 23rd-25th. If the Northwest is held that weekend the ISA will defer.

Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
NIYA & ISA

Regatta Watch: 2024 WSSA Tentatively Called On for Feb 17 – 18

The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta for 2024 has been tentatively called on for February 17 and 18. The possible site selected is Lake Osakis, MN. Final confirmation will be made by 1 PM Thursday, February 15. Check back here after that time. The Northwest Ice Yacht Association has also tentatively scheduled their regatta for the same weekend, that regatta takes precedence.

Andy Gratton

WSSA Secretary/Treasurer

Regatta Watch: NIYA Or ISA Called ON for Feb 16-18 in MN or WI

NORTHWEST:
The 2024 Northwestern Regatta is on for Lake Osakis Minnesota for February 16th, 17th and 18th. The final call with details on the launch site located off Lake street in downtown Osakis will be made on Wednesday by noon.

INTERNATIONAL SKEETER ASSOCIATION & RENEGADE CHAMPIONSHIP
The 2024 ISA Regatta and Renegade Championship is also called on for a location to be determined in Minnesota or Wisconsin. If the Northwest is confirmed on Wednesday, the ISA will defer and postpone.

NEXT UPDATE: Wednesday, February 14 by 12 PM CT.

Steve Schalk
Secretary/Treasurer
NIYA and ISA

SOLD! January 19, 2024: Renegade in MI

SOLD! Renegade #272
Includes hull, mast and plank.  Automotive finish with clear coat, custom covers for everything, trailer, boxes for boom, sail, runners and planks supports. Trailer is custom made from an E Scow and trailer highway ready.
$1900 firm
Western Michigan

February 7, 2024: Gambit in Ontario,Canada

Gambit in sailable condition and comes with aluminum mast and boom. Boat sails well in heavy winds that might challenge DNs. The cockpit is designed to allow two people side by side. Boat can be car by topped. No trailer included. There are two floatation suits and ice picks that are also available for sale if interested. More photos available.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
$1800
613 851 0829
Beckettslanding@gmail.com

DN World Championship Photo Gallery from Parnu, Estonia


A very quick update from Parnu, Estonia where the 2024 DN World, European, and Junior World Championship is taking place. The course a bit over 4 miles from the launch, quite a hike on this big ice. Took a few pictures on the way in yesterday of a Gold fleet race from a view rarely seen. Back with more later – it’s a whirlwind of activity at a regatta as you all know!
DNIYRA European Website for official information
IDNIYRA Europe Facebook
IDNIYRA Europe YouTube for daily reports
Gilles Morelle Images – Professional Photographer

The Right Path


Winnebago ice sailor Andy Gratton checks in while we wait for the ice to return.

Here are a couple shots of rough ice on Winnebago from last Monday, Jan 29. The ice is sailable with a small maneuverable boat if one follows the right path. The boat was sailed to that position.

Mosquito Season Comes Early

Video Link

Mosquito Season Comes Early
By Pat Heppert

Despite the vast postponing of most regattas due to warm weather this weekend, the first annual “Minnesota Mini-skeeter Mayhem” regatta was completed as scheduled on 2/3/24. The warm humid weather sure does bring out the skeeters! The small fleet size of three Minnesota boats, piloted by Bruce Wegger, Tom Kvale and Pat Heppert were fully dialed in and wound up around a 0.5 mile course on tiny Lake Riley, Eden Prairie, MN. The small lake size in a metro area seriously did make for a lot of tactical decisions with plenty of shifts, gusts, and shoreline effects, which was super fun. The mini-skeeters shared the course concurrently with about 10 boats total from around the lake including DN’s, Nite, JX-14, and Skimmer. The PRO, race committee chairman and venue provider John Bushey took great care in ensuring a safe, fair competition among a competitive fleet. The 12” of flat black ice with zero obstacles stayed hard until 2 PM, which was plenty sufficient to get the regatta completed in one day. Boat speeds were so blazingly fast that I thought the loud “crack” I heard was me breaking the sound barrier, but it turned out to be a broken bulkhead apparently from builder error. No problem, kept sailing. The scoring team had incredible difficulty writing finishing numbers at the speed and tight formation of this group, but the conclusion of the day was that everybody was a winner, and the trophy awarding is being held off until next year.

Regatta Watch: ISA & Northwest Postponed

Rob Evans sails his A Class Skeeter on Lake Monona, January 15, 2022. Photo: Joe Berger

NORTHWEST:
The NIYA is postponed one week to February 16th, 17th, and 18th 2024. Colder weather returning The week of the 12th should provide one or more viable locations.

Steve Schalk

Secretary/Treasurer

Northwestern Ice Yachting Association

ISA:
The ISA Regatta is postponed to February 16th, 17th, and 18th, 2024. Colder temperatures the week of February 12th will allow for multiple locations to become available.

Steve Schalk

Secretary/Treasurer

International Skeeter Association

No 4LIYC Racing for Feb 3 – 4


No Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club racing this weekend, February 3 – 4, 2024.
We will wait for some colder temperatures to return.
This is Deb – posting while on the road in Latvia to Estonia for the 2024 DN World Championship. Stay tuned for reports.

Regatta Watch: 2024 ISA & NIYA Postponed to Feb 9-11

Greg McCormick

The Northwest and International Skeeter Association & Renegade Championship Race Committees have postponed for one week to February 9th, 10th, and 11th, 2024. Both Committees determined that the high temperatures, sun, and lack of overnight freezing will make the ice too soft for acceptable regatta conditions. The presence of plenty of ice that should stay in place until colder weather arrives gives us a good chance coming later in February.
Steve Schalk
NIYA & ISA Secretary/Treasurer

January 31, 2024: DNs & Components in WI

DN complete Kent built racing hull w/sail, plank, runners, carbon mast – $3,900

DN Plank
Tomek Silver Fox Plank/Chocks (for 180lbs) – $1000

DN Runners
1 complete set Ts – $1000
1 complete set 3/16 – $1500
30″ 3/16 side runners – $750

Die-form Shrouds – $400

Southern Wisconsin
For pictures and more information:   sailparts@aol.com

NIYA Regatta Archives

2024 NIYA
2019 NIYA
2016 NIYA
2014 NIYA
2013 NIYA
2012 NIYA
2011 NIYA
2010 NIYA
2009 NIYA
2008 NIYA
2007 NIYA
2005 NIYA
2004 NIYA
2003 NIYA
2002 NIYA
1994 NIYA
1976 NIYA
1966 NIYA
1958 NIYA
1956 NIYA
1954 NIYA
1951 NIYA
1948 NIYA
1947 NIYA
1942 NIYA
1938 NIYA
1936 NIYA
1934 NIYA
1930 NIYA
1923 NIYA
1915 NIYA
1913 NIYA