2020 Northwest Ice Yacht Racing Association Information
March 13-15,2020
Lake Waconia, Minnesota
Western Challenge Photos by Sean Heavey
The great thing about the Western Challenge is that Lake Christina is a day’s drive from Glasgow, Montana, home of photographer Sean Heavey.
He sends his apologies for not getting everyone because he spent a lot of time practicing flying the new drones and figuring out to cover the action with them. See the photos here.
SOLD! November 21, 2022: Project Mead Skeeter in IL
Antioch IL $250
SOLD! October 9, 2021: Nite in WI
SOLD! Nite #434
Located in Oconomowoc.
Included – trailer, sail, mast, boom and runners, Boat/mast/boom and sail covers.
Always stored indoors. In great shape.
$4,200
SOLD! November 23, 2021: Arrow in WI
SOLD! Arrow Iceboat.
Check out the video: https://youtu.be/xmJYy_GnuQQ Great for one person or two. Newer sail, custom cover to use with or without the boat rigged. Trailer with working lights included. Custom padded cockpit seat. All hardware and tools to install runners and plank included. Aluminum mast and boom.. Need to sell, no reasonable offer refused. Runners sharpened and correctly aligned. This Arrow iceboat is ready for sailing. Sail cover included. Reply by instant messaging or phone only if serious. Will be at Swap Meet in Madison if not sold by then.
Mequon, WI
$4250$3450
$3950
SOLD! November 7, 2021: Nite in WI
SOLD! Nite. Compete package. Excellent condition! With trailer!
Asking $3,000.
262-862-6484.
Near Silver Lake, WI
SOLD! November 8, 2021: Ice Opti in OH
SOLD! Ice Optimist iceboat for kids
$2500
Includes everything but runners.
SOLD! December 13, 2020: Renegade in WI
SOLD! Renegade Number 280. Very nice shape, quality parts and build, racing sail, will have out sailing on first ice. Madison Wi.
$4000.00 without trailer
$4500.00 with trailer
Western Challenge Tune-Up Day
Skip Dieball and Chad Atkins get ready to push off.
Bright sunshine, moderately light winds, and reasonably hard ice made for a perfect first day on the ice at Lake Christina. Marks were set, and laps were run. We had just a dusting of snow in Battle Lake overnight, and we expect moderate wind and temperatures. “Father Nature shows up around noon and we’ll go from there.” Photos from Thursday, 2 December, 2021 on Lake Christina near Ashby, MN.
DN Western Challenge Called ON 3-5 Dec @ Christina
It’s on. Picture from Lake Christina near Ashby, MN n Sunday, November 28, 2021.
DECEMBER 1: UPDATE: Final confirmation. Regatta is called ON. Via John Dennis, the Western Challenge is called on for Lake Christina in Ashby, MN December 3 – 5, 2021. The Western Challenge is a an informal tune-up fun regatta for DNs.
What: Western Challenge
Date: December 3 – 5, 2021
Where: Lake Christina in Ashby, MN
Lodging: Recommended nearest Battle Lake, Minnesota
Battle Lake Inn and Suites (almost full, no vacancies for Friday night)
102 Glenhaven Dr, Battle Lake, MN 56515
+12188622500
Bonnie Beach Resort
20341 Bonnie Beach Road
Battle Lake, MN 56515
$175 night 3 bedrooms, (sleeps 4) with kitchen
218-864-5534
The Hideaway at Xanadu Island
35484 235th St, Battle Lake, MN 56515
+12188648096
The Otter
306 MN-78, Ottertail, MN 56571
+12183672525
Wisconsin Stern Steerers Association 2022 Newsletter
The big boats are Thinking Ice. Via WSSA Secretary Andy Gratton, here’s the 2022 newsletter.
SOLD! November 26, 2021: Sitka Spruce in WI
1. 18.5 ‘ x 5.5 ” x 1”
1. 18’ x 6” x 1”
Renegade Swing
Iceboaters are problem solvers, and Andy Gratton is one of the best. Based upon his experience at Lake Christina near Ashby, MN, last season, Andy figured out a way to make it easier to ferry a Renegade up and down a steep bank. Having “lifted hulls up and down banks one too many times,” he built a helpful device that easily picks up a Renegade hull.
“The crane will easily pick a Renegade (or perhaps a C skeeter hull.) It has a pick point about 11 feet aft of the trailer axle. I think that will do for getting the hulls over the bank we were using last year. As you can see from the photos, the slings and spreader bar works well for a Renegade hull. Both slings are the same length.”
Spaight Street Syndicate Update: The Other Deuce
And now for something completely different, via Daniel Hearn at the Spaight Street Syndicate.
The World According to Dash
If you’re like me, time always seems to run short when you’re prepping for the first regatta of the season. So, when nature calls, “ain’t nobody got time for dat.” Well, fret no more! Just get yourself a combo rolling work bench/changing station, like my Pappy’s, and do what I do. Drop that deuce right in your pants. Faster than a Struble start, you’ll be back at it before your runner even cools. Critical Hack–Make sure your sanitation engineer clears the bench of any carbon fiber dust. That can be very unpleasant on a fella’s bum.
SOLD! November 30, 2021: Renegade in WI
SOLD! Renegade
Two sets runners
Two sails (maybe three)
Full cover
Sail number 260
Price $3,600
SOLD! November 22, 2021: DN in MI
SOLD! Wolfe (Canada) built DN to tall skipper (+6’) w/ cover. New ash runner plank (+200# skipper) and dual front chock spring (Composite Concepts). Quantum F01 race sail, excellent condition w/cover. Composite Concepts fiberglass mast w/ cover. Complete set of runners w/ Boston Doyle runner bag. Two sets of shrouds w/ hardware backpack. Fast & light DN, always stored in a heated basement.
Southeast Michigan.
$2,750.
SOLD! December 2, 2020: B Skeeter
SOLD! Icefall: All West System B-Skeeter built by Bob Pegel about 1990.
Refurbished trailer.
Refinished two years ago, less than five days outside since.
See the www.Boecraft.com FOR SALE page for more pictures and
details.
This boat is 100% ready to sail in like new condition.
Asking price: $15,500
$12,000
Vassar Brewery: The First Iceboat Bar
America’s First Iceboating Bar & Club House
The Adventures of Iceboat Ike at Chucks by Harry Whitehorse
Chuck’s on Geneva, the Southside Ice Yacht Club on Winnebago, and Springer’s on Kegonsa, are a few bars that shape the social fabric of iceboating. After a day of good racing, walk into one of these establishments, and you’ll find boots with creepers scattered around the door, helmets, and coats piled on the pool tables. They are places where racers recount the day’s lap roundings and hash out ideas about finding more speed.
It’s not surprising that America’s first iceboating bar was in Poughkeepsie, New York, acknowledged as the sport’s American birthplace. Though he is often incorrectly cited as being America’s first iceboater, Poughkeepsie resident Oliver Booth and Jacob Buckhout were instrumental in sport’s growth. When Booth, Buckhout, and friends were ready for a cold one, they could have sailed their stern-steers up to the Vassar Brewery on the waterfront, which served as the think tank for early American ice sailing. The brewery also served as the start and finish line for Hudson River regattas.
“The Vassar Brewery office was the club house where all the river sportsmen gathered to discuss matters and partake of Mr. Booth’s specially brewed ale. About 1858 the possibilities of the development of the skate-boats was under consideration among the brewery coterie, and experiments of various kinds were tried with steel runners, heavy and light centre timbers and various cuts of sails.”
THE EAGLE’S HISTORY OF POUGHKEEPSIE BY EDMUND PLATT PUBLISHED IN 1905
I’ve stumbled across many odd connections in the sport’s history, and Vassar University is one of them. The name Vassar is familiar because it is associated with the college founded by the brewer, Matthew Vassar. The brewery building no longer exists, but if you are ever in Poughkeepsie, stop by the waterfront park and hoist a cold one to those who started it all.
I am indebted to Archie Call and Henry Bossett for sharing their early iceboating history research with me.
Season Approaches…Montana Calls
Season Approaches…Montana Calls
With the chill in the air and the shallower lakes starting to change form, no doubt many of you are dreaming of the ice sailing season ahead. If you haven’t already, now is the time to mark your calendar for the 2022 Hard Water Summit in Montana, this March. If this event is news to you, check out the details at https://montana.iceboat.org/
The event will take place during one of the first three weeks of March–
March 14-18 Target Week
March 7-11 Earliest Option
March 21-25 Latest Option
As we get closer to these dates and conditions are known, a call will be made. So, keep your schedules loose and be ready to go. We’ll be headed to “The Middle of Nowhere”, from all over the country and other parts of the world. All ice sailors are welcome. There are 73 already registered!
If you’re interested in being on our list for ongoing information, please subscribe by filling out the short survey on our website.
The city of Glasgow, Montana is looking forward to hosting our group with great enthusiasm. So much so, that the Glasgow Tourism Board has awarded us a sizable grant to help make the event spectacular. In addition to epic ice sailing, plans are underway for nightly social events, daily adventures for ice sailors’ guests who prefer other activities, and much more.
If you’re headed to the Great Western Challenge next week, bring your local knowledge questions, as Sean Heavey, Glasgow, Montana resident and ice sailing photographer/videographer extraordinaire will be there. https://www.seanrheavey.com/ Sean is bringing all his hi-tech gear, including his new video-equipped racing drone that is fast enough to keep up with any iceboat. You’ll see from Sean’s website that he is also a storm chaser, so this guy knows how to shoot extreme!
Stay safe everyone and hope you enjoyed Thanksgiving.
Daniel Hearn
New 4LIYC Officers Elected
In 1878, Harper’s Bazaar Magazine recognized Madison’s prominence in the sport in an article with a now famous engraving that depicts ice yachts and the scenic isthmus. We are still here.
The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club elections were held Wednesday evening, and our new officers represent every fleet in the club. Daniel Hearn, who sails a DN, C Skeeter, Nite, and Renegade, is our new Commodore. Nite sailor Lars Barber is our new Vice Commodore. Treasurer Jerry Simon will serve another year along with myself as Secretary.
The club extends much gratitude to the previous Commodore Don Anderson and Vice Commodore Tim McCormick for their service.
SOLD! November 16, 2021: Nite in WI
SOLD! Nite #181
Full covers for boat and all parts
Trailer
3 Sails
2 Masts
2 Sets of runners
Many battens
Runner sharpening fixture
Asking $5,000
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