2020 Northwest Ice Yacht Racing Association Information
March 13-15,2020
Lake Waconia, Minnesota
SOLD! November 9, 2021: Renegade in WI
Green Bay, WI
First!
Canadians, start your engines! DNer Mike Madge inaugurated the ice sailing season in North America on Whitefish Lake near Thunder Bay, Ontario, which often has the longest ice sailing seasons in the world. Video here.
Iceboat in National Sailing Hall of Fame Museum
Ever since Buddy Melges’ induction in the first class of 2011, ice boaters have numbered among the elite sailors honored by the National Sailing Hall of Fame (NSHOF). Other hard water inductees include Peter Barrett, Olaf & Peter Harken, Jan & Meade Gougeon, Bill Bensten, Herbert Lawrence Stone (who authored books and articles), Bill Mattison, and Jane Pegel.
The sailing community’s full recognition of the sport of ice yachting has culminated with the inclusion of an iceboat in the new NSHOF museum in Newport, Rhode Island.
When visitors enter the impressive interactive exhibition hall, they will notice six boats hanging overhead from the exposed wooden rafters of the historic former armory. One of those six is an iceboat representing our community and those who live to “Think Ice.”
The NSHOF asked Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club Nite sailor Don Sanford (the driving force behind Bill Mattison’s induction), myself, and others for an iceboat. The museum had hoped to hang a Class A Skeeter, but the wide plank would have taken up too much space. They chose one that would fit – the most popular iceboat globally, a DN.
Peter Harken asked that the boat not be a “fixer-upper” but a fully fitted racing boat. The NSHOF accepted Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club member Doug Kolner’s offer to donate his complete modern DN.
The DNs natural wood hull and plank, built in a small garage in Monona, Wisconsin, are true to the roots of the DN’s humble beginnings at the Detroit News hobby shop in the 1930s. Doug built the boat using standard DN plans, and it symbolizes all the iceboat builders who enjoy kicking up some dust and mixing epoxy in their garage shops.
Current members of the NSHOF’s influence is evident in the fact that the boat was built using Gougeon brothers epoxy and Harken brothers fittings technology. Doug recognized NSHOF member Bill Mattison and Green Lake Ice Yacht Club’s Joe Norton as the builders who had influenced his iceboat building know-how.
Northwest News: 2022 NOR Posted
ACE OF SPADES & LITTLE WIND line up to race.
Northwest Ice Yachting Association Secretary Steve Schalk has shared the 2022 Northwest Regatta Notice of Race. See it here.
SOLD! October 26, 2021: DN Sails in MN
SOLD! Two DN sails for sale
Boston F01 $550
North ABSS $550
Both in great shape with rat battens
Buy & Sell Page Maintenance
Paul Krueger next door at the Past Champions Iceboat Shop works on a Class A skeeter plank.
iceboat.org’s Buy and Sell page has evolved to keep relevant over the past 23 years. In 2020, by popular demand, we added a “Sold” column on the Buy and Sell page so that you can get an idea of the interest in iceboating. The “Sold” column took up so much space, especially on mobile devices, that I created an archive page where all the previously listed and sold iceboats and components will live. A much shorter “Sold” column will remain on the Buy and Sell page with fewer listings and links to the Sold Archive page.
BUY & SELL PAGESOLD! November 19, 2021: Runners in WI
SOLD! Skeeter runners:
1/2″ thick
2 5′ side runners
1 42″ front runner
$400
Madison, WI
Sweden FIRST!
Photo: Dideric van RIemsdijk
Sharpen your runners! Breaking news from northern Sweden today. The Swedish ice sailors are first in the world as far as we know to pull the string on the hard-water and open the new season. Congratulations to our Swedish ice sailing friends.
SOLD! November 19, 2021: DN in MI
SOLD! DN. Great racing record or just day sailing, minimum weight on hull, plank and mast newer sail with 3/16”x36” inserts covers for everything and extra tiller and aluminum boom.
Michigan
$1700 OBO
Sold! November 16, 2021: Skeeter Mast in WI
Sold! 26′ Skeeter mast
$1000
Madison, WI
At the Skeeter Corral
Crazy Kenny’s Closeout Corall
Via Daniel Hearn:
Merchandise was flying out the door this weekend at the Past Champions Iceboat Shop. A special invitation was needed from Crazy Kenny himself to gain access to the Closeout Coral, which is hidden behind a secret doorway cleverly disguised with hanging drop cloths. Once inside, new Michigan-based ice sailor, Tim Bellard remarked, “With all this red and white everywhere, I kept looking for the fat man in the velour suit. He never showed, but Christmas definitely came early.” Bellard took off with a 24 foot Sitka Spruce Skeeter wing mast that he purchased for a buddy who had an “unfortunate incident” last year. And Crazy Kenny even threw a sail into the deal and free delivery to the top of Tim’s trailer. Several other unsavory characters from the 4LIYC were around the shop witnessing the selling frenzy, but none was willing to publicly comment. “Maybe if we just stand here next to Kenny acting like nothing is going on, then no one will ask any questions,” suggested Sage PK. Due to their resounding silence, they must have all agreed.
Not to be outdone, Wonky Donny’s Discount Emporium across town was also dealing. He was all out of 10-speed bikes to entice Bellard to close a deal, but he was still able to send him out the door with a classic 4LIYC, red and white Renegade. Rumor has it that said Renegade was also loaded on the 12 ft. utility trailer, including mast and plank, directly adjacent to the Skeeter mast. Fearing that his insurance provider might yank his liability policy, Bellard requested that no pictures be taken of the impressively loaded vehicle. As yet, there have been no reports of flying ice boats on the east bound corridor of I-94, so all equipment must now be safely in their new home somewhere in the hand.
SOLD! November 12, 2021: Skeeter Mast in WI
SOLD! 26′ Skeeter spar
$600
Madison area
SOLD! October 31, 2021: DN Components in WI
Sail Testing & 4LIYC Meeting News
Left to right; Ken Whitehorse, Kyle Koch, Greg Whitehorse, Paul Krueger.
Yesterday’s fine weather provided the perfect opportunity to set up Paul Krueger’s rear-seat Class A Skeeter in the Past Championships Iceboat Shop parking lot. Kenny and Paul hoisted four sails before finding the 26ft sail that fit the 26ft mast. On Facebook, Ken wrote, “It occurred to us that maybe we should mark the dimensions because we sure can’t remember anymore.”
The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club bi-weekly iceboat meetings are kicking off tomorrow night, November 10, 2021, at 6:30 PM on Zoom. Members who are current in dues should have received an email with the login information. Would you please let me know if you didn’t get the email?
Black Ice Journey Continues
The Swedish company Sail Racing has released its latest Black Ice campaign, incorporating Skeeter class iceboats to market their technical clothing. Daniel Hearn’s C Skeeter, to be specific. Pat Heppert also makes an appearance in his C Skeeter on their website video.
SOLD! October 30, 2021: DN in Toronto, CA
SOLD! DN from Michigan, built in early 1990’s. Doyle Sail in beautiful condition. Wood boom, fiberglass composite competition mast. Plank for ~185 lbs. 3 Sets of Runners in rust free, excellent condition. Sarns bullnose plate runner, all 3 (1 fwd steering, 2 aft). One Low profile steering/front runner. Two aft stainless steel 1/8″ runners. Two aft stiffened long runners. Wood telescoping tiller. Optional custom trailer available for $500.00 CDN
Asking Price is $3000.00 CDN
SOLD ! September 20, 2021: 2 Class A Skeeters in NJ
SOLD! Two Class A Skeeters with fully furbished road ready trailer. INSTIGATOR was built and campaigned by Jay Yaeso. The other bubble boat was built by Pete Rochelle in conjunction with Tom Nichols. The latter boat was modified with a fastback design and a Yaeso carbon fiber mast as well. Both boats have full racing sail plans x3 and two sets of runners each. These boat have both had top finishes in the ISAs. The “red” trailer with both skeeters is located in New Jersey.
Both boats plus trailer $30,000.
1200 Year Old Boat Recovered from Lake Mendota
Photo: Don Sanford
Dejope (Four Lakes) is the territory of the Ho-Chunk Nation, the indigenous people who always have and continue to live here. The Whitehorses are Ho-Chunk Nation tribal members and long-time Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club members, including my late husband, Harry Whitehorse. I’ve always thought Native people had the technology to make iceboats. Harry told me that his uncle George Seymour built traditional snow sleds using deer antlers for the runners. Indigenous people could have made an iceboat using deer antlers for insert runners, woven rush mats for a sail, and a dugout canoe for the hull.
Yesterday, November 2, 2021, archeologists carefully removed an ancient dugout canoe from the bottom of Lake Mendota, where it had been resting for 1200 years. Looking closely, one could imagine a mast step and a steering chock hole.
Channel 3000: 1200 Year-Old Canoe Pulled From Lake Mendota
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Via Tom Kneubuehl posted on the Historic Madison, WI Photo Facebook page:
“This dugout canoe was pulled out of Lake Mendota around 1:00 p.m. today. It could be the oldest known sunken boat/shipwreck in Wisconsin. It is about 1200 years old and was discovered by a diver in June when it happened to catch their attention. Apparently the diver contacted the State Historical Society and a chain of events happened which led to today. A cache of fishing weights were found in the canoe so apparently it was used by the inhabitants of that time to fish with weighted net. Note how small the canoe looks. They must have had great balance and were obviously smaller. The canoe is undergoing a lengthy preservation process to make sure it survives. I live close to the lake location where it was brought ashore so this information is from conversations with people at the scene. The number of people involved is long. City and state had a lot of archeologists and other key personnel there to direct and help the extraction. The Mayor was there along with other key city department leaders. Divers did the underwater work and brought the canoe to shore including from the Sheriffs Department. Anyone else who knows more details can add to the story in the comments but in summary it was a pretty amazing sight.”
SOLD! October 31, 2021: DN in MN
SOLD! DN. Great way to get into iceboating or for recreational sailing. Completely refurbished with new stainless rigging, updated tiller, mainsheet and tune up of all moving parts.
$745 OBO.
Swap Meet Stories
Stuff changed hands, there were quite a few new faces, and Ron Rosten’s Runner Whisperer clinic was a big hit at yesterday’s Wisconsin Iceboat Swap Meet. Thank you to all who attended and to our host, Daniel Hearn. If you missed this one, there’s another swap-meet on November 7 from 10 – 2 PM at the Delavan Yacht Club in Delavan, WI. Information on the Midwest Hard Water Sailing Facebook page.
New! ISA News & Views Newsletter Archive
