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

LIFE on Ice

William “Curly” Perrigo and son.  Photo: George Silk

LIFE Ice Sailing Photos
As winter still tries to hang on here in the Midwest, take a look at this collection of photos from the great LIFE magazine photographer George Silk. He shot the famous 1962 LIFE cover shot (Excitement on the Ice) of Green Lake’s Joe Norton in his DN. The photo collection appears to be the out takes of Silk’s ice sailing work. Silk was a superb photographer and  may have been one of the first to strap a camera to the top of an iceboat mast. If you recognize any of these ice sailors, please email and let us know!
More LIFE magazines featuring ice sailing:
16 January 1939
23 March 1942

Tip of the Helmet to LifeSail Community Sailing Foundation Founder and Director Matt Schmidt in Marina Del Ray, California. Matt is coordinating an Ice Optimist build “implementing Reach, US Sailing’s STEM Program and Environmental Education Initiative aligned to National Education Standards, offering character and life-skill building activities to under-served and at-risk kids year round.” LifeSail’s Ice Optimist build is a great story, stay tuned for more on that.

“Frosting For Frozen Fun”


Daniel Hearn brings home the second most important part of any iceboating program, the trailer and sees the C Skeeter hull emerge from the parts and pieces.

Frosting For Frozen Fun

When I eat birthday cake (never with ice cream, but I love ice cream…I know, weird) my fork surgically targets the cake part first, leaving mostly frosting for a super sweet, sugar-filled finish. Flower? Corner piece? Ah…yeah…both, please.

It was all frosting at the Spaight Street Syndicate last weekend. Picked up my new C-Skeeter hauler in lower Michigan Saturday morning. Great little trailer company willing to sell direct to consumers and build custom quite economically. On the way there, dropped off a DN mast for repair with Bob Rast. Going to a newbie I assisted getting into a good entry level program. Welcome to the fleet, Vince! Had dinner with my oldest daughter in Chicago and spent the night at her place. I did eat meat on Friday during Lent. Since the Lord can walk on water, he’s certainly an ice boater, so I’m counting on him cutting me some slack.

On Sunday, I got to start dry fitting pieces. It’s been pretty much all cake since I started—planning, ordering, cutting, gluing, carboning, bending, sweeping, swearing, apologizing (to my wife for the excess dust; I don’t think she hears me cussing like a longshoreman). But all of a sudden ,“poof,” it looks like a boat! Frosting for frozen fun is good for my psyche.

Damn, I’m one board short! There I go again with my potty mouth. I’ll have to pay a visit to Andy at McCormick Lumber this week. He’s an Irishman…he won’t mind my language.

Previous: When Your Plank Needs Work
A Weak Moment

Catching Up: 4LIYC Scores & Ice Sailors on Land

Ken Whitehorse in the new blue Class A Skeeter

4LIYC Scores
The 4LIYC did have a racing season, albeit a short one. Fortunately, our by-laws allow for regattas sailed on home ice to be counted towards club scoring. Our Nite class members will be taking home the “pots and pans” at this year’s banquet on April 27. (Banquet information here.) The Renegade class was also able to race that weekend on Kegonsa and Trophy chair Jori Lenon and the board have been working on the specialty trophies too.

Class photo at the 2019 Blokart North American regatta at Ivanpah Dry Lake near Primm, Nevada.

2019 Blokart North Americans: Jim Nordhaus 2nd in division, Aiden Schmeidlin 1st in division, Gary Nordhaus 1st in division, Andy Gratton 2nd in division, Geoff Sobering 3rd in division.

You may have noticed that this website wasn’t being updated very much during the past few weeks. That’s because I was in Primm, Nevada at the 2019 Blokart North American championship along with some other Wisconsin ice sailors. Jim Nordhaus and Geoff Sobering placed 2nd and 3rd in their division. First time land sailor, Andy Gratton, placed 2nd in his division. All three of these ice sailors won races in their division against some extremely tough competition.
Scores here.

When Your Plank “Needs Work”

Now that’s proper plank form.

The Spaight Street Syndicate C Skeeter build continues. Here’s the latest from Daniel Hearn.

YOUR PLANK NEEDS WORK
I was in NYC last weekend visiting my youngest daughter, Sheridan. She took me to one of these trendy fitness clubs staffed by overly cheerful, Lulumon-clad trainers whose smiles conceal their fondness of torture. It was called The Fitting Room. Their e-blasts ever since will never let me forget.

“Locker room straight ahead,” said the ethnically ambiguous receptionist with the blue buzz cut, plentiful piercings and ink. Admittedly, I was a little groggy, having stayed up way past my embarrassingly early normal bedtime, taking in a comedy show at a club often used by big names for trying out their new material. Chris Rock didn’t show that night.

As I wondered in, there standing right in front of me was a shapely young woman with nothing on but lacy black panties and a party bra. (Not that I was looking, of course, I was with my wife and daughters). As I desperately scanned the area for the silhouette of the guy wearing pants, all I saw were more women. Women in various states of dress. Certain that I had wondered into the wrong locker room, I sheepishly turned to exit trying to be invisible. It must have showed on my Midwestern face as another woman said, “don’t worry, it’s a coed locker room.” “Hmm, I thought, temporarily relieved, until I started thinking about exposing my tighty-whiteys to total strangers, and most of them women. My ladies know I’m a dork, but these women…scratch that…they probably took one look at my dad jeans and concluded, “dork.”

Our class had two wirelessly mic’ed instructors. Not very far into the workout, I became a “project” for the instructor with the British accent and tightly trimmed beard. He said to me, “ Daniel (at least he didn’t call me sir), your plank needs work. I thought to myself, “dude, you have no idea!” Maybe I should send him the pictures?

Previous: “Weak Moment”

2019 4LIYC Awards Banquet

UPDATE 22 APRIL: The reservation deadline has passed.
Please join us as we celebrate the end of another iceboat racing season with our good friends at Springer’s on Lake Kegonsa.
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2019
Time: Social Hour 5:00, Dinner 6:30

Skeeter Shop Mast Repair


Monday was a busy day for Ken Whitehorse and Paul Krueger at the Skeeter shop. Via Ken Whitehorse:

Work continues. Had much trouble pulling halyard and sail up. Went to Menards and got the ACME mast tube clean-out reamer.Some assembly needed. Kit included a 3/8ths 4ft long threaded rod and 2 30 ft long heavy galvanized wire. This allowed for two people to seesaw the barbed rod and thus ream out the glue in the mast tube. Also 180 psi of air helped! Smooth sailing now. Will bring the ACME mast tube roto -roorter to the meeting so other iceboaters can borrow.

Regatta Watch: WSSA Cancelled For the Season

The season is over for the Wisconsin Stern Steerers Association. Here’s the Stern Steerer kid to help give the season a send-off.

Regrettably the Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been cancelled for this season. Perhaps there will be some early ice in December that might allow us to race for the 2019 season. In the meantime you have all summer to fix those nagging problems, or for some of us, to finish the new boat so it is ready for early ice. Keep your runners sharp!
Andy Gratton
WSSA Secretary/Treasurer

Have You Seen Our Marks?


Our 4LIYC marks have gone missing. They were last seen in their florescent round storage bags on the ATV trailer on Kegonsa Sunday, March 17. Perhaps someone took them by mistake. If you have them, please get in touch.

2019 Nite Nationals Wrap Up & Photo Gallery

Nite Nationals Gold Fleet Champion, Tom Nordlie 560              Photo: Rick Myslinski

Results

Congratulations to all competitors who hung tough during a week of warm temperatures and rain leading up to the regatta. Many thanks to co- PROs Doug Kolner and Pat Heppert for setting courses, dropping starting blocks, and keeping things running efficiently. Thanks Grant Frautschi and Lars Barber for making the drive to Kegonsa every day before the regatta to check the landings and ice. Thanks to Nite officers John Hayashi (Mimi too!), Mike Peters, Maureen Bohleber, and Don Sanford for their help. Thanks to Steve and Mary Jane Schalk for staffing the off-shore scoring office from Fontana, WI. Thanks to Daniel Hearn for the use of the DN Western Region ATV, marks, and equipment. Thanks to the members of 4LIYC for their continued strong support for the sport of iceboat racing by ensuring the Nite regatta had the best course. And finally, thanks to everyone who jumped into action on Sunday to help take the trailers off the ice when the landing deteriorated. Watching the ingenuity and cooperation was truly iceboating at its finest!

Keeping ‘er movin…

Photos: Rick Myslinski

Nite Nats Day 2: AM Report

Photo: Tim Stanton

Results

The flag dropped at 9:10 AM Saturday and the Nites were able to complete 3 races in each fleet before the wind shut down and the ice became crusty. Racing begins at 9 AM this morning. Time to head to the lake and see what the day brings!

Nite Nats Day 1: AM Report

Nites & 4LIYC Skeeters and Renegades on Lake Kegonsa

Good morning from Four Lakes, site of the 2019 Nite Nationals. Doug Kolner, Pat Hepper, and I are lending a hand as Race Committee for the regatta. Temperatures are below freezing this morning which has tightened up the ice. Mary Jane Schalk will handle the tabulating duties from Skeeter Haven in Fontana, WI. If you’d like to follow along, check out this link for updated scores during the day.
http://dniceboat.org/isaniya/2019NiteNationals.htm

Naming Rights

The Horse With No Name.

Attention Nite National sailors and 4LIYC members: During this weekend’s regatta and club racing, Ken Whitehorse is holding a mini-fund raiser for the Mary B Stern Steerer Foundation by giving you a chance to help name his new Skeeter (formerly Bob Kau’s Skeeter). For only $1, you can suggest a name for the blue Skeeter and all the money will go to support the Mary B Stern-Steerer Foundation. See Ken on the ice this weekend for more information.

4LIYC Racing Called On for 16-17 March @ Kegonsa

Look for a blue Skeeter this weekend.  

4LIYC racing is called on for 16 – 17 March on Lake Kegonsa. First race is at 10 AM
Use the Amundson landing. DO NOT DRIVE ON THE ICE!
The club will set up a separate course from the Nite Nationals regatta. Should be a fun weekend for all!

Century Sailor

Beautiful ice, a sunny day, fair winds, and an iceboat rigged and ready to go; watch Mel Nichols (who happens to be 100 years old) sail a DN on Michigan’s Wolf Lake this week. Thanks to Mel’s son-in-law, Bruce Brown, for sharing the video.

 

4LIYC Ice Check Friday 15 March


If you’d like to see what’s going on at Lake Kegonsa, go to the Amundson Landing tomorrow, Friday 15 March at 11:30 AM for an ice check. There may be an opportunity for club racing this weekend. Stand by for news.

Regatta Watch: Nite Nationals Called ON for Kegonsa

Nites line up at the 2019 ISA. Photo: Pat Heppert

The Nite Nationals have been called on for Lake Kegonsa. More information, see the Nite website. PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE ON THE ICE!!!!

2019 Nite Nationals
Sat 3/16 – Sun 3/17
Location: Kegonsa, WI
MUST PRE-REGISTER!!!!
Money will not be accepted on Saturday. (Maureen will never make the race on time). Please pay by paypal below (you don’t need an account just your card).

Late fee = $10 after 7pm Thursday 3/14

Launch Location: TBA
8am Skippers Meeting
9am Silver Fleet Start, Gold Fleet to follow

Hotel info: Due to Spring Break and High School Basketball State Tourney, we are having a hard time finding Lodging… We are suggesting finding your own hotel. There will not be a central hotel for all to stay. Plenty of hotels with rooms available, but not one that can block off a huge # of rooms for us.

Friday Night Early Arrivals: TBA
Banquet/Dinner: Essen Haus 6pm Saturday

Registration due by 7pm Thursday Night 3/14
All competitors must pay online or at regatta head
$10 late fee if paying after 7pm Thursday 3/14

Regatta Watch: WSSA Postponed

ROSEMARY, skippered by Andy Gratton at the 2019 Northwest Regatta.            Photo: Pat Heppert

The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to March 23 and 24, 2019. The next update will be Sunday, March 17. Check back here at that time.
Andy Gratton

WSSA Secretary/Treasurer