2020 Northwest Ice Yacht Racing Association Information
March 13-15,2020
Lake Waconia, Minnesota
4LIYC Racing Called ON for Feb 9-10 @ Monona
We’ve been sailing Madison’s waters since 1860 and are part of what makes Madison unique.
Four Lakes Ice Yacht club racing is called on for February 9-10, 2019 on Lake Monona. Use the Olin boat launch.
Saturday’s races are postponed until 1 PM because of the low temperatures that are in the morning’s forecast.
Ice: Tim McCormick and Don Sanford report 6″+ of ice (They couldn’t drill completely through the ice with a 6″ bit). The ice is very hard and there are some 2″ high sloped humps (no vertical faces) completely covered in ice. .
Launch: The launch ramp at Olin is covered in ice. Please use extreme caution if you drive on the ice to drop your trailer. If you drive on, drop your trailer and drive off the ice IMMEDIATELY. Don’t leave your vehicle on the ice more than 5 minutes. This can’t be stressed enough!
Observe all regulations at the launch including the parking lot permit.
Junior Worlds Complete
Ice Optimist sailor Livia Liszkiewicz P334 would rather be ice sailing! Photo: Olsztyński Klub Żeglarski Facebook Page
DN Junior World Championship: 1st Rasmus Maalen, 2nd Zuzanna Rybicka Photo: Zuzanna Rybicka
The 2019 Junior DN and Ice Optimist World Championships are complete. Congratulations to all who competed including the 4LIYC’s Thor Rosten who kept his DN moving in some sticky, light conditions. The European Championship began today and will be completed on Friday.
It’s heartening to see these kids racing iceboats and gives us all hope for the future of this always fragile sport. North Americans may be wondering how the Europeans can field an 80 boat youth regatta on ice. 4LIYC member and North American Junior Secretary Ron Rosten has written about why he thinks the Europeans are miles ahead of North America in youth iceboat sailing. Read his article, “The State of Youth Sailing” in the September 2018 issue of the DN newsletter, Runner Tracks.
Europeans are also leading the way to encourage more women to compete in the sport. One sailor who has benefited from such a strong youth program is Polish DN sailor Zuzanna Rybicka -she has had quite an ice sailing season. Someday we will see her compete in North America. I took the liberty of posting (with a bit of correcting and guessing on the translation) her thoughts from Facebook today:
Yay! Today ended the junior world championship where I took 2th place in the DN fleet and 1st place in the women’s division. 🏆
It’s a great goodbye with age junior, and at the same time successful year greeting with age
This year I got a lot of support from a lot of people and I would like to thank everyone Awesome starts having such great fans like you guys.Summary of my results in season 2018/19:
🥇 1st Women, European championship
🥈 1st. Women, Polish junior championship
🥈 2nd Junior World Championship
🥇 1st Women, Junior World Championship
[In today’s] European Junior Championship, after the first day I am on lead among women and second place in DN. Open. Keep your fingers crossed, tomorrow decisive races 💪
Previous: Junior Worlds See the World
Previous: 2019 Junior World Championship Begins
Previous: Junior Worlds Ice Sailing Championships Day 1
True Ink On Ice
True
True Ink magazine “…celebrate(s) The Noble Pursuit, a mix of adventure, expertise, and time well spent”. It’s time well spent reading their latest offering about the sport of ice sailing:
COMMODORE OF THE HARD WATER
In Brief:Daniel Hearn, ice sailor of the Gold Fleet, spoke with the editors of True about the magic of the hard water. Read more.
4LIYC Ice Check Friday Feb 8
What will they see?
In one week, the Madison area has seen the temperatures swing from -27F to 40F along with every known precipitation type. It’s raining and sleeting as I type this. What that means is the lakes are in a constant state of change as far as iceboating is concerned.
On Tuesday, 4LIYC members took a look at Mendota, Monona, and Kegonsa with the hopes of finding decent ice for the Nite Nationals. The snow had turned into a rough slushy surface. There were dark patches on Lake Mendota that looked unsafe. Monona looked like it had the best potential but it was rough.
Club members will meet at the Olin Park landing on Friday at noon to assess Lake Monona. Stand by for news.
In The News: Bill Bucholz
Bill Bucholz and Pat Heppert at the 2017 ISA in Battle Lake, MN
Our good friend, Maine iceboater and iceboat builder Bill Bucholz, was recently featured in an article in the Portland Press Herald. Bill made the long drive to the ISA in 2017 with his C Skeeter and we look forward to his next regatta visit.
Maine’s only commercial ice-boat builder has a passion for his craft
In the fringe sport, Bill Buchholz enjoys making boats.
BY DEIRDRE FLEMING
CAMDEN — Bill Buchholz builds ice boats for a living, a trade that sets him apart.
He built his first in 2007, and in the subsequent years turned his Camden company, Apache Boatworks, into a business that specializes in ice boats, sleek usually one-person crafts that can skate across frozen ponds and lakes at speeds of up to 50 mph.
In a boat-building community of some 5,000, Buchholz is the only full-time commercial ice-boat builder in Maine, and one of a small number – some estimate it around 200 – in the country. Continue reading.
Junior World Ice Sailing Championship: Day 1
Photo: Michał Skawiński “Kornik” POL 333 P-339
The 2019 Junior World DN & Ice Optimist Championships got underway today on Lake Siemianowka in light air and sticky ice. Ron Rosten reported that the wind shut off during the day’s last race and they tore down their boats in the dark. Ron also praised Estonian DNer Rasmus Maalen C20, currently in first, who “went out of his way to give Thor [Rosten] advice and offer encouragement.”
Rasmus Maalen, it should be noted, won the first race of the European Championship 2 weeks ago and finished 6th overall. Another junior who competed at the Europeans, Zuzanna Rybicka P119, is in second place just 2 points behind Rasmus tonight.
In the Ice Optimist fleet, Estonian sailor Lisbeth Taggu C1 holds first with Poles Mateusz Gigielewicz P89 and Anielka Graczyk P375 tied for second. Aneilka’s father, Robert Graczyk, won the Polish Championship last Saturday. There are a combined total of 80 skippers registered for the regatta. Youth iceboating is doing well in Europe.
Previous: Junior Worlds See the World
Previous: 2019 Junior World Championship Begins
Regatta Watch: Nite Nationals Postponed
Nites line up to race at the 2019 ISA Photo: Pat Heppert
Nite Nationals has been postponed to the weekend of February 16 & 17, 2019. Ice checkers in Madison and Pewaukee found that even with the recent thaw, ice conditions are not quite ready.
Next announcement will be posted on the Nite class website on Friday evening, Feb 10, 2019
Junior Worlds See the World
Junior DN & Ice Optimist sailors at Lake Niegocin in Gizycko, Poland Photo: Mihkel Kosk
“Double ice [the Europeans’ name for shell ice], not frozen slush, and snow drifts” on Niegocin means the juniors are on the move today to greener iceboating pastures on Lake Siemianowka at Poland’s border with Belarus. Opening ceremonies and racing for the Junior World DN & Ice Optimist championships are scheduled for Wednesday Feb 6th.
Previous: 2019 Junior World Championship Begins
SAILING Magazine: “Ludicrous Speed On Hard Water”
JR Francis US807 Photo: JH Peterson
Pick up a print or digital February issue SAILING Magazine for a feature story with high quality photography by JH Peterson about our favorite sport. Steve Orlebeke, Harken, mentions of the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club and Skeeter Iceboat Club, Jane Pegel – I could go on but the author has covered all the bases on the Wisconsin and Minnesota iceboating scene.
4LIYC Meetings Move to Off Broadway Drafthouse
A sign of excellence seen on the wall at Off Broadway Drafthouse
Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club Moves Meetings to
Off Broadway Drafthouse
We are excited to announce that the 4LIYC will meet at Off Broadway Drafthouse for the remainder of the season. Thank you to Joe and Rita Klinzing and the Off Broadway staff for accommodating us on short notice. OBD is a friendly neighborhood pub with a way above average menu. An enlargement of the historic photo (posted above) covers an entire wall there! We look forward to Jack Ripp letting us know some history on these boats.
Off Broadway Drafthouse
5404 Raywood Rd, Madison, WI 53713
Website
Map
Details:
Table service for food and drinks will begin at 5:45 PM. We will meet in the room behind the bar which is to your left as you enter.
The meeting begins at 6:30 PM.
Remaining Meeting Schedule
February 6
February 20 4LIYC Business Meeting
March 6
March 20
2019 Junior World Championship Begins
Thor Rosten at the 2018 Junior DN World Championship
The 2019 DN & Ice Optimist Junior World and European Championships were called on for Lake Niegocin in Gizycko, Poland for February 4-8. 4LIYC DN sailor Thor Rosten and his dad, Ron, are there and again traveling with the Swedish team. Ron reports that they may be looking at an alternative site because of a snowfall during the night. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, February 5 at 10:00 with racing to follow. Stay tuned!
Regatta Watch: Nite Nationals Called ON
Nite Skippers
Nite Nationals has been tentatively called ON for February 9 & 10, 2019.
Potential locations are:
Madison area (Mendota, Monona or Kegonsa)
PewaukeeSouthern Wisconsin has experienced thawing conditions during the past 24 hours with another 12 hours of above-freezing temps and rain. Current forecasts call for a hard freeze and below freezing temps beginning on Monday. We expect that this may produce sailable ice on one of these four lakes. Ice scouts will be out the next few days and also Wednesday and after their reports and careful review of the forecasts we will make a final regatta call on Wednesday, February 6, by 9 PM CST.
Please check the class website for more updates.
Pre-register for the regatta now on our class website and save the $10.00 late registration fee that will be charged those who register after 12 noon, CST on Friday, February 8.
Shop Watch: First, the Paint
Via Greg Whitehorse’s post on the 4LIYC Facebook page.
Down at the Whitehorse/Krueger Boat Works. Measuring up a spot for upcoming lettering on Ken’s new Skeeter. WARRIOR VI. Previous: Skeeter Swap Meet.
Regatta Watch: WSSA Postponed
Thank you Thomas Olheden for sharing these photos of this historic stern-steerer NORA of Sweden.
The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to February 16 and 17, 2019. The next update will be Sunday, February 10. Check back here at that time.
Winnebago was totally covered in 6″ of snow yesterday with large drifts. Today it is 90% clear with 2″ to 6″ deep water on the ice. Conditions are changing rapidly, we may be able to sail soon!
Andy Gratton
WSSA Secretary/Treasurer
4LIYC Meeting News
Photo: gretchendorian.com
Angelo’s Italian Restaurant, home base for 4LIYC meetings, suffered a major kitchen fire during the recent extreme cold snap. Angelo’s will be closed for at least a month while they repair the damage. In the meantime, we continue to look for another meeting place. We hope to have news for you tomorrow as to where the club will meet this Wednesday, February 6.
In The News: Toledo Ice Yacht Club
Happy 100th to the Toledo Ice Yacht Club where they are hosting Winterfest today. If you are in the area and want to see what iceboating is all about, this is the place to experience it. Check out the article and accompanying video.
Ice boat racing a pastime in Point Place
JAY SKEBBA
Blade Staff Writer
jskebba@theblade.com
Mr [Kent]. Baker said ice boaters and racers have created a sense of community with each other.
“I’ve been in the club over 20 years, so I’ve known a lot of these people that long,” he said. “You make friends and end up traveling together with random people. The guy I went to Maine with, we’ll call each other up and talk about going somewhere to race. A lot of times we’re the only ones nutty enough to do it.” Read more.
Windsurfing Championships @ Fond du Lac – Feb 5-10
Andy Gratton & WISCONSIN enjoying the festivities at the 2015 WISSA on Lake Winnebago
While we wait for slightly warmer weather and the great Zamboni to arrive, George Gerhardt passes along news of an event that will keep our winter instincts sharp, the WISSA Windsurfing Championships on Lake Winnebago at Fond du Lac. Not only is there windsurfing, it’s also the Sturgeon Spectacular, a big celebration of winter. Check it all out here.
February in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin can only mean one thing. Sturgeon Spectacular. We will be celebrating our 4th year in 2019 and will be welcoming back the Ice & Snow Sailing World Championships presented by Alliant Energy, The Wisconsin State Snow Sculpting Competition, Boogie & the Yo-Yo’z, Running of the Sturgeon Parade, an outdoor curling competition, the Inaugural Sturgeon Spearing and Beering event at Lakeside Park presented by Lakefront Brewery, and much, much more! Read more.
“Graceful Boats” of the Northwest
Enjoy the artistry of how iceboats look from an eagle’s point of view. Thank you Steve Brown for sharing your video of 2019 Northwest regatta on Lake Pepin.
Snow Means Shop
Perfect conditions this weekend for building at the Spaight Street Syndicate. Junior sailor, Soren Hughes, glued up the sideboards of his new DN with assistance from friend Seth.
Regatta Watch: WSSA Postponed
Photo: Gretchen Dorian
The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta has been postponed to February 9 and 10, 2019. The next update will be Sunday, February 3. Check back here at that time.
Andy Gratton
WSSA Secretary/Treasurer
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