2020 Northwest Ice Yacht Racing Association Information
March 13-15,2020
Lake Waconia, Minnesota
A Proper Ice Check
Who knew that a 2 minute ice check drone video could be so hauntingly beautiful? Rick Elrod shot and edited the video March 28th on Little Bay de Noc in Gladstone, Michigan. Escanaba Nite sailor Terry Reynolds, Menekaunee sailors Mike Derusha and Ken Kreider, and a few others inspected the ice for International Skeeter Association regatta. The 2:13 minute mark shows exactly why the regatta was postponed but there’s plenty of ice. Many thanks to Terry Reynolds and friends from Escanaba and Gladstone who took the time to check the ice for the ISA.
Regatta Watch: ISA & Renegade Champonship Postponed
1955 ISA regatta sailed on Lake Monona in Madison, WI.
Both the International Skeeter Association and Renegade Championship Regattas have been postponed.
Ice checkers found 25″ of hard black ice at Little Bay de Noc at Gladstone, Michigan but with too much shell ice for safe sailing. Next update will be Sunday, April 1, 2018. [Never thought I’d be typing that date about an iceboat regatta!-ed.]
In the meantime, let’s revisit the 1955 ISA championship won by Buddy Melges in MICKEY FINN. Jane Wiswell (before she married Bob Pegel) won the women’s division. There’s some good detail in this article if you are a fan of the sport.
Regatta Watch: Renegade Championship Called ON for March 30-31
Via Don Anderson: The Renegade Championship is called ON for March 30-31, 2018. The Renegade regatta will take place with the ISA, potentially in Gladstone, MI. The Renegade championship will be a two-day event for Friday and Saturday. It will be a six race regatta with three races scheduled per day. Final confirmation will be made Wednesday, March 28,
Regatta Watch: ISA Called Tentatively ON for March 30 – April 1
Photo: Gretchen Dorian – Class A Skeeters on Lake Winnebago
The International Skeeter Association Championship has been tentatively called ON for March 30 – April 1, 2018. Potential sites include Little Bay de Noc in Gladstone, Michigan. Final confirmation will be made by noon Wednesday, March 28.The word from acting regatta chair John Dennis is that the committee is optimistic about conditions at Gladstone.
The High Miles Club
Andy Gratton Mike Kroll with the stern steerers ROSEMARY II and WISCONSIN at Menominee, Michigan
Not only was maximum fun achieved by all who responded to the invitation to sail at Menominee on Saturday, stern-steerer addicts Andy Gratton and Mike Kroll marked 1000 miles of sailing this season. That’s the equivalent of sailing to Toronto and back.or a one-way trip to Augusta, Maine! Nine Nites and Illinois DNer Tim Dixon joined the fun on the bay.
Nite sailor John Hayashi reports from Facebook: “It was an old time club sailing weekend at its finest. It brought out the crowds to the downtown, cars were parked everywhere, the grill was going what more could you ask for. There are a lot of people talking about iceboating again in that town. I will not be amazed if some more boats show up sailing up there next season.”
Photos: John Hayashi
Get Up to Menominee! – Sailing March 24-26
Menekaunee Ice Sailor Ken Kreider at the 2018 Nite Nationals on Green Lake.
The Menekaunee Ice Yacht Club invites ice sailors to join them for a fun weekend of sailing on Green Bay in Menominee, Michigan March 24-26. Ken Kreider and Mike Derusha have been sailing all day. They report 20″ of ice,no cracks, no shell ice, and some patchy snow that they had no problem sailing through today. The sailable area north-south is 2.5 miles; east-west is 1 mile. In order to preserve the landing, they ask that once you drop your trailer on the ice, please park in the lot.
Launch: Great Lakes Memorial Marina Park just south of the Menominee Marina.You can park your car in the lot there.
Regatta Watch: Renegade Championship Postponed
The Renegade Championship regatta has been postponed. George Gerhardt checked Green Lake today but found too many holes. Next update is Sunday, March 24, 2018 by 7 PM.
Regatta Watch: ISA Postponed
Rounding the Pole Photo: Craig Wilson
The International Skeeter Association Regatta has been postponed. The Race Committee continues to remain optimistic that the regatta will be sailed. Next update is Sunday, March 24, 2018 by 7 PM CST.
Regatta Watch: Northwest Canceled for 2018
“The chief difficulty in iceboating is the utter dependence upon the fickleness of the weather dispenser” Wisconsin State Journal 1918
Via NIYA Chair Tim McCormick:
The NIYA Regatta is cancelled for the 2018 season. Gladstone, MI continues to have a hard crust of snow. Shawano Lake has workable landings but the ice is too rough. Houghton Lake and Higgins Lake have holes. All other sites do not have sufficient landings. With the following weekend being the Easter Holiday, the NIYA Race Committee agreed we should cancel for the season.
The above quote in italics comes from this newspaper article published 100 years ago in 1918, a year when the Northwest was also canceled. In fact, it wasn’t sailed again until 1922. See you on the ice at next year’s Northwest!
Same As It Ever Was
“The Way of the Pole”
After 3 unsuccessful attempts to cross the Arctic Ocean, 3 French sailors are preparing to try again. They’ve spent 4 years building a hybrid catamaran that appears to be able to move across the pack ice. They’ve been testing the boat in Sweden over the last few days. Follow their Facebook page or website here
Regatta Watch: ISA Called On for March 23-25
Boehmke B Skeeters on Green Lake in 2013. Photo: Gretchen Dorian
The International Skeeter Association Championship has been tentatively called ON for March 23-25, 2018. Potential sites include Little Bay de Noc in Gladstone, Michigan and Houghton Lake in Michigan. Final confirmation will be made by noon Wednesday, March 21.
Regatta Watch: NIYA Tentatively Called ON for March 23-25
Photo: Gretchen Dorian We Sure Do!
Via NIYA Chair Tim McCormick:
The Northwest Regatta is tentatively called ON for March 23-25. The primary site is Gladstone, MI with Houghton Lake, MI as a secondary site. With all the warm weather this past weekend, we’re getting close! Final determination will be Wednesday, March 21st at Noon CDT.
Sail Brooklyn
While we wait for one last shot at a regatta, enjoy these 1912 photos with a stern-steerer on some sort of chassis.
Tip of the Helmet: Ann Gratton
Regatta Watch: Renegade Championship Postponed
Via Don Anderson:
The Renegade Championship has been postponed. Next update is Sunday, March 18. There’s a possibility that the 2018 Renegade Championship may be sailed even if the ISA cancels for this season. Keep your runners sharp and your trailer in the ready position!
Regatta Watch: Broken Record Edition
Heeere’s Your Wednesday Regatta Update!
Both the ISA and Northwest Regattas have been postponed. Next update for the ISA regatta will be Sunday, March 18.
Via NIYA Chair Tim McCormick:
The NIYA Regatta is postponed until March 23-25. Gladstone, MI is the most promising site but they still have 2” of hard crust snow and the wind forecast for this weekend is light. Ice thickness is more than 18” and trucks are driving on and off the ice without a problem. We need a moderate melt for that site to become good enough for a regatta and the forecast for the next week indicates that should happen. Next update is Sunday, March 18 at 8pm CST.
“Ice boating in Door County could use a return to the glory years”
Photo: George Gerhardt 2018 Nite Nationals on Green Lake
Green Bay Press Gazette
Jon Gast, For USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Published 9:44 a.m. CT March 13, 2018
The Lama Wamah Ice Squadron’s bus has stood as the face of ice boating in Door County for many years.
When the wind was up and ice was smooth, you’d see the bus along the shore of the bay or one of the county’s inland lakes, having dispensed its load of intrepid ice yachtsmen led by Bjorn Johanson. Continue reading.
2018 Nite Nationals Video
Many thanks to George Gerhardt for sharing his videos from the 2018 Nite Nationals.
Nite Nationals Photo Gallery
Oshkosh Renegader George Gerhardt sent along these photos from the recent 2018 Nite National Regatta held on Green Lake in Green Lake, Wisconsin. George also shot a bunch of video which will be posted soon.
Regatta Watch: ISA Called ON for March 16-18
Via International Skeeter Association Chair Jay Yaeso:
The ISA Championship Regatta is tentatively called on for March 16-18, 2018. We are hopeful a venue comes into play between now and Wednesday. If you have potential conditions, please advise.
Final confirmation will be noon Wednesday, March 14.
Regatta Watch: Northwest Called ON for March 16-18
Via Northwest Regatta Chair Tim McCormick:
The Northwest Regatta is tentatively called ON for March 16-18. The primary sites are in Upper Michigan but we need some melting there to clear up the ice. Final determination will be Wednesday, March 14th at Noon CDT.
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