2020 Northwest Ice Yacht Racing Association Information
March 13-15,2020
Lake Waconia, Minnesota
International Skeeter Association Updates – 2025 Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions, and Dues
B Skeeters on Lake Monona. Photo: Will Johnston
ISA Home Page
Notice of Race
Sailing Instructions & Conditions
Annual Meeting Agenda Items
The 2025 Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions, and Annual Meeting Agenda items are now available online! Be sure to review them and prepare for another great season.
Additionally, if you’re not up to date on your ISA dues, now is the time to take care of it. A list of current paid members has been uploaded for your convenience. (See it here.) If you don’t see your name on the list, you can quickly pay your dues online here.
Stay tuned for more updates, and let’s get ready for the 2025 season!
DN Senior Shuffle Postponed
Via 4LIYC Commodore Daniel Hearn
Due to the fact that one of our hosts will be in Florida this weekend racing with 110 other M15s, the Senior Shuffle will not take place following the 2025 DN Western Regional Championship, if it happens this weekend of January 4 – 5. FYI, he’s planning to port tack the fleet at the first start. He’s just old…not smart!
SOLD! February 7, 2024: Gambit in Ontario,Canada
SOLD! Gambit in sailable condition and comes with aluminum mast and boom. Boat sails well in heavy winds that might challenge DNs. The cockpit is designed to allow two people side by side. Boat can be car by topped. No trailer included. There are two floatation suits and ice picks that are also available for sale if interested. More photos available.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
$1800
SOLD! November 20, 2024: Nite in WI
SOLD! Nite #272, Zap
Base Package
Hull/Springboard/Cockpit Cushions/Carbo Air Blocks
S&R Mast/Fully Rigged/Stays with Custom Adjustment Tubes
1 New Sitka Plank with Aligned and Glued Chocks
Ron Sherry D2 Steel Runners
1 Boom/Fully Rigged with Harken Carbo Air Blocks
2022 Quantum Standard Sail with Battens
Tapered Sheet Rope
All Covers
Splash Guard
3 Bags of Lead
Bucks
Trailer for 2 hulls, 4 masts, 4 planks, 2 large top/back opening boxes
$10,000
Wisconsin
Regatta Watch: WSSA Regatta Called ON for Jan 4 – 5
The Wisconsin Stern Steering Association regatta for 2025 has been tentatively called on for January 4 and 5. The site selected is Lake Noquebay east of Crivitz. Final confirmation will be made by 1 PM Thursday, January 2. Check back here after that time.
Andy Gratton
WSSA Secretary/Treasurer
Regatta Watch: 2025 Renegade Championship Postponed to Jan 10 – 12
Via Renegade Regatta Chair Don Anderson
The Renegade Championship has been postponed until January 10, 11, 12, 2025. The next update is on Sunday, January 5, 2025.
Roll Out the Barrel: A Historic Ice Sailing Throwback
Here’s a fascinating vintage photo shared from Mike Peter’s collection, which will be part of our presentation at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum on January 2. This early 20th-century image captures stern steerers racing on Lake Winnebago and shows a very different approach to racecourse marks.
In the photo, you’ll notice the mark (aka buoy) in use—a tall wooden pole mounted on a platform, with a flag waving from the top and a wooden barrel suspended below. This setup starkly contrasts the lightweight, triangular fluorescent fabric marks we use today. It’s hard not to imagine the chaos (and potential splinters!) if one of those massive stern steerers collided with such a substantial obstacle.
This photo likely predates the introduction of bow-steering boats, offering a window into a bygone era of ice sailing. It’s a reminder of how much the sport has evolved.
We’ve had several requests for the special Skeeter Vodka cocktail recipe featured at our event with the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. I’m working on getting that recipe so everyone can mix up their Skeeter cocktail and join us from home via Zoom. Stay tuned—I’ll share it soon so you can toast along with us!
December 29, 2024: DN Components in RI
Get ready for the 2025 DN Worlds
New and used gear ready to go.
•2014 Kent/CSI 4.1- $2400
•MBC All Carbon Mast
-Blank tube/parts or rigged
•North/Boston FO1 never used $900
•1D Power Gold P36
•1D Vertical F Speed
•1D F Speed
-Carbon or Glass Battens avaliable
•North Max Power $800
•Bossett T’s $500/set
Contact: Chad Atkins
Catkins4487@gmail.com
Equipment in RI
Think & Drink: Iceboating History Presentation @ Wisconsin Maritime Museum
Does it get any more Wisconsin than this? Ice sailing, maritime history, a Green Bay Packers connection, and a cocktail named in honor of the Skeeter class?
Mike Peters and I will be presenting a program for their Think & Drink series on ice sailing at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum on Thursday, January 2nd at 6:30 pm. I’ll be joining via Zoom, and Mike will be there in person at the museum to share the history of ice sailing in Wisconsin.
The event is free and will be available both in-person and virtually. The featured drink of the night will be a Skeeter, a vodka cocktail named after the fastest iceboat in the world. Doors and the bar open at 6:00 pm, and the program begins at 6:30 pm.
This presentation is part of the Ice Boating: A Wisconsin Tradition exhibit at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, which is on display from December 2024 through September 2025. The exhibit traces the history of ice boating in Wisconsin, spanning over 100 years, and showcases the evolution of iceboats and the culture surrounding the sport.
To join virtually, please register here: Event Registration Link.
This program is made possible in part by a grant from the Green Bay Packers Foundation. For more info, check out the museum’s website.
Hope to see you there, whether in person or online!
WHAT TO KNOW
Date & Time: Thursday, January 2nd, 6:30 pm (doors and bar open at 6:00 pm)
Location: Wisconsin Maritime Museum, 75 Maritime Dr., Manitowoc, WI
Cost: Free (both in-person and virtual)
Virtual Access: Register here to attend via Zoom: Event Registration Link
UPDATE: The Wisconsin Maritime Museum has unveiled a signature drink for their Think and Drink presentation—a twist on the classic Sidecar, featuring vodka and blue curaçao.
The Skeeter
2 oz vodka
1 oz blue curaçao
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup (optional, for a hint of sweetness)
Lemon twist or orange slice for garnish
Instructions:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
Add vodka, blue curaçao, lemon juice, and simple syrup (if desired).
Shake well until chilled.
Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist or orange slice.
2025 DN Senior Shuffle Update
DN Senior Shuffle Home Page
The 2025 DN Senior Shuffle is scheduled to take place after the 2025 DN Western Region Championship, from January 6-8, 2025. We are actively 
searching for suitable ice conditions in the DN Western Region, and updates will be provided as soon as we have more information.
If you paid for last year’s event, you won’t need to pay again. If you’d like to register for this year, here’s the link to sign up.
Stay tuned for the next update on Monday, December 30, 2024, for the latest news on the status of the DN Western Region Championship and Senior Shuffle. We look forward to another exciting event and hope to see you on the ice!
WHAT TO KNOW
2025 DN Senior Shuffle
NOTICE OF RACE
SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Dates: Tentatively January 6 – 8, 2025 (the 3 days after the 2025 Western Region Championship)
Location: TBA, same location at 2025 Western Region Championship
Eligibility:
• Open to Seniors (50-59), Masters (60-69) and Grand Masters (70+) who will race under Shuffle Rules with one start.
• Open to “aspiring” Seniors (49 or younger) who will also race under Shuffle Rules possibly with a separate start.
Entries: Click here to see list of entries.
December 23, 2024: Starter DN in MI
Complete starter DN with composite fiberglass mast, an aluminum mast, and cover:
$1,200.
Located in Holland, Mich.
Call Jenn at 269-751-8443 ext 2 for more information.
All calls will be returned.
December 23, 2024: C Skeeter & Trailer in MI
Skeeter and Nite custom-built aluminum trailer with room on top for more iceboats. Asking $10k for the trailer. The price includes the C Skeeter. The Skeeter alone is $6k. The trailer alone: $10,000.
Call Jenn at 269-751-8443 ext.2 for more information and photographs.
All calls will be returned.
Located in Holland, Mich.
Ice Yachts Return to the FDR Museum & Library
Hudson River Stern Steerer ALLONS will be on display at the FDR Library. Photo Courtesy of White Wings & Black Ice
Hey East Coasters! Looking for something unique to do this holiday season? Don’t miss the chance to see three historic Hyde Park ice yachts on display at the Wallace Center at the FDR Presidential Library and Home.
Where: FDR Library & Museum
4079 Albany Post Road
Hyde Park, NY 12538
When:
Monday, December 23, 2024
Friday, January 3, 2025 (A benefit from 4 PM – 6 PM)
Sunday, January 5, 2025
Via Bob Wills President Hudson River Ice Yacht Preservation Trust
SNATCHING VICTORY FROM THE JAWS OF DEFEAT
THE SHOW OF THREE HISTORIC HYDE PARK ICE YACHTS WILL OPEN ON MONDAY 12/23
Upon hearing that the Budget Crisis had been resolved without a Government Shutdown, we sprung into action. An emergency crew of Hudson River Ice Yacht Club (and Trust) members, ten in total with many more on standby, made the rounds to the barns where ALLONS, HOUND, and COMET were stored, loaded them onto our trucks, transported them to the Henry A. Wallace Center at the FDR Presidential Library and Home, and assembled and rigged them. Final touches will be completed today.
https://www.fdrlibrary.org/events-calendar
https://www.facebook.com/fdrlibrary
https://hudsonrivericeyachting.blogspot.com/We hope to see you there between Monday, December 23, 2024 and January 5, 2025. And please add to your calendars our fantastic Benefit, “SOIREE AMONGST THE ICE YACHTS”, Friday, January 3, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm.
We have much to be thankful for during this Holiday Season, and extending our best wishes to you!
Bob
December 18, 2024: Melges 80 Skeeter in WI
Melges 80 Skeeter. Complete with two sails, full covers and bags for sails & boom. Carbon fiber mast, stainless cables, Harken pulleys. Very comfortable to sail. Easy to set up and take down. Plank is 16′ wide, mast 22′ tall, hull 19′ long, spring board 4’6″ to hull and 6’9″ total. Both foot & wheeling steering. Pillow block chocks. Custom built boat trailer that is set up to transport two ice boats. Trailer has new wheels & tires. Boat always stored inside.
Located in Oshkosh, WI.
Delivery available – $7,800.00
(920) 850-8265.
New Video Playlist: Racing Rules of Iceboating
The Skeeter Ice Boat Club (SIBC) of Lake Geneva, WI, has shared a new resource for the ice sailing community: a YouTube playlist breaking down the National Iceboat Authority’s Racing Rules of Iceboating into easy-to-digest sections.
Edited by SIBC member Dave Navin, these videos provide a guide to understanding and applying the racing rules, helping sailors of all experience levels navigate the course safely and confidently. Whether you’re looking to refresh your knowledge or learn the rules for the first time, this playlist is a valuable tool for anyone passionate about iceboating.
Watch the videos here on the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club YouTube channel playlist:
4LIYC Meeting Update for Dec 18
IN PERSON AT THE FOUR LAKES YACHT CLUB, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2024
Please join us for our next Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club meeting. We will meet at the Four Lakes Yacht Club on the Yahara River in Monona. We’ll recap the weekend’s DN Western Region Championship and the ISA and Renegade Regattas, along with plenty of great stories to share.
WHAT TO KNOW:
Date: Wednesday, December18, 2024
Time: 6:30 PM CT
Location: The Four Lakes Yacht Club
6312 Metropolitan Ln, Monona, WI
What to Bring: $10 cash if you want to join in for pizza and cash for beverages.
Wisconsin Stern Steerers Association Newsletter Update
WSSA HOME PAGE
Link to video
Remember that kid-sized stern steerer sailing around a skating rink, yelling with pure joy? It serves as a reminder of how fun iceboats can be.
Speaking of Stern Steerers, the Wisconsin Stern Steerers Association latest newsletter is now uploaded! Check it out here.
2025 Wisconsin Stern Steerers Newsletter 
ISA & Renegade Championship Regatta Recap
Photo: Gretchen Dorian
ISA & Renegade Championship Results
The final day of the ISA Regatta was a challenging one, with foggy, overcast, and damp conditions that limited visibility in the morning. Fortunately, the wind was steady enough for racing, though the Race Committee postponed the start in hopes of weather improvement.
The B Skeeters decided to conclude their regatta early, holding their trophy ceremony on the ice before heading back to Lake Geneva. The A Skeeters also opted not to race, celebrating their champions with a trophy presentation on the ice. Meanwhile, the Renegades and Nite fleets stayed out later in the morning and managed to get in some solid racing before calling it a day.
By the afternoon, all participants gathered at the Water’s Edge Restaurant to warm up with hot chili and hold the regatta’s final trophy ceremony.
A special thanks to everyone who made this regatta possible: Ann Foeller, working remotely from Toledo, Ohio, for tabulating results for both the ISA and DN Western Region Championship; Julie Jankowski and Fred Stritt, for monitoring the weather mark on both courses; John Dennis, the ISA Regatta Chair, for organizing a successful event; and Pat Heppert for keeping the schedule on track. We’re also grateful to veteran photographer Gretchen Dorian for her coverage. Although she couldn’t make it to the ISA course, you can spot the Skeeters in the background of her always amazing DN photos. And finally, our heartfelt thanks to the people of Starbuck, Minnesota, for their always warm welcome and to the Water’s Edge Restaurant for graciously putting up with us throughout the event
2024 ISA Day 2 & DN Western Region Day 1 Report
DN Junior Sailor Maggie McGary US2453. Photo: Gretchen Dorian
ISA Results
DN Western Region Results
Saturday brought a different set of weather conditions—overcast and warmer, but with a dampness that felt more chilling than the 10°F temperatures of Friday. Thankfully, the wind remained steady, making it easier to run races efficiently.
I assisted on the DN course, while Pat Heppert, Jim McDonough, and others pitched in to manage the ISA course. Fred Stritt and Julie Jankowski, our dedicated DN Western Region weather mark crew, had the best vantage point of the day. Their position near the ISA pits allowed them to witness races on both courses.
On the DN side, we completed an impressive 10 races and were back at Water’s Edge Restaurant (add this place to the list of iceboaters favorite bars) by 2:30 PM. Chris Berger US5166 and Steve Orlebeke US4926 battled fiercely for the top spot throughout the day, while Dale Gordon and Alexander Leach are tied for first in the Silver fleet heading into the final day.
A special highlight was junior DN sailor Maggie McGary US2453, who placed second in the Silver fleet during the first race. Maggie is racing alongside her dad, John McGary, and it’s safe to say she’s the one showing him the ropes!
Veteran iceboat photographer Gretchen Dorian is also here capturing the action. Yesterday, she focused on the DN course, and today, she plans to shoot the ISA races. You can check out her amazing photos from yesterday here:.
Today marks the final day of racing for both the ISA and the DN Western Region Championship.
2024 ISA Day 1 Report
2024 ISA & Renegade Championship Information
Day One Report – ISA
Friday, December 13, 2024
Day one of the ISA was marked by brutally cold conditions. Racing was postponed initially as we waited for the temperatures to rise to at least 10°F. After a delay to wait for the temperature to ride, a quick skipper’s meeting was held, and the Race Committee efficiently sent everyone out to the course.
At exactly noon, George Gerhardt dropped the flag for the B and C Skeeters to start their first race. Throughout the day, temperatures gradually rose while the breeze picked up, allowing each fleet to complete three races—except for the A Skeeters, who were unable to start their third race due to running out of daylight.
Meanwhile, the DNs are set to to sail on a separate course today for their Western Region Championship.
New! ISA News & Views Newsletter Archive
