2020 Northwest Ice Yacht Racing Association Information
March 13-15,2020
Lake Waconia, Minnesota
Renegade
Don Anderson’s Renegade on Lake Mendota – before the snow.
4LIYC Racing Update: No Go for Feb 17-18
Not happening. Photo David Travis
There will be no Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club racing for the weekend of February 17-18, 2018. Commodore Don Anderson took a look at Mendota and reported “too rough and slush pits.” Vice Commodore Tim McCormick swung by Monona and reported it to be unsailable as well. Next update Friday, February 23.
Palmer Boat Company of Lake Geneva
Photo of a Palmer iceboat, LINGWES, from Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club website. PS. This boat is still for sale. Contact Bill Bucholz.
Waiting for ice sailing conditions to return gives more time to post the historical items. The invaluable Brian Reid of New York recently shared some history in the form of a letter from the Palmer Boat Company written in 1936 to a New Jersey iceboater. Brian wrote:
I was going through some images on a snow day here and came upon a few things from out your way. These come from a scrapbook that Greg Strand recently acquired on behalf of the North Shrewsbury Iceboat & Yacht Club of New Jersey; Greg is archivist/historian of the Red Bank crew.The scrap book belonged to George Seger – an active NJ ice boater in the 30s and 40s – he’s in Wings on the Ice (p. 59). Greg called me and I took digital images of as much as I could. Great stuff.
As you see in their elegant letter head, the Palmer Boat Company of Fontana, Wisconsin was an early builder of scows and iceboats. Many vintage Palmers have come across the Buy and Sell page of this website over the years. A quick internet search about Palmer boats turned up some interesting facts. Buddy Melges’ father, Harry Sr., worked for Palmer before starting Melges Boatworks. Maine iceboater Bill Bucholz wrote a story about a Palmer, LINGWES, for the Chickawaukee Iceboat Club that referenced the same Richard Moeller as in this letter to Mr. Seger. Thank you, Brian, for sending this out our way.
Previous: Palmer on the Prairie,, December 2, 2016 on iceboat.org.
If you interested in the early history of ice sailing in the United States and efforts to maintain and sail historic Stern Steerers, Brian’s website, White Wings and Black Ice is a must read.
February Runner Tracks Posted
The February issue of the DN class magazine, Runner Tracks, has just been published. Check it out here.
1950s Lake Monona Ice Sailing Photos
Two legends, Bill Perrigo IOU and Elmer Millenbach RENEGADE III
Our club had an unexpected visitor at last week’s meeting who brought us some classic photos. Long time Madisonian Dick Brandt shot these on Lake Monona back in the 1950s. Many thanks to Dick and to Peter Fauerbach for taking the time to scan these important historic photographs. My guess is that many of these were from the 1952 Northwest Regatta which was sailed on Lake Monona.
UPDATE: Skeeter Iceboat Club’s Jane Pegel has helpfully identified some of the boats. The skipper sitting in the MICKEY FINN Skeeter is in question. Jane writes, “I think Mickey Finn may be Buddy because his sail number is I-180 (Harry C. Melges, Jr.) but perhaps his father was sailing the regatta in Mickey Finn.”
Click here to view more photos
The Two Mr. M’s
From left to right is Ivar Steffner, Gustav Lindén, Wilhelm Alness, Axel Steffner, Oskar Svensson, Rasmus Söderman.
From Ron Rosten, just returned from the Junior World Championship:
Parallel Universe. The gentleman standing behind Team Sweden is Uppsala’s Kjell Mattsson. Every DN in Uppsala, Sweden has been built, repaired, or upgraded in Mr. Mattsson’s shop. Does this sound familiar to anyone in Madison with an almost identical last name?
Regatta Watch: ISA & NIYA Postponed
Photo: Chris John Sailing legend Buddy Melges takes a first place finish in his Skeeter at the 2007 Northwest sailed on Green Bay in Menominee, Michigan
The International Skeeter Association (ISA) and Northwest Regattas are postponed because all of Wisconsin and Michigan are snow covered. Next update for both regattas is Sunday, February 18.
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4LIYC Scoring & Banquet Update
Trophy capacity: 56 gallons!
Tim McCormick has tabulated the club scores to reflect last weekend’s racing. See results here.
Trophy Chair Jori Lenon has made arrangements for the club’s annual spring awards banquet to be held at Springer’s. Please save the date of April 21, 2018.
2018 Junior Worlds Video: We Sail
While ice sailing is on temporary hold here in Wisconsin because of too much snow, here’s a video to brighten your day. Despite the snow, these kids at the 2018 Junior World Championship are eager sailors having fun.
4LIYC Racing Update for Feb 10-11: The “S” Word
Snow Sticks
Ice sailing in the Four Lakes area is on hold until the Great Zamboni© descends to take away the 7″+ of snow covering our beautiful ice. There will be no 4LIYC racing for the weekend of February 10-11, 2018.
On Thursday, the MARY B group towed her from the Edgewater to the Brearly Street launch via snowmobile. Paul McMillan reported it was a fast ride.
The last iceboat off the lake for a while.
2018 Junior Ice Sailing World & European Championship Update
Photo: Andrius Repšys Thor Rosten US888 raises the flag at the opening ceremony of the DN & Ice Optimist World Championship in Lithuania
The Junior DN & Ice Optimist World Championship regatta has been completed with 7 races in the DN fleet and 6 in the Ice Optimist fleet. Congratulations to Estonian sailor Rasmus Maalinn who sailed nearly a perfect regatta with 6 firsts and one second. 2017 JWC Eddie Klemets of Sweden was second. Zuzanna Rybicka of Poland was the highest placing female with an 8th. Estonia’s Karl Ader took first in the Ice Optimist division and another Estonian, Lisbeth Taggu, was the highest placing female with fifth place finish.
The show isn’t over yet as the fleets are making a two hour move (because of snow in Lithuania) today northeast to Riga, Latvia to complete the European Championships tomorrow.
Results
Photo: Andrius Repšys
Monotype-XV European Championships 2018
The Monotype-XV is a one-design stern-steerer class popular in Europe. “Designed in 1932 by the legendary Erik von Holst of Estonia”, the boat has an interesting history. The class held regattas held before WW2, followed by a long period with no international regattas, and then a reorganization in 1993. The Monotypes are sailing their regatta this week in Estonia. 28 stern-steers on the starting line is pretty impressive! Results
“What Do We Do In The Winter?”
Photo: gretchendorian.com
Sailing the Great Lakes with Tim McKenna
What Do We Do In The Winter?
GREAT LAKES BOATING
PUBLISHED IN THE FEBRUARY 2018 ISSUE FEBRUARY 2018 FEATURE
Some Great Lakes sailors head south for the winter looking for blue water and sunshine in the Islands. Others do things like get a new hip. There are some who go outside in the cold weather and shoot ducks. Then there are the ones who head for the ice and sail really fast…these are the ones who race on iceboats. As this article is being written, the 2017 – 2018 winter season is just beginning. So-called “hard water” sailors have begun the task of pulling their boats down from the rafters and getting the cobwebs of summer cleared away.
Continue reading.
Junior Ice Sailing World Championship: Day 1
Photo: Pranciškus Repšys Opening Ceremony
The DN Junior and Ice Optimist Word and European Championschips got underway on Lake Rekyva in Lithuania.
There were 2 DN races and 1 Ice Optimist race. From what I gather on Facebook, the wind was light today. 4LIYC DNer Thor Rosten is competing in the championship.
Results
Boe-Craft Championship Regatta
Photo: August Greidanus
The Boehmke B-Skeeters held their championship regatta on Geneva Lake over the weekend. Check out the Boe-Craft website for results and photos. Congratulations Rick Pappas on your win!
Photo: August Greidanus
Regatta Watch: NIYA & ISA Postponed
DEUCE at the 2004 Northwest on Lake Monona, Madison, WI. Photo: David Travis
The International Skeeter Association (ISA) and Northwest Regattas are postponed because all of Wisconsin and Michigan are snow covered. Next update for both regattas is Sunday, February 11.
Nite Nationals Photos
Not much to report for today because snow ended sailing on Lake Mendota. However, Saturday was one of the most memorable days spent on the ice in Madison in years. There were a few thousand people introduced to iceboating at the Frozen Assets Festival at the Edgewater. Around noon, the Nite fleet and 4LIYC Renegades sailed up to the Edgewater and served as the backdrop for the MARY B stern-steerer which was on display at the festival. The boats were immediately descended upon by festival goers and sailors spent a few hours explaining our sport to the curious. Andy Gratton and Mike Kroll gave gave some rides to and from the launch area on Andy’s beloved red stern steerer (complete with the plank-riding bear) WISCONSIN. The Nite banquet was a rousing good time at the German restaurant and beer hall, Essen Haus. Nite skippers embraced the tradition of passing around glass boots filled with beer. What an exceptional day!
Here are some shots of the festival from the crowd.
INSTAGRAM PHOTOS
2018 Nite Nationals: Day 1
The Nites were able to complete 2 races in each fleet. A third Gold fleet race was attempted but visibility was reduced because of a snow squall and the race was thrown out by the PRO. The snow stopped but then so did the wind. Thanks to Mary Jane Schalk for tabulating the scores.
PROVISIONAL RESULTS
Nite National's Gold Madison, Wi. February 3 & 4 2018 2018 Nite National Overall Sailed: 2, Discards: 0, To count: 2, Entries: 24, Scoring system: Appendix A Fleet SailNo HelmName R1 R2 Total Gold 559 Scott Brown 1 2 2.75 Gold 272 Tom Sweitzer 2 1 2.75 Gold 520 Grant Frautschi 4 3 7.00 Gold 544 Mike Peters 3 6 9.00 Gold 305 Rick Wilfert 6 4 10.00 Gold 586 Will Perrigo 5 5 10.00 Gold 37 Brett Larson 9 10 19.00 Gold 322 Chad Rechcygl 13 7 20.00 Gold 384 Daniel Hearn 12 8 20.00 Gold 350 Mark Wilfert 10 12 22.00 Gold 564 Byron Hill 11 13 24.00 Gold 238 Mike Jankowski 7 18 25.00 Gold 351 Brian Nies 16 11 27.00 Gold 487 Jim McCabe 15 15 30.00 Gold 165 Tony Janowiek 8 23 31.00 Gold 595 Joe Norton 14 20 34.00 Gold 280 Tim McCormick 18 16 34.00 Gold 497 Maureen Bohleber 17 21 38.00 Gold 339 Peter Vandervelde DNC 9 40.00 Gold 596 John Hayashi DNF 14 45.00 Gold 303 Nick Vandervelde DNF 17 48.00 Gold 282 Drew Vandervelde DNC 19 50.00 Gold 255 Matt Peterson DNF 22 53.00 Gold 456 John Ritter DNF 24 55.00 Nite Nationals February Silver Madison, Wi. February 3 & 4 2018 Nite National Overall Sailed: 2, Discards: 0, To count: 2, Entries: 16, Scoring system: Appendix A Fleet SailNo HelmName R1 R2 Total Silver 434 John Bushey 0.75 2.00 2.75 Silver 396 Bill Reed 6.00 0.75 6.75 Silver 60 Dick Grota 3.00 4.00 7.00 Silver 596 Andy Gratton 4.00 3.00 7.00 Silver 353 John Waterbury 2.00 9.00 11.00 Silver 503 Jeff Seeboth 8.00 5.00 13.00 Silver 54 Jeff Ragainis 7.00 6.00 13.00 Silver 58 Terry Reynolds 11.00 7.00 18.00 Silver 169 Steven Wiberg 9.00 11.00 20.00 Silver 384 Don Sanford 5.00 17.00 22.00 Silver 410 Scott Stetter 14.00 8.00 22.00 Silver 415 John Stasieluk 12.00 10.00 22.00 Silver 205 Jim Magnuson 13.00 12.00 25.00 Silver 160 Ken Kreider 10.00 DNC 27.00 Silver 96 Will Stebbins 15.00 13.00 28.00 Silver 497 Rhea Nicholas DNC DNF 34.00
4LIYC Club Racing Called ON for Mendota, Feb 3-4
Photo: Mary Jane Carpenter
Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club racing has been called ON for February 3-4, 2018 for Lake Mendota. Launch out of Mendota County Park. Please be advised that a Lake Access Permit sticker is required for launching and parking. First race at 10 AM on Saturday.
Wild & Wooly Weekend at the Windjammer
U311 and M197 Class A Skeeters in 2015
This story appeared on my doorstep this morning, hand written. I deciphered it as best I could.-Editor
Windjammers Yacht Club Hosts the Wisconsin Skeeter Racers Tournament of Champions Jan 27-28, 2018
Saturday brought westerly wind speeds greater than 30 mph. Many iceboaters of various classes set sail in spite of the too-windy-to-race conditions. Tom Hyslop V738, Director of Competition, canceled racing for the day at 3:30 PM. Shortly after, Windjammer, sponsored the well attended smoker gathering.
Sunday morning brought northwest wind speeds of 12-15 mph. Whitehorse, M197, won the first race by the slight margin of a springboard over Yaeso, U311. Yaeso won the second race with a slightly larger overlap over Whitehorse.
Click here to read more
M197 and V737 returned to the race course starting line. Yaeso remained in the pits where he assembled two Ice Optis, one DN, and one Renegade. Two thumbs up for Jay for supporting and building the local club! HOWEVER short track Skeeter racing waits for no one and shows no favorites. U311 fails to make the start of race four. Race four is won by Whitehorse, second by Hyslop, and DNS for Yaeso.
Race five: The wind, now northerly at 18-21 mph. Whitehorse gets off to a jack rabbit start. At each leg of the race Yaeso skillfully reels in the leader. On the last lap to weather, U311 and M197 round with a complete overlap. Both push sheet as both were in a five foot hike with Whitehorse to the leeward. THE TRAP WAS SET! Both yachts carried a starboard runner aloft and each mast blew out three feet to the leeward. Yaeso put on a sail racing clinic as he used the windward position and hiked across Warrior’s bow to win the race.
Race six: Northeasterly wind at 22 mph. There was a 3 boat overlap on the first leg to weather. WARRIOR was in the favored windward position, then U311, then V738. M197 had a 100% overlap over U311 yet somehow U311 caught a lift, turned left, and forced M197 up the lake. M197 was losing speed and was forced to dive below U311’s stern in an effort to freshen. The maneuver worked! M197 gained tremendous boat speed! Now it was time to use the Shake and Bake tactic and slingshot by U311. Yaeso was ready for it and he rolled over the WARRIOR and tacked to starboard. WARRIOR could only watch as Yaeso disappeared. Whitehorse desperately needed a favorable wind shift to get back into the race. BUT WAIT…HE GOT IT! Brother wind and sister sky blew a mighty 30 mph gust straight out of the east. Some may call it luck and same may call it “an old Indian trick”. No matter, the mighty blast threw U311 into the top mark. Her nine foot long cold steel runners were no match for the slashing fury of Mother Nature. Whitehorse wins race six, Hyslop takes second, and Yaeso scores a DSQ. After the race, Yaeso approached the other two racers with a dazed look of confusion as if to say, “what just happened out there?” Whitehorse looks back with and gives Yaeso the slight Paul Krueger grin.
At this time, Hyslop, Director of Competition for the Wisconsin Skeeter Racing Alliance (WSRA) assembled the racers for a driver’s meeting. Tom is a walking library of sailing rules, regulations, and tactics and the WSRA is fortunate to benefit from his expertise. He proceeded to inform the skippers of a seldom used racing rule designed to manipulate for a more keen competition. The rule states in part “…if six races are completed before 2:35 PM, a yachtsman is allowed a throwout. Yaeso throws out the DSQ.
Race seven: Thus the stage is set. The tournament is an even tie between the 2017 Battle Lake ISA Champion and the 2017 Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club Skeeter Champion! It appears Yaeso had his fill of that day’s antics as his 6” 11” 285 lb. frame of tendon and muscle pushed the teal green U311 to the line. Yaeso lays the flawlessly prepared U311 off to maximize the now 25 mph northeast wind. He digs in with his 2.5” long razor sharp spikes. CRAAAACCCCK! At the sound of the starting gun, Yaeso was an automaton equal a Duramax Turbo Diesel. His thousand foot pounds of torque spun and churned a trench leaving a two foot high shaved ice drift behind. Whitehorse, just as willful, used less torque but ever increasing RPM on the slick starting surface. The start was an even sprint at the five yard mark, then ten yards, then twenty yards. Both racers glared at one another, neither ready to conceded the foot race.
POW!!! THUD THUD THUD
At twenty five yards, Whitehorse blew a moccasin! Even so, both entered their yachts in unison. Now, it was a boat race. Folks, you just can’t make this stuff up!
Yaeso wins race seven. Little big red and white from Four Lakes is no match for big jet green from Suamico. Congratulations to Jay Yaeso and U311 the 2018 short track Windjammer Skeeter racing champion.
Article..unknown author Fact checked by no one!
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