Iceboat in National Sailing Hall of Fame Museum

by | Nov 22, 2021 | 2021-2022, DN, Home Page

Visit the musem.

Ever since Buddy Melges’ induction in the first class of 2011, ice boaters have numbered among the elite sailors honored by the National Sailing Hall of Fame (NSHOF). Other hard water inductees include Peter Barrett, Olaf & Peter Harken, Jan & Meade Gougeon, Bill Bensten, Herbert Lawrence Stone (who authored books and articles), Bill Mattison, and Jane Pegel.

The sailing community’s full recognition of the sport of ice yachting has culminated with the inclusion of an iceboat in the new NSHOF museum in Newport, Rhode Island.

When visitors enter the impressive interactive exhibition hall, they will notice six boats hanging overhead from the exposed wooden rafters of the historic former  armory. One of those six is an iceboat representing our community and those who live to “Think Ice.”

The NSHOF asked Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club Nite sailor Don Sanford (the driving force behind Bill Mattison’s induction), myself, and others for an iceboat. The museum had hoped to hang a Class A Skeeter, but the wide plank would have taken up too much space. They chose one that would fit – the most popular iceboat globally, a DN.

Peter Harken asked that the boat not be a “fixer-upper” but a fully fitted racing boat. The NSHOF accepted Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club member Doug Kolner’s offer to donate his complete modern DN.

The DNs natural wood hull and plank, built in a small garage in Monona, Wisconsin, are true to the roots of the DN’s humble beginnings at the Detroit News hobby shop in the 1930s. Doug built the boat using standard DN plans, and it symbolizes all the iceboat builders who enjoy kicking up some dust and mixing epoxy in their garage shops.

Current members of the NSHOF’s influence is evident in the fact that the boat was built using Gougeon brothers epoxy and Harken brothers fittings technology. Doug recognized NSHOF member Bill Mattison and Green Lake Ice Yacht Club’s Joe Norton as the builders who had influenced his iceboat building know-how.

National Sailing Hall Of Fame 1
National Sailing Hall Of Fame 5
National Sailing Hall Of Fame 3

Herbert L. Stone Inducted into National Sailing Hall of Fame

by | Aug 15, 2019 | 2019-2020, Home Page

“The design, construction, and handling of an ice boat is an art rather than an exact science.” Herbert L. Stone

Yachting Magazine editor Herbert L Stone, editor of the first ice sailing book in the United States, is being inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame. Stone edited the book “Ice Boating” in 1913 and also wrote the forward to “Wings On the Ice” (published in 1938), one of the best books on the subject ever written.

I can find no evidence that Stone ever owned an iceboat but he had a tremendous influence on the sport by helping to popularizing it through articles in Yachting Magazine. Stone played a big part in reviving the Ice Yacht Challenge Pennant (IYCP) when he encouraged the IYCP trustees of the New Hamburgh Ice Yacht Club to pass on the trusteeship to the Eastern Ice Yachting Association.
Read Ray Ruge’s 1950 article about the revival of the IYCP published in Yachting World here.

Stone’s forward in “Wings On the Ice”, written 81 years ago, still rings true today.

Perhaps one of the chief charms of ice boating is the fact that the implements with which the sport is played, just as in the case of sailing yachts, have not been reduced to a fixed, static quantity. The design, construction, and handling of an ice boat is an art rather than an exact science. There is still room for the play of new ideas, for the expression of individual talent, for the exercise of skill, knowledge, and ingenuity.
Herbert L. Stone
Excerpt of forward to Winds on The Ice, Frederic M. Gardiner

Other ice sailors who have been inducted into the NSHOF are: Peter Barrett, Bill Bentsen,Jan Gougeon, Meade Gougeon, Olaf Harken, Peter Harken, and Buddy Melges

Iceboater Bill Bentsen Inducted in to NSHOF

by | Jun 20, 2017 | 2017-2018, Home Page

Bill Bentsen, Bill Allen, Buddy Melges – Soling gold medalists at Kiel, Germany

UPDATE 7-3-2017: Read about Bill on the National Sailing Hall of Fame’s inductee webpage here.
A big congratulations are in order for Bill Bentsen who sails with the Skeeter Ice Boat Club..  Jane Pegel writes:

I learned this morning (June 19)  that in September Bill Bentsen will be inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame.

  • Bill is a member of the Skeeter Ice Boat Club and the Lake Geneva Yacht Club.
  • Bill is a former Northwest champion in the DN class.
  • Bill served as DN class secretary in the 1960’s.
  • Bill owned and sailed the class A stern steerer, TAKU and subsequently transferred ownership to Erich Schloemer.
  • He won an Olympic gold medal in the Soling class and a bronze medal in the Flying Dutchman class.
    He previously was awarded the Beppie Croce Trophy for his service to what is now called World Sailing. (previously IYRU and ISAF)
  • Bill successfully raced C, E, and A class scows at the Lake Geneva Yacht Club.
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Bill Bentsen on trapeze, Buddy at helm, training on Geneva Lake in the Flying Dutchman class boat. They won a bronze medal in Japan.
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TAKU at 2007 Northwest with Erich Schloemer at the helm.
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Bill Bentsen steering the A scow.