by Deb Whitehorse | Jan 22, 2019 | 2019 Northwest, Home Page, NIYA, Regattas, WSSA
NIYA Secretary/Treasurer receives key to Lake City from Mayor Mark Nichols
There are a thousand little stories that happen at a Northwest regatta. Watching the magnificent stern-steerers take to the stage brings us back to the roots of this sport. Here are a few random stories from the regatta. And hey, you should plan on going next year!
I’ll post more photos and commentary tomorrow.
Regatta like the Northwest do not happen without the time and work from volunteers like the following:
NIYA Secretary/Treasurer Steve Schalk
NIYA Regatta Chair Tim McCormick
NIYA Race Committee members Jay Yaeso, Andy Gratton, George Gerhardt, Chip Sawyer, and John Davenport.
PRO Joe Norton
Assistant to the PRO Scott Goetz (who also brought the 4LIYC ATV)
Tabulating from the Fontana Home Office: Mary Jane Schalk
Lake City Mayor Mark Nichols
The Residents of Lake City
PRO Joe Norton receives key to city from Mayor Mark Nichols
The support that iceboaters receive from the entire town of Lake City is phenomenal. Mayor Mark Nichols has made sure that a porta-potty has been at the landing for the last 3 weekends. He attended our banquet. Saturday night and gave out 3 keys to Lake City (Steve Schalk, Joe Norton, and myself) that recognized our efforts as regatta volunteers. Not only that, but he sailed out to the course on Saturday in his DN and raced! Think about that, how many mayors do you know of that sail iceboats?
3 times 3
There are 4 of us who have attended all 3 regattas in Lake City this January (the DN Western Regions, the ISA, and the NIYA) : John Dennis, Jim McDonagh, Steve Orlebeke, and myself. JD & Jim McDonagh have spent more than half of January on Lake Pepin checking ice and sailing.
ACE OF SPADES & LITTLE WIND line up to race. Photo: Pat Heppert
The Davis stern-steerer family never miss a Northwest regatta. John was thrilled to only have a 3 hour drive this year, the closest the regatta has ever been held to his home in Clear Lake, Iowa.
Daniel Hearn gets ready to race Fred Stritt’s D Stern Steerer Photo: Pat Heppert
Daniel Hearn not only raced and did pretty well in the DN (1st) and Renegade (2nd) classes, he took up Fred Stritt’s offer to race Fred’s D Stern Steerer. Daniel was also seen test driving Pat Heppert’s fast C Skeeter earlier in the day.
Mike Kroll and Gretchen Wilbrandt.
Stern Steerer fanatic Mike Kroll gave soft water Minnesota sailor Gretchen Wilibrandt a ride in his D Stern Steerer. He handed the tiller over to Gretchen and she drove it like she owned it. Could there be a new stern-steerer sailor at the next WSSA?
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by Deb Whitehorse | Jan 7, 2019 | 2018-2019, DN, Home Page
DN Western Region Commodore and regatta organizer Daniel Hearn with Eloise and her dad, John Dennis who was second in Gold. JD statistically tied in points with Ron Sherry for first place but Ron won the tiebreak.
Time to review the DN Western Region Championship from a 4LIYC perspective. Congratulations to mega multi-tasker Daniel Hearn who not only organized the regatta and volunteers, he also managed to place 5th in the Gold Cup. Fellow 4LIYC sailors in the Gold were Steve Orlebeke, 3rd, Tim Sugar who placed 7th and Dave Elsmo who placed 11th,
Silver Fleet: Brian Hearn mirrored his brother’s finish by coming in 5th in the Silver, Robert Cummins was 9th, and University of Wisconsin student Soren Hughes earned top Junior sailor and placed 12th in his first regatta.
Special shout out to longtime SIBC sailor, Lou Loennecke, who had two second place finishes in Silver. It was really cool to see sailors who have been participating in these events for so many years like Bob Cummins and Lou Loennecke line up next to each other in the two and four block in Silver race 4.
Final results can be seen here.
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by Deb Whitehorse | Dec 24, 2018 | 2018-2019, Home Page
There will be no 4LIYC Holiday Series racing for Wednesday, December 25, 2018. There are some open, working seams that limit launch sites.
Current conditions on Kegonsa are spectacular but somewhat limited by the seams to a sheet in front of Springer’s Restaurant. On Monday, the Spaight Street Syndicate DN fleet, Renegader Doug Kolner, and Nite sailor Lars Barber took advantage of the Hollywood conditions and scrub raced on a short course until their arms couldn’t take it any longer. The Spaight St. DNers are there again today – see video above.
ICE CHECK: Please meet at Springer’s for the next ice check at 11 AM on Friday, December 28. Next update is Friday, December 28.
Remember folks, ice is never safe!
Doug Kolner’s Renegade COLD FUSION on Lake Kegonsa.
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by Deb Whitehorse | Nov 20, 2018 | 2018-2019, DN, Home Page
Via Daniel Hearn:
P154 coming back to life in the hands of University of Wisconsin sailors, Soren and Will, at the Spaight Street Syndicate shop. Thanks to the legend, Peter Burczynski, for the donation!
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by Deb Whitehorse | Jan 30, 2018 | 2017-2018, Home Page
After waiting out a snow flurry, the club was able to race on Sunday, January 28 on Lake Mendota and Tim McCormick has tabulated the standings.4LIYC Scores, Jan 30, 2018
A highlight of that day on Mendota was several college-age soft water sailors being introduced to our sport. Daniel Hearn put it best in his Facebook post:
Tip of the helmet to Dave Elsmo, who seemingly had the entire UW Sailing Team out taking turns and racing with us. Great exposure for our sport, due to Dave’s tireless ambassadorship!
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