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.
There’s a pattern here. Iceboating has been a source of inspiration for sailing technology innovations. The Harken brothers developed improved blocks for iceboats before expanding into the broader sailing market. Similarly, the Gougeon brothers’ groundbreaking epoxy invention was first put to the test on iceboats, revolutionizing construction techniques and paving the way for advancements in boat building across all sailing disciplines. These instances underscore the significant role that iceboating has played in shaping modern sailing technology and design. One of the best articles ever written about the brothers who invented what holds us together. Read it here.
From Soundings:
Glued Together The Gougeon brothers didn’t invent epoxy, but they were innovative boatbuilders who created the West System of epoxy products and revolutionized coldmolded boatbuilding. PIM VAN HEMMEN
Michigan was a hotbed for iceboating and the Gougeons were DN iceboaters. The DN iceboat had been designed for the Detroit News in the 1930s and had quickly become the most popular iceboat in the world. The little racers were fast, but also light, and the high loads they operated under made them prone to operational failures. Broken masts and cracked runner planks were not uncommon. In Meade’s eyes, the DNs were a great test bed for epoxy. Continue reading.
The sport of ice sailing has expanded to Mongolia. From the land of horses, yurts, and vast open spaces, Ganaa Davaa recently contacted Nite Commodore Maureen Bohlebher and me to talk ice sailing. Ganaa related that the conditions in Mongolia, similar to the dry landscapes of Montana, are perfect for our sport, with ice from December to April. Ganaa urgently needed iceboats for a January 12 winter festival, so John Hayashi of Windward Boatworks, got on the road and drove two boxed Lockley Skimmers to a Chicago shipping firm, which ensured their timely arrival. The 4LIYC’s Lars Barber helped out by giving his Skimmer sail to John so that the boats would be complete. Expect to see more iceboats in Mongolia as they continue to build their fleet.
Meanwhile, the first-ever international DN regatta is taking place in Jinzhou, China. Minnesota’s Mike Bloom is there, along with several Europeans and Russians. Follow the regatta in the DN website and Facebook page. It is remarkable how this sport brings together people from around the world.
Dates: January 8 – 10, 2024, after the DN Western Region Championship Location: Two locations under consideration for the DN Western Region Championship: Lake Osakis in Minnesota or Vilas County in Wisconsin. Final confirmation of location by 5 PM CT Thursday, January 4, 2024. NOTICE OF RACE SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Get ready for North America’s take on the European DN Grand Masters Regatta.
It’s the first, maybe annual, no-running regatta for the “more seasoned” DN sailors. It will take place the three days following the Western Regional Championships, on the same ice.
DATES
January 8 – 10, 2024, the three days after the DN Western Region Championship, which is scheduled for January 6 – 7.
WHO’S INVITED?
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 with a separate start.
WHAT ARE THE SHUFFLE RULES?
No running. Not at the start. Not during a race. No track stars allowed in a Shuffle race!
Starting positions will be determined, in advance, by random draw for every race. No one is advantaged or disadvantaged with a starting position based on their previous race performance. It’s all luck of the draw.
Racers must start with one foot on their plank, and are limited to five kicks.
Racers must stay in their boats unless they come to a complete stop during a race. In that event, a racer will have one additional 5-kick opportunity to complete a race. A second stop is an automatic DNF.
No more than 4 races which count on any one day. Scrub racing may continue after official races for any who are interested.
Maybe we’ll award prizes…maybe we won’t. But what we do know, is that this is all about fun and camaraderie.
Oh, yeah. And that means no protests. We’re going to race like a Wisconsin intersection. “You go. No, you go. Ohhhh, please, I insist der my friend. Oh, cripes, tanks, der good buddy!”
OTHER DETAILS
$50 registration fee to cover prizes and extras
All registration will be online. If you’re tech-challenged, ask a youngster for help.
Because we’re so green, race documents will only be published online.
Get ready for North America’s take on the European DN Grand Masters Regatta.
It’s the first, maybe annual, no-running regatta for the “more seasoned” DN sailors. It will take place the three days following the Western Regional Championships, hopefully on the same ice.
TENTATIVE DATES
January 8 – 10, 2024, the three days after the DN Western Region Championship, which is scheduled for January 6 – 7.
WHO’S INVITED?
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 with a separate start.
WHAT ARE THE SHUFFLE RULES?
No running. Not at the start. Not during a race. No track stars allowed in a Shuffle race!
Starting positions will be determined, in advance, by random draw for every race. No one is advantaged or disadvantaged with a starting position based on their previous race performance. It’s all luck of the draw.
Racers must start with one foot on their plank, and are limited to five kicks.
Racers must stay in their boats unless they come to a complete stop during a race. In that event, a racer will have one additional 5-kick opportunity to complete a race. A second stop is an automatic DNF.
No more than 4 races which count on any one day. Scrub racing may continue after official races for any who are interested.
Maybe we’ll award prizes…maybe we won’t. But what we do know, is that this is all about fun and camaraderie.
Oh, yeah. And that means no protests. We’re going to race like a Wisconsin intersection. “You go. No, you go. Ohhhh, please, I insist der my friend. Oh, cripes, tanks, der good buddy!”
OTHER DETAILS
$50 registration fee to cover prizes and extras
All registration will be online. If you’re tech-challenged, ask a youngster for help.
Because we’re so green, race documents will only be published online.
searching for suitable ice conditions in the DN Western Region, and updates will be provided as soon as we have more information.
