ISA Wrap Up: ISA Secretary/Treasurer Steve Schalk

by | Feb 4, 2026 | 2025-2026, 2026 ISA, Home Page, ISA

2026 Renegade Championship Regatta winner, Mike Derusha, on Green Lake in WI. Photo: Will Johnston

We have gotten another great ISA Championship Regatta in the books, with racing in winds all across the range and temperatures from damn cold to pretty normal. We raced right up to the time limit, starting the last Nite race at 12:58 pm. This is only the third time since the expanded race schedule was voted in that we exceeded 6 races in the regatta, with the Nites and Renegades finishing 7 each.

I would like to thank all of the race committee who traded off jobs and made it possible for each other to race their boats, and keep everything moving at normal pace.

I also need to thank the Four Lakes Ice Yacht club for the use of their machine and trailer. It would not have worked without that help. Pat Heppert as well, who did a crack of dawn set up of our marks on Friday and Saturday for us. And Dave Navin who set the Sunday long course. Thanks to Deb and Nina for the Sunday scoring, and help picking up the marks at the end of the day.

Behind the on the ice scenes, Mary Jane was on the PC crunching the numbers and posting it on line in real time. (as long as we sent pictures of the score sheets.)

A final big thank you to the Green Lake Ice Yacht Club, Julie Jankowski and Deb Bierman for the Friday night hospitality event at the Heidel House, Maureen Bohleber for her assistance starting races and providing our emergency medical support, and Todd Morgan for ice checking and all manner of assistance.

Steve Schalk

Secretary/Treasurer

International Skeeter Association

2026 Will Johnston ISA Photo Gallery

by | Feb 2, 2026 | 2025-2026, 2026 ISA, Home Page, ISA

Nick Vandervelde 564 and John Weiss 552 on Green Lake at the 2026 ISA. Photo: Will Johnston

RESULTS
Will Johnston is one of those photographers who always makes an effort to find us. He was out on Saturday during the light-air day and came away with some fine images. Sailors study these photos closely, how the boats sit, and what the rigs are doing. There’s real data in them. I’m sharing one here and linking to Will’s full gallery. (Please credit Will if you use any of his photos.) Thanks, Will. LINK TO WILL JOHNSTON GALLERY

 

2026 Jim Stevenson ISA Aerial Photo Gallery

by | Feb 2, 2026 | 2026 ISA, Home Page, ISA



RESULTS
One of the pleasures of sailing in Wisconsin is our friends in the air. Aviators who track us down, land nearby, talk boats with fellow aviator and 4LIYC Jeff Russell, then head back up with cameras. Saturday delivered beautiful light conditions (and light-air) at the ISA and DN US Nationals regattas. Thanks to Jim Stevenson for taking these photos and sharing them.

Jim Stevenson Photo Isa 2026 (1)
2026 ISA Green Lake WI – Photo Jim Stevenson
Jim Stevenson Photo Isa 2026 (5)
2026 ISA Green Lake WI – Photo Jim Stevenson
Jim Stevenson Photo Isa 2026 (7)
2026 ISA Green Lake WI – Photo Jim Stevenson
Jim Stevenson Photo Isa 2026 (8)
2026 ISA Green Lake WI – Photo Jim Stevenson
Jim Stevenson Photo Isa 2026 (9)
2026 ISA Green Lake WI – Photo Jim Stevenson
Jim Stevenson Photo Isa 2026 (12)
2026 ISA Green Lake WI – Photo Jim Stevenson
Jim Stevenson Photo Isa 2026 (13)
2026 ISA Green Lake WI – Photo Jim Stevenson

 

Iceboating, Considered

by | Jan 23, 2026 | 2025-2026, DN, Home Page, Regattas


Earlier this week, NPR’s All Things Considered aired a short segment on ice sailing. I was invited to talk about the sport, how it works, why it is so fast, and some of the history.

While there is currently no sailing on the Four Lakes, the season itself is very much alive. The DN class is set to hold the DN North American Championship on Lake Wawasee in Indiana, with racing expected to begin Sunday, January 25. Follow along here: LINK
There’s even a webcam.

There are also early signs of other sites developing. Word on the street is that Green Lake has recently iced over and is worth watching as conditions evolve.

As I write this, it is –15°F, which is too cold to iceboat anyways, but not unusual for January, and not a reason to count the season out.

You can listen to the segment here:
LINK

First! Converges with GLIYC Swap Meet

by | Oct 23, 2023 | 2023-2024, Home Page

Kai Linde, the first iceboating sailing in the world in Sweden and Dash’s first iceboat trailer rescue.

Ice sailors from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, and New York gathered at the Wisconsin Iceboat Swap Meet in Green Lake, WI, on Sunday, October 22, 2023. Meanwhile, 4,000 miles away in Sweden, Norwegian DN sailor Kai Linde had the 2023-2024 season’s first iceboat ride in the world. Who will be first in North America? New York DNer Paul Chamberland, who came for the Swap Meet, will try for that milestone when he visits family in Alberta, Canada, in a few weeks. Paul is optimistic about the upcoming week of ice-making temperatures and hopes to find some sailable ice.

The Green Lake Ice Yacht Club delivered perfect fall weather for the event and organized the raffle, a tradition started by the Skeeter Iceboat Club’s Jane Pegel.

Of course, this being iceboating, a trailer situation presented some problem-solving opportunities right off the bat for new DN Junior Sailing Secretary Sam Bartel. Speaking of Jane Pegel, she generously donated her trailer to the DN Junior program a few years ago. Sam collected the trailer from Madison on Saturday night, but unfortunately, the axle broke on his way to Green Lake near Beaver Dam. As we know, trailers can always be unpredictable. Daniel Hearn, Dale Gordon, Dash, and I swung by Don Anderson’s to borrow a flatbed trailer and rescued the DN trailer on the way home from the Swap Meet with an assist from trailer specialist DNer Matt Meyer.

Thanks to the Green Lake Ice Yacht Club for a fantastic Swap Meet with perfect conditions.

Classic fall day in Green Lake.

The local constabulary tries to keep the peace in Green Lake.

View from the car

First

“Ice sailing season has started! On the 22nd of October at Kuolitisjaure, 700 meters above sea level, just after the Swedish border. Good hard ice, 10 cm thick, but little wind!” via Kai Lind