Nite Nationals Day 2: Regatta Completed!

by | Mar 8, 2020 | 2019-2020, Home Page

 

Results

Saturday at the Nite Nationals was a perfect combination of steady wind, sunshine, and fast racing. Congratulations to Chad Rechcygl who won the Gold fleet in a rather dramatic way and to Dick Grota, a literal Grand Master, for his Silver fleet win. It was an early-to-sleep Friday night in order to make Sunday’s first race scheduled for 8 AM.  Despite my own groaning at having to get seriously moving before sunrise, it was the right call. Getting on the lake at 7 AM ensured that trailers were able to easily leave the landing before the ice softened too much, unlike last year’s Nite Nationals on Kegonsa where a bridge over troubled landing waters had to be deployed.

Lively winds and rutted ice put tremendous loads on the boats. Other than rigs coming down and a few mast failures, the competitors used good judgement and kept the racing safe. In race eight,Chad Rechcygl, who was leading the Gold fleet in points at the time, had something happen at the worst possible time, his hull broke. As the Silver fleet raced for the last time of the day, Chad faced the prospect of not being able to complete the regatta. However, Nite Class rules allow for equipment substitution. When Toledo Ice Yacht Club’s Alex Chabalowski finished Silver fleet race nine sailing in Nite Commodore John Hayashi’s canary yellow boat, Chad jumped in the boat for the last Gold fleet race, finished fourth, and won the regatta. During prize-giving, Chad credited the help he received from Tom Hyslop for his victory and what it meant to be able to sail with Pewaukee Nite guys Tom Sweitzer and Mark Prange. Another Pewaukee sailor, Dick Grota, made it look easy in both light and heavy air with his Silver fleet win. Also of note was the top female sailor, TIYC’s Anita Bersie Chabalowski, who placed third in the Silver fleet. I don’t think she ever stopped smiling all weekend.

The 4LIYC was represented with Daniel Hearn, Brad Wagner, Lars Barber, and Don Sanford. Daniel finished 3rd in the Gold fleet sailing Joe Norton’s boat. Brad Wagner, who is new to racing this season, won race four on Friday, placed fifth in the Silver fleet, and walked away with the top rookie award. Lars Barber’s mast was one of the casualties of the regatta but he was already making plans to check on the Sitka supply at McCormick Lumber this week for the next one. A big 4LIYC congratulations to Don Sanford who won two races in the Silver fleet and placed second overall.

Thanks to all the competitors, the Nite Class, the Green Lake Ice Yacht Club, John Hayashi, Joe Norton for everything, and to Todd Morgan who helped scout ice and gave a film crew a ride out to the course in his beautiful B Skeeter. A special thank you to Mary Jane Schalk who tabulated and published all the live results from the offshore office!

Don Sanford Nite Nationals
Don Sanford at the one block where it’s always busy with spectators and paparazzi.
Nite Nationals
Todd Morgan’s B Skeeter and Tom Sweitzer’s Nite ready for action. Photo: Jim Gluek
Nite Nationals 1
Mark Prange 550 and Mike Peters 544 battling it out. Photo: John Hayashi

 

The Perfect Storm

by | Jan 7, 2018 | 2017-2018, Home Page


Like Charlie Brown waiting for the Great Pumpkin, iceboaters wait for the Great Zamboni, a rainy weather system that makes the snow disappear off the ice followed by cold that freezes the track. Keep your eyes on Thursday’s weather system because there’s a possibility that Wisconsin could have an abundance of sailable ice.
Where are they sailing this weekend?
Green Lake, WI, Lake St. Clair near Detroit, Michigan, and Ashumet Pond in Mashpee, MA on Cape Cod

From NOAA’s Forecast Discussion: for southern Wisconsin:
The models do show low pressure sliding northeast across Wisconsin
either later Wednesday night or Thursday. The GFS is quicker and
further south with the low track than the ECMWF. Both models do
bring the warm sector into at least southeast Wisconsin during
this period. Thus, it looks like good chances for mainly rain
later Wednesday night into Thursday morning, before cold air
advection brings a transition to light snow southeast across the
area Thursday afternoon into the evening.

This may change, depending on where the low tracks, and would
affect the precipitation types as well. This may have some impact
on travel in northern and western Wisconsin, and perhaps here if
the low track shifts to the south. Cold air advection behind the
low would then bring colder temperatures back into the region for
Friday into Saturday.

Sights at Skeeter Iceboat Club Swap Meet

by | Nov 6, 2017 | 2017-2018, Home Page

The rain stayed away for the Skeeter Iceboat Club’s annual swap meet. The swap meet always provides the perfect venue to catch up with old friends and meet new people who are interested in ice sailing. We hope to see all of you out on the ice this season! Thank you Jane and Suzie Pegel for organizing the swap meet and handling the traditional raffle.