by Deb Whitehorse | Jul 12, 2025 | 2024-2025, Home Page

Now that’s a crowd! Here’s a striking iceboat print by Mel Kishner (1915 – 1991) that I haven’t seen before. Kishner was a prolific artist and served as the art director for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel from 1940 to 1978. It’s unclear whether he created this piece to illustrate an article about ice sailing for the newspaper or simply for his own enjoyment. Many of you know Kishner’s grandson, grandson Mark Walters. If anyone knows the whereabouts of the original, let us know. Tip of the Helmet: Damien Luyet
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by Deb Whitehorse | Jul 3, 2025 | 2024-2025, Home Page

Ice Riders on the Chesapeake Bay by Charles Wysocki
Here’s our collection of July 4th ice sailing photos, another opportunity to remember that two of the founders, Ben Franklin and John Adams thought about iceboating. Ben even ordered a set of plans! But one ride in the Netherlands was quite enough for John Adams. He wrote to a friend, that iceboating “as again endangered my Health and my Life.” Enjoy the holiday and Think Ice!
When Ben Franklin Ordered Iceboat Plans
Ben Franklin’s Iceboat Drawings

JD’s EAGLE, Class A Skeeter. Photo: Gretchen Dorian

Shown here from left to right doing their best to make the ordinary extraordinary are: Don Ermer, Don Sanford, Steve Arnold, Lady Liberty, Ty Reed and Ken Kreider.

Patriotic Pete Johns
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by Deb Whitehorse | Jul 3, 2024 | 2023-2024, Home Page

Ice Riders on the Chesapeake Bay by Charles Wysocki
Here’s a collection of various photos that have been previously posted to celebrate the July 4th holiday. It’s a perfect opportunity to remember that two of the founders, Ben Franklin and John Adams, were acquainted with ice sailing. Ben even ordered a set of plans! But one ride in the Netherlands was quite enough for John Adams. He wrote to a friend, that iceboating “as again endangered my Health and my Life.” Enjoy the holiday – it’s getting darker earlier every day.
When Ben Franklin Ordered Iceboat Plans
Ben Franklin’s Iceboat Drawings

JD’s EAGLE, Class A Skeeter. Photo: Gretchen Dorian

Shown here from left to right doing their best to make the ordinary extraordinary are: Don Ermer, Don Sanford, Steve Arnold, Lady Liberty, Ty Reed and Ken Kreider. Ty Reed and Ken Krieder.

Patriotic Pete Johns
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by Deb Whitehorse | Mar 6, 2024 | 2023-2024, 2024 Northwest Regatta, Home Page, NIYA

GOODNESS PREVAILS.
Dear Northwestern Ice Yachting Association Member Clubs,
I started racing skeeters in 1970. In 1977 at the age of 26, I was very fortunate to win the Northwest Championship. In 2024 I again was fortunate to win the Northwest championship. Well..that’s almost back to back victories! If you factor out 47 years! TODAY as in the past the Northwest Regatta has the world’s best Regatta Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, Steve Schalk. We have the world’s best race committee. We have the world’s best volunteer support group. Additionally we have the world’s best boat builders and sail makers. Finally, and of least importance, as in the past, the Northwest has the world’s best ice boat sailors. We all are truly blessed to participate in iceboat racing! Goodness withstands the test of time.
Ken WhiteHorse M197
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by Deb Whitehorse | Nov 10, 2022 | 2022-2023, Home Page

As we wait for the first “first” (ice), here’s some philatelic news. The U.S. Post Office released the 14-cent Iceboat stamp on March 23, 1985, at ROPEX, the annual stamp show in Rochester, New York. The postcard and
envelope, featuring a Nite, was one of 324,710 first-day covers cancelled and was in a collection of postcards and ephemera mailed to me by Don Fischer of Michigan. The stamp’s artist, William H. Bond, created 58 U.S. postage stamps, including a series of 50 World War II commemorative issues.
Tip of the Helmet: Don Fischer
Previous: Ice Sailing Goes Postal
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