by Deb Whitehorse | Dec 18, 2025 | 2025-2026, Home Page
Lake Monona: Hollywood with asterisks. Courtesy of the waterfowl.
State of the Lakes – Monona and Kegonsa
Lake Monona is Hollywood with asterisks. It looks extraordinary in photos and video, but the holes change everything. We are optimistic that Monona may begin to heal over the next few days, but today’s rain, wind, and temperature swing will be a factor in what comes next.
Perfect ice that you cannot sail – yet!
Lake Kegonsa is a different story. It has been freezing in stages and has likely been locked in for more days than Lake Monona. Reports so far suggest rough ice, but it has not been properly scouted yet. The rain today followed by a sharp freeze could bring Kegonsa close to almost Hollywood conditions.
GRAND SLAM OPEN TENTATIVELY CALLED ON FOR DEC 20-21 ON LAKE KEGONSA
Because of that, the club will spend the next two days scouting Kegonsa with the hope of calling on the Grand Slam Open. We know people are itching to get on the ice and go racing. The Grand Slam Open is traditionally sailed on the first sailable ice of the season, and it has been a long time since we’ve been able to hold one. We are tentatively calling the Grand Slam Open for Saturday and Sunday on Lake Kegonsa, pending ice checks.
This will be a fun set of races for Renegades, DNs, Nites, and Mini-Skeeters. We expect to have final confirmation by Friday afternoon and more details posted here.
This quote from the late Charlie Johnson fits Lake Monona almost too well right now. “If all our ice were glass, slightly wet, and all our air reasonably steady with lifters just where needed, sailing would be perfect. Sometimes we do find this, and it is worth waiting years to have. Meanwhile we must accept the more ordinary ice conditions, ordinary weather and wind, and gracefully accept snow, sometimes for weeks. Our ideal comes from time to time; the Great Maker gives only so much of the very best.”
— Charles H. Johnson 4LIYC member
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by Deb Whitehorse | Mar 2, 2025 | 2024-2025, Home Page
Don Anderson sailing Renegade EASY RIDER on Lake Monona. Photo: Marcus Berghahn
Saturday, March 1, was one of those days that reminded us why we love this sport. With perfect wind and great ice, the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club welcomed our Nite friends from Lake Geneva for a full day of racing. Nite Commodore Maureen Bohleber joined in, helping wave the flag and record scores.
4LIYC Vice Commodore Ron Rosten said It was the perfect day to tune your boat—figuring out what worked and what didn’t. And with conditions this good, nobody was in a hurry to leave. Renegaders Donny Anderson and Damien Luyet kept everyone fueled with a grilled lunch, and the sailing continued until the last dog was hung, with boats rolling into the pits just as the sun set. Sunday may be a different story as the wind forecast isn’t so good.
Check out Marcus Berghahn’s photos here for a glimpse of ice sailing on Saturday.
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by Deb Whitehorse | Feb 2, 2025 | 2024-2025, Home Page, Renegade
Doug Kolner sailing his Renegade COLD FUSION on Lake Monona. Photo Marcus Berghahn
The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club hit the ice on Saturday, February 1, for another great day of racing. Photographer Marcus Berghahm captured the action, showcasing the speed and skill of the fleet.
Check out his photos here: Link to photos
Follow him on Instagram
Thanks to Marcus for sharing these incredible shots—see you on the ice!
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by Deb Whitehorse | Jan 20, 2025 | 2024-2025, Home Page
Via Ken Whitehorse M197 Facebook post:
What an incredible day of racing! High winds high speeds! Monster thanks to Daniel Hearn and Don Anderson. Many iceboat clubs and and boat divisions fronted up! Great to see the German DN racers, Anja and Holger! Thanks to all the iceboat pilots that helped pronouns M165 and M197 getting us on and off the ice!
4LIYC Scoring
4LIYC Renegader Damien Luyet has graciously volunteered to take on the role of club scorer. Let’s take a moment to remember Tim McCormick, who managed the club scoring for many years with dedication. Tim’s contributions to the club were invaluable, and we deeply feel his absence. We are grateful to Damien for stepping into this role and continuing the tradition of maintaining our race results. Scores from recent races should be posted soon—stay tuned!
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by Deb Whitehorse | Nov 19, 2024 | 2024-2025, Home Page
This may be a signal that the 4LIYC should purchase giant inflatable ducks.
The City of Madison has released its Lake Monona Waterfront redevelopment plan. I was surprised to see a computer-generated image featuring two iceboats on Lake Monona near John Nolen Drive.
Iceboating has been a fixture on Madison’s lakes for over 100 years. Our history is tied to the city’s identity—our photos are used to promote Madison, and our presence on the frozen lakes adds to the city’s uniqueness. It’s heartening to see our sport recognized as part of what makes Madison unique. Iceboating is not just a pastime; it’s a tradition and a celebration of the frozen beauty of our lakes. The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club is grateful for the acknowledgment. Madison’s lakes and shoreline are central to the city’s identity, and iceboating is proud to be part of that legacy.
So, as Madison continues to embrace its lakes and shoreline, we’ll keep sailing—just as we have for over 100 years. See you on the ice!
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