by Deb Whitehorse | Jan 14, 2026 | 2025-2026, Home Page, WSSA
Link to video
As decisions are made today on whether the NIYA, ISA, the Nite Nationals (and now the DN Western Region Championship) are called on or postponed, here’s a short clip from Tuesday afternoon on Lake Winnebago, with the stern steerer WISCONSIN stretching her legs in strong wind.
Andy Gratton, who shared the video, put it best:
The video doesn’t do justice to how the sun shimmered off all the little ripples on the many puddles due to the strong winds today. It almost looked like we were sailing on water, not ice.
The video was taken from WISCONSIN by Andy’s son-in-law, David School.
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by Deb Whitehorse | Dec 14, 2025 | 2025-2026, Home Page, WSSA
While we wait for ice, here’s a small history lesson. The American Legion on Lake Winnebago at Oshkosh (now The Waters) seen here with the stern steerer DEUCE rigged on the ice. The Legion hosted and sponsored ice yacht regattas, including the Army–Navy races. Photo from the Carl Bernard collection.
With the Army–Navy football game played yesterday, some old newspaper clippings surfaced that report on another Army–Navy rivalry, this one on ice.
In the 1930s, the Oshkosh Ice Yacht Club hosted an annual Army vs. Navy ice yacht race, sponsored by the American Legion. One clipping, from January 1935, describes a decisive Army victory sailed in rough conditions, heavy snow cover, strong northwesterly winds, and difficult ice.
The American Legion’s striking white building on Lake Winnebago, now The Waters, served as regatta headquarters for many events.
It’s perfect weather here at -7F in the Four Lakes area this morning and Lake Mendota is steaming like hell. Check out the Mendota Today live-cam to watch some ice making.
Tip of the Helmet: Henry Boshkossett
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by Deb Whitehorse | Feb 16, 2025 | 2024-2025, DN, Home Page
Matt Struble US183. Photo by Anna Suslova.
With the 4LIYC racing on pause thanks to all this snow, it’s a great time to catch up on some ice sailing talk. Sailing Anarchy just dropped a new podcast featuring none other than 2025 DN World & North American Champion Matt Struble! Fresh off his dominant performance at Lake Winnebago, Matt sat down with host Scott Tempesta to break down the regatta. While his scores made it look effortless, Matt shares just how tough the conditions were and what it took to come out on top. As Scott put it: “I just chatted him up, and I can tell he is going to be a great guest!” The episode is available this afternoon—perfect listening while we wait for sailable ice to return.
Listen here: https://sailinganarchy.com/sailing-anarchy-podcast/ Or check out the SA podcasts on Apple, Google, or Spotify podcasts.
Stay tuned, and hopefully, the Big Zamboni will arrive and we’ll be back on the ice soon!
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by Deb Whitehorse | Feb 2, 2025 | 2024-2025, Home Page, Regattas, WSSA
2025 Wisconsin Stern Steerers Association Regatta on Lake Winnebago, Fond du Lac, WI. Photo by Will Johnston
The Wisconsin Stern Steerers Association (WSSA) Regatta concludes today on Lake Winnebago, where classic stern-steerers have been racing in excellent conditions. With the 2025 DN World Championship also starting today, the lake is bustling with activity, making it the world’s busiest spot for ice sailing.
Check out the photo gallery from the WSSA Regatta here: Will Johnston WSSA Photo Gallery
Stay tuned for updates as DN racing gets underway!
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by Deb Whitehorse | Jan 31, 2025 | 2024-2025, Home Page, NIYA, Renegade, WSSA
Powered by the Wind: ROSEMARY on Lake Winnebago and a field of windmills in the distance. Photo: Rob Resnick.
Once again, Rob Resnick of Revelations of Design joined us on the ice to capture the Northwest Regatta. Rob is a familiar presence at our regattas, often braving the elements to document the speed and beauty of iceboat racing.
This year was no exception. Rob spent all day Friday on the ice with us, despite the cold, and his dedication resulted in an impressive collection of photos. It was hard to pick a favorite because they’re all so good, but as an example, above is a screenshot of the ROSEMARY with windmills in the background—just one of many memorable shots.
Rob’s photos are available for purchase. Check out his gallery and support his work.
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