News Flash! We enlisted Madison-based filmmakers Gretta & Aarick at Downtown Dailies back in January of 2020 to help us tell Mary B’s story in a short film. They’ve plowed through hours and hours of archival film, inspected hundreds of images and shot hours of interviews. We believed there was a good story here—not just about a big iceboat, but about her hometown, Madison, WI. The preview is ready. Watch for the premier sometime in January of 2021.
Announcement: We are pleased to announce a new Mary B Ice Boat Foundation website!! iceboatfoundation.org
The Ice Boat Foundation, Inc., current owners of the famous Mary B, announce the launch of our new Mary B website iceboatfoundation.org
We’re thankful for the great design work of Deb Whitehorse and everyone who provided photos, videos and content. We’re especially thankful on this day for all of our supporters who provided the funds to help us purchase and restore the fastest piece of Madison history. If you haven’t made a contribution to the effort, you’ll find a place on the website to do that.
Mostly though you’ll find stories and photos that tell the story of Madison’s famous iceboat, the Mary B.
And a special thanks to O.T. Havey, Frank O. Tetzlaff and Carl Bernard. Without that dream team there would be no Mary B.
Ritz the puppy is intrigued by the MARY B being assembled.
In addition to the autumn colors, apples, and pumpkins, fall in Four Lakes means setting up your iceboat to make sure everything fits. The MARY B group set her up in a Westport field on Saturday.. Daniel Hearn also took advantage of the beautiful day and the large area to set up his C Skeeter. If you’d like to see the MARY B, she’ll be up all week. Don Sanford sends the following:
Mary B is waiting for you! Have you ever wanted to get an up-close and personal look at the Mary B but just haven’t felt up to braving the cold and hiking out onto the ice?
Well, here’s your chance. Our volunteers set her up today and now you can even visit from the comfort of your car.
She’s waiting for you in a wide-open field near the intersection of Hwy 113 and County Hwy M.
The Dane County Historical Society Newsletter has published an article by our own Don Sanford about the historic stern-steerer MARY B.
The Mary B was fast, really fast, but just who or what was she? A racehorse, a track star, or maybe a downhill skier? None of the above, she was an iceboat…She was the dream of one of Madison’s largest electrical contractors and public-spirited citizens, Orvin “OT” Havey.
MARY B draws a crowd on Lake Monona. Photos: Earl W Brown
In January 1952, Lake Monona delivered and the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club hosted the Northwest regatta and the Hearst Challenge. (The Hearst trophy was donated in 1903 by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst.) Lake Monona in the 1950s could be counted upon for sailable ice thanks to the soot pollution from the coal burning power plant on its northeastern shore. The downside for the Skeeters was that the coal dust very quickly dulled runners. Perhaps the coal cinders didn’t affect the big iron of the Stern-Steerer runners.
The three majestic Class A Stern Steerers that competed for the Hearst that year were 2 4LIYC boats and 1 from Oshkosh including the MARY B owned by O. T. Havey and skippered by Carl Bernard with crew Norm Braith and Charlie Johnson; FRITZ owned and sailed by Jim Lunder with Beauford Polglase; and FLYING DUTCHMEN owned by John Buckstaff of Oshkosh, WI and skippered by Chuck Nevitt with crew Bud McDonald. MARY B was able to defend her title that year.The excitement of the regatta drew crowds and prompted the 4LIYC to set up a public address system at Law Park. Someone provided a play by play account during the racing.
These historic ice yachts are still with us today. Current owner of the FLYING DUTCHMEN, Dave Lallier in Fond du Lac, reminded me that FLYING DUTCHMEN is the correct name of the boat, not DUTCHMAN. The Van Dyke brothers from Milwaukee commissioned the FLYING DUTCHMEN in the 1930s, hence the plural designation. MARY B is back in Madison and owned by the Ice Boat Foundation while FRITZ is owned by Fred Stritt and is available for sale.
