Mike McCormick: Eight Bells

Mike McCormick building a Renegade at the “McFactory. “The Renegade Factory (otherwise known as the “McFactory”) operated in the old fuel office at McCormick Lumber between 1977 and 1979 under the seriously misguided notion that you could build four just as easily as one. There, the selfless labors of many 4LIYC members (but a faithful few in particular) helped grow the Renegade fleet by an “instant” four boats. Is this a great club, or what? Photo Credit and Caption: Mark Langenfeld McFactory Archives

Mike McCormick Obituary
It is with heavy hearts that the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club mourns the passing of Mike McCormick, who departed on November 7, 2023. A devoted club member for over seven decades, Mike’s legacy spans generations.

In addition to serving as a 4LIYC officer, Mike was an active racer in various classes, including in his C Stern Steerer PIECES OF EIGHT, DN, and Renegade. Mike was also a 4LIYC Honor Roll member.

Alongside his late brother Bill, he laid the foundation for the McCormick family tradition of ice sailing. Mike passed on his love for ice sailing to his sons, Andy and Tim, who continue to carry forward the McCormick legacy on the ice. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH, 5101 Schofield St., Monona at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16, with a celebration of life to follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Mike’s name may be made to the Lake Monona Sailing Club, 1407 Morrison St. Madison, WI, 53703 or Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club, 5106 Reynolds Ave., Waunakee, WI. 53597

Historic 4LIYC group photo from 1987 in front of Sunnyside (now Springers) when AJ Whitehorse and Bill Mattison won the Ice Yacht Challenge Pennant. Mike is in the middle behind Bill Hanson and Jerry Simon. Mike’s late brother, Bill in in the front in the red coat. 

 

Steve Arnold Photos: The Biggest of Planks

Bill Mattison builds the DEUCE runner plank c. 1980, from the Steve Arnold collection

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Vintage ’80s

Bill Mattison with help from 4LIYC members built a new runner plank for the World’s Largest Iceboat©, the DEUCE, in the early 1980s in his Williamson St. shop. Luckily, we have photos that the late Steve Arnold took during that build. Twenty some years later, Bill supervised the lofting and building of DEUCE’s hull at Rick Hennig’s Cabbage Patch shop in Racine which culminated in a glue-party that attracted iceboaters from all over the Midwest who wanted to take part in that historic occasion. (Photos and stories documenting that build here.) I can’t think of a better time to repost Dave Elsmo’s classic video about the DEUCE, “54 Foot of Fast”, embedded below.

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