The winter tradition of sail-powered ice boating finds the right combination of ice, wind, and speed-seeking participants in Montana
BIG SKY JOURNAL
in Winter 2022 | Feature Stories | Written by Andrew McKean | Photography by Sean R. Heavey
Just as surfers will spend the balance of their year waiting for just the right wave, and skiers will rearrange their lives in pursuit of fluffy mountain powder, so do ice boaters watch for fresh ice and stiff winds. They’re monitoring long- and short-term weather forecasts for their version of powder days, says Flathead Lake ice-boat builder John Eisenlohr, one of the dozens of Montana winter sailors who travel the West in search of perfect ice. “For us, that’s the first black ice thick enough to play on, plus a certain amount of wind,” Eisenlohr says. “Not too much wind, and no packed snow on the ice. And, if I’m really lucky, the ice will have just a little stippling on it to hold the runners.” Continue reading.
Pat Heppert sailing DRIFTER at the 2022 International Skeeter Association Regatta on Lake Monona in Madison, WI. Photo: Will Johnston
Photographer Will Johnson joined us at the ISA and Renegade Championship on Lake Monona on Saturday. He has a huge number of photos he’d like to share with us.
If any one wants some extra work done on some of them feel free to pass along my contact info I am happy to help.
The boaters are welcome to use the photos for any personal use, and feel free to post them any icboat.org socials you see fit.
I had a good time watching the racing and hope to come out to more regattas Will Johnston
Photographer Sean R. Heavey spent a few days on Lake Monona taking photos and flying a drone before the snow ended hopes of a DN U.S. Nationals regatta. Take a look at his photo gallery here.
Nite and DN class iceboats on Lake Monona, January 15, 2022. Photo by Joe Berger.
Hoofer soft water sailing instructor Joe Berger came over to the chilly side and brought his photography skills to Lake Monona over the weekend. He has shared his photos on our Facebook group and to Google pictures. See them here.
Nite sailor Maureen Bohleber lifts a runner on the race course. Photo: Ethan Brodsky
Iceboating racing champion Jane Pegel always said the best way to attract people to our sport is club racing. During the two-day Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club racing series on Lake Monona, a high level of interest from Midwest ice sailors, photographers, and the Madison community proved her point.
The wind cooperated, allowing the race committee to bang off 30 races in four fleets (Skeeters, Renegades, DNs, and Nites) Saturday and Sunday. Our scoring chair, Tim McCormick, will tabulate those results soon.
One of the biggest thanks goes to Ken Whitehorse, who set the whole weekend in motion. We wouldn’t have been able to get on the lake without him. On Wednesday, he removed the snow blocking the landing with his Bobcat. Ken and Tom Hyslop enjoyed two days sailing their Class A Skeeters before their Wisconsin Skeeter Association support equipment, Ken’s Mule, broke down.
Thanks to Scott Goetz for trailering the club’s ATV from Mendota, Commodore Daniel Hearn for setting courses and taking care of everything that needed doing. Thanks to Pat Heppert for the use of the marks and also for keeping the course organized, and Jerry Simon for starting, calling, and flag duties.
Thanks to our out-of-town guests who gave our club racing weekend a regatta-like feel. We appreciate your enthusiasm and were happy to have you join us on the race course.
In all the years I’ve been involved in ice sailing, I don’t remember seeing so many Madisonians braving the cold to watch us, curious about iceboating. Sunday’s west wind placed the start line within easy walking distance of the shore, and residents flocked to check us out.
There’s nothing more photogenic in a Madison winter than iceboats against the city skyline. It’s been that way since 1878 when Harper’s Bazaar Magazine ran an illustration of ice sailing on Lake Monona. We were thrilled to have several excellent photographers and videographers on the ice with us. They have generously shared their pictures on Facebook, and I’ll be linking to them during the week. The first photographer, Ethan Brodsky, uploaded his photos to Google for those not on Facebook. See them here.
Illustration of ice sailing on Lake Monona from Harper’s in 1878.
The winter tradition of sail-powered ice boating finds the right combination of ice, wind, and speed-seeking participants in Montana
