Does it get any more Wisconsin than this? Ice sailing, maritime history, a Green Bay Packers connection, and a cocktail named in honor of the Skeeter class?
Mike Peters and I will be presenting a program for their Think & Drink series on ice sailing at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum on Thursday, January 2nd at 6:30 pm. I’ll be joining via Zoom, and Mike will be there in person at the museum to share the history of ice sailing in Wisconsin.
The event is free and will be available both in-person and virtually. The featured drink of the night will be a Skeeter, a vodka cocktail named after the fastest iceboat in the world. Doors and the bar open at 6:00 pm, and the program begins at 6:30 pm.
This presentation is part of the Ice Boating: A Wisconsin Tradition exhibit at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, which is on display from December 2024 through September 2025. The exhibit traces the history of ice boating in Wisconsin, spanning over 100 years, and showcases the evolution of iceboats and the culture surrounding the sport.
This program is made possible in part by a grant from the Green Bay Packers Foundation. For more info, check out the museum’s website.
Hope to see you there, whether in person or online!
WHAT TO KNOW Date & Time: Thursday, January 2nd, 6:30 pm (doors and bar open at 6:00 pm) Location: Wisconsin Maritime Museum, 75 Maritime Dr., Manitowoc, WI Cost: Free (both in-person and virtual) Virtual Access: Register here to attend via Zoom: Event Registration Link
UPDATE: The Wisconsin Maritime Museum has unveiled a signature drink for their Think and Drink presentation—a twist on the classic Sidecar, featuring vodka and blue curaçao. The Skeeter
2 oz vodka
1 oz blue curaçao
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup (optional, for a hint of sweetness)
Lemon twist or orange slice for garnish
Instructions:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
Add vodka, blue curaçao, lemon juice, and simple syrup (if desired).
Shake well until chilled.
Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist or orange slice.
If you missed last night’s presentation on the history and future of the Skeeter iceboat class by Henry Bossett, Dan Clapp, and Pat Heppert, don’t worry! The entire session has been recorded and is now available on our YouTube channel. Whether you want to relive the insights or catch it for the first time, dive in and increase your Skeeter iceboat knowledge. Watch it at this link: Skeeter Summit
The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club thanks Henry Bossett, Dan Clapp, and Pat Heppert for sharing your expertise and passion for the Skeeter fleet with our ice-sailing community. Your dedication to preserving and advancing the Skeeter class will have a lasting impact on future iceboaters.
1991 ISA Regatta. Notice there’s only one cockpit-forward Skeeter on the line.
Henry Bossett, Dan Clapp, and Pat Heppert have created an exceptional production that covers the past and future of the Skeeter class.
The photo above from the presentation displays the first cockpit-forward “bubble-boat, ” COMING ATTRACTIONS, which marked the beginning of a new phase in Skeeter design. In 1991, Dan Clapp towed this boat from New Jersey to Lake Geneva and emerged victorious in the International Skeeter Association regatta.
If you’ve registered, we’ll email you the Zoom link Wednesday morning. If you have questions during the presentation, we encourage you to ask them using the chat option, and the Skeeter specialists will answer them at the end of the presentation. Or you can email your questions ahead of time to to debwhitehorse@iceboat.org.
What To Know
SKEETER SUMMIT Date: Wednesday, December 13, 2023 Time: 6:30 PM CT / 7:30 PM ET The Zoom link was emailed on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.Â
UPDATE: If you missed the video or want to see it again, the fine folks at the Cape Cod Maritime Museum have uploaded it to YouTube. LINK
Please join Henry Bossett and me for a virtual presentation hosted by the Cape Cod Maritime Museum on Sunday, April 30, at 1:30 PM CT / 2:30 PM ET.
We’ll discuss various topics, including some Cape Cod area’s ice sailing history, such as this video about the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (Spars) and iceboating. (Video ink.)
Via the Cape Cod Maritime Museum:
While sailors in New England spent the winter dreaming of getting back on the water, sailors in the competitive world of ice yachting have been busy! Join us for this talk by Deb Whitehorse, who grew up above her father’s iceboat shop in Monona, Wisconsin, as well as Henry Bosset, who’s first sailing experience was in M16 Scows. He moved on to the E-Scow Fleet and eventually started crewing on offshore boats from 24’ on up.
Deb is the longtime Secretary of the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club in Madison, WI, and a member of their Honor Roll. She is also the Secretary and Treasurer of the International DN Ice Yacht Racing Association, the world’s largest ice sailing class.
Henry is a three time DN Ice Boat World Champion, as well as claiming North American and Eastern Championship honors in the DN, MScow, and Tornado classes.
