Monotype XV Archives
4LIYC Vice Commodore and Renegader Ron Rosten typically travels to Europe each year for the DN and Ice Optimist Junior World Championship. With this year’s event postponed until December 2025, Ron already had his airline tickets to Sweden—so he made the best of it. He met up with friends and attended the Monotype World Championship instead.
In case you aren’t familiar with the Monotype XV: it’s a two-person ice yacht with deep roots in European ice sailing. As described on a previous version of Monotype website:
“The Monotype-XV ice yacht was designed in 1932 by the legendary Erik von Holst of Estonia. It became popular in a very short time, and more than 200 yachts were built in but a few years. The yacht is a strict monotype construction; in broad outline, it looks the same as in the nineteen thirties. The structural elements are nowadays joined by modern methods and the use of epoxy adhesive. The bronze runners have been replaced by runners in stainless steel. The sail is of course made of Dacron or an equivalent material. The Monotype-XV is the largest monotype class in Europe today, and the only yacht for two for which European as well as international championships are arranged.”
Specs: Sail area: 15 m² | Length: 7.5 m | Width: 4.2 m | Mast height: 7.2 m | Minimum weight: 205 kg | Crew: 1–2 persons Monotype XV website
Here’s Ron’s report from the trip, originally shared on our Facebook page.
I forgot to post this back in February so I’ll post these photos now. I was in Sweden this past February and spent 2 days visiting the 2025 Monotype-XV Class Championship. There were 26 boats competing that week on one of the very few sailable lakes in Europe, Lake Storsjön near Sandviken.
The first day I was there was a practice day. In a Monotype regatta, all boats start on a port tack and round the bottom mark in a clockwise direction. Another oddity is the crew member sits facing backwards. The Swedish boat S-29 is the defending champion sailed by Bernhard Rost and crewed by Thomas Tennstrom. They would finish 2nd in this year’s regatta.
There were 2 boats that were made available to junior sailors at the regatta. Probably the talk of the regatta was a boat sailed by 2 Swedish juniors, who happened to be female. Hedvig Liljegren was the skipper and Ellen Fredriksson was her crew. They had a grand total of 1 weekend of practice in the boat before the regatta and finished a very respectable 13th overall. Both are very experienced soft water sailors and are training for the 2028 Olympics. [Speaking of Olympics – the Monotype was the iceboat of choice under consideration for the 1936 Olympics. Story here. – About Hedvig and Ellen – About the Sailors: Hedvig Liljegren and Ellen Fredriksson are top-tier Swedish sailors training for the 2028 Olympics. You can follow Hedvig’s Olympic campaign with her brother Hugo on Instagram – Ed.]
It was a beautiful evening yesterday at the 4LIYC trophy banquet at the Mariner’s Inn on Lake Mendota. With the lake just steps away and the venue decorated in a nautical theme, it couldn’t have been a more suitable setting for an ice sailing gathering. We’re going to miss that restaurant — and after last night, we’re even more grateful for the many years the von Rutenberg family has supported the sailing community.
Renegader Don Anderson served as the evening’s master of ceremonies. He reminded us of the von Rutenbergs’ long history with sailing and the famous Edgewater to Mariner’s race that used to take place in softwater days on Lake Mendota. It was a casual race where simply not falling in was considered a win.
The von Rutenberg family’s generosity didn’t stop at hosting us — they also donated a raffle prize: a spot on their famous Betty Lou Cruise. Barb Sanford won the raffle, which was especially fun because her husband, Nite sailor Don Sanford, was a longtime captain of the Betty Lou Cruise boats!
Before dinner, we gathered in the bar to mingle and catch up. It was amazing to see so many out-of-town guests, including IDNIYRA Commodore (and stern steerer owner) David Frost, who made the trip from Michigan via Thunder Bay, Ontario where he had hoped to get one last DN ride in. Andy Gratton came down from Fond du Lac, and George Gerhardt joined us from Oshkosh — strong stern steerer representation all around. Pete Johns also made the trip from Illinois, combining the banquet with picking up a brand-new Ron Sherry DN hull. We were also happy to see Maureen Bohleber from Green Lake and long-time club member Gary Sternberg in the crowd.
Even though we sat for dinner a bit earlier than planned, it worked out perfectly. Ken Whitehorse kicked off the awards by presenting trophies to Paul Krueger from the Skeeter fleet. Ken shared the story of how a “magic sail” rediscovered in their inventory made PK’s boat fly this season. He also talked about a memorable day on Lake Monona when they weren’t planning to sail — but seeing German DNers Anja Fiedler and Holger Petzke (here on a year-long U.S. sabbatical) inspired them to rig up and head out.
Don Anderson took a moment to update everyone on the MARY B’s success this winter. He reflected on how much the boat has sailed since coming under the Foundation’s care. Several people in the room raised their hands when Don asked who had a chance to ride the B this year. Don also gave a shoutout to Andy Gratton for jumping in at Frozen Assets Festival to help with the MARY B, making important improvements to her steering and rigging. Andy even hopes to bring his famous red stern steerer WISCONSIN down to Frozen Assets next year.
After a hearty dinner and dessert, it was time for the main event: handing out the trophies. A big thank you to our Trophy Chair, Damien Luyet, for the countless hours he put into organizing, polishing, and preparing the trophies — even making new bases where needed — to ensure everything looked perfect for the banquet.
On display was a pencil sketch of Tim McCormick sailing his Renegade AIM against the Lake Monona skyline, drawn by Greg Whitehorse and brought by Greg McCormick — a meaningful reminder of Tim’s contributions to the sport we all love.
Among the specialty awards, the “Pin Clipper” prize — given for notable mark mishaps — was awarded to Renegader Doug Kolner this year for an incident on Lake Monona where he gave a cone a ride for a few laps.
Ron Sherry was the evening’s highlight, captivating the room with his stories about ice sailing, boat setup, and racing tactics. Ron talked about advice he received from Buddy Melges on setting up a Renegade, and shared memories of sailing Renegades with his dad, Lorne Sherry, on Lakes Geneva and Mendota. He was in his element as he delved into the subtleties of setup and tactics with an audience that valued every detail. I strongly recommend that all yacht clubs invite Ron as a speaker — he is an outstanding storyteller. He closed with one of my favorite stories: the time he won the Northwest Free-For-All Trophy on Lake Geneva, made even more special because so many of the people involved were right there in the room, including my brother, Ron Rosten.
We did miss our Commodore Daniel Hearn, who was on vacation with his family — but he was with us in spirit. It was a night full of storytelling and memories — the very best of what iceboating is all about.
Mike Ripp, Ron Rosten, Lars Barber, and Doug Kolner get ready to sharpen.
Saturday was a busy day in the world of iceboating. 4LIYC Renegader Ron Rosten shared runner-sharpening wisdom with Mike Ripp, Lars Barber, and Doug Kolner, who have recently invested in Bob Rast’s state-of-the-art sharpeners.
Adding to the excitement, a new Ice Optimist arrived in Madison. Ice sailors on Facebook shared stories about the Nite fleet welcoming a new member and the gang at the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center, preparing to get their DNs on the ice.
In less than three weeks, DNs will head to Minnesota to kick off the season at the annual informal gathering, the Western Challenge.
Ron explains the physics of keeping runners ice cold in between sanding belt passes, the same temperature as beer.
Edge inspection
Bob Rast manufactured Runner Sharpener.
A Renegade runner on the table in RI
Via Leigh Mumford, part of the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center, on Facebook. Photo: Mike King
2022 IRIYRA Championship Recap by Skip Dieball
What a fun weekend in Madison Feb 18-20. The collection of iceboating enthusiasts really encompassed the spec-
trum of abilities, which makes the experience so fun. The way folks light up when they have first ride…and the
hardened veterans that tweak their set up. Continue reading
Two: I’m not going out on a limb to predict there will be ice across Wisconsin in the next two weeks. Accuweather says…
Forecasted temperatures in the Four Lakes for the last 2 weeks of December 2022. Are you ready?
Tradition, Fun and New Friends 2022 Renegade Class Championship
-Skip Dieball R555
What a fun weekend in Madison Feb 18-20. The collection of iceboating enthusiasts really encompassed the spectrum of abilities, which makes the experience so fun. The way folks light up when they have first ride…and the hardened veterans that tweak their set ups.
The Renegade Class has been around since 1947 (75 years!). Through the years, the boat has stayed true to its One-Design roots and has produced some of the best iceboaters the sport has seen. This year’s championship fielded a talented group, which included 5 past class champions.
I’m new to the class, but not new to iceboating. I’m a generational sailor from Toledo, Ohio where Renegade sailing was quite popular when I was growing up. My father, Denny Dieball, sailed #76 through the 70s and 80s.
My brother and I cut our teeth in the local DN fleet as we grew up. As life moved on, I became a professional sailor and spent the winter months in Florida from regatta to regatta. Iceboating was just a fill in. In the early 2010s, I got serious about DN sailing and worked with my friend Ron Sherry to get geared up and competitive. I loved it and was hooked again, but I always had great offers for soft water sailing in Florida, so it wasn’t until this past summer that I told myself I needed to sail and have fun on my own and iceboating fit the work schedule nicely.
With the help of Deb Whitehorse and Daniel Hearn, I got in touch with Don Anderson and purchased a Renegade and took it back to Chicago and started rehabbing. Just like so many fleets in both hard and soft water sailing, it is truly the PEOPLE that make the experiences special. These folks helped me get set up with a boat and offered any advice that I had a question for.
I had some unscheduled quarantine time, so I dug into the boat and before long was applying new paint and working to make sure it would be ready for the maiden voyage…which would be later in January in the 4LIYC club races.
My first few races I could tell that the “One-Design” aspect of the Renegade would really appeal to me. The racing was close and speeds so similar. I love that and having only the equipment with the boat, it made focusing on sailing a lot easier for me. No lugging runners and sails to the starting box, etc.
This year’s Championship was what seems typical of multi-day iceboating events. The weather not fully cooperating, our Friday and Sunday skunked with BIG winds. I didn’t mind as it allowed me to get to know more folks that I hadn’t previously met. The Renegade class members are a great group and everyone has a great passion for the boat, history and tradition. Saturday’s provided plenty of variety to make up for the down time.
Before getting into some of the racing details, hat’s off to the Race Committee. The wind was predicted to shift all day and it did! They did their best to race all classes in the best breeze available and did an incredible job getting three races per division to ensure the minimum number of races were met to call a regatta. Great job!
The first race was in a dying breeze. In fact, at the start, it was difficult to get the boats rolling. For me, I was lucky enough to catch a small zephyr and get the momentum going. I was able to keep it going to the top mark and only a few from the other side crossed. Not having raced a Renegade in this light of wind, I was happy to get round the 1st mark. With the voice of Ron Sherry in my head, I focused on “don’t worry about the angles, just keep the boat going”. It was all I could do to focus on that and not lose my mind when I saw someone catching that next puff. There were boats moving, boats stopped and I really lost track of where I was with the leaders and those that were right behind. I felt fortunate to keep the boat going as nearly everyone at some point stopped. I finished right behind past champ Tim McCormick for a 2nd. Many fell behind and others had pushed back to the pits, resulting in DNFs. Tough opening race, but the breeze was shifting and increasing so there was hope.
I’m sure optimism was low with the entire group of sailors, but the wind did fill in. By the time the Renegades were up for a race, it was over 10 knots. This made for a great race. Super fast and competitive. For me, I came off the 2 starting position and had a great start to lead the fleet from the left. We all had a little something the right didn’t have and our side looked great and I was leading (!!!). I had that Ron Sherry voice in my head again (I know that’s dangerous LOL) saying “just go fast Skip…keep the pedal pressed”. I was so happy to have opened up a huge lead…you know one of those leads you never lose. Unless you are a newbie and get soft in the upper right corner and watch the fleet get wound inside! UGH! I managed to fend off Jim Gluek at the top mark, but he proved why he was the reigning 2-time champ by putting me in his dust to win the race. Mentally, it could have been a downer for me, but I was just psyched to be in the top and happy to get another 2nd.
Our last race was in some bigger winds, maybe gusting 13-15. Again starting in the 2 position, I had a good start, but had to tack under Don Anderson who was smokin’ from the left edge. Again our group crossing on port had a little special puff and crossed the group from the right. What tight racing. Don, myself and Mike Derusha were nearly three wide at the top and flying downwind. All three of us were jockeying for position at the bottom with Don edging myself and Mike right behind. I was able to point a little higher than Don and get inside of him to take the lead. I got around the top in good shape and sent it downwind again. Last beat, I had a nice lead. Nothing could go wrong, right??? How about déjà vu? Mike gets wicked up inside of me as I go soft on the right again. NOT AGAIN! Like the previous race with Jim, I was able to hold off Mike at the top, but it was a true dual on the run. Mike split with me to have starboard advantage at the bottom, but I caught a nice puff and finished for the win. With 2,2,1, I was ecstatic. What a great opening to the event. My goal of top 5 was looking quite good.
After the long day, it was fun to rehash the excitement back at the launch. I really appreciated all the kind words and truly was having a great time learning, talking, meeting folks in the class.
The forecast for Sunday was big winds. Bigger than Friday’s abandonment, so it would have been easy to play the odds and finishing counting scores, but I kept focus and took the runners back to the hotel get to get the edges sharp and focus on the next day. As luck would have it for me, the winds were too much for sailing and the regatta was called off. I’ve been on both sides of this one. Sitting 2nd and dying to go, but being in the lead “at the cocktail party” is never a bad plan if you can do it.
Renegade Class champions from left, Andy Gratton 5th, Ron Rosten 4th, Greg McCormick 3rd, Tim McCormick 2nd, and Skip Dieball 1st.
You know, the racing seems to be the “story” of an event, but let me tell you about the people in the Renegade Class. So many are so generous with their time and volunteerism. It keeps it going. And for those that embraced the newbie….Don Anderson for a wonderful introduction to “Renegading”, the McCormicks for showing me the fun side of Madison, Mike Derusha and Jim LaFortune for the talks at the hotel. What a great collection of personalities.
Special thanks to those that helped me get organized and fast. Deb and Daniel continued to help as leaders of the 4LIYC and involvement me as a newbie. Ron Rosten became a friend right away as he helped me get my runners tuned up. He’s so generous with his time…I can’t thank him enough. Ron Sherry for the tips and encouragement. Mike Boston for his tips and encouragement (and really fast sail, by the way!). Ken Sabin who always helps and lends perspective. It’s been great and I can’t wait for the next one!
