MARY B Makes a Visit

MARY B visits the old neighborhood.

Madison’s historic stern-steerer, MARY B, has been set up on Lake Mendota for the past few weekends at the Frozen Assets Festival and the University of Wisconsin Winter Carnival. The Iceboat Foundation volunteers made the special visit, a stop in front of Mauretta Mattison’s house.

Via Don Anderson of the Iceboat Foundation

We took MARY B to Bill and Mauretta Mattison’s house for a photo shoot. Mauretta came out and took a picture, and Bill helped build many parts of this boat, including the current mast, which Bill signed.

Photo by Jeff Miller | University Communications Hundreds of people watch as fireworks launch into the night sky above an inflatable replica of the Statue of Liberty’s head, arm and torch on frozen and ice-covered Lake Mendota during the conclusion of the Wisconsin Union’s Winter Carnival on Feb. 11, 2023. The event was held along the shoreline of the Memorial Union Terrace at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The Lady Liberty tradition began with a prank in 1979 by the Pail and Shovel Party.

University of WI 2023 Winter Fest, Feb 11 – 12

Bucky Badger on the MARY B at the Frozen Assets Festival on Lake Mendota.

The Wisconsin Memorial Union is having a winter fest this weekend, February 11 – 12, 2023,  and the 4LIYC has been invited to display iceboats. The MARY B will be there, and I believe, INSANITY. Looking for others who would be willing to display boats from other classes. This will be excellent exposure for our club and sport. Not to mention, that there will be many attractive coeds looking to meet a big, strong, iceboatin’ man. As an added incentive, there’s a free case of beer chilling for the skipper of every displayed boat. You’ll probably meet several coeds with whom you could share it. Wow! Please let me know if you’re willing and which boat(s) you’ll bring. Thx! Commodore Daniel

Bucky on the B

Photo: Don Sanford

Bucky on the B

University of Wisconsin mascot Buckingham Ulysses “Bucky” Badger was seen yesterday at the Frozen Assets Festival kicking the tires on the stern-steerer, the MARY B.

Bucky’s been around campus for a while, and no doubt remembers the fleet of stern-steerers that Bill and Carl Bernard kept for university students.
Today is the last day of Frozen Assets Festival at the Edgewater and your chance to see the MARY B.

Queen of Mendota


With the Fat Lady past her sell-by date, the focus is again back in the shop and reviewing iceboating history. Don Sanford sent this photo of an unidentified UW Madison student who was the 1927 Prom Queen posing on an iceboat on Lake Mendota. LIBERTY was a Madison-style iceboat built by 4LIYC member, William Bernard. She won the 1925 Northwest Regatta Class B title and made the local newspapers quite a bit in the late 1920s and early 30s because of her winning record. See the full image here.

Looming Shortage of Spandex Racing Suits Faces Nation


Via a very trusted source:

BREAKING: NCAA ADOPTS COED ICEBOATING AS OFFICIAL SPORT, SOUTHERN SCHOOLS IN PANIC


In a shocking move, the NCAA has endorsed Iceboating as its latest addition to its catalogue of sports for the Winter 2021-2022 season. After heated discussion over the merit of endorsing E-sports, the NCAA’s Athletic Breadth Committee determined that the speed, excitement, and potential for carnage left Iceboating as a prime candidate for college athletics.

Included in the deal is a 10-year broadcast contract with CBS Sports, along with the appointment of Wisconsin Sailing Team junior @samuel_bartel as the new Ice Tsar for college Iceboating.