iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

Sunday 2-20:
I'm back home in Monona this morning after waking up to 3" of fluffy snow in Oshkosh with more on the way. We've only got about an inch here in the Madison area. The storm tracked farther north than predicted. There was a nice turn-out at the banquet last night. I'll post full results and photos back over at my home port of www.iceboat.org.
NIYA Regatta Winners:
E-Skeeter: Dan Clapp
Renegade: Tim McCormick
DN: John Dennis
Boe Skeeter: Steve Schalk
Stern Steerers Overall: Jay Yaeso
A Stern: Fred Stritt
Look for more results over at www.iceboat.org.

Saturday 2-19:
The DNs and Renegades raced this morning in light, fluky winds. John Dennis won the DN race. The dying winds were responsible for only 8 Renegades finishing within the 1/2 hour time limit after the winner, Tim McCormick, crossed the finish line. Don Anderson was second. Wind shifts forced quite a few course changes. Finally, at around 3:00, the Skeeters were able to race. Dan Clapp won and Tom Hyslop was second. The stern-steerers were also able to get a race in today. Fritz is leading in the As. The Deuce suffered a crack in the hull yesterday and was unable to complete the regatta.
Racing is scheduled for 9:30 AM tomorrow. The race committee is taking a wait and see attitude with the weather.

Friday: Lack of wind forced a postponement until 1:00 and each class was able complete two races. In the DNs, John Dennis won both races today. The Renegades mixed it up a bit more; in the first race, Tim McCormick placed first followed by Mike Derusha, Don Anderson, Jerry Simon, and Jack Ripp. Mike Derusha won the second race, followed by Don Anderson and Tim McCormick. In the Skeeters, Dan Clapp easily dominated both races. Bob Kau placed second in the first Skeeter race. In the second Skeeter race, Tom Hyslop took second, Bill Mattison third, and Bob Kau fourth.
The winds were about 10 mph and were quite shifty towards the end of the day. About 77 boats registered for the regatta.

Update: There are two Yankee-style B Skeeters here from New Jersey, Mark Hancik and Jeff Smith that will compete in the regatta. That might be a first!

Update: Well, here I am at the Oshkosh Hilton on their business center computer. There are already ice boats in the parking lot. Skeeter sailor Jordan Glaser, who flew in to Milwaukee from Brooklyn, NY, is here and there are more Eastern sailors driving out. Burly Brellenthin, who will be helping on the race committee, is also here. Burly has recently returned from ice boating on Montana's legendary Canyon Ferry.

I'll post reports and photos from the 2005 NIYA Regatta in Oshkosh here if the Hilton has a computer.

Defending Champions
2004 NIYA
DN-John Dennis
Renegade-Tim McCormick
E Skeeter-Bob Kau
Boe Skeeter-Steve Schalk
OA Stern Steerer-R Hennig
A Stern St.- Rick Hennig
C Stern St.-Jeff Seeboth
D Stern St.-Jeff Seeboth

NIYA THE HISTORY
Dateline
January 13, 1913.
Wisconsin State Journal.
"Representatives of Oshkosh, Madison, Menominee, and Marinette met at the Hotel Menominee this morning and discussed future of the new NIYA, Emil Fauerbach of Madison commended the Mendota Ice Yacht Club highly in their action in establishing a renewal of the sport and declared that he would do everything in his power to aid the new organization in every manner possible. LF Porter, of Madison, a man who has been connected with several water and ice craft organizations, gave some timely and instructive suggestions in regard to the proper manner of conducting the association. He proposed having two delegates from each club present at a future gathering and from a constitution and by laws at that time."

This historic regatta was first sailed in 1913 in Menominee, Michigan. Skeeters, DNs, and Renegades weren't even invented back then when the big stern steerers ruled the ice. In 1913, Menominee skipper E. Peterson won the first Class A championship in "Square People". Madison, Wisconsin's own Emil Fauerbach won the 1914 championship in the famed Princess II, a boat that went on the win the Hearst International Trophy. Other notable Class A winners throughout the year include John Buckstaff of Oshkosh, Jungbluth and Carl Bernard of Madison in the Fritz (still being sailed today by Fred Stritt), Harry Melges of Lake Geneva (Buddy's father), Carl Bernard again in the Mary B (currently owned by the Haines family), the Debutante currently owned by Mike Derusha, and Buddy Melges in his Ferdinand the Bull.

The DNs were first recognized as a separate class in 1954 when Skip Boston won the inaugural NIYA DN championship. Other notable DN champions include William Sarns in 1956, Jane Pegel who first won in 1960 and went on to capture another nine championships.

Class E Skeeters first raced the NIYA in 1936 when Lake Geneva sailor Harry Melges won in Mickey Finn. Elmer Millenbach took the 1949 trophy sailing his Renegade II back when the Renegades and Skeeters sailed together. Other famous ice boating names who've won the NIYA Class E championship include Bill Perrigo, Howard Bosten, Frank Trost, Jack Ripp, Dave Rosten, Bill Mattison, Lou Loenneke, Buddy Melges, Bob Pegel, and Paul Krueger.

The Renegades first raced in the NIYA as a recognized class in 1958 and of course, Mr. Ice Boat, Elmer Millenbach won his first of many NIYA Renegade Championships in Renegade III. Elmer won every regatta until 1984 when the 4LIYC Jerry Simon took the championship. Other winners include Arlyn Lafortune, Loren Sherry, Jack Ripp, Tim McCormick, Roger Derusha, Don Anderson, and Mike Derusha.