iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

This is a post I hoped I would never have to write. But here goes -- The Nite Board of Directors used a fake rule from our governing body, the National Iceboat Authority (NIA) to defend its decision to disallow a race at the Nationals. When notified the rule was fake, their commodore replied, "Well, we're just going to let it go."

Really? Who gives the Nite Association the right to change the rules that govern our sport?

Karol Jablonski (P-36) won his 12th(!) DN World Championships (and 5th in a row!) besting one of the most competitive DN fleets ever assembled. The regatta was held on Lake Wielimie near Szczecinek, Poland. There were 146 boats at the Worlds and the US Gold Fleet sailors did us proud. Ron Sherry (US-44) placed 6th. Chris Berger (US 5166) placed 22nd. James "T" Thieler (US 5224) placed 23rd. Dan Hearn (US 5352) placed 47th. Bob Cummins (US 3433) raced in the Silver fleet. Results at:
https://idniyra.eu/wc2018-results-after-7-races-information-is-provision...

The Northwest, ISA, and Nite Nats (V2.0) are all scheduled for this coming weekend. Which one will actually happen, who knows, but the time to be ready is now. My bet is on the Northwest at Green Bay. If you have never been to the Northwest, it is always a great time and your best chance to see the majestic stern steerers racing around like they were made to do. A must see event, and classes for stern steerers, skeeters and DN's.

The February issue of Runner Tracks Magazine has just been published. Check it out on-line at: http://na.idniyra.org/runnertracks/

Think Ice!

I wasn't in Madison so I don't know what happened. What I do know is that 3 races were completed on Saturday with 4 time defending National Champion Scott Brown of Upper Minnetonka taking a big lead in the standings. However, at some point the PRO tossed the 3rd race. Not sure how it happened since the 3rd race was completed, scored and no protest was filed. No racing took place on Sunday. Without a third race, the regatta was a deemed a non-event and Browner was denied a 5th straight National Championships. Looks like the lawyers in the fleet will need to sort this one out.

Found this link to a short, but sweet, youtube video on the New England IYC website. It's by Jeff Turick and from the 2018 DN NAs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw56eRWN4X4

What a difference a day makes! Wisc. was hit with snow which took out all of the potential regatta sites close to home. So, with time winding down the race committee selected Charlevoix MI as the site of the DN North American Championships. Racing starts Thursday. Good luck to the Tonka boys. Sail fast. Think ice.

It looks like we are on for racing. Plan on a 2 day shoot-out this Thursday and Friday. Madison seems to be the best ice. Thay will tell us the exact location tomorrow(wed) at 1pm. If it’s Madison, load up your car and plan to drive down on wed after work. Keep an eye on DN North America (http://na.idniyra.org/) for updates. Think Ice!

Publicly, the organizing committee's official positon is that unsettled weather conditions continue to hamper site selection. However, an unidentified source with ties to the committee claims the real reason the regatta was postponed was so Tonka DNers can watch the Vikings’ NFC Championship game on Sunday from the comfort of their homes.

No matter which story you believe, the announcement has been postponed another 24 hours. Next update will be 7:30 PM EST Sunday, January 21, 2018. Keep an eye on DN North America (http://na.idniyra.org/) for updates. Think Ice!

Deb Whitehorse of the IDNIYRA reports: "The organizing committee has postponed the selection of the regatta site until 4:30 PM EST, Saturday, January 20, 2018. ....Registration has been moved to Monday evening, January 22 at the earliest. ...Changing ice surface conditions as the weather pattern moves through these areas is causing the delay."

The odds makers predict we will sail in either Madison or Michigan. No excuse for anyone not to attend if we sail on Mendota. Keep an eye on DN North America (http://na.idniyra.org/) for updates. Think Ice!

Per DN Class Secretary Deb Whitehorse: "The regatta site decision has been postponed for 24 hours because of
unsettled weather conditions in all regions. Thank you for your patience. Next update Friday, January 18 by 10 PM EST."

Keep an eye on DN North America (http://na.idniyra.org/) for updates. Once I hit the road I will be unable to update this site (DN 5432)

The Tonka boys did well this past weekend in Madison. JD was 2nd. Doctor tied for 3rd but finished fourth when he lost a tie breaker to Chicago's Chris Berger. Rob was 5th. Mike 6th. Solum 9th. That's 5 Tonka boats in the top 10! Steve Orlebeke of the Pewaukee Ice Sailing Squadron (Team Piss) took top honors. Despite the bitter cold it was a great regatta sailed on hard fast ice. Western Region Commodore Dan Hearn and his crew of volunteers deserves high praise for their hard work. See you at the North American Championships. Until then, THINK ICE!

https://youtu.be/xAIl7z9uJfU
I hope all of Mn is on the road to this grade 9 ice. If not pack up and hit the road at 4AM Sat.
You won’t be disappointed!

checked ice some 1” drifts. somewhat marginal for dn but ok for nites etc. forecast for sun temp and wind favorable. meyer. ps. dn still hoping to be in madison for west reg

We sailed the Western Region Championship regatta on Minnesota’s Green Lake in Spicer, MN., back in 2012. For that one weekend in January the sleepy town of Spicer was abuzz with excitement as “those crazy ice boaters were racing around the lake at freeway speeds.”