LATEST NEWS

Eight Bells: 1984 Gold Cup Champ Tiit Hagma


Via Mihkel Kosk C45 and Ron Sherry US44.
Estonian DN sailor, Tiit Hagma C10, passed away peacefully at home on 28 May 2021. Tiit won the 1984 DN Gold Cup sailed at Krynica Morska in Poland. The regatta is memorable for a field of 240 competitors, certainly one of the largest DN championships in history. Ron Sherry US44 remembers “driving back to the hotel with him in 1984 in Poland to pick up some Boston Sails. He was so calm and matter of fact. I told him if I had won, I would be like a NASA Launch.”

Mihkel Kosk recalls Tiit’s life outside of DN sailing, “The big thing that he was also a great talent in music and in the USSR time a part and member of a band Ruja. Ruja was as popular in Estonia as the Rolling Stones were in the states and very much on the legal line with the USSR officials!”
Read more about his music here.

Via the Kalevi Yacht Club:

Tiit Haagma, an honorary member of the club, has left us. Tiit was born on April 5, 1954, in Tallinn. He started sailing in 1961 under the supervision of Enn Metsar. Tiit was brought to ice sailing by another legendary Star sailor, Peeter Leola. For many years, ice sailing became the main area of ​​Tiit. In 1984 he won the world championship title in the DN class as the third Estonian ice sailor; five years later, he won a bronze medal at the European Championships; in 1989, he added a World Championship silver to his medal collection. At the N Union Championships, he won a bronze medal in 1979 and 1980, a gold medal in 1982 and 1986 and a silver medal in 1983, and a silver medal in 1983. Tiit has won silver at the 1991 World Yacht Regatta and bronze at the 2007 ORC World Sailing Championships in sailing. Tiit has once (1986) become the Estonian master in ice sailing and seven times in 1988-2004 in offshore sailing. In 2007, he also became a Finnish champion in offshore sailing. In 1979, Tiit became a champion in sailing and, in 1984, a master in ice sailing. In the same year, he was chosen as the best male athlete in Estonia and an honorary member of Kalev. Tiit was also a renowned musician; he played bass guitar in the bands Varjud and Ruja in 1972-1986. From 1973 to 1986, Tiit worked as a trainer in sailing and ice sailing circles, and for 40 years, he was known not only for his sailing skills but especially as a worthy sailor. His sewn C-sails, WB sails, and HT sails have taken our sailors and ice sailors to both Estonian championship and title medals. Tiit was a nice companion, with whom it was always nice to talk, and every time he had a new anecdote or a nice story to tell. The spinning material no longer scratches under Tiit’s hand, and his ¼ ton Sea Eagle has been standing sadly on the shore for some time. We mourn you and wish you a happy wind on the sea of ​​eternity, Tiit.

Results of Spring 2021 IDNIYRA Ballot

Forty-six percent of 209 eligible voters participated in the IDNIYRA 2021 Spring Ballot for Officers.  This response rate is consistent with the 2019 and 2020 Spring ballots which had 44% participation.

 

The results for election of Officers were as follows, with all proposals being approved by simple majority:

 

  • Commodore, Jody Kjoller (US 5435): 95 votes for, 1 against and 1 abstention
  • Vice Commodore, David Frost (US 5358): 94 votes for and 3 abstentions
  • Past Commodore, Robert Cummins (US 3433): 93 votes for, 1 against and 2 write-ins (John Harper and Kent Baker)
  • Secretary, Deb Whitehorse (US 2366): 96 for and 1 abstention
  • Treasurer, Deb Whitehorse (US 2366): 97 votes for.

 

The results for modifications to the IDNIYRA Constitution were as follows, with both proposals being approved with the required 2/3rds ‘yes’ vote:

 

  • Amendment of Article XI to include explicit processes for member proposals for amendments to the Official Specifications: 86 votes for, 3 against and 9 abstentions
  • Amendment of Article VII to reduce the lead time required for submission of proposals for the Annual Meeting:  87 votes for, 2 against and 8 abstentions.

 

The elected Officers assume their new responsibilities and the amendments to the Constitution take effect 1 July, 2021.

 

I would like to thank those members who participated in the ballot for their interest in the governance of the DN Class.

 

Warren Nethercote,  KC 3786

Commodore IDNIYRA (for just a little while longer!)

2022 IDNIYRA Continental Regatta Dates Announced

IDNIYRA Racing Schedule

It’s never too early to fill in your calendars with DN regatta dates. While the 2022 Gold Cup and European Championship date was decided 2 weeks ago at the European Secretaries meeting, IDNIYRA Central Region Commodore Rob Holman has now set the 2022 North American Championship dates. The World Championship alternates yearly between Europe and North America.

  • North American Championship
    Dates: January 23 – 29, 2022
    Host Region: Central (Michigan and Ohio)
    Location:  Best ice in the Central Region or North America
    Information: This website.
  • Worlds & European Championship
    Date: February 19 – 26, 2022
    Host Country: Switzerland
    Location: Best ice in Europe
    Information

2021 IDNIYRA Spring Ballot News

2021 U.S. Nationals at Black Lake in Michigan. Photo: Gretchen Dorian

2021 IDNIYRA Spring Ballot

At noon (Atlantic time), Saturday 15 May the Spring ballot for election of IDNIYRA Officers will go live. Eligible voters will receive an email invitation to the ballot, which will remain open until noon (Atlantic time), Saturday 29 May.

 

The ballot offers candidates for five positions: Jody Kjoller for Commodore, David Frost for Vice Commodore, Robert Cummins for Past Commodore, and Deb Whitehorse for Secretary and Treasurer. A simple majority is required for election and write-in candidates are allowed. As allowed by the IDNIYRA Constitution, the same candidate is offering for the positions of Secretary and Treasurer. The Governing Committee has found this practice to be quite effective for the management of IDNIYRA.

 

The ballot also includes two proposals for amendments to the IDNIYRA Constitution published in the December 2020 Runner Tracks. The first proposal clarifies the process to propose changes to the official specifications and protects the right of members to do so. The ballot modifies the published proposal slightly as will be explained in the rationale portion of the question. The second proposal reduces the lead time for submission of proposals to the Annual meeting from 90 to 60 days in recognition of our use of modern communications methods. A two thirds ‘yes’ vote is required to approve these measures. The Governing Committee recommends the approval of both.

 

Warren Nethercote KC 3786

Commodore IDNIYRA

2021 May Runner Tracks Newsletter Published


The May end-of-season issue of Runner Tracks, the newsletter of the IDNIYRA, has been published. From Michigan, Maine, to Mora, Sweden, and beyond, DN sailors took to the ice, transforming the pandemic circumstances into the joy of DN sailing.

RUNNER TRACKS IS AVAILABLE IN THREE DIFFERENT FORMATS:

Flipbook Magazine
Download pdf file (best for tablets)
Download single page pdf (best for phones)

IN THIS ISSUE

  • European Secretaries Meeting Thoughts by Warren Nethercote
  • There’s Always Moosehead by Bill Buchholz
  • The Unaverage Year by Jody Kjoller
  • Chasing Swedish Ice by Dideric van Riemsdijk
  • Minutes of the European Secretaries Meeting
  • Regatta Results

Get this issue in a full color soft cover book for $18. Buy Now Button

SPONSORS

Colin Duncan KC5457 New Canadian Rear Commodore

Colin Duncan rounds the mark at the 2020 North American Championship on Fort Peck Lake in Montana. Photo: gretchendorian.com

Welcome to a New Rear Commodore

I would like to welcome a new Rear Commodore to the IDNIYRA Governing Committee. Colin Duncan, KC5457, is taking over the reins of the Canadian Region from John Curtis, KC 5514. Both are members of the DN community in and around Kingston Ontario. Colin is not really new to IDNIYRA affairs since he has had background roles in the organization of the 2015 Gold Cup in Kingston and various Canadian DN Championships in the years since. I would also like to thank John Curtis, the outgoing Canadian Rear Commodore, for his contributions to the DN Class.

Warren Nethercote KC 3786
Commodore IDNIYRA

DN Storage Pro Tip


It’s springtime. Do you know where your DN is?

Hal Bowman US1277 keeps a close eye on his hull while making a design statement in his living room.
In other DN news, 2021 May Runner Tracks will publish in a few days to help you keep Thinking Ice.

China Joins the IDNIYRA

Via the IDNIYRA European website:

Our family of icesailing nations grew by a new member in Asia!

This weekend at our annual National Secretaries’ Meeting we had some very special guests in attendance:
On behalf of the Chinese DN Fleet, Mr. Wang Qiguang chairman of the Jinzhou Yachting and Sailing Association and Jinzhou Bay Sailing Club, Mr. Wu Ming director of the club and Ms. Zhu Di, Chinese-Canadian interpreter was also invited to serve throughout the process.

As they told us, in the past three years, during the introduction, training and participation in- and hosting of various icesailing competitions, they stumbled across pictures and videos of DN iceboats on the Internet. The appearance, structure, speed and specifications of the DN immediately aroused everyone’s interest. In 2019, they purchased plans from North America and manufactured a few of China’s first iceboats of the class. Last year contact has been established with IDNIYRA – Europe and official talks began on joining the Organisation. We received their application of membership earlier this year.
At the same time, they have also received strong support and approval from the Chinese Sailing and Windsurfing Association. They plan to join the our association as a local organisation, and at the same time, continue to promote the DN icesailing across the country.

After an impressive presentation and interview, the national representatives unanimously approved the membership application.

We wholeheartedly welcome the Chinese Fleet in our Class Association!
See more

The Longest Season

Lyle Portelance sailing on Thunder Bay in Ontario, Canada on April 2, 2021. Via Mike Madge.

It’s early April, and the DN ice sailing season is still going in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Mike Madge and friends are usually the first on the ice in November, making for a six-month run of ice sailing. Mike’s an experienced DN sailor who’s been on a mission to introduce the sport to the Thunder Bay area.

In Memory of Mike Webber 1969-2021

In memory of Mike Webber. From the 2018 DN North American championship at Charlevoix Lake in Michigan.

The DN community extends our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Mike Webber.

Mike Webber, KC 5591

 

The Nova Ice Yacht Club lost one of its most active members on March 17 and the IDNIYRA lost a newer, committed DN sailor.

 

Mike Webber, KC 5591, of Petite Riviere Nova Scotia was a professional mariner, a marine engineer. His marine engineering career began on the Great Lakes and then moved to the salt water where he worked in offshore support and then on tankers. Most recently he was the Chief Engineer and Chief Superintendent for the Polar Prince, a Lunenburg-based research icebreaker engaged in seismic surveys, contract icebreaking and other Arctic operations.

 

Mike was a life-long sailor, who spent some of his time off as a professional mariner cruising the Caribbean with his wife and children. Mike only started iceboating about five years ago. He quickly graduated from beaters to competitive DNs. When he upgraded his DN program he helped others get started by giving way his beaters. He improved his performance through practice and seeking the advice of more experienced DN sailors. Last year he won his first race, and regatta, when he won the Maritimes Championship on Lake Mush-a-Mush, Nova Scotia. He finished 7th in the Silver fleet at the 2020 North American Championships at Fort Peck, Montana.

 

Mike will be remembered for his sunny personality. He could be counted on for support when help was required. Eight days driving with him, from Nova Scotia to Montana and back, was eight days well spent. Mike was 51: it was too soon for him to go.

 

Mike’s full obituary can be seen at www.sweenysfuneralhome.com

 

Warren Nethercote, KC 3786

THE DN ICE YACHT

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