LATEST NEWS
2020 Central Region Championship Called ON for Houghton Lake
Via Central Region Commodore Rob Holman:
The 2020 Central Region Championship has been called on for Saturday, December 19, 2020 (and possibly December 20) at Houghton Lake in Houghton Lake, Michigan. The lake has 5″ of ice and was sailed today by 3 ranked sailors who rated it an 8+. The plan is to try to complete the regatta with 3 races in each fleet (Gold & Silver) on Saturday. If we are unable to complete 3 races in each fleet on Saturday, we will race on Sunday, December 20, 2020.
Stand by for launch, lodging, and other details that will be posted here tonight.
UPDATE: December 22, 2020: Regatta recap by Randy Rogoski:
The patience of the 2020 Central Lakes regional regatta’s DN racers paid off at the largest inland lake in Michigan, 20-square-mile Houghton Lake.
After two black-flagged gold fleet, and one silver race was likewise abandoned Saturday, there was fabulous racing Sunday.
The snow stopped, the humidity dropped, the wind stiffened, and the sun came out. The gold fleet completed a full seven-race regatta, the silver fleet raced six.
After a wet snow Saturday accumulated one-half inch, there was no styrofoam from a steady 32-degree overnight. Sunday’s slow-ice sailing required exertion in the 8-10 mph wind that gusted to the mid teens. The strong ice beneath the snow remained hard beneath the winter solstice sun.
The regatta was sailed on a short course, which was plenty long considering the lack of glide and puffy and shifty wind that rewarded the best wind watchers and boat handlers: the usual suspects at the top of the gold fleet.
Eighteen gold fleet and 10 silver racers sailed until the regatta was called complete.
We packed up as daylight waned with huge grins on our faces, then trophies–tall beer glasses and a pint of beer.
James ‘T’ Thieler and Karen Binder made the trip from Rhode Island, Hugh Stevens travelled from Buffalo, N.Y., and Pat Fitzgerald and Chris Berger from Chicago.
Berger, the Western Lakes rear commodore, invites all of us to the Western Regional Championship Jan. 2 & 3, 2021.
T encouraged us to travel East for a regatta when they have ice.
IDNIYRA Vice Commodore Jody Kjoller encourages all to respond to the IDNIYRA questions sent to membership via ballot software regarding a national regatta Jan. 23-29, 2021.
Click on the link for racing results.Randy Rogoski
DN US 4192
“Iceboat Racing Creates High-Speed Thrills on MN’s Frozen Lakes”
Minnesota DN ice sailing is in the good news of the week.
“The speed and acceleration is what keeps me coming back,” says Mike Miller of Mound. Miller has spent the past 20 winters racing iceboats. “It’s a great way to keep the sailing season going. We always get bummed in the fall when we’re packing up our “soft-water” boats, but as soon as that season ends, another begins.” Continue reading.
2021 IDNIYRA Yearbook Available
Cover: 2020 World Champion Lukasz Zakrzewski P155, Poland. Photo Credit: Gwidon Libera
The International DN Ice Yacht Racing Association Yearbook is available for purchase and to view on this website. Many thanks to Bob Cummins and Atilla Pataki Jr. for their editing assistance.
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2021 Sean Heavey Calendars Shipped
Sean Heavey let us know that he is shipping the 2021 ice sailing calendars out today. Watch your mailboxes for a year of Thinking Ice in 2021.
2021 DN Western Region Championship Update
2021 DN Western Region Championship Update
With all the uncertainty in the air this DN season, we would like to announce that we intend to hold the Western Regional Championship as scheduled, January 2-3, 2021. Of course, the regatta location and date will be subject to the traditional task of locating suitable ice. Still, this year we must also contend with the extent and severity of state and local COVID-19 travel restrictions, stay-at-home orders, etc. A challenge, to be sure.
Stay tuned for updates.
Chris Berger US5166
Western Region Commodore
Cancellation of the 2021 Gold Cup and North American Championships
Previous: Q & As 15 OctoberCancellation of the Gold Cup and North American Championships
The IDNIYRA Governing Committee earlier announced plans to decide by November 25th whether the 2021 Gold Cup would be held. Since publishing the Q&As it has become apparent that holding the regatta in 2021 is not feasible. The Canada-US land border closure has been extended to 21 December and Europeans cannot travel to either the US or Canada for non-essential reasons. Therefore the 2021 Gold Cup is cancelled.
It would be possible to delay making a decision about the 2021 North American Championships until the next decision about the Canada -US border, but public health restrictions within states and provinces make the feasibility of any international event doubtful at best. As a result the IDNIYRA Governing Committee has decided to cancel the 2021 North American Championships but will endeavour to hold an American Championship in the same timeframe.
Warren Nethercote
Commodore IDNIYRA
Prevous: 2021 Gold Cup Q & As 12 August
Last Call for Ice Sailing Calendar Orders
2021 Ice Sailing Calendar Information
If you haven’t had a chance, there’s only a few more days left for you to order the coolest 2021 calendar in the world from Montana photographer Sean Heavey. Sean let us know that he’s closing the orders on Sunday, November 29, 2020. Click on the button above to order from Sean.
Previous: 2021 Ice Sailing Calendar from Sean Heavey
First Results of Autumn 2020 Ballot
Previous: IDNIYRA & IDNIYRA EU Autumn 2020 Ballot
The Autumn 2020 IDNIYRA and IDNIYRA EU combined ballot closed at 2345 November 22, 2020. Two-thirds of ‘yes’ votes are required for a Question to pass. The results are as follows:
Fifty-six percent of eligible members participated in the ballot. Abstentions were allowed on individual questions.
Question 1: EPIC Agreement Amendment. 132 yes / 84 against (61.1% yes, Question 1 fails)
Question 2: RMA Amendment. 184 yes / 46 against (80.0% yes, Question 2 passes)
Question 3: Technical Specification A16, Hull Cross Section. 169 yes / 52 against (76.5% yes, Question 3 passes and comes into effect May 31, 2021)
A report with the breakdown of votes by continent will follow once those results are received from the voting software contractor.
The members support to the governance of the DN Class is appreciated.
Attila Pataky (M-100) Commodore IDNIYRA EU
Warren Nethercote (KC 3786) Commodore IDNIYRA
UPDATE: 25 November 2020:
IDNIYRA and IDNIYRA EU Autumn 2020 ballot Results by Continent
Here are the results for the Autumn 2020 ballot broken out by continent.
| Question 1: EPIC Agreement Amendment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Votes tallied: 216 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstentions: 30 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Continent | NA | EU | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yes – I am in favour of Question 1 | 69 | 63 | 132 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No – I am opposed to Question 1 | 48 | 36 | 84 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 117 | 99 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Question 2: RMA Amendment | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Votes tallied: 230 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstentions: 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Continent | NA | EU | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yes – I am in favour of Question 2 | 95 | 89 | 184 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No – I am opposed to Question 2 | 28 | 18 | 46 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 123 | 107 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Question 3: Technical Specification A16, Hull Cross Section | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Votes tallied: 221 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstentions: 25 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Continent | NA | EU | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yes – I am in favour of Question 3 | 91 | 78 | 169 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No – I am opposed to Question 3 | 25 | 27 | 52 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 116 | 105 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As reported yesterday, 2/3rds ‘yes’ votes were required for a measure to pass. On that basis, Question 1 failed and Questions 2 and 3 carried.
Warren Nethercote Commodore IDNIYRA
Attila Pataki, Commodore IDNIYRA EU
First Runners On The Ice
Photo: Dideric van Riemsdijk
Facebook was on fire yesterday with photos of local DN sailing coming out of Sweden and Canada. Dideric van Riemsdijk S867 and Richard Gustring S713 made a road trip north to Sautusjärvi, about a 3 hour drive above the Arctic Circle near the famous Ice Hotel. In North America, Mike Madge KC5449 found a perfect sheet of ice on Whitefish Lake, an hour west of Thunder Bay. The Thunder Bay area has experienced some long ice sailing seasons lately. Last season, Mike sailed his DN from November 7 until mid April.
Mike Madge on Whitefish Lake.
Member Dues Reminder
Photo Gretchen Dorian gretchendorian.com
Pay Dues Online
If you’d rather send a check:
Make check payable to IDNIYRA
$25 for an annual membership
mail to:
IDNIYRA
c/o 1200 East Broadway
Monona, WI 53716
The IDNIYRA membership year starts on November 1st. It is perhaps no surprise that this year the pace of renewals has been slower than usual, with concerns over the effects that COVID 19 might have on regatta travel. But the DN Class is not just about ranked regattas and road warriors: it is also about recreational, club and regional sailing. The IDNIYRA supports these activities too, so in what is likely to be an unusual winter there is every reason to support your class association as you normally do. Please, if you haven’t renewed yet, commit your 26 bucks and go to to renew your membership. Keep the DN Class strong!
Warren Nethercote, KC 3786
Commodore IDNIYRA
Pay Dues Online
DN Mast Making from Bob Rast
How To Build a DN Composite Mast
For all you DN home-builders out there, Bob Rast of RKR Composites has uploaded an instructional manual “How to Build a DN Composite Mast” in a Google Doc. Click here to access the document. Bob and Mark Isabell show you how it’s done in a YouTube video posted a few years back.
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- John Eastman, R.I.P. April 26, 2025