LATEST NEWS
Progress of Current Technical Specifications Ballot
Electronic balloting works! As of today, 62% of eligible IDNIYRA members and 56% of eligible IDNIYRA EU members have voted on four proposals for changes in the IDNIYRA Official Specifications. These numbers are records for voter participation. Our voting security measures prevent us from knowing how people voted until balloting closes, but we do know how many have voted.
If you haven’t voted yet, would you like to make our return rate even better? We cannot send a new invitation to vote, but if you haven’t voted yet, you should find the original invitation to vote in you inbox for March 25th.
Polling on the Official Specifications ballot closes on Wednesday April 15th. Shortly after that you should be receiving another ballot, this time for our annual election of IDNIYRA Officers.
Warren Nethercote
Commodore IDNIYRA
“Repairing a DN Ice Yacht for sailing on Lake Fenton, Michigan, USA”
Greg Bugula’s vintage DN iceboat “My first very own DN iceboat I bought today!I’m am amazed how beautifully simple it is!”
Here’s a great article for all you cruisers and keepers of vintage DNs from Sail-World written by Greg Bugala:
I grew up sailing on Lake Fenton and saw a lot of iceboats sailing; as a kid I was always chasing them with my skates. Now aged 60, I found an old used DN iceboat for sale and decided to buy it. Number 1409, it was built around 1970. The DN is a small class racing vessel born in the 1930s via the Detroit News who sponsored a design contest. Today DNs are raced all around the world in the northern hemisphere.
Continue reading.
‘Ontario Sailor’ Magazine Features DN Ice Sailing
Ontario Sailor Magazine
Those of you in Canada will want to check out the latest issue of Ontario Sailor which has an article focusing on DN sailing and Mike Madge KC5449. I think I see Peter Van Rossem KC2766 in the article as well.
2021 Gold Cup & North American Regatta Dates Announced
The IDNIYRA is pleased to announce the dates of the Gold Cup and North American Championship Regattas for 2021. Please mark your calendars for January 24 – 30, 2021. Registration will take place on Saturday, January 23, 2021.
REGATTA MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
(II) DN Class Regattas7. General rules for World DN Championship (Gold Cup), a European Championship and a North American Championships (GC, EC, NAC).
d)The GC, EC, NAC shall be held during a specific week, beginning on a Saturday with registration and with Sunday as first racing day. The regatta ends on or before the following Saturday.
Notice of Ballot
Photo: Gretchen Dorian
Upcoming IDNIYRA Technical Ballot
On Wednesday 25 March members will be receiving invitations to vote in an on-line ballot on four proposed changes to the IDNIYRA Technical Specifications:
(1) deletion of the existing specification of mast minimum weight;
(2) deletion of the existing technical specification of minimum mast balance point height;
(3) amendment of the materials specification of the ‘wood type’ runner body; and,
(4) amendment of the minimum thickness of insert plate dimensions of the wood type runner with steel insert (insert runner).The on-line ballot will close on Wednesday 15 April.
IDNIYRA and IDNIYRA EU members will vote separately and the two Governing Committees will combine the results of the two ballots. Two-thirds of those voting must approve a proposal for it to be approved. Any proposals approved will come into effect on May 31, 2020 and will be reflected in the 2021 IDNIYRA Yearbook.
This will be our first electronic ballot on specifications change proposals. Please take advantage of the convenience of an electronic ballot and vote!
Warren Nethercote, KC 3786
Commodore IDNIYRA
North American Championship Photo Gallery: Day 4
This is a good opportunity to relive the past season and scroll through photographer Gretchen Dorian’s North American Championship regatta photos. If you see one that you want to hang on the wall, click on the link above or email to Gretchen ggdorian@gmail.com. Here’s a gallery from Day 4, January 25, 2020.
North American Championship Photo Gallery: Day 3
This is a good opportunity to relive the past season and scroll through photographer Gretchen Dorian’s North American Championship regatta photos. If you see one that you want to hang on the wall, click on the link above or email to Gretchen ggdorian@gmail.com. Here’s a gallery from Day 3, January 24, 2020.
North American Championship Photo Gallery: Day 2
This is a good opportunity to relive the past season and scroll through photographer Gretchen Dorian’s North American Championship regatta photos. If you see one that you want to hang on the wall, click on the link above or email to Gretchen ggdorian@gmail.com. Here’s a gallery from Day 2, January 23, 2020.
North American Championship Photo Gallery: Day 1
This is a good opportunity to relive the past season and scroll through photographer Gretchen Dorian’s North American Championship regatta photos. If you see one that you want to hang on the wall, click on the link above or email to Gretchen ggdorian@gmail.com. Here’s a gallery from Day 1, January 22, 2020.
March 2020 Runner Tracks Now Online
Runner Tracks
The Online Magazine of the International DN Ice Yacht Racing Association
New Issue: March 2020
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
- Another Way To Align Your Chocks On the Runner Plank
By Peter Van Rossem, KC2766 - INTO THE DAWN TO MONTANA The North American championship went where no regatta has gone before.
By Deb Whitehorse - Results 2020 North American Championship
Get this issue in a full color soft cover book for $18. 
Previous Issues
Runner Tracks is brought to you by these fine sponsors:
Bend It Like…a DN Mast
Photos: Kuba Micinski
This beauty of a vintage Dutch DN is a reminder of the “old days”.
DNs are famous for their unusual bendy masts. Polish photographer Kuba Micinski posted his collection of curvy masts on the Polish DN Facebook page today and they are too cool not to share. They were shot a few weeks ago on Lake Oresjon in Furudal, Sweden.
So, what’s going on with a DNs extreme mast bend? Lots of different forces are being applied, basically from the head stay, side stay, and main sheet. The biggest component that adds pressure to the mast in the form of compression is the very narrow and small angle of the head stay. The narrow angle of the head stay is so small, that the mast can’t handle the compression without bending. The key to having a good mast is in the stiffness (specific to the sailors weight) so that it bends just at the right time. The bendy mast automatically depowers the sail and that’s why modern DNs are so much easier to control than in the old days when stiff masts meant more hiking.
Thanks, Jeff Kent, for explaining all – Ed.
Current Newsletter
DN VIDEOS
Minnesota Ice Sailing Association
- main lake sailed Minnetonka December 31, 2024
New England Ice Yacht Association
- Off Season June 7, 2025