LATEST NEWS
2018 Eastern Region Championship Update
Photo: Emily Babbitt. Doc Fellows Regatta sailed on January 7, 2018.
The 2018 DN Eastern Regional Championship scheduled for January 13-14, 2018 is postponed until further notice due to a mixed bag of precipitation headed for the entire Mid Atlantic and North East coast. Take this time to fine tune your gear for the upcoming North Americans with registration slated for Sunday evening January 21st.
Best,
Chad Atkins
IDNIYRA Eastern Rear Commodore
2018 DN Western Region Regatta Update: Postponed
DNs line up to race on Lake Kegonsa.
1. It’s Cold
2. Styrofoam
3. Western Regional Championships postponed
4. HopeThat sums it up, campers. The entire Western Region remains locked in single digit temperatures through Saturday, but there’s hope for Sunday. In Madison a high of 29 is forecast. I’ll be digging out my shorts and tank top.
With the frigid temperatures of the last two weeks, we’ve got lots of ice now. Thick ice. Unfortunately, most of it is covered with snow. Dry, stiff snow. Where we have a combination of ice and snow, we’ve got drifts. Styrofoam-like drifts. Takes skinny runners and lots of breeze to power through.
Green Lake, in Green Lake, WI and west end of Lake Mendota in Madison, WI were still teasing us for Westerns, but high pressure is going to keep the wind light for Saturday. Not the engine we’d need to power through the styrofoam. At best we might have gotten in a 1-day regatta. Not good, if you can avoid it. No Westerns, but team maDisoN is going to set up for scrub racing Sunday on the west end of Lake Mendota. Breeze in the mid teens and temps to 29 degrees should allow for racing. Technically this Middleton, WI. Launch at Captain Bill’s.
Large portions of Green Lake and Lake Geneva are open, as are areas along the west shore of the bay of Green Bay. Warming temperatures next week could also improve some of our more lightly drifted sheets. So, remain hopeful that we can pull off Westerns next weekend, and join us for scrub racing this Sunday.
Think Ice!
Daniel Hearn
Western Region Commodore
2018 Western Region Champship Update
2017 DN Western Region Championship on Lake Monona, Madison, WI
Via Daniel Hearn, Area Commodore DN Western Region
Dear Ice Sailors:
I am postponing a final decision on the possibility of the championships happening this weekend until mid day tomorrow (Thurs. 1/4). At this point a suitable venue has not been found. The most promising of the many sheets considered was Green Lake in Green Lake, WI. It was sailed yesterday in heavy wind by our brave ice checkers in single digit temperatures. They found very hard styrofoam-like drifts of an inch to inch and a half spotted among clear ice. In the heavy wind they were able to power through the drifts, but unless winds were at least 8-9 mph, racing would not be possible. Last night the area received another half inch of snow, so the drifts will likely increase in size. Nonetheless, the sheet will be checked again today. Weather for Saturday will be single digits until mid afternoon. Warming temps will come for Sunday, but snow is also in the forecast.
All venues in Minnesota are reported to be snow covered. Pete Johns and Ken Smith are sailing Lake Decatur today, so that remains a possibility. Lake Seneshwein (sp?) in southern Illinois received 6″ of snow. Lake Carlisle in southern Illinois has no snow, but froze very rough. The bays of Green Bay winding up to the UP have shown promise, but may have also received snow. Temps in these further north areas will remain no higher than low single digits through the weekend.
Please send any more ice information my way, but for now we are postponed with the hope that the following weekend will work out. There remain large portions of Green Lake and Lake Geneva which are still open, so with calm wind, those could set up to excellent sheets.
Think Ice!
Daniel Hearn
Western Regional Commodore
North Star Sailing Club & DN History
“North Star Sail Club member Jack Vallad shares video memories of Ice Boating in the 1950s.”
This vintage video provides a fascinating glimpse to the beginnings of the DN class at the North Star Sailing Club in Harrison Township, Michigan.
Jane Pegel recalls:
Remi DeBlaere, who was a member of North Star DN Fleet built my first DN, #305 in the fall of 1956. The North Star club house was an old one room school house. Skip Boston used to tell me this story about North Sta : Via the grapevine, Skip learned that they were starting their DN races like sailboat races, everyone sailing jockeying around for the best start like in a sailboat race, with some collisions, as would be expected. So Skip went over to North Star and taught them how to line up for an iceboat race. Some of those original North Star DN fleet members became champions and as time went on some of the best DN sailors in the country were members of North Star and were very influential in the DN class growing throughout the North American and into Europe. Currently, North Star Sailing Club is one of the outstanding clubs on Lake St. Clair.
From the 2018 IDNIYRA Yearbook:
On January 7, 1954 the North Star Sail Club offered to be host for the annual regatta. There were no other offers so theirs was accepted. Sixty-two programs were sent out on February 1 for the regatta scheduled for February 20 and 21. On February 19 the regatta was transferred to Cass Lake because of poor ice at the North Star Club House on Lake St. Clair. The first five DN’s in this regatta were: (1) Jack Moran, (2) Skip Boston, (3) Paul Eggert, (4) Bill Sporer, and (5) Bill Sarns.
From the North American Championship History in the 2018 IDNIYRAYearbook:
1953: North Star Sail Club on Lake St. Clair in Michigan was the only club that offered to host the first annual regatta. 62 programs were sent out for the regatta scheduled for February 20-21. On February 19 the regatta was moved to Cass Lake, Michigan because of poor ice at the North Star club house on Lake St. Clair where it was originally intended.
1954: North Star Sail Club again sponsored the regatta and it was held at Cass Lake. The maximum fleet was 30 boats in the fourth race.
1955 The regatta was sponsored by the West Michigan Ice Yacht Club and held again at Cass Lake. 32 skippers registered.
1956: The regatta was sponsored by Anchor Bay Ice Yacht Club and held on Lake St, Clair. 25 sailors registered.
1957: 21 skippers competed on Lake St. Clair and the regatta was sponsored by the North Star Sailing Club.
1958: The sixth annual regatta was sponsored by the Detroit Ice Yacht Club and held on Lake St. Clair with clear ice and moderate wind. There were 29 sailors registered.
1959: 44 sailors registered for the regatta which was sponsored by the North Star Sailing Club and sailed on Lake St. Clair. It was the first year that the first five placing yachts were measured and checked for compliance to the official specifications.
North American Regatta Deadline
Register for the North Americans today to take advantage of the early entry fee. On January 1, the registration fee increases from $80 to $120. Register online today!
From the Notice of Race:
REGISTRATION, DEADLINE AND FEE
● Each skipper shall register on: na.idniyra.org or by mailing a completed entry form available
on na.idniyra.org, with the appropriate entry fee to: see entry form for registration by
regular mail.
● Entry Fee shall be paid in U.S. Dollars.
● The entry fee is $80.00 (USD) if paid by December 31, 2017. The entry fee for a Junior
Skipper (one who is 25 and under at the time of registration) is $50.00. This changes By
Laws paragraph 10 Trophies and Prizes.
● The entry fee is $120 (USD) if paid on or after January 1, 2018. The entry fee for a Junior
Skipper (one who is 25 and under at the time of registration) is $75.00. This changes
By Laws paragraph 10 Trophies and Prizes.
● No entry fee will be accepted after the close of registration (refer to schedule of events)
When regatta location moves, prior to the first race, registration may be reopened.
● Novice Entries
○ Novice DN skippers may enter the Regatta with the payment of two years association
dues. No other event registration payments shall apply.
○ A sailor shall be classified as a Novice if: that person has never belonged to the
IDNIYRA, or their membership has lapsed for 5 or more years. A Novice must
comply with all other entry requirements.
● European Entries are not subject to a late fee penalty. European competitors are requested
to notify the race chairman that they will be attending.
● Sailing instructions and course diagram to be available to all competitors at time of final
registration.
● All skippers may be required to complete a Safety Test as part of registration.
Para Aramid in Tillers Passes
1. PROPOSAL TO ALLOW PARA-ARAMID FABRIC (KEVLAR) IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TILLER.
Amend the Interpretation General dated 11/23/87: “Material – Kevlar cloth may not be used in DN constructions with the exception of the tiller, reference Spec A22 “ Amend the last sentence in Spec. A22 to specify that para-aramid fabric is
allowed in the construction of the tiller: “ Material is optional and may include para-aramid fabric.”
Ballot Results: The proposal passed with an overall (North America and Europe combined) vote of 197 yes and 15 no.
2018 IDNIYRA Yearbook Released
The 2018 IDNIYRA Yearbook is now available for order for $17. It’s bigger than ever at 248 pages. New this year are synopsis of the European Championships from Daan Schutte. Jane Pegel also helped with filling in some missing North American regatta history. Bob Cummins assisted by looking over each page with a sharp editor’s eye. My thanks to them for helping to improve the yearbook.
The yearbook is sponsored by:
- Composite Concepts
- Moore Brother Company/CSI Composite Solutions
- Hale Performance Coatings
- IceWise
- North Sails One Design
- RKR Composites
- Toledo Ice Yacht Club
- Ullman Sails Detroit
You can go to the Governing Documents page to order using Paypal or use the button below.
BUY A YEARBOOK
Order an official DN class printed yearbook. Chock full of information including class history, governing, specifications, and more.
Order a Yearbook: $17
December Runner Tracks Newsletter
December Runner Tracks, the newsletter of the IDNIYRA, has been virtually delivered to your mailbox just in time for the Holidays. Great photos and stories about the two early season regattas of the North American and European season. Bob Gray breaks down how to select runners. Vice Commodore Warren Nethercote has written a timely article detailing on the ins and outs of voting online, a proposal for discussion at the 2018 North American Annual Meeting.
Sit back and read it here on the Runner Tracks page.
Did you know that Runner Tracks is available in three different electronic formats and you can also order it in a print version?
Flipbook magazine: Best for laptops and desktop computers
PDF: Best for tablets
PDF Single Page: Best for mobile devices
Winter in the Musurian Lakes with P36
This DN boom has been around and is filled with familiar looking travel stickers!
IDNYRA Gold Cup champion Karol Jablonski P36 talks ice sailing and about Poland’s Masurian Lakes District in this German TV travel piece. It’s worth watching even if you don’t understand German for some history about Karol’s soft water accomplishments and how to make the Pierogies which Karol and the host enjoy in the hotel dining room.
2018 North American Registration Office is Open
You may now register for the 2018 North American Championship by using Paypal or by downloading, printing, and mailing a form to the Eastern or Canadian Commodore.
Click here to see the dedicated webpage set up where you will find everything you need to know about the regatta including registration, important dates, and regatta documents.
DN Racing Rules Review
This flag will soon be UP!
The DN racing season is soon upon us. Please take the time to review the rules on this website and then head over to DN Europe’s website where you can test yourself on the rules of iceboat racing.
Current Newsletter
DN VIDEOS
Minnesota Ice Sailing Association
- main lake sailed Minnetonka December 31, 2024
Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club
- John Eastman, R.I.P. April 26, 2025