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2011 Attempt at the Northwest Ice Yachting Association Regatta

Dates: March 4,5,6, 2011

Location: Lake Mendota, Madison, WI

Launch Site

Warner Beach Park
1101 Woodward Drive, Madison, WI
Map

NIYA News

After a valiant effort to get the regatta in, it was canceled Sunday morning due to lack of wind. The only day we could have sailed was on Saturday but the presence of dangerous shell ice and slush caused racing to be canceled. Friday's racing was also canceled because of lack of wind. We had over 70 boats ready to race. So the three-day weekend turned out to be a long series of social events with a little wet fun sailing thrown in on Sunday.

March 8, 2011

Non-Regatta Wrap Ups

Sunday morning lawn chair regatta.
Jori Lenon took some really great photos that capture the good feelings of the weekend and has put them into a slide show. Watch it here.
To see individual photos, click here.
"Thursday and Friday: Warner Beach pits and grilling on the ice.
Saturday: Wet n' wild Lake Mendota sailing; shell ice made official regatta a no-go. Sailing to Bill and Mauretta Mattison's house. DN scrub races on small patch of firm ice near Mattison's. Saturday night: Banquet at Cherokee Country Club.
Sunday: Sunny skies, sailed out to course, wind died. Commodore-approved closing picnic with Menekaunee and 4LIYC stragglers. (Thank you to the Race and Banquet Committees for a fun weekend!)"

Legends of Sailing and Ice Boating

Via Don Sanford, "Bill Mattison and Olaf Harken in the winter quarters of the Mattison Brothers Circus."

Eastern Skeeter Guys On the Road Home
Ever wonder what it's like for the Eastern Skeeter guys to drive nearly 20 hours to get here? Rick Disbrow's video gives a preview with special bonus footage...
Eastern Skeeters Try To Get Home & Michigander and Taku

Trailer Tounge Malfunction
Via Jane Pegel, "I took [this] photo at the launch ramp on Friday morning of the Northwest regatta. This trailer tongue malfunction occurred just as they pulled into the parking lot. I don't know who these guys are."

March 7, 2011

Via Geoff Sobering, "Checking the wind early Sunday am....

... and the end of the event ... Cheers, Geoff S".

Photo Credits Below: Peter Fauerbach

• 
  Here's a boat that sailed on the Madison
  lakes for many years and now calls
  Oshkosh home, Mike Peter's Ace of Spades,
  formerly owned by Mike Butler.
• 
  This new Class A stern-steerer, the Michigander,
  owned by Erik Sawyer attracted a lot of
  attention over the weekend.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Erich Schloemer's Taku. Erich flew in
  from Texas to attend the NIYA.
• 
  The great graphics of the
  New Jersey Skeeter trailer.
• 
  The B Skeeters from Geneva Lake.
  
  
  
• 
• 
• 
• 
  In Bill Mattison's basement on Saturday.
• 
• 
  Picnic on the ice Friday.
• 
• 

March 6, 2011

The Non-Northwest Concludes
Well, we did everything in the past three days except for the sailing part. The wind was fresh early in the morning which got some sailors out to the middle of the lake. The wind then shut down and most sailors ended up taking their boats for a walk back to the launching area.

March 5, 2011

View from the Mattison house
PM Update: Unfortunately, it was never cold enough to firmly freeze the ice last night and racing was again postponed for the day. There were large areas of shell ice over 6" of water which caused boats to periodically lose steering or worse. Conditions were not safe enough for racing. A large group descended upon Bill & Mauretta Mattison's house for an impromptu party this morning. The banquet tonight was attended by 100 people. Considering we haven't had any racing we are still having a lot of fun socializing with each other. Tonight's forecasted temperature of 16 should heal up the ice and the plan is to try to get three rotations in for each class in beginning at 8:30 AM on two courses.

Erik Sawyer, Jay Yaeso, Bill Mattison, & Rick Hennig in Bill's basement workshop.

Buddy Melges and Jeff Russell.

If you are bring your boat to the lake today, PLEASE do not drive on. Push your trailer on instead of driving on the lake. There's a crack that has developed near the landing and we are trying to save the landing for Sunday when trailers have to come off the lake.
We received some snow, looks less than in inch from my window. And yes, we have wind.

March 4, 2011

NIYA Day 1: Good Day For A Party; Not So Good For Sailing

As predicted, the wind never came up today but it gave us an opportunity to enjoy a cook out on the ice. Kudos to the Renegaders of the 4LIYC who went shopping, set up grills, and cooked 60 burgers and 60 brats. The wind looks good for Saturday and the plan is to set up two separate race courses for a long day of racing. Racing begins at 9 AM Saturday
.

March 3, 2011

Tom Hyslop and Buddy Melges help to set Bill Dale's Skeeter Mast.

Quite a few sailors have arrived today and set up for the regatta. Saw West Michigan Ice Yacht Club skipper Erik Sawyer's beautiful new A class stern-steerer getting ready for its maiden voyage. Erich Schloemer was getting some nice rides in Class A stern steerer Taku. The New Jersey Skeeter trailer was on the ice. Jane Pegel was setting up her DN and the Menekaunee trio of Mike Derusha, Ken Kreider, and Sam Myer were getting their Renegades and DN ready.

Pre-registration is now closed. I'll see you at NIYA registration on Friday morning at 8:30.

March 2, 2011

A Message From Mary Jane

Hello Everyone,
MJ Schalk reporting in about registration for the NIYA. I won’t be able to be there but I will be doing the scoring from home and sending it back to Deb.

I will miss seeing all of you but I hope you have a great regatta. Deb will keep me posted on all the fun stuff. It really helps us out if you can pre-register on line. It will make for a faster process on Friday.

For Sailors that have pre-registered you will need to see you will need to see Deb to pay the $15.00 regatta fee, sign your name for the SIs and a waiver.

If you don’t pre-register we will need to fill out a short form with name, sail number, and club, then pay and sign. Please let Deb know at the time of registration if you will be attending the banquet again that really helps the restaurant to plan accordingly.

I hope you all have a great time, be careful out there, but have fun, and sail fast. And remember whatever happens at the NIYA regatta – stays at the NIYA regatta (unless there are pictures)
MJ

The First NIYA

2013 will mark the 100th anniversary of the NIYA.

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