2024 Central Region Update

John Curtis KC5514 and Dick Wollam US4882 at the 2024 Western Region Championship. Photo Gretchen Dorian

Via Central Region Commodore Pete Johanson

Hi all,
Due to holiday travels and weather,  I am making the early call and putting Centrals on hold until December 28 – 29. Temperatures in Michigan will be cold at the end of the week through the weekend, and I imagine there will be sailing. I am hopeful that we have options for an end of the year regatta. I’ll put out an update 12/23 after we know what the weekend brought.

Happy Holidays and ‘Think Ice”

Pete Johanson US 5633

The Countdown Begins!
There are only 14 days left to register for the 2025 DN Worlds and North American Championship at the discounted rate. Don’t miss out—secure your spot now!

🔗 Register here: https://www.idniyra.org/2025-world-championship/registration/

In addition to receiving a regatta shirt when you register, you can also order exclusive branded regatta gear through a dedicated website. Check it out here.

Proposals for By-Law Amendments to be Voted on at the Annual Governing Meeting

In accordance with the IDNIYRA Constitution, the following proposals for by-law amendments will be presented at the Annual Governing Meeting, held during the 2025 North American Championship.

Proposal 1: IDNIYRA Bylaws – Change the format of the North American Championship in the years it is not held in conjunction with the Gold Cup World Championship and create a second National Regatta(US/Canadian) depending on the location of the regatta.
Submitted by Commodore David Frost US5358 and Past Commodore Robert Cummins US3433

Summary:
The current fourteen race format for the North American Champions when not held in conjunction with the Gold Cup received mixed reviews at the 2024 North American Championship. It was felt that fourteen races changed very little that had not been determined by the end of seven race. Furthermore the current format causes a fiscal drain on the class which is hosting a week of racing with about half the income. The following proposal from the Governing Committee establishes the format for a second regatta during the week of the NA Championship and removes the current fourteen race format from our By-laws.

New Wording in Red
Proposed Change:

Change By-laws:
C) WORLD DN CHAMPIONSHIP (GOLD CUP) AND NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA
To:
C) WORLD DN CHAMPIONSHIP (GOLD CUP), NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA, AND NATIONAL REGATTA (US/CANADIAN)

Change By-laws C 2b):
2 b) When not held in conjunction with the Gold Cup, The North American Championship regatta is held during a specific week, with registration on Sunday and racing beginning on Monday and ending on Friday with Saturday as a reserve day. If 3 races in all fleets have not been completed by sundown on Friday, racing shall be continued until sundown on Saturday. The specific week shall be selected by the host Rear Commodore with the approval of the Governing Committee and shall conform to Section 8c of the RMA.

To:
2 b) When not held in conjunction with the Gold Cup, the North American Championship regatta is held during a specific week, with registration on Sunday and racing beginning on Monday and ending on Friday with Saturday as a reserve day. If 3 races in all fleets have not been completed by sundown on Friday, racing shall be continued until sundown on Saturday. In the days remaining after the completion of the North American Championship there shall be held a US National or Canadian National regatta depending on the location of the regatta. If the minimum number of races has not been completed by sunset on Saturday, or in view of the weather and/or ice conditions, the regatta is abandoned by the Race Committee, the regatta is canceled. On the final day every effort should be made to complete all originally scheduled races. The specific week shall be selected by the host Rear Commodore with the approval of the Governing Committee and shall conform to Section 8c of the RMA.

Change:
6). DN Race System, North American Championship
To:
6). DN Race System, North American Championship and US/Canadian National Regatta

Change 6 b):
b) There shall be seven races scheduled for each fleet when the North Americans are held in conjunction with the Gold Cup. When not held in conjunction with the gold Cup there shall be fourteen races scheduled. Cancellation of races in one fleet shall not affect the races in another fleet.
To:
b) There shall be seven races scheduled for each fleet when the North Americans are held in conjunction with the Gold Cup. When not held in conjunction with the gold Cup and held in conjunction with either the US National or Canadian National regatta, there shall be seven races scheduled for each regatta. Cancellation of races in one fleet shall not affect the races in another fleet.

Add 6 d):
d) The National Regatta will follow the same format as the North American Championship regatta when the North American Championship is held in conjunction with the Gold Cup.


Proposal 2 : Regatta Management Agreement (RMA) – Formalizing Wind Limit Rules
Submitted by Andre Baby KC4360

Summary: The amount of collisions, destruction of hulls, masts, planks, etc.. during the regatta is testimony to the difficult, sometimes dangerous conditions due to high winds we experienced during the regatta. We were lucky no one was hurt. The class in North America had a tradition, non binding, of not starting in winds above 20 knots, but unfortunately this tradition has been lost over time. It is time to formalize this tradition into a rule, for the safety of all, and to help the Race Committee in making a decision without the pressure of participants who “push the envelope.” BTW, the Europeans do not start a race in wind over 10 meters per second, = 20 knots.

Add: Regatta Management Agreement. IV Racing Rules 18:
l) No race shall be started if the wind velocity measured at the starting line 3 minutes before the start for a period of 15 seconds exceeds 20 knots. If during a race, the wind shall exceed 25 knots for a period of 15 seconds or more, that race shall be cancelled.

 

2025 IDNIYRA Yearbook


The 2025 IDNIYRA Yearbook is now available for purchase in print format. A pdf version without the member lists is posted here on this website. The IDNIYRA Yearbook contains a wealth of information. In its over 300 pages, you can find regatta history, a record of class officers, Official DN Specifications, our governing documents, and much more. Those who have ordered a printed yearbook will receive it in the mail in the next few weeks.

BUY A YEARBOOK

Order an official DN class printed yearbook. Chock full of information including class history, governing, specifications, and more.
Order a Yearbook: $20

YEARBOOK SPONSORS:

From the Yearbook:
EARLY HISTORY OF THE IDNIYRA

On February 21 and 22, 1953 the Detroit Ice Yacht Club sponsored a regatta to bring the DN skippers together to help form an association. A meeting of the skippers was held at this regatta and two representatives from each club present were chosen to outline a constitution for the association. North Star Sail Club was represented by John Liston and Fred Kagel; Anchor Bay Ice Yacht Club by Tom King and A. J. Walker; Detroit Ice Yacht Club by William Sarns and Clifford Cartwright. The representatives met at the home of the Cartwrights the following Sunday afternoon and briefly outlined a constitution. William Sarns was elected to serve as temporary secretary and to compose the constitution. The secretary prepared a constitution and sent out copies to the representatives in the following fall. They were returned to the secretary along with desired changes. The changes that the majority wanted were incorporated and 200 copies were printed. A copy was sent out to each individual who attended the first regatta and others who were interested. On January 17, 1954 the Northwestern Ice Yachting Association passed a resolution that they would accept the DN Association’s specifications for their DN races which are now included in their annual regatta.

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.


2025 Gold Cup World & NA Championship Notice of Race & Registration Open


2025 Worlds & NA Home Page
Registration for the 2025 DN Gold Cup World & North American Championship, hosted by Central Region Commodore Peter Johanson, is officially open, along with the release of the Notice of Race. This is your opportunity to secure your spot in one of the most exciting events on the DN calendar.

This year, we’ve made some updates to streamline procedures and make the event run as smoothly as possible. Here’s what you need to know about registration deadlines for inclusion in the starting position draw:

  • Key Date: To be included in the random draw for starting positions, competitors must register and submit proof of $300,000 liability insurance by January 30, 2025. Submit your insurance early by emailing to secretary.idniyra@gmail.com
  • If you register or submit proof of insurance after this date, don’t worry—you’re still welcome to compete, but starting positions will be assigned instead of being part of the random draw.


European and Junior Skippers:

  • European and Junior skippers are not subject to a late fee penalty.
  • European competitors are not subject to registration deadlines but must attend Check-In at the regatta site.
  • European competitors are requested to notify the Class Secretary at secretary.idniyra@gmail.com that they will be attending.

We hope these updates will make planning easier for competitors and ensure a smooth kickoff to the event.

Friendly reminder: Don’t wait until the last minute—get registered early and take care of your insurance requirements so you can focus on what really matters: getting on the ice!

Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the event.

Register here:  Link

See you on the ice!

2025 Western Region Championship Notice of Race

2023 World Championship. Photo: Catherine Firmbach

2025 WESTERN REGION CHAMPIONSHIP
NOTICE OF RACEClick here to download NOR in pdf
Dates: January 4 – 5, 2025
Location: The primary site is within the North American Western Region. (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, UP of Michigan, Wisconsin)
Stay tuned to this website for further announcements.

DN Senior Shuffle
Following the 2025 Western Region Championship, the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club is excited to try the Senior Shuffle once again! This fun, age-friendly regatta will take place three days after the Westerns, offering an additional opportunity to enjoy the ice.
Eligibility:
• Open to Seniors (50-59), Masters (60-69) and Grand Masters (70+) who will race under Shuffle Rules with one start.
• Open to “aspiring” Seniors (49 or younger) who will also race under Shuffle Rules possibly with a separate start.
For more information and to register, visit iceboat.org.

First DN Regatta of the Season in Finland


DN Finland Facebook
Through our friend, Swedish DNer Dideric Van Reimsdijk, we have a look at the annual Week 46 regatta hosted by DN Finland. Located just above the Arctic Circle on the ice at Onkamojärvi, Finland, this event marks the beginning of the DN season. If you look closely at the sail numbers, you’ll notice an international crowd gathered on the first ice of the year.

And for those of us closer to home, the first informal DN gathering of the season, the Western Challenge, is coming up December 6-8 in Minnesota. Sharpen your runners and get ready to hit the ice!