Charlie Blair US4387 at the 2020 North American Championship in Ft. Peck, Montana. Photo: Gretchen Dorian
This is the announcement of a combined ballot for members of IDNIYRA and IDNIYRA EU, although North American and European results will be available separately.
At their Spring 2020 meeting the IDNIYRA EU National Secretaries supported sending six measures to a ballot of the members. Three of the six will be on this combined ballot.
Changing Article II of the EPIC Agreement to add considerations of environmental friendliness to reasons for changing the Official Specification. The IDNIYRA EU National Secretaries supported this proposal. The IDNIYRA Governing Committee believes that environmental friendliness should be located in the Regatta Management Agreement. The current proposal may restrict construction materials currently in use. The IDNIYRA Governing Committee recommends rejection of this proposal. This is Question 1 on the ballot.
Changing Paragraph 10 b) of the Regatta Management Agreement to add “Skippers who finished in the first 3 places in the Gold Fleet of the preceding continental or higher regatta” to Gold Fleet assignments. The IDNIYRA EU National Secretaries supported this proposal. The IDNIYRA Governing Committee and the scoring committee recommend rejection of this proposal because it addresses one unique occurrence of an unranked sailor finishing in the top three of the Gold Fleet and may reduce the opportunity for advancement from the Silver and Bronze Fleets. This is Question 2 on the ballot.
Changing Paragraph A 16 (Fuselage) of the Official Specification to introduce a ±2 degree tolerance to the 90 degree corners (‘rectangle’) of the fuselage. Both the IDNIYRA EU National Secretaries and the IDNIYRA Governing Committee support this proposal. This proposal has been further developed by the Technical Committee and is Question 3 on the ballot.
Further work is required on the other three proposed changes to the Official Specifications and they will be submitted for a future ballot once technical issues have been resolved.
Members of IDNIYRA and IDNIYRA EU who were in good standing as of September 1, 2020 are eligible to vote and can expect to receive an electronic ballot invitation at their email address on file with IDNIYRA or IDNIYRA EU. The ballot will be open from 2345 Atlantic time, 1 November 2020 to 2345 Atlantic time, 22 November 2020. To pass, a proposal must receive at least 2/3rds yes votes. Any measures passed will come into effect on May 31st, 2021.
Tomek Zakrzewski P55 shares his thoughts on planks in this outstandingly edited video. If you have questions or comments, please leave feedback on the YouTube page (NOT Facebook) and Tomek will respond.
Runner plank plays a key role in developing top speed of an ice boat.
The flag is up for next Saturday’s swap meets. There are two North American iceboat swap meets scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2020 and one for November 7. Swap meets are one of the best ways to meet local ice sailors and find your first DN iceboat.
EAST – THOMPSON, CONNECTICUT
New England Ice Yacht Club Swap Meet
Saturday, October 24
10 AM
Thompson Motor Speedway Golf Course
205 E Thompson Rd, Thompson, CT 06277 We will have lots of outdoor space for the swap meet, Lunch, and our Annual Meeting. You don’t have to come inside if you are not comfortable doing so but everyone should meet up in the parking lot. You do not have to be a member to attend the swap or other activities. More information
WEST – GREEN LAKE, WISCONSIN Green Lake Ice Yacht Club
Saturday, October 24
10 AM – 2 PM
Green Lake Town Square Parking Lot
Green Lake, WI More information
WEST- DELAVAN, WISCONSIN
Delavan Yacht Club
Saturday, November 7, 2020
10 AM – 3 PM
Location: Delavan Yacht Club
1501 Cedar Point Drive
Delavan, WI More information
COVID 19 continues to affect our everyday activities of life, whether home, work or leisure. How will it affect our coming hard water season and what are the IDNIYRA Governing Committee’s plans? Here are a few Q&As to help keep you informed.
Q: Will the 2021 Gold Cup happen?
A: We don’t know yet, but we have plans in place and a decision-making schedule. There are also decision-making schedules for the North American and European Championships.
Q: What is the decision-making process and schedule?
A: The Governing Committee will hold a conference call on November 24th, 2020 to decide whether the Gold Cup (24 – 30 January, 2021) can be held and the decision will be published forthwith after the meeting. This allows two months lead time for the regatta, both for the organizers and for those competitors who need to plan international travel.
If the Governing Committee decides that the Gold Cup cannot be held, we will plan on running a 14-race North American Championship like years where the Gold Cup is in Europe. Of course, a North American championship requires that both Americans and Canadians be able to attend, at the very least, but given that Americans and Canadians normally drive to the event the go/no go decision can be made several weeks later than November 25th.
If the Governing Committee decides that the North American Championship cannot be held, we will plan on running a US-based, US Championship during the same period as the scheduled Gold Cup and North American Championship. Canadian members might decide to run a Canadian regatta in the same period.
The IDNIYRA EU National Secretaries will hold a conference call on December 19th 2020 when they will decide whether the European Championship (21 – 26 February, 2021) can be held.
Q: What criteria will the Governing Committee use for decision-making?
A: The key criterion for decision making is whether people can travel. As of October 11th, 2020:
The Canada-US land border was closed to non-essential travel (with a few exceptions),
Most Europeans were prohibited from entering the US for non-essential travel,
All non-Canadian citizens or permanent residents were prohibited from entering Canada for non-essential travel,
Americans were either prohibited from entering European countries, or could enter some countries only after quarantine,
Some American States and Canadian Provinces had internal travel restrictions or quarantine requirements, and
Many European countries had travel restrictions or quarantine requirements for travel within Europe.
Under these conditions, neither the Gold Cup nor the two Continental Championships (North American and European) could be held. How can you hold a World or a Continental championship when no international competitors can attend? It would fail the most basic measure of fairness.
As of October 13, 2020, we are seeing increasing numbers of COVID 19 cases internationally. Should this increasing trend be reversed, governments may be prepared to relax border restrictions and quarantine requirements. Re-opening the Canada/US land border to recreational travel would allow a North American Championship to be held. Re-opening of trans-Atlantic travel would be required for the Gold Cup to be held.
Q: Does the Governing Committee have contingency plans?
A: Yes.
We are planning for the best case of a Gold Cup and the North American Championship but prepared to run just a North American Championship or a US Championship. Our Race Committee volunteers are predominantly American and Jody Kjoller, our Vice-Commodore, is prepared to step in for John Curtis, our Canadian Regatta Chair, should travel restrictions remain.
Whatever happens we recognize that our registration numbers may be lower than normal so we will endeavor to reduce regatta costs and fees. We expect that public health considerations may reduce or even prohibit large indoor social gatherings, which would coincidently reduce our financial risk. We are also considering delaying purchase of keeper prizes until after registrations are known, even if it means that prizes are mailed to recipients after the event.
Q: If we do not hold the 2021 Gold Cup, where will it be in 2022?
A: The Regatta Management Agreement, Paragraph 7(a) says that the regatta be held “alternating between continents, even if the previous event was not sailed.” If COVID 19 forces cancellation of the Gold Cup it is no different than losing the regatta due to a snowstorm. So IDNIYRA EU will host the 2022 Gold Cup.
Q: If we do not hold any ranking regattas what will it do to my ranking?
A: Potentially, ‘nothing’. Your rank is based upon your best finish in the previous two Gold Cups, North American or European Championships, so if an event is not held, the two previous events still count for ranking purposes.
Please feel free to engage the Governing Committee if you have further questions. We are committed to offer racing this winter subject to constraints that might be imposed by COVID 19.
Black ice, the holy grail of ice conditions with miraculous powers treasured by DN sailors, made an appearance in Juvvanet, Norway today. Credit to the “Dutch Ice Finder – an avid skater who traveled to Norway on a hunch that the lake would freeze for sharing his photos on his Facebook page. The season will be here sooner than you think, DN Nation!
The DN is most popular iceboat in the world. Whether you are a racer or cruiser, your $25 membership in the IDNIYRA helps to promote the art and skill of DN ice yacht construction and the sport of ice yachting on all the hard waters of the world.
