Thunk! Runner Tracks has landed on your virtual doorstep, 54 pages of the finest ice sailing news and photos to be found anywhere. Many thanks to all the photographers from around the world who helped to promote the sport in this issue including Arijus Dambrauskas of Lithuania, Gretchen Dorian of Michigan, USA, Sean Heavey of Montana, USA, Sophie Marc-Martin of Switzerland, and Igor Bessarab of Vladivostok, Russia.
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.
Set some time aside to look at these 800 pictures shot by Middle of Nowhere Montana Photographer, Sean Heavey. You’ll get a feel for his whole trip, from Montana to Canada to Germany to Denmark to Sweden and back.
2019 Gold Cup Champion Michal Burczynski Photo credit: Catherine Firmbach cefirmbach.com
The 2020 International DN Ice Yacht Racing Yearbook is now available for purchase. There have been some significant changes from the 2019 yearbook including the new EPIC and Regatta Management Agreements. IDNIYRA Europe has a new constitution as well.
New this year is the championship history of the DN Junior and Ice Optimist World and European regattas. Very interesting to see some familiar names who continue to have success in DN competition as adults.
If you have already ordered the yearbook, it will be shipped to you within the next 2 weeks.
Get your 2020 IDNIYRA Yearbook soft cover book for $17.
Before the ice Opti… this “junior” DN was attempted.
A look back 35 years ago through the lens of Henry Bossett’s camera at the 1984 DN Worlds in Krynica Morska, Poland. The IDNIYRA Yearbook entry for that year reads: “The Gold Cup was sailed at Krynica Morska, Poland. The race was extremely well organized. Hot soup was served on the ice at noon. The ice was good quality salt ice. The winds were moderate.” T. Haagma of the USSR won the Gold Cup in 1984. Henry writes:
With Worlds and NA’s just completed, this came up as a memory of mine today [on Facebook]. Ten, either World or European Champions show up, as well as Wim VanAcker and Skip Boston – Piotr Burczynski, Ron Sherry, Endel Vooremaa, Vaiko Voorermaa, Bogdan Kramer, Matti Kullmann, Vello Kuusk, T. Haagma, Ain Vilde, Henry Bossett. Also a Polish business introduction of a Junior DN that never gained traction.
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.
