LATEST NEWS
2026 Iceboat Swap Meet Roundup
Sam Bartel US1011 pushes off at the start of the Gold Qualifier. Photo: Anna Suslova
2026 Iceboat Swap Meet Roundup
Fall swap meets are among the best places to find a DN, upgrade runners, track down sails and spars, or clear extra equipment out of the shop before the season begins.
They are also a good starting point for anyone interested in joining the DN class. Used boats and parts are often available, and experienced sailors can help newcomers understand what they need to get on the ice.
Here are the confirmed 2026 iceboat swap meets, listed in chronological order.
Wisconsin Iceboat Swap Meet
Sunday, October 25, 2026 • 9 AM–Noon
Green Lake Town Square • Green Lake, Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Iceboat Swap Meet returns to Green Lake this year. Started many years ago by Jane and Bob Pegel, the event now rotates among the Green Lake Ice Yacht Club, Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club and Skeeter Ice Boat Club.
Bring your DN, runners, sails, spars, parts and other equipment to sell, or come looking for what you need for the coming season.
The Packers play the Lions at 3:25 PM, leaving plenty of time to attend the swap meet and get home for the game.
Minnesota Iceboat Swap Meet
Saturday, November 7, 2026 • 9 AM–Noon
Sailcrafters
7450 Oxford Street
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
Tim Carlson and Sailcrafters will again host Minnesota’s annual Iceboat Swap Meet. Expect to find DNs and other iceboats along with used sails, runners, rigging and equipment.
Newcomers can meet local DN sailors, ask questions and look for a first boat. Sailcrafters will also have new equipment available, including Quantum DN and Nite sails.
Midwest Hardwater Sailing/DLYC Swap Meet
Saturday, November 7, 2026 • 9 AM–3 PM
Delavan Lake Yacht Club
1501 Cedar Point Drive, Delavan, Wisconsin
The Midwest Hardwater Sailing and Delavan Lake Yacht Club Iceboat Swap Meet returns to DLYC. Bring DN equipment to sell or come ready to look through the boats, runners, sails and parts offered by other sailors.
The yacht club galley and bar will be open.
West Michigan Combined Iceboat Swap Meet
Saturday, November 7, 2026 • 10 AM–3 PM
Muskegon Yacht Club
3198 Edgewater Street
Muskegon, Michigan
The West Michigan Ice Yacht Club, Gull Lake Ice Yacht Club and Grand Traverse Ice Yacht Club will join forces for their annual combined swap meet.
Since 1975, winter sailors from throughout the Midwest have gathered on the first Saturday in November to kick off the coming season. Buy, sell, trade or upgrade complete DNs, runners, sails, parts and other equipment. There is no charge to display or sell.
Weather permitting, complete modern and historic iceboats will also be on display. Everyone is welcome.
Ontario Iceboat Swap Meet
Saturday, November 7, 2026 • 11 AM–4 PM
Hosted by Gord Devries
662 English Settlement Road
Trenton, Ontario
Canadian DN sailors and other iceboaters will gather at Gord Devries’ shop for an afternoon of buying, selling and talking iceboats. Sellers may set up between 10 and 11 AM.
Gord will provide chili, pop and snacks. Beer and other goodies are welcome.
NEIYA Swap Meet, Lunch and Annual Meeting
Sunday, November 15, 2026 • 10 AM–3 PM
Cup Defenders Association
230 Wood Street, Bristol, Rhode Island
The New England Ice Yacht Association will hold its annual Swap Meet, Lunch and Annual Meeting in historic Bristol. Bring the DN gear you want to sell, trade or give away, and look for equipment for the coming season.
Lunch will be available at the club-subsidized price of $20. A visit to the Herreshoff Marine Museum and Bristol waterfront is also planned following the meeting.
Do you know of another DN or iceboat swap meet happening this fall? Send us the date, time and location, and we’ll add it to the roundup.
NOTICE OF DUES: 2027 DN Membership Renewal
Photo: Anna Suslova
NOTICE OF DUES: 2027 DN Membership Renewal
It’s time to renew your IDNIYRA membership for the 2026–2027 season.
Your membership supports the DN Class, including class communications, Runner Tracks, the yearbook, and the work that keeps our class strong. Membership is also required to compete in regional and continental championship regattas.
2027 Membership Options
- Standard Membership: $27
- Bronze Sustaining Membership: $40
- Silver Sustaining Membership: $50
- Gold Sustaining Membership: $100
All membership levels provide the same benefits. Sustaining memberships offer an opportunity to provide additional support to the class.
DN Bumper Stickers Available
Thanks to the generosity of longtime DN sailor Bob Cummins, we have a limited supply of DN bumper stickers available to members who renew for 2027.
Bob will mail stickers to paid members on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last.
Order Your 2027 DN Yearbook
Renewal time is also a convenient opportunity to order your 2027 IDNIYRA Yearbook for $25.
The printed yearbook includes class history, governing documents, specifications, and other useful DN information. Yearbooks are expected to ship in late December 2026.
Simply add a yearbook to your order when completing the membership form.
Renew Online
Renewing is easy. Pay securely by credit or debit card using your phone, tablet, or computer. If you’d rather mail a check, there’s a form you can download and print.
Thank you for supporting the DN Class. See you on the ice!
2026 September Runner Tracks Is Here
Runner Tracks
The Online Magazine of the International DN Ice Yacht Racing Association
Current Issue: September 2026
RUNNER TRACKS IS AVAILABLE IN THREE DIFFERENT FORMATS:
Flipbook Magazine
Download pdf file (best for tablets)
Download single page pdf (best for phones)
IN THIS ISSUE
- The Sponsorship Question – Thoughts from IDNIYRA Members
- 2026 Junior World & European Championship Report
Get this issue in a full color soft cover book for $20.
The September 2026 issue of Runner Tracks is now online.
Inside, we take up The Sponsorship Question, with North American sailors weighing in on the proposal to allow individual sponsorship in the DN class. We also head to Znin, Poland, for Darius Gerasimavicius’s report on the 2026 Junior World and European Championships, along with complete results and photos by Bartosz Modelski.
Read the new issue online, or order a printed copy.
Please give your support to our sponsors who advertise with Runner Tracks. We can’t do it without them!
2026 Western Challenge – Let’s Go!
Let the Epicness begin. Via Tim Oelschlager of the Minnesota Iceboaters group.
Western Challenge called “ON!”
December 4, 5 and 6, 2026.
Best Ice in Minnesota.
All DNers are welcome.
It’s going to be EPIC!
The Western Challenge is an informal early-season DN gathering. It’s a chance to get back on the ice, tune boats, test equipment, and shake off the rust before the racing season begins. There’s no formal racing program. The location remains open until conditions become clear, then we head to the best available ice in Minnesota. Stay tuned for updates on the Minnesota Iceboaters Facebook page or right here.
Eight Bells: Lloyd “Think Ice” Roberts
Via the New England Ice Yacht Club website
In ice sailing, the words “Think Ice” have been heard for decades.
They come from Think Ice!, the book written by Lloyd Roberts. But over the years, the words became part of the language of our sport.
Lloyd Roberts has passed away, and two remembrances posted by our friends at the New England Ice Yacht Association give a wonderful sense of the man behind those words.
Years ago, James “T” Thieler US5224 had just lost his job when Lloyd called to help him figure out how to build a new runner plank. Lloyd later wrote him:
“Don’t sweat the job thing — the happiest, sailing-est iceboaters are the ones who don’t put too much emphasis on things like work.”
And then, naturally: “THINK ICE!”
John Stanton US5023 knew Lloyd for more than three decades and writes about the many ways Lloyd worked to bring others into ice sailing. As John puts it, Lloyd “did not just love iceboating. He wanted other people to discover it.”
And all these years later, Think Ice! is still available from the Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club in Maine. This book is a must-have on your ice sailing library shelf.
Read T’s story and John’s remembrance. They are both worth your time.
T Thieler remembers Lloyd Roberts
https://neiya.org/2026/08/21/rembering-lloyd-roberts/
John Stanton: Think Ice — and Remember the Man Who Wrote the Book
https://neiya.org/2026/08/17/think-ice-and-remember-the-man-who-wrote-the-book/
Eight Bells, Lloyd Roberts.
Think Ice.
2026 Election and Specifications Ballot Results
2026 DN North American Championship. Photo: Rachel Bartel for @harken_inc
PREVIOUS: Notice of 2026 IDNIYRA & IDNIYRA EU Ballot
Voting has concluded for the 2026 DN North America Officer Election and the IDNIYRA Specifications Ballot.
DN North America Officers
The following officers were elected to serve one-year terms beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027:
Rob Holman, Commodore
Karen Binder, Vice Commodore
Deb Whitehorse, Secretary/Treasurer
Bob Cummins, Past Commodore
A total of 44 of 151 eligible ballots were cast in the election. Complete election results may be viewed here: LINK
IDNIYRA Specifications Ballot
Members of IDNIYRA North America and IDNIYRA Europe voted on the Technical Committee proposal to revise the Official Specifications: General, Section C (Mast), and Section D (Boom).
The proposal was approved by a vote of 63 in favor and 3 opposed.
A total of 70 ballots were cast, with 66 votes tallied and 4 abstentions. Complete election results may be viewed here. LINK
The revised specifications will take effect on July 1, 2026.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the voting process.
Jane Pegel, 1934–2026: Champion, Innovator, and DN Leader
UPDATE: Funeral Information
Date: Friday, June 26
Visitation: 9 AM – 11 AM
Service: 11 AM
Location: Delavan United Methodist Church 213 S. 2nd Street, Delavan, WI. LINK TO MAP
Memorials in Janes name may be directed to Geneva Lake Sailing School LINK or Green Lake Area Animal Shelter.
Arrangements made by Toynton Funeral Home, 328 Kenosha Street, Walworth, WI (262) 275-2171.
Susie requests that if you attend the funeral, please wear your sailing apparel.
The DN community has lost one of its pioneers and most influential contributors.
Jane Pegel passed away on June 6, 2026, at the age of 92.
Jane began her iceboating career sailing the Skeeter I-169 Holy Smoke before transitioning to the DN class in the mid-1950s. Racing first as DN 305 and later DN 805, she became one of the sport’s top competitors. When Jane won the DN North American Championship in 1963, she became the first woman to win a major DN championship outright.
Her impact on the DN class extended far beyond racing results.
For decades, Jane served as chairperson of the DN Technical Committee, helping guide the development of the class and safeguard the one-design principles that remain the foundation of DN racing today. She was also a member of the group that established the National Iceboat Authority and helped formulate the right-of-way rules that continue to govern iceboat racing. She was also inducted in to the National Sailing Hall of Fame in 2021.
Jane belonged to a generation that built the modern sport. Whether through competition, technical leadership, or rulemaking, her contributions shaped the DN class and influenced countless sailors who followed.
The DN class extends its condolences to her daughter, Susie Pegel, family, and friends.
Jane Pegel’s DN Statistics
IDNIYRA Commodore, 1961
IDNIYRA North American Championship Regatta
2 first place finishes in 1960 and 1963
7 second place finishes in 1958, 1959, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1978
1 fourth place finish in 1968
1 first place B fleet (Silver fleet) finish in 1981
Northwest Ice Yacht Racing Association Regatta
DN Class
11 first place finishes in 1960, 1962, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1976, 1984, 1990
41 times highest placing woman 1958, 1961 – 1963, 1965 -1967, 1969-1977
Notice of 2026 IDNIYRA and IDNIYRA EU Ballots
Photo: 2026 North American Championship – Rachel Bartel for @harken_inc
Notice of 2026 IDNIYRA and DN North America Ballots
Voting will soon open for two separate ballots using ElectionBuddy. Email notices containing voting links will be sent later today.
DN North America Officer Election
DN North America members will receive a ballot for the election of officers for the 2026–2027 term. Positions include:
- Commodore
- Vice Commodore
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Past Commodore
Terms will begin July 1, 2026, and end June 30, 2027.
IDNIYRA Specifications Rewrite Ballot
In addition to the officer election, both North American and European members will receive a separate ballot concerning proposed changes to the Official IDNIYRA Specifications.
The IDNIYRA Technical Committee has completed a comprehensive rewrite and reorganization of the specifications intended to improve clarity, consistency, readability, and long-term maintenance of the class rules.
The ballot concerns proposed changes to:
- General
- Section C: Mast
- Section D: Boom
These proposals were published in the December 2025 issue of Runner Tracks.
Relevant pages from Runner Tracks will be attached directly to the ballot in ElectionBuddy for review prior to voting.
If approved, the revised specifications will take effect on July 1, 2026.
The complete December 2025 issue of Runner Tracks may also be viewed here:
Please watch your email for ballot notifications from ElectionBuddy.
Runner Tracks May 2026
Cover Photo: Gilles Morelle – “A Fresh Look at the Ice”
The May 2026 issue of Runner Tracks is now available. Along with championship coverage, specification rewrites, regatta results, and features on Rasmus Maalinn and Karol Jabłoński, this issue includes an important proposed change to the Regatta Management Agreement concerning sponsorship.
RUNNER TRACKS IS AVAILABLE IN THREE DIFFERENT FORMATS:
Flipbook Magazine
Download pdf file (best for tablets)
Download single page pdf (best for phones)
IN THIS ISSUE
- Reflections from DN World Champion Rasmus Maalinn
- Karol Jabłoński’s podium finishes at all three major championships
- Proposed specification rewrites from the Technical Committee
- RMA Sponsorship proposals for the DN class
- Full results from the 2026 North American, World, and European Championships
2027 DN World, North American, and European Championship Dates
The conductor starts the show.
It’s time to mark your calendars! The 2027 DN championship schedule is now set, giving sailors a clear runway into the next season.
DN World & North American Championships
Hosted by the Eastern Region (USA)
January 31 – February 6, 2027
Registration: January 30
DN European Championship
Germany (host fleet with support from multiple European fleets)
February 20 – 27, 2027
As always, final locations will depend on ice and will be announced closer to the events. Now the clock starts. Boatbuilding season is here.
The Last Dance
The last sailing of the season with the Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada DN group.
David “Frosty” Frost has been on a quest these past few weeks to find sailable spring ice, and with Martha Croasdale, took the gamble on Thunder Bay this past weekend, where the mission paid off. It’s a good reminder that for many, like Frosty, DN sailing isn’t only about racing, but about the chase, the people, and days like this. There are only 32 weeks until we’re back on the ice in Minnesota for the season opener, the Western Challenge, and it’s time to get into boat building mode.
Current Newsletter
DN VIDEOS
iceboat.org
- October 21, 2026: 2 BoeCraft Skeeters in WI October 21, 2026
Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club
- FALL MEETING October 9, 2026