For more information on the Renegade class, contact the Renegade Association. Skeeters are without a doubt the fastest land sailing vehicles on the planet.
The only restriction on the Skeeter builder is a 75 square foot sail maximum sail area. While the basic configuration for successful E Skeeters has long been established, significant design improvements have been developed within the Four Lakes fleet. Skeeter builders are adept with high tech materials like carbon fiber, and Kevlar.
The super powerful Skeeters are the fastest boats on the ice. Sufficiently committed skippers find the greatest challenge in these boats, where design, building, and maintenance skills share equal roles with sailing ability. Learn more on the ISA page. Stern Steerer The big boats are where it all began. Other than the fact that these yachts fly a jib and steer from the stern, they bear only a resemblance to past giants of the ice.
The fleet is divided into three classes: A sail area over square foot; B to square foot sail area; and C to square foot of sail area. Tradition-oriented skippers and crews maintain an active class organization, the Wisconsin Stern Steerers Association, and organize a spectacular regatta and cup races annually.
Read more about the WSSA and the efforts of those who are restoring these historical ice yachts. Ice Optimist The Ice Optimist was created specifically as a youth trainer. It was designed to be easy to build using commonly available materials, to keep costs to a minimum. Small lakes and even larger ponds can be quite suitable. They should always be sailed under tight supervision by adults. Updated with instructive commentary by many top-flight iceboat sailors. The folks at Waterlust produced this video in on Lake Baikal in Siberia.
If I were looking for an older cruising ice boat I would definitely go and check it out in person to make sure looks well kept, and all the parts appear to be there. What to look for is tough. Check the steering for gross amounts of play. Look for obvious signs of wear on the sail and damage to the hull cracks in the sideboards, etc.
Again, if the boat has been actively sailed recently, then that ups the confidence considerably. Ice boats, depending on design and class, will reach speeds up to five times the speed of the wind. Well, it has something to do with the low friction between the runners and the ice, and the sail shape. The sail acts more like a vertical wing rather than a sail. Volumes could be written as to exactly what makes an ice boat speed along at five times the speed of the wind.
As to how fast they can go, in the right conditions, the smaller DN class achieves speeds of 50 to 60 mph. Is Ice Boating Safe? He worked hard to perfect his equipment as well as his sailing technique. He always sought to be ahead of the curve and his results in the Star class reflect his dedication to the sport. Iceboating was always 1 for me for more than 60 years.
I raced in the Skeeter and DN classes, and served as an officer and committee member in many iceboat organizations. For more than 40 years I served on the National Iceboat Authority, writing and analyzing the rules that govern iceboat racing.
I have watched many generations of sailors coming up through the ranks through my involvement with the Lake Geneva Yacht Club and Geneva Lake Sailing School. The tradition of champions coming from Lake Geneva is being carried on by Laser Radial sailor Chapman Petersen and others. Thank you again for this honor. Many thanks to Lynne Jewell for representing Jane at this ceremony. Jane and Susie enjoyed racing against Lynne in the Laser class over the years. Greg Whitehorse grew up racing iceboats and, along with his brother, Gary, joined their father, Harry, campaigning open-wheel sprint car and midgets on the Midwest dirt-track racing circuit.
Greg also watched his father create stunning oil paintings of race cars and iceboats. A few months ago, Greg picked up colored pencils and began sketching his favorite classic race cars. He posted them on the Badger Midget Facebook page, where they have been well received. But how do you go about picking a name? Some have admitted their personality in their boat name Instigator, Notorious, Rebel.
Still others name it after their favorite things in life see Ken Kreider. A while ago, when in high school, I was sailing a DN that was super fun, but when it hit a snow drift, it seemed to either just stop, or hike up, or get kind of airborne. Meanwhile, Dad was right next me in his lb Class E skeeter, and he would go right through the drift which would just absolutely explode into a spectacular white cloud of powder, and keep rumbling down the ice without any loss of speed.
So when we built my Renegade a couple years later, we had to pick a name. Fast forward a few decades and the name kind of stuck. So I have finally come to terms with the fact that indeed I have no choice, it turns out that I am the Drifter. Download the dues form and send it to the address provided. Enter your email address to subscribe to iceboat. Email Address. Location: Online using the Zoom App Members please email debwhitehorse iceboat.
Locations include:. Purchase Lake Access Permit Online. Welcome to iceboat. Get Started Iceboating. Learn AboutSailing Safe. Common Questions: How can I get started? Regatta Dates. An Explanation of Iceboat Classes.
The Rules. The purpose of iceboat racing rules is to prevent collisions. The Racing Rules. Ice Yacht Clubs The best way to learn about iceboating and make life long friendships is to join a local club.
Why We Sail. Contact Us. A typical ice sailing race is run on a triangular course. Crews sail the course several times and earn points based on their finish. First place gets the number of entrants plus one. Each subsequent place gets one less point. Skimming at highway speeds over a sheet of ice is not a risk-free activity.
When conditions are ideal and ice boats crowd rivers and lakes, the odds of an accident increase. Two sets of rules ensure the safety of ice boat crews and prevent collisions.
Fair-sailing rules require that sailors exhibit common sense, safety and good sportsmanship while on the ice. Right-of-way rules govern approach and passing so that boats maintain safe distances. Right-of-way rules for ice sailing are similar to "rules of the road" or corresponding rules for soft-water boating and windsurfing.
In regattas, the race committee might disqualify a captain who doesn't follow these rules. Sailing when it's not crowded might seem like a good solution to avoid right-of-way rules, but it's never a good idea to be on the ice alone. If you sail off the ice into soft water, with no one around to help or call for help, you might not get the help you need in time to prevent death or serious injury. Obviously, a life jacket is a vital piece of safety equipment.
So are a helmet and padding beneath your outerwear, which can protect your head and body if you fall or are thrown onto the ice. And don't forget to wear winter clothing so that you'll stay warm in the apparent winds during sailing. Apparent wind is what you feel while the ship's moving. Because it's a combination of the true wind and the wind that the boat's motion creates, it can increase the cooling effect on your body.
Be mindful of numbing on your nose, ears, fingers and toes -- all body parts that are especially susceptible to frostbite. Finally, hard-water sailing requires high-quality ice. Before you climb aboard your vessel, make sure you understand the ice conditions where you intend to sail. The best ice has no snow cover because snow stops ice growth and impedes the movement of the runners.
It forms under calm conditions, which allow individual ice crystals to grow in long, vertical columns. Unfortunately, high-quality ice often doesn't form across an entire lake or river. Areas of open water, thin ice, expansion cracks, ice heaves and river inlets and outlets can compromise the integrity of ice, making ice sailing more dangerous.
If you have any questions, consult with a local ice yacht club, which will likely provide regular reports about ice and weather conditions. Follow these safety rules, and you'll enjoy all of the thrills ice sailing has to offer without worrying about the chills.
Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. Outdoor Activities. Snow Sports. How Ice Sailing Works. By: William Harris.
Warmer winters have kept many adventurers from ice sailing as regularly as they might like. See more pictures of extreme sports. Ice Boats As with anything nautical, ice sailing has a unique and sometimes intimidating vocabulary. Boat Banter. Starboard -- on the right side Port -- on the left side Stern -- back of the boat Bow -- front of the boat Fore -- at, near or toward the bow of a ship Aft -- at, near or toward the stern of a ship Mast -- vertical post or spar that carries the sail Boom -- a pivoting spar to which the bottom of the sail is attached, allowing the angle of the sail to be changed Sprit -- a pole that extends diagonally from the lower part of the mast to the peak of the sail.
Read More. Ice Sailing Techniques To sail an ice boat, a sailor must properly orient the craft so its sail captures enough wind to generate thrust.
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