Ice Yachting
Iceboaters by Wikipedia
Wind fills the sails and drags the boat forward . . . on ice. Similar to blokarting done in the Netherlands, in which small sailboats are mounted on wheels and contestants race along the sandy beach, ice yachting hoists the sailboat up on blades to slide smoothly along the frozen surface. Boats are usually constructed of metal and seat one to two passengers. The sport is either done for fun or competition.
Ice boats can reach speeds up to four times the speed of the wind against the sail. Record speeds have been more than 140 miles per hour (220 km/h). Three runners are attached to underside of the boat: one on either side and one at the front that helps steer the yacht as it is connected to the steering.
It’s hard to imagine a time when ice boats were made of a square wooden box nailed to three runners on the ice. But that’s how the original yachts looked in the 1700’s. It wasn’t until the 1850’s that the boxes became triangular for lower wind resistance. Today’s boats are much smaller, lower to the ground, and made of steel.
Ice boats can reach speeds up to four times the speed of the wind against the sail. Record speeds have been more than 140 miles per hour (220 km/h). Three runners are attached to underside of the boat: one on either side and one at the front that helps steer the yacht as it is connected to the steering.
It’s hard to imagine a time when ice boats were made of a square wooden box nailed to three runners on the ice. But that’s how the original yachts looked in the 1700’s. It wasn’t until the 1850’s that the boxes became triangular for lower wind resistance. Today’s boats are much smaller, lower to the ground, and made of steel.
