Where and When Did Iceboating Begin?

Runners were first attached to boat hulls in eighteenth century Holland to carry cargo on the Baltic Sea and the frozen Dutch waterways. Dutch settlers brought the craft to the New World and by the mid nineteenth century fifty foot iceboats with six hundred square feet of sail were cruising up and down the Hudson River. In keeping with the Victorian philosophy that bigger was better, the Hudson River boats were massive gaff rigged craft known as "Stern‑Steerers". The largest of these (named Icicle and owned by John Roosevelt), was 70 feet long, carried 1,070 square feet of sail, and weighted more than 1 ton.

With the westward expansion of the country, iceboats migrated into the Great Lakes and other cold weather states. Soon sport fleets sprung up in port cities and lake regions with crafts modeled after the enormous Hudson River yachts. As the Marconi rig (the modern 3 sided sail) gained popularity, ice boaters began tinkering with new designs. In 1933, Walter Beauvais of Williams Bay, Wisconsin built a 13 foot boat that carried 75 square feel of sail and steered from the front. The DN, the world’s most popular iceboat, was designed in 1937 in response to a home workshop project sponsored by the Detroit News The mast, which raked back and swiveled on a ball and socket, carried 60 square feet of sail. This light craft outraced stern Steerers many times its size and began a revolution in iceboating that continues to this day.

Isn't The Iceboating Season short?

The Grand Traverse Region is abundant with lakes and bays chat offer ice boaters sailing opportunities throughout the winter. Shallow lakes freeze first and sailing usually begins in late December. As the early ice becomes snow covered, larger lakes freeze providing a continuous source of clear ice o n through the mouth of January. Thaws in January and February can also cause many lakes to resurface. The best sailing is usually in March when warm days and cold nights provide lots of clear ice. With alt these conditions, it's not unusual to wail almost every weekend from December to April.

How Fast & How safe?

Depending on site, iceboats cam travel at speeds from 40 to 100 miles per hour. As with arty sport involving speed, safety is an important concern. These craft, however, are extremely maneuverable and with helmets and outer protective equipment injuries are rare. Ire thickness and weather conditions arc always considered before sailing. The first rule in iceboating is "never sail alone". The best way to accomplish this is to join a club. Club members maintain appropriate emergency rescue equipment and are constantly monitoring sailing conditions. Participating in club activities provides opportunities for the novice to gain experience and learn the rules of safe iceboating.

How Do I Get Started?

One good way is to become a member of the Grand Traverse Ice Yacht Club, a local organization of iceboat enthusiasts, all available to help answer the questions beginners inevitably have.

The GTIYC is represented with many classes of iceboats Nite's, Arrows, DN, Sprinters are a few. Of these, the DN is probably the most suitable for starting out. This light weight boat is easy to set up and can be moved and carried on just about any sized car. DNs are available new and used and are priced between $800 and $3500. Swap meets are held periodically where boats and equipment can be bought or traded. For those with woodworking skills and equipment, plans are obtainable for home building, reducing the cost considerably.

The Grand Traverse Ice Yacht Club holds boating events on all weekends the ice is safe and sailable. Even on weekdays one can find a sailing partner from the club marking it unnecessary to ever have to sail alone. The membership of the GTIYC spans virtually all of the Lower Peninsula and provides accurate reports on local ice conditions and sailing events across the state. The club operates an "Ice Hotline" and a web site where information on ice conditions and events can he obtained 24 hours a day. In March, the GTIYC holds its annual Fun Regatta, attracting nearly a hundred boats from across the Midwest to this nationally recognized two day event. The GTIYC meets the first Tuesday of each month from October through May and sails or holds races on all weekends ice is available. Membership in the GTIYC cost S15.00 per year (as of 2005) and includes informative monthly newsletters from September through April.

Iceboating:

Until the airplane came into existence, iceboating was the fastest man could travel. Even today, with fast cars, power boats and supersonic jets, the iceboat is still a miracle to behold as it sails across smooth ice at speeds approaching one hundred miles per hour. "Soft water" sailors (as ice boaters like to call summer seamen) are spellbound by the performance of these sleek craft with their relatively small sail area. Even veterans of motor sports, where speed and the roar of powerful engines is the attraction, find iceboating to be dynamic and exciting as one rushes effortlessly over clear new ice.

Come, take a ride. In a moderate breeze a gentle push is all that is needed to start the boat gliding over the ice. As you pull in the mainsail the boat accelerates so rapidly you can feel the G forces acting on your body. Another tug on the mainsheet and the craft explodes into a burst of speed, moving faster, and even faster yet, now seeming more like a rocket than a boat. The wind blasts past your face and you hear the thunder of the runners on the ice a few scant inches below you. The shoreline becomes a blur as you seem almost to become airborne. The windward runner lifts off the ice and for a brief moment you experience the thrill of a graceful hike. In these conditions you are traveling sixty miles per hour, but it feels like so much more. Easing the mainsheet brings the boat to a gradual stop where you allow time for your heart to slow and take a moment to savor the exhilaration you have just experienced.

                         

                                                                    

 

 

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