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GTIYC Grand Traverse Ice Yacht Club “Ice Boaters of NW Lower Michigan” |
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ICE BOATING & GULL LAKE CLUB HISTORY IN MICHIGAN
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(269) 649-1333 (used with permission) |
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A Manuscript By: |
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Click image to enlarge |
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Ice Boating & Club History in Michigan
The traditional beginning of ice boating is placed in Holland in the middle 1600’s. The first iceboats were actually sailing ships fitted with ice runners. These vessels were used for moving cargo around the bays and canals adjacent to the North Sea. Over the course of time the iceboats original purpose would metamorphosis from a tool of labor to an agile racing machine. During the past 117 years, Gull Lake has been home for some of the fastest ice yachts in the world. During the year 1886, D.C. Olin of Kalamazoo introduced Ice Boating to Michigan on Gull Lake. Mr. Olin started with the first sail powered craft, and before long, there were several other boats on the lake. It was during the year 1893 that The Kalamazoo Ice Yacht Club was formed. As the story goes: The new iceboat club was an outgrowth of a card-playing club where every kind of card game was played. When it came time to name the iceboats, it was suggested that they be named after the cards. Mr. D.C. Olin’s father, who was rather religious by nature and extremely shrewd; agreed that the idea was a good one, but didn’t think that it was best to allow the names to appear undisguised. In accordance with the plan, the boats were named after the cards in veiled terms. Thus the club named the boats “The Storm King”, “Ice Queen”, “Joker”, “Hylo”, “Cracker Jack” and many more. In 1902 Gull Lake continued to be one of the foremost ice yachting centers of the country. The huge ice yacht “Wolverine” was constructed then, carrying 850 sq. feet of sail. During that time period, “Wolverine” was the second largest ice yacht in the country. Many regattas were held between the East and Midwest. The Kalamazoo Ice Yacht Club boasted a clubhouse, a hangar, and other facilities that were reserved strictly for winter sports. Trophies were won and lost. The first Trophy was “The Steward International Cup” for ice yachts carrying 859 sq. feet of sail or less. Second was “The Hearst International Cup” for ice yachts carrying 450 sq. feet of sail. The Giant “Wolverine” won and held the “Steward Trophy” until 1922 when “The Debutante”, an Oshkosh based yacht, earned possession of the cup. Interestingly, the “Wolverine” held the world speed record, sailing at the rate of 132 M.P.H. over a twenty-mile course. In the mid 1930’s interest with ice boating at Gull Lake began to fade, and the Kalamazoo Ice Yacht Club was disbanded shortly after the 1935 North Western Regatta. During the year 1943, the sport was revived once again with the formation of the “Gull Lake Ice Yacht Club.” Only “The Joker”, “Hylo”, and *The Running Wild remained from past years.
Originally, Iceboats were classified by the following rules: Class E or Skeeter: Limited to 75 sq. feet of sail Class D: Not to exceed 125 sq. feet of sail Class C: 175 sq. feet of sail Class B: 250 sq. feet of sail Class A: 350 sq. feet of sail
Since then, interest in ice boating has increased dramatically. The majority of today’s iceboats are more commonly limited to iceboats that are “physically smaller” in size. However, there is a select breed of artisan that continues to restore, maintain and sail the monster-sized ice yachts of the past. To those dedicated purists we owe a debt of gratitude, and profound respect. Today, The Gull Lake Ice Yacht Club is primarily composed of “Skeeters”, “Renegades”, “Sprinters”, and the single most popular of all, the twelve foot long “DN60.” DN’s are capable of speeds in excess of 60 MPH. In 1973 The Gull Lake Ice Yacht Club hosted the first International Gold Cup Races, with skippers from the USSR, Holland, Poland, and Switzerland. The first place trophy went to the USSR and second place to a local sailor, Randy Johnson, of Gull Lake. Since then, many G.L.I.Y.C. skippers have traveled to all major regional and international regattas, some of which, traveled to Europe to compete with their foreign friends. Commonly, many “hosts” will provide a race-ready boat for you to sail while visiting their country, plus, welcome you into their home as a member of the family. In return, you would offer your host the same courtesy some day, when they come to America. One American host was overheard saying: “it’s hell being beat by one of your own boats!” While the ice yachts of today are not the gigantic craft that once scored the surface of frozen lakes, the enthusiasm has not changed one bit. Skippers of today typically sail lighter, smaller more affordable sized boats. Since then, there have been dramatic breakthroughs with construction materials; winter enthusiasts are building iceboats now more than ever before. Certain features have not changed in the past 117 years, since “the need for speed” has always been a major driving force. *UPDATE: An antique-classic iceboat, owned in 1924 by Louis Simon and named “Running Wild”, was just recently discovered and removed from the loft of an old machine shop in Richland, Michigan. Its owners then decided that this very historical Icon of Gull Lake History should be donated to G.L.I.Y.C. Historian Bob Vaccaro. Bob is planning to re-assemble the 34’ long stern-Steerers initially, to be sailed once again, before beginning an intensive restoration process. The “Running Wild” won the Michigan Flag in 1935. Description of Ice Boating…What’s the experience like? Each fall, when the smell of burning leaves subsides, and the air becomes crisp, the ice boater’s mood begins to blossom. Iceboats are lowered from the walls and ceilings of garages everywhere to prepare these sleek craft for action. A good cleaning and runner sharpening becomes every iceboat sailor’s top priority. Car-Top Carriers are installed or Trailers are checked and re-licensed. The wives “Honey-Do List” is now sitting under a layer of sawdust and tools.Autumn is also the time to attend Ice Boat Swap Meets, where novice and expert alike can trade, sell, or buy anything from complete iceboats that are virtually ready to sail, as well as used boats and equipment. It is extremely important for the newcomer to have a friend or acquaintance that is knowledgeable about ice boating. A person should join the local ice yacht club to obtain the necessary advice from one of many trustworthy club members. Even if the nearest iceboat club is far away, you may still pay your dues and receive literature and a club member contact list. You are likely to find that there are several other ice-boaters around your area. Once new friendships form, with ice boating as a common interest, all parties involved will wonder how they ever lived without each other. If the newcomer to the sport decides to go to the swap meet alone, without first researching what to look for, they may very well come home with a “fixer-upper” that is more than they bargained for. Remember that the sellers are there to sell. At the risk of upsetting various “type-club” skippers who want to promote sailing the larger sized iceboats, it should be said that the DN60 is probably the most popular, affordable and easy to own iceboat that exists. Resale value of a quality built, competitive DN does not go down. The twelve-foot length makes the DN very easy to set-up and tear down, usually with no additional help. Prices range between $ 500.00-$ 2,500.00 for used iceboats. A professionally built, new, competitive DN Iceboat will command a price range of $ 2,600.00-$ 3,500.00. Wealthier folks may wish to own a thoroughbred Skeeter, complete with Lexan Bubble-Canopy, and constructed only from the latest high-tech composite materials. One can expect to pay $ 35,000.00 for such a “state-of -the-art” craft. Of course, if your going to own one of those baby’s then you will also need to purchase a new 40 foot, customized-enclosed trailer, and a new pick-up truck equipped with leather interior and Reese-Hitch. Remember that all three items must be painted to match as well! (Evidently, there must be some rule about that written somewhere). If you have any money remaining for gasoline, then it’s time to locate the Rand-McNally Road Atlas. After the iceboats are prepared for the upcoming season, anxious sailors wait for the lakes to freeze. If there is no ice on the home lakes, the traveling begins, usually under adverse weather conditions. Many times sailors from all around the surrounding states will converge on a lake just in time to see twelve inches of snow fall, no wind, or poor ice conditions. One successful system that has been developed over the years is for everyone to call into an automated-telephone “ice boater’s hotline.” One may either record a message about their local conditions, or just listen to what others have to say. Still, there is never a guarantee that there will be safe ice, or suitable wind conditions. Only the most serious ice boaters will experience that unforgettable feeling of accelerating across frozen lakes at mind-blowing speeds, due to the fact that they are the ones simply won’t give up. When the ice and wind conditions are at their best, it’s a highlight for every iceboat skipper to behold! New owners that lack the required patients for this sport will do nothing but complain, and eventually abandon the sport altogether. Their loss may be your gain at the next swap meet! You must be an extremely patient soul to be a successful ice-boater. Eventually the time will be right, where nature provides all of the proper ingredients, to take you for the ride of your life, an experience that remains absolutely unparalleled! There is no monetary gain in winning, for those that choose to race. A stiff neck, sore back, frozen hands, or feet can’t stop the fanatic. So what drives this special breed of sailor to invest more time tweaking and tuning their craft than sailing? Some really enjoy the fellowship of spending quality time with their ice-boating buddies. Others tell lies about how fast they went, a few are into competition, but all have experienced the magic! The magic of traveling 60-120 MPH with no engine, how does an iceboat do that? Unfortunately there just isn’t enough room to explain all of those principals here. The simple fact remains that a properly aligned iceboat will travel across bare, smooth ice 5-6 times faster than the wind. There are times when the iceboat will “coast” for another ¼ mile with no wind. A very impressive sight for any spectator who happens watch you whiz past them at 50 MPH, as they check for any hint of a breeze, by holding their moistened index-finger straight up! The proud ice-boater assumes that the spectator is telling them that they are #1. There is virtually no resistance working against an iceboat on smooth bare ice. Therefore, these craft will glide at high speeds through the “calm spots” and then resume the acceleration once they find some additional air. Once you have experienced your first unforgettable ride in an iceboat, you may never be the same again. Congratulations! Now that your iceboat is set-up, and you possess some basic sailing knowledge, It’s time to give try it. Ready? When your iceboat is set-up and ready to go, the skipper positions the iceboat directly into the wind. You walk around to the front steering-runner, bend over and release the parking brake. The parking brake is a small spiked affair that holds your iceboat from gliding away unmanned when you least expect it. Just as soon as you are mentally prepared, now standing behind the runner plank, you run fast pushing the craft while simultaneously turning slightly on the wind. Immediately you will notice that the boat is beginning to move faster than you can run, so you step up onto the runner plank “tread plate”, and then climb into the cockpit. To gain speed you sheet the sail down tight placing the boom to your shoulder. Be careful she may want to hike up, or worse yet, flip over! You’ve got a tiger by the tail now and it’s time to “wake-up!” It is absolutely imperative that you pay close attention to what you’re doing now. You have now discovered that going fast in an iceboat is not necessarily a leisure-activity, but an extremely exciting one! Within seconds your iceboat is accelerating across the lake at speeds in excess of 60 MPH. You quickly glance over to the side and notice that your windward runner isn’t even touching the ice anymore! “Oh no”, you think to yourself as the shoreline approaches at warp speed. You had better turn your head fast and check for other boat traffic, skaters, or ice fishermen, then come about fast before you end up in someone’s front yard! After a somewhat out-of-control, yet successful “High-G” tack, you crank down on the sheet-line again and begin to realize that you’re scared half out of your wits! The wind noise along with that thunderous sound resonating from your razor sharp runner-blades only adds to the confusion! “Whoops”, here comes the opposite shoreline! It only takes a matter of seconds to cross a smaller slab. Once confidence and adrenaline begin to flow, you forget all about the hard work that led up to this moment. Aches and pains that were noticed earlier become a distant memory. As your adrenaline pumps up to an all time high, you now realize that it’s completely official, “YOU ARE NOW HOOKED ON ICE BOATING!” Wives, girlfriends and any of the comforts of home take a back burner. Now trembling, while still rocketing back and forth across the frozen lake, you suddenly remember what your new ice-boating buddy told you: “all you have to do is let out on the sheet-line tension to slow her down.” After a few minutes of sailing around slowly, you decide that that’s boring, so you sheet it down hard once again! After several more “high-speed” tacks across the lake, now convinced that you’ve impressed the hell out of out of anyone within a one-mile radius, you decide to steer a course back to the set-up area and give your sailing buddies the opportunity to tell you just how great you are! When you first step out of the boat you can’t even feel your legs anymore due to the adrenaline coursing through your veins, new veins that you never even knew you owned! As you shuffle your boots over towards your friends they all yell out loud in unison: “Hey Buddy, you forgot to set your parking brake, and your boats moving!” You attempt to run, but all you do is fall down hard, on the glassy smooth surface! Not to worry though, some friendly soul caught her just in time and set the brake for you. Slightly humiliated, you thank him for saving your iceboat. You turn around, thoroughly embarrassed at this point, and resume the walk over to your fellow sailing buddies ready to hear that praise you’ve secretly been hoping for. Instead, they turn around and shove their boat off next, leaving you standing there alone, as they go out to get their own adrenaline injection! After checking for Indians, behind the nearest tree, you decide to head back out and join them. As your adrenaline begins to re-surge you think to yourself: “Our girls sure will be lonely tonight!”
Iceboating - A sport that provides un-matched excitement for ages 10-100, “What a great way to beat the winter blues!”
Are you curious? For information on how to get involved with the sport of ice boating, please feel free to contact Greg Ward via Email: poplarlane@hotmail.com (Email contact preferred) or by phone at (269) 649-1333 most evenings. Written By: Iceboat Designer/Builder, Greg Ward (Owner of Poplar Place Products)
Contributions: “Thank-you” to Club Historian Bob Vaccaro of The Gull Lake Ice Yacht Club! Dated information compiled from actual newspaper clippings, along with written contributions from Evert H. Vanderberg, past Commodore of the Gull Lake Ice Yacht Club. ©Poplar Place Products-2003 |
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THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SAFE ICE, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF! Play it safe, always wear a PFD and carry Ice Picks and a signaling device! |
