Ice Yachting. 
Having enjoyed opportunities for a number 
of years of seeing a good deal of ice boating 
and being identified with the sport to a moder¬ 
ate extent, it has occurred to the writer that 
some information and suggestions upon the 
subject may be of interest. 
There appears to be growing interest in ice 
boating, or ice yachting, as many prefer styling 
it .Perhaps the size should regulate the nomen¬ 
clature. I here are craft ranging in size from 
the tiny mosquito to the first-class racer. Usu¬ 
ally the beginning is made in a small way in 
boyhood, improvements being made and larger 
and better boats built as means, skill and ex- 
perience increase. The thoroughbred ice-boat¬ 
man builds his own or at least designs every 
detail and has the work done under his super¬ 
vision. Many becoming interested at a later 
period of life, purchase boats or have them built 
to order. 
length from rudder post to center of runner 
of third class boats from 14^ to 15ft., the 
length from rudder post to centers of runner 
plank the same or a few inches more, and the 
relief probably being obtained by a moderate 
lifting of the windward runner and a little 
easing of the sheet. The low, long drawn out 
rig stays on the ice until the wind pressure and 
FIRST RACE OF 1907 N. S. I. Y. C. 
At first sight there does not appear to be 
much to an ice boat. The impression conveyed 
consists of a combination of keel and runner 
plank, runners and sail rig. In practice there 
are found to be a niultitude of details to be 
thought out, collected, built and assembled, not 
at first glance apparent. The smallest size that 
can be fairly called an ice boat makes a track 
of about 6Hft. The total length of keel is 
about double the length of the runner plank and 
the sail area is close to ioo sq. ft., which is a 
larger proportion of sail than can be applied to 
larger boats, for the reason that the sailor can 
shift his weight either forward or aft or to 
windward, practically all the way from rudder 
to runner plank. . Boats of this size, if properly 
designed and built, develop astonishing speed, 
and afford a good deal of pleasure to boys 
Crushing at the same time valuable experience. 
1 he most common and convenient sizes are 
the fourth class, up to 250 sq. ft. of sail, and the 
third class, up to 350 sq. ft. The second class 
is going out, and few, if any, first class ice 
yachts are now being built. Notable in the first 
class are Archibald Rogers’ Jack Frost and 
John A. Roosevelt’s Icicle, carrying about 800 
S T R. of sail. Eight hundred and fifty feet is 
the limit, though the Rocket, built by the late 
George Cooley, of Red Bank, N. J., had gn 
sq. ft. of sail in sloop rig. 
It is best for a group of ice-boatmen to settle 
upon a medium size or class, to avoid handicap 
racing and a number of classes varying by ioo 
or 150 sq. ft. of sail. All in all, it seems to the 
writer that the third class, not exceeding 350 
sq. ft., is. the best size, and that the sloop is the 
proper rig. 
Present practice on the Shrewsbury River at 
r 
total length of keel from 28 to 30ft. The mast 
is stepped 2}4 to 3/4 feet ahead of center of 
plank, depending upon the shape of the main¬ 
sail and the proportions exiting between it and 
the jib. The latter is usually made to contain 
from 1-6 to 1-5 of the total area. The Hudson 
River type of mainsail, as formerly built by 
THE NORTHWEST. 
Buckout, was long drawn out on the foot with 
rather a square head. The Shrewsbury type is 
quite the reverse—hoist about the same as 
track, high peak and short on the foot. While 
more sensitive to light breezes and livelier, they 
are not so liable to make wicked spins or slats, 
BK*1 W * * » -r -• 
-'if* f ' r 
NORTHWEST LIFTING. 
vibration cause the runners to let go their hold 
when something is liable to happen. 
The tallest third class rig the writer has seen 
was on the Northwest, designed by Irving 
fiance, ana built under his supervision. No 
boat was truer or better for gale racing. Un¬ 
fortunately, it was destroyed by fire But the 
extra tall and high peaked mainsail doe 
appear to be the best for moderate sailing 
winds.. A more reasonable sail plan is better 
Waving m a general, way remarked upon 
classes, rigs and proportions, the writer ventures 
to enumerate some of the essential requisites of 
a speedy and handy ice yacht. There should be 
a u Pr M P l r ra / 10 °j sail area t0 hull i the sails 
shouJd be of good quality and of proper shape 
w P n ,+t’ the b ° at ® ho l ,ld balance and handle 
well the runners should be of suitable size 
good construction and correctly attached to the 
boat; the runner plank must have springiness 
life and strength; neatness and quality of ali 
parts and details are essential 
The faster a boat, sails, the more the wind 
Iraws in ahead. This is the reason that an ice 
boat can beat to Reward. The lighter the wind, 
^ r e n more a , boat . llas be kept up to it, and the 
‘ ° v n f /he wind the further off the course 
b aid ', The. same principle applies in 
sailing on the wind—a considerable speed 
draws the wind in ahead, so that the boat has to 
be kept off about 5 points from the true direc- 
the T wn ? d ln ord er to make satisfactory 
headway. It is poor judgment to starve an 
1 c ?p, a t ,°‘ wind by close pointing. 
he wind that hits a sail is the resultant be- 
tween the velocity of the wind and the speed of 
t ie Doat. Graphical analysis seems to show that 
he average angle of the sail to the line of the 
keel should be one half of the angle which the 
resultant wind makes with the keel, in order to 
attain the maximum driving force in the line 
of the boat s course. If this is approximately 
correct, it points out the necessity of tending 
the sheet on. different points of sailing. As 
there is a limit to the amount the sheets may be 
eased, the sails should be proportioned to give 
a good out-draft on moderate easing of sheets 
it may be desirable and advisable for a be¬ 
ginner to read up the various descriptive articles 
on ice boat sailing and building which have ap- 
pcaied from time to time in the sportsmen’s 
P a P e . r f a , nd ma gazines. Some of the designs 
published, however, while valuable for sugges¬ 
tions and details, are decidedly freaky, and to 
follow them closely would in some cases prob¬ 
ably result in loss of time and money. 
Sound construction with good materials can¬ 
not be too strongly urged. Extreme lightness 
is neither desirable nor necessary. Correct gen¬ 
eral dimensions and good balance are, to the 
writer, the most important requisites. Other 
