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Ice Sailing 101: Mastering the Frozen Adventure in No Time

David Ciccarelli

August 27, 2024

Ice sailing, also known as ice yachting, is a winter sport that offers a unique and exhilarating way to harness the power of the wind. Picture yourself skimming across a frozen lake at breathtaking speeds, the crisp air whipping past as you steer your sleek vessel over the ice. It’s sailing, but with a twist—trading water for ice and waves for the glassy expanse of winter landscapes.

Iceboats come in various styles, from nimble, one-person crafts to larger, crew-operated vessels designed for different conditions. Popular classes like DN, Nite, Renegade, and Skeeter each offer distinct experiences, with designs that maximize speed and maneuverability on ice.

The Midwest is a prime region for ice sailing enthusiasts, with states like Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana leading the way. Madison, Wisconsin, in particular, stands out as a historic hub for the sport, home to the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club—a vibrant community with over a century of ice sailing tradition.

As you prepare to embark on this winter adventure, here’s what you can expect from the thrilling world of ice sailing:

Wind: Just like traditional sailing, ice sailing relies on the power of the wind to move across the ice. A good breeze is essential to reach high speeds, but always make sure to monitor the weather conditions for safety.

Safety gear: Dress warmly and wear a helmet, goggles, gloves, and ice grips or cleats on your boots. Safety should always be your top priority on the ice.

Tactics: Much like soft-water sailing, ice sailing requires mastering certain skills such as tacking, jibing, and controlling the sail according to the wind direction.

Regattas: Ice sailing competitions, or regattas, are held during the winter season. These events test not only your sailing prowess, but also your ability to adapt to the unpredictable ice conditions.

Defining Ice Sailing: A Thrilling Blend of Speed and Skill

Ice sailing, often referred to as ice yachting or ice boating, is a thrilling winter sport that merges the principles of sailing with the fast-paced dynamics of gliding across frozen surfaces. This unique activity takes place on frozen lakes or rivers, where specially designed iceboats—equipped with sharp metal runners—skim across the ice at exhilarating speeds, often reaching up to four times the speed of the wind propelling them.

An iceboat typically consists of a lightweight frame, known as the backbone, which serves as the vessel’s central support. Attached to this backbone are three runners: two side runners that maintain balance, and a steering runner located at the front, which is controlled by foot pedals or a tiller. This streamlined design minimizes friction, allowing iceboats to achieve impressive speeds, sometimes exceeding 60 to 80 miles per hour in optimal conditions.

There are several popular classes of iceboats, each with its own distinct characteristics. The DN class, named after the Detroit News where the design was first published in 1937, is one of the most widely used and competitive iceboats globally. The Nite class, known for its stability and ability to carry two passengers, is a favorite for recreational sailing. The Renegade and Skeeter classes, larger and more powerful, are often seen dominating the ice in competitive races, especially in regions like the Midwest.

The Midwest, particularly Wisconsin, is a hotspot for ice sailing, with iconic locations like Lake Mendota in Madison drawing enthusiasts from all over. Madison is home to the renowned Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club, where sailors have been perfecting the craft for over a century. In this region, winter winds can range from a gentle breeze to gusts over 30 miles per hour, creating perfect conditions for iceboats to soar across the frozen landscape.

Ice sailing requires not just a keen understanding of wind dynamics but also sharp reflexes and adaptability to varying ice conditions. Smooth, black ice offers the best surface for speed, while rougher, snow-covered patches require careful navigation. But the reward for mastering these challenges is a uniquely exhilarating experience—skimming across vast, silent expanses of ice, propelled by nothing but the wind and your skill.

Brief History of Ice Sailing: From Ancient Origins to Modern Sport

Ice sailing boasts a rich and storied history that stretches back centuries, originating as a practical mode of transportation before evolving into the thrilling sport it is today. The roots of ice sailing can be traced to the 17th century, where it began as a necessity in the harsh winters of Northern Europe. In the Netherlands, where canals freeze over each winter, the Dutch are credited with pioneering the earliest forms of iceboats. Ingeniously modifying traditional sailboats by attaching runners—sharp metal blades—to the hulls, they created vessels capable of gliding across the frozen waterways with ease. These early iceboats were primarily used for transporting goods across the frozen canals of the Netherlands and the Gulf of Riga, offering a vital means of travel and commerce during the winter months.

As the centuries progressed, the utilitarian iceboats of the Dutch transformed into sleeker, faster models designed for recreation and competition. By the 18th century, ice sailing had gained popularity among the affluent classes of Northern Europe, who embraced it as a winter pastime. The design of iceboats also evolved during this period, with the introduction of a single fore-and-aft spar, known as the backbone, which provided greater stability and control. The traditional setup included three runners—two for balance and one for steering—allowing these vessels to achieve remarkable speeds on the ice.

The sport of ice sailing made its way to North America in the 19th century, where it quickly found a home on the frozen lakes and rivers of the northeastern United States and Canada. Here, enthusiasts began to form clubs and associations dedicated to the sport, laying the groundwork for organized competitions. One of the earliest and most influential of these was the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club, founded in New York in the mid-19th century. The club played a pivotal role in popularizing ice sailing as a competitive sport, hosting races that attracted participants from across the region.

As the 20th century dawned, ice sailing continued to grow in popularity, with innovations in design and technology pushing the boundaries of speed and performance. The development of lightweight, aerodynamic iceboats like the DN class—introduced in the 1930s—revolutionized the sport, making it more accessible to a broader audience. The DN class remains one of the most popular iceboat designs today, with active racing communities around the world.

In modern times, ice sailing has become a well-established winter sport, particularly in regions with reliable ice conditions such as the Midwest United States, Canada, and Northern Europe. Clubs dedicated to ice sailing can be found in these areas, where members gather to build, sail, and race their iceboats throughout the winter months. Events like the DN World Championship draw competitors from across the globe, showcasing the sport’s enduring appeal and the camaraderie among its participants.

From its humble beginnings as a practical solution to winter transportation challenges, ice sailing has evolved into a dynamic and exhilarating sport, cherished by those who seek the thrill of the wind and the ice. Whether for recreation or competition, ice sailing continues to captivate adventurers and thrill-seekers, carrying on a tradition that spans centuries.

Ice Yachts Explained: Modern Design and Dynamics

Ice yachts, or iceboats, are sailing crafts specially designed to glide across frozen surfaces on metal runners. One of the essential elements in their design is the steerable runner, which helps you navigate on ice with ease.

The DN class ice yacht is one of the most popular designs around, known for its affordable price and accessibility. Crafted with a triangular sail and relatively lightweight materials, it’s perfect for the wider ice sailing community. While DN class caters to beginners and recreational sailors, there are other ice yachts like Nite and Skeeter classes that cater to more experienced and competitive sailors.

Safety is vital in ice sailing, which is why most ice yachts incorporate features to ensure a secure and enjoyable experience. Some of these features include:

Runners : Metal runners allow for smooth movement, stability, and control on the ice.
Steerable runner : This special runner enables you to easily change directions and maintain control while cruising at high speeds.
Mast and sail : Ice yachts have a mast and sail designed to handle icy conditions, often with airfoil-shaped battens to optimize aerodynamics.

Mastering the Basics: Steering and Sail Management

Steering an ice yacht, like the popular DN Ice Yacht, might seem intimidating at first, but fear not! The key to steering is understanding the wind and how it affects the sails. When sailing upwind, position your sails at an angle that captures the most power, while also keeping your boat slightly angled into the wind. Mastering tacking techniques will allow you to change direction with ease and maintain maximum efficiency.

Now, let’s talk about sail management. The sail plays a crucial role in powering your ice yacht, so pay attention to the following pointers:

Downwind : When sailing downwind, loosen your sails to allow them to catch as much wind as possible. Remember, the goal is to be propelled by the wind pushing the sails.
Upwind : In contrast, when sailing upwind, tighten your sails so that they’re at the optimal angle to harness the wind’s energy, propelling the yacht forward.

To ensure a great ice sailing experience, don’t forget to consider the following factors:

Weather conditions : Icy surfaces work best for ice sailing, so make sure to check the weather forecast before heading out.
Safety : Equip yourself with proper safety gear like helmets, life vests, and ropes. These can be lifesavers in tricky situations.
Regattas : As you advance your skills, consider participating in regattas. They can be a competitive and refreshing way to put your expertise to the test.

Advanced Techniques: Maximizing Speed and Handling Challenging Conditions

Ice sailing, or iceboating, is an exhilarating winter sport that combines speed, precision, and passion. If you have some experience and want to up your game, here are a few advanced techniques to maximize speed and handle challenging conditions.

Tiller control : Your tiller is the key to steering and maintaining balance on your iceboat. Keep a gentle grip on it and make subtle adjustments to steer accurately. Remember, your iceboat can react fast to any changes, so avoid abrupt movements with the tiller.

Sail trim : Getting your jib and mainsail trim right can make all the difference in speed. In lighter winds, focus on promoting smooth airflow, while in stronger winds, prioritize a balanced setup for best VMG (Velocity Made Good). Keep experimenting to find the right trim that suits both the conditions and your iceboat’s handling .

Handling gusts : When gusts hit, be prepared to lean back and use your body weight to counteract the sudden increase in force. This will maintain balance and maximize speed. When the gusts subside, make sure to readjust your position.

Navigating Different Ice and Wind Conditions

Imagine yourself as a member of the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club or the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club. You’re excited to participate in an ice sailing adventure with your fellow crew members. But before you hop into the cockpit, let’s talk about navigating different ice and wind conditions to ensure a fun and safe experience for everyone on board.

First and foremost, you should know your vessel’s capabilities. If it’s ice classed, that means it’s designed to withstand the pressures and challenges of icy waters. However, it’s essential to be cautious, as even ice classed vessels can encounter damage.

When it comes to ice conditions, always be vigilant for any changes that could impact your sailing. Navigating in ice-covered waters can cause delays, so make sure you have sufficient supplies, such as fresh water and fuel. Remember to keep moving, even if it’s at a slow pace. Work with the ice movement and weaknesses, rather than against them, to avoid unnecessary damage to your vessel.

Now let’s look at wind conditions. Superstructure icing can be a dangerous phenomenon that occurs when ice forms on your yacht’s structure, making it challenging to sail. Keep an eye on the temperature and wind force:

Temperature	Wind Force	Icing Condition
Below -2.2 °C	5 Bft	Slight
Below -2.2 °C	7 Bft	Moderate
Below -2.2 °C	8 Bft	Severe
0 °C and below	–	Fresh Water

The Role of Weather in Ice Sailing: Wind, Ice Conditions, and Safety Considerations

First things first, wind is your best friend during ice sailing. Since iceboats can achieve speeds of up to five times that of the wind, it is essential to know the wind conditions before setting sail. Take note of the wind speed and direction, as these will significantly impact your ability to control your iceboat. Steering and maneuvering become more challenging as the wind picks up, demanding extra care and attention on your part.

Ice thickness and quality are vital factors in ice yachting. Thicker ice is generally more stable, but it’s important to ensure there are no thin patches or cracks. Before taking to the ice, make sure to scout the area and check for any potential hazards. Keep an eye out for visible cracks and ice anomalies, as these could pose a risk while you’re sailing.

Safety should always be a top priority when it comes to ice yachting. So, here are some pointers to ensure a safe experience:

Monitor weather conditions: Stay updated with the latest weather forecasts and avoid ice sailing during storms or extreme conditions.
Dress appropriately: Layer up, with a focus on insulation and waterproof gear to keep you warm and dry throughout the day.
Carry safety equipment: Equip yourself with essential items like a helmet, ice picks, a life jacket, and a whistle.

Essential Equipment for Ice Sailing: From Sails to Safety Gear

Sails : The most critical piece of equipment for ice sailing is, of course, your sail. Like regular sailing, the power comes from the apparent wind. Choose a sail specifically designed for ice sailing, as they are made to handle the unique conditions and work efficiently with the ice boat.

Iceboat : Make sure to have an iceboat properly rigged with the suitable blade and suspension system for the frozen surface. Look for a boat designed for ice sailing, offering stability, speed, and easy maneuverability.

Ice Thickness : Before taking to the ice, always check its thickness. A minimum of four inches is considered safe for ice sailing. Keep in mind that ice thickness can vary significantly over short distances, so check multiple spots.

Safety Gear : Your personal safety is crucial while ice sailing. Here’s a list of some essential safety items:

Life jacket : Even though you’re sailing on ice, it’s still crucial to wear a life jacket in case of sudden capsizing or accidents.
Helmet : Protect your head from potential impacts by wearing a sturdy, specifically designed sailing helmet.
Warm, waterproof clothing : Dress for the cold weather, preferably in layers. Waterproof, insulating, and breathable garments provide the best protection .
Gloves and boots : Look for waterproof and insulated gloves and boots designed for ice sailing.

Emergency Survival Kit : It’s always best to be prepared for emergencies. Here are some items to include in your kit:

First aid supplies
Emergency flares
Extra dry clothing
Safety knife
Hand warmers
Food and water

Now that you’re equipped with the right gear and knowledge, you’re ready to tackle your ice sailing adventure. Remember to always prioritize safety and stay aware of changing conditions on the ice.

Top Destinations for Ice Sailing Around the World

Ice sailing is an exhilarating sport that allows you to glide across frozen water at incredible speeds. With the right conditions and locations, you can have a thrilling experience on the ice. Here are some top destinations for ice sailing around the world.

Maine, USA : Maine is a fantastic destination for ice sailing enthusiasts. The long, cold winters provide ample opportunities for sailing on frozen lakes and ponds. Popular locations include Moosehead Lake, Sebago Lake , and Damariscotta Lake. Keep an eye out for local ice sailing events, like the International DN Ice Yacht Racing Association World Championship.

Sweden: Sweden is home to the International DN, one of the most popular ice sailing yachts in the world. The Swedish lakes and canals freeze during the winter, creating ideal conditions for ice sailing. Head to Lake Mälaren, Lake Vättern, or Lake Hjälmaren for some great ice sailing adventures.

Germany: Germany offers excellent ice sailing opportunities, with many lakes and canals freezing over during the winter months. Popular destinations include Lake Constance and Lake Müritz. Be prepared for a mix of calm and challenging sailings, as frozen canals can create narrow courses that require skillful maneuvering.

Canada: The entire country is known for its cold winters, which means plenty of ice sailing opportunities. You can find numerous frozen lakes and rivers to explore in provinces like Ontario , Quebec, and Manitoba. Keep an eye out for events organized by the International DN ice sailing communities in these regions.

Understanding Ice Quality and Safety: Thickness and Surface Conditions

Ice sailing can be a thrilling experience, but before you set your ice boat on a frozen lake, it’s essential to understand the ice quality and safety. The ice thickness and surface conditions are vital factors in ensuring your adventure is both enjoyable and secure.

Ice Thickness

Eager to try ice boating in the USA? First things first! Check the ice thickness. The thicker the ice, the safer it is for supporting the weight of an ice boat. Here’s a quick reference guide:

4 inches : Minimum ice thickness recommended for ice fishing or small group activities
5 inches : Suitable for snowmobiles and small ATVs
8-12 inches : Can support most small-to-medium-sized cars
12-15 inches : Recommended minimum for light trucks and iceboats

Remember, these numbers are for clear, blue/black ice, which is the strongest type. Slush ice has only half the strength, and river ice is approximately 15% weaker.

Ice Quality

Besides thickness, the ice quality plays a significant role in safety. Clear blue/black ice forms from the top down and is the most reliable type of ice. Now, let’s break it down into different types of ice you might encounter:

Clear Ice : Also known as black or blue ice, it forms from top-down and is the strongest type
White/Opaque Ice : Formed by wet snow freezing on the ice surface, it’s not as strong as clear ice
Slush Ice : This indicates that ice is starting to melt, resulting in a significantly weaker structure

Surface Conditions

Before setting sail, inspect the ice surface for cracks, pressure ridges, and areas where water may seep through. You should also look for any signs of recent temperature changes or warm weather, which could compromise the ice’s integrity.

Famous Ice Sailing Races and Events

The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club hosts a variety of prestigious races in Madison, Wisconsin. As one of the most active ice boat clubs in North America, they’ve been building and sailing ice boats for over a century. Joining this club will immerse you in a world of knowledge about different ice boat types, racing strategies , and more.

Now, feast your eyes on the following must-know events:

The DN World Championship : This premier event is held annually and offers a fantastic opportunity for racing enthusiasts. Top sailors, including the likes of Tomas Lindgren, Oskar Svensson, and James “T” Thieler, attend this championship to showcase their skills.
Green Lake Ice Yacht Club : Venturing into the Midwest, it’s impossible not to mention the prestigious Green Lake club in Wisconsin, which also hosts its fair share of ice sailing events. Harry Melges, a world-record holder, and ice sailor extraordinaire is a notable member of this club.

Fitness and Training: Physical Preparation for Ice Sailing

To best enjoy recreational ice sailing, you’ll want to build a solid aerobic base. Activities like running, cycling, and rowing are excellent ways to increase your cardiovascular endurance. If you’re able to, try incorporating land sailing into your routine – it’s not only a fun alternative, but it also helps build relevant skills for ice sailing.

Now that your heart and lungs are pumping, let’s not forget about strength training. Ice sailing demands both upper body and lower body power. Here are a few exercises to include in your workout plan:

Upper body: Chin-ups, lat pulls, and inverted rows.
Lower body: Single-leg squats, leg extensions, and leg curls.
Core: Planks, sit-ups, and leg lifts.

Remember, a well-balanced exercise plan should not cause muscle imbalances. Mix these exercises up, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming fit for ice sailing.

Lastly, don’t underestimate the importance of agility and balance training. Ice sailing can be pretty fast-paced, so being nimble is crucial. Adding exercises like single-leg balance drills and lateral hops to your routine will give you that extra edge on the ice. And hey, why not throw in some yoga for good measure?

Before hitting the ice, make sure to properly inspect and prepare your ice sailboat. Inquiring about rigging services like Sailcrafters Loft and Rigging can be an easy way to ensure your equipment is ready for the adventure.

Now that you know how to physically prepare yourself for ice sailing, it’s time for you to slide into this exhilarating sport. So, bundle up and have a blast out there!

Mental Preparation: Strategy and Focus in a High-Speed Environment

Ice sailing is not just a test of physical skill, but also demands strong mental abilities. To excel in this high-speed sport, you need to be well-prepared mentally. You can do this by following some key guidelines .

Firstly, always stay calm and focused, no matter how fast the conditions are. In areas like the Netherlands and Lake Winnebago, where ice sailing is popular, blustery winds and freezing temperatures can be intense. Don’t let the cold and speed overwhelm you; instead, take deep breaths, and maintain your composure.

To stay sharp on the ice, it’s crucial to have a plan before setting sail. Keep these points in mind when strategizing:

Safety precautions: Be aware of possible hazards on the ice, such as open water or other sportsmen.
Wind conditions: Understand how the wind will impact your course and adjust accordingly.
Strengths and weaknesses: Know what aspects of your technique need improvement, and focus on honing those skills.

While creating your plan, consider using these mental skills training techniques:

Visualization: Picture yourself successfully completing your race or run on the ice.
Positive self-talk: Encourage yourself with motivating statements like, “I’m ready” or “I can do this.”
Set small goals: Break your race into smaller sections, focusing on one at a time.

So, lace up your ice sailing boots with a cool head, and maintain focus on your strategy to conquer the high-speed environment!

Essential Safety Practices and Emergency Procedures

First and foremost, respect the lake. Keep in mind that sailing the entire lake shore to shore in all directions is almost impossible. Open water, thin ice, expansion cracks, and ice heaves can all be potential hazards. To stay safe, always check the ice conditions before you set sail.

When it comes to tacking and jibing, maintaining control is the name of the game. Watch your sail, steer smoothly, and pay attention to your surroundings. Remember, iceboats normally travel upwind, so be prepared for sudden gusts.

A table of essential safety gear on your iceboat can go a long way. Here’s a list of must-haves:

Safety Gear	Purpose
Helmet	Protect your head during spills
Lifejacket	Ensure flotation in case of
Ice picks	Aid in self-rescue on thin ice
Throw rope	Help rescue others in distress

When it comes to achieving maximum speed while ice sailing, keep an eye on your competitors and make sure you have excellent visibility to avoid accidents. Keep your distance from other boats and watch out for potential obstacles on the ice.

In case of emergencies, you should always know where the through-hulls are and check them regularly. Make sure to have at least two big manual pumps (ideally diaphragm-type) on board that can be easily moved. Keep emergency repair materials handy (e.g., pre-drilled plywood, epoxy, plugs, etc.).

Courses and Learning Resources for Beginners

NauticEd offers a comprehensive selection of sailing courses for both beginners and experienced sailors, which you can apply to ice sailing. You’ll learn the ropes, essential safety skills, and practical sailing techniques. Some other resources to look into are ASA 101 and RYA Day Skipper Theory which also provide great foundational knowledge.

Consider joining a local ice boating club to make your ice sailing experience even better. You will meet others who are passionate about the sport and gain access to valuable resources, workshops, and instructors, like the Nite Class. Plus, nothing beats hands-on experience and learning directly from seasoned ice sailors!

administrator

David Ciccarelli, is the Founder and CEO of Lake. He is based in Toronto, Canada, and is an expert in management, business administration, strategy, product development, and customer experience. His educational achievements include the Owner President Management Program at Harvard Business School (2019-2022) and the QuantumShift Program at Ivey Business School in 2017, aimed at CEOs of growing businesses.

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DN ICE YACHT RACING

Maximum speed, member countries, registered sail numbers, world championship competitors, the fastest sailing on the planet..

Fun.Exciting.Exhilarating.

Join the dn world., connect with us in europe, connect with us in north america, international dn ice yacht racing association, europe & north america, join our class. our community..

The one-design DN ice yacht is easy to transport, light, and relatively inexpensive. Carrying 60 sq ft/ 5.57 sq m of sail, it offers spirited performance and very competitive sailing. Ice yachters, from veterans to juniors, find the DN’s demands in competition a satisfying challenge. The DN has evolved into the world’s largest iceboat class with active sailors in 18 countries. A world championship regatta is held each year, alternating between North America and Europe. North American regions and European countries also host their own continental championships and regional events.

Why You Should Be Sailing a DN

“DN sailing has taken me around the world and introduced me to life-long friends – the very best people on the planet. If you make the effort to learn the sport, you can achieve results at any age, any gender, or any size. “

“I am fascinated by many things about ice sailing: the speed, the acceleration, the use of technology, and sports in nature with cold winter air. And of course, the large DN family with many friends is a reason to go ice sailing..”

“DN sailing has taught me everything – fast trajectories, apparent wind building, and much more. Sailing 5 times the wind speed has made me such a better sailor! And frankly, the spirit of the class, driven by passion, speed and friendship, is hard to beat. One of my favorite sailing boats, with absolutely no doubt ! It’s just like a drug, you become addicted at first sight!!”

More knots per dollar/euro than any other sailing

2025 DN Regatta Schedule

World & North American Championships Date: 2 – 8 February, 2025 Host Region: North America, Central Region Location: Michigan, Ohio, or best in ice North America Email Contact: [email protected] Information: DN North America idniyra.org

European Championship Date: 22 February – 1 March, 2025 Host Country: Europe, DN Finland Location: Finland or best ice in Europe Email Contact: [email protected] Information: DN Europe idniyra.eu

Faster.Transportable.Most Popular.

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In March 2009, Briton Richard Jenkins set the world land sailing speed record by driving his vehicle, the Greenbird, at 202 kilometers per hour (about 126 miles per hour) on a dry lake bed near the border of California and Nevada. Now, Jenkins plans to sail for a new speed record -- on ice! But ice sailing is not the newest thing in the world of competitive extreme sports; rather it's a mode of transportation used at least since the 17th century.

Dutch sailors are believed to have been some of the first to experiment with ice sailing, not to break speed records, but to transport goods across frozen lakes, rivers and bays. They modified their traditional vessels by strapping blades or runners to the hull. This kept their shipping businesses functional and profitable, even during the long winter months. In the spring, when the "soft water" returned, they simply removed the runners and set sail as usual.

It didn't take long before ice sailing began to pique the interest of sportsmen and adventurers. By the 19th century, thrill seekers across Europe were building vessels especially for "hard-water sailing," as the recreational activity was known. Speed attracted people to the sport, and it was not unusual to see ice boats overtake the fastest locomotives of the day. Across the Atlantic, American sailors wanted a piece of the action. Large ice yachts began appearing on the Hudson and Delaware Rivers in the mid-1800s. Iceboat clubs also emerged. The New Jersey-based North Shrewsbury Ice Boat and Yacht Club formed in 1880 and remains in existence today.

Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, ice sailing reached its zenith. Then, interest in the sport slowly began to wane. The rise of the automobile, which brought speed to a wider audience, likely contributed to the decline. But the bigger issue was changing weather patterns. As winters grew warmer and shorter, rivers and lakes -- especially those in the Northeast -- failed to freeze deeply enough to permit safe ice sailing.

Despite global warming, ice sailing is becoming popular again with a new generation of sailors, even those who can pursue the activity only one or two weekends a year. We'll explore the reasons why in this article. Let's start with the ice boat itself, which looks like a cross between a soft-water vessel and a sleigh.

Ice Sailing Techniques

Ice sailing safety.

As with anything nautical, ice sailing has a unique and sometimes intimidating vocabulary. You might want to take a look at How Sailing Works for a good introduction. Even though these articles focus on soft-water sailing, many of the concepts and terms are the same in hard-water sailing. We've pulled some of the more common terms and organized them in the sidebar that appears on this page.

In its simplest form, an ice boat has four basic parts. The main body of the vessel, as with any watercraft, is known as the hull . Sailors in the 19th century used wood to construct the hull, but their modern-day counterparts often use fiberglass or laminate material. However it's constructed, the hull must be able to support one or two crew members, usually in a small cockpit situated a foot or two above the ice. It must also be able to float in the event a boat finds itself in soft water.

A runner plank , made of wood, laminate or metal, lies at the stern of the boat, beneath the hull. It's usually about 6.5 feet (2 meters) long and lies perpendicular to the main axis of the boat. Two runners attach to the plank, one at each end. Another runner -- the steering runner -- attaches to the bow. The steering runner comes equipped with a parking brake to prevent the wind from carrying a boat away during loading or at the start of a race. The runners look and function like big skates, allowing the boat to glide with little friction over the surface of the ice.

The sail, made of canvas or synthetic fabrics, functions as the "engine" of an ice boat. On smaller vessels, the sail may provide about 35 square feet (3.25 square meters) of surface area to catch the wind. On larger vessels, the sails can be massive. Older ice yachts that glided across the Hudson River often boasted 1,000 square feet (93 square meters) of sail.

Based on factors such as sail size and hull design, ice boats fall into different categories. The largest boats are the stern steerers , so named because the sailor controls the craft by reaching back to a tiller located at the rear of the vessel. Stern steerers were popular in the 19th century, but are less common today. Most modern ice boat sailors prefer bow steerers -- vessels controlled by the front steering runner. Bow steerers include both skeeters, which are long, thin boats with a maximum sail area of 75 square feet (7 square meters), and DNs, small, one-person vessels first introduced in 1937 during a contest sponsored by the Detroit News (hence the name "DN").

Up next, we'll look at some of the techniques hard-water boat captains use to navigate frozen rivers and lakes.

Can you talk like a sailor? These are some words you'll need to know.

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

To sail an ice boat, a sailor must properly orient the craft so its sail captures enough wind to generate thrust. Before we talk about basic maneuvers, let's review the principles behind propulsion. Sails propel a boat in one of two ways. The first, known as sailing downwind , occurs when the boat moves in the direction of the prevailing wind. In this situation, the sailor lets out the mainsail to trap the moving air, which pushes the vessel in the direction of the wind. A sail can also propel a boat that is traveling into the wind, known as sailing upwind . In this case, the boat often uses a zigzagging technique called tacking, which we'll discuss later on this page, and the mainsail acts like a vertical wing, generating lift as the air moves over the top of the sail and down its curved surface. Because the sail is oriented upward, the "lift" is directed horizontally, not vertically. This lift pulls the boat along the ice. You can read more about the physics of lift in How Sailboats Work .

Once an ice sailor understands sail aerodynamics and how to use the wind effectively, he can move with great ease and speed. Before sailors can fly over the ice, though, they must first master the art of starting their vessels. This is usually done by orienting the boat so it's headed directly into the wind. Sailors refer to this as being in irons , which means no wind can be caught in the sails. This prevents the craft from blowing away unattended. Most iceboats also come with a brake to help secure the vessel before sailing. To get his boat moving, a sailor stands next to the vessel, releases the brake, holds the tiller and pushes, first into the wind and then at an angle to the wind. When the boat begins to move briskly, he jumps in, trims the sail and feels the vessel race forward. With little friction to slow the boat, it rapidly obtains a high speed. A sailor running a DN-class iceboat can achieve speeds of 50 to 60 miles per hour (80 to 97 kilometers per hour), while a skilled skeeter captain can reach speeds well over 100 miles per hour (161 kilometers per hour).

Steering is accomplished via a tiller , a lever that's accessible in the cockpit and connected to either a rudder skate in stern steerers or a pivoting steering runner in bow steerers. This makes it sound easier than it really is. Because ice boats don't experience the resistance of their soft-water cousins, they can be challenging to steer. Sailors must have a delicate hand on the tiller to avoid spinning out of control on the slippery ice. They must also be prepared for their iceboats to tip to one side when running fast. This is known as heeling and also occurs in soft-water sailing, requiring sailors to provide a counterbalance by shifting from one side of the boat to the other.

Tacking and jibing work the same way in ice sailing as they do in traditional sailing. Sailors use both techniques to turn their vessels. Tacking occurs when the boat turns into the wind. Jibing occurs when the boat turns away from the wind. Either maneuver can be used to swing a boat around 180 degrees. To stop, a sailor simply steers his vessel into the wind and lets the sail go free. This shuts down the boat's propulsion system, allowing the vessel to coast to a gentle stop.

Unfortunately, some stops in ice sailing aren't so gentle. In the next section, we'll review the hazards associated with ice sailing and how to avoid them.

Many people pursue ice sailing as a hobby, but others prefer to compete in ice yacht races known as regattas . 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. "Black ice" is also better than "white ice." Black ice is transparent and can be more than 10 feet (3 meters) thick. 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.

Lots More Information

Boat Sailor

Ice sails: navigating the frozen adventure.

Ice sailing, also known as ice yachting, is a thrilling winter sport that combines the exhilaration of sailing with the beauty of frozen landscapes. As an enthusiast and advisor, I’m here to share insights into the world of ice sails, the risks associated with this sport, and valuable suggestions to ensure a safe and enjoyable ice sailing experience.

Understanding Ice Sails

Ice sailing involves the use of specialized boats, often referred to as ice yachts or ice boats, equipped with sails and runners designed for gliding smoothly on ice-covered bodies of water. The sails capture the power of the wind, propelling the boat forward with impressive speed. The sensation of gliding effortlessly across a frozen lake or river is a unique and addictive experience.

The Thrill of Ice Sailing

The allure of ice sailing lies in its speed and unpredictability. As the wind catches the sails and the boat accelerates, the thrill is undeniable. The sensation of controlling a vessel on the icy surface, the brisk wind in your face, and the serene winter landscapes around you create an unforgettable experience for enthusiasts.

Risks Associated with Ice Sailing

While ice sailing offers an unparalleled adventure, it’s crucial to be aware of the potential risks involved:

The biggest danger in ice sailing is falling through thin ice. Always check the ice thickness and quality before venturing out.

High speeds can lead to collisions with obstacles, other boats, or even wildlife on the ice.

Hypothermia

Exposure to cold temperatures and icy water can lead to hypothermia if not properly dressed and prepared.

Equipment Failure

Malfunctioning gear or rigging failures can result in accidents.

Inadequate Safety Measures

Ignoring safety precautions can increase the risk of accidents and injuries.

Safety Precautions

To minimize the risks associated with ice sailing, here are some essential safety measures to follow:

Ice Thickness

Always check the ice thickness, ensuring it’s safe for sailing. A minimum of 4 inches is generally considered safe.

Safety Gear

Wear appropriate safety gear, including a life jacket, helmet, and warm, waterproof clothing.

Buddy System

Ice sail with a buddy whenever possible. In case of emergencies, having someone with you can be a lifesaver.

Knowledge and Training

Seek proper training to learn the basics of ice sailing, including how to handle emergencies.

Weather Monitoring

Keep a close eye on weather conditions and be prepared to return to shore if conditions deteriorate.

Choosing the Right Equipment

Selecting the right equipment is crucial for a safe and enjoyable ice sailing experience. Ensure that your ice yacht is in good condition, with well-maintained sails and runners. Regular inspections and maintenance are essential to avoid equipment failures.

Weather Conditions

Weather conditions play a significant role in ice sailing safety. Pay attention to factors like wind speed, ice stability, and temperature. Strong winds can increase the thrill but also elevate the risks, so always exercise caution in adverse conditions.

Training and Skill Development

Before embarking on your ice sailing adventure, invest time in developing your sailing skills. Learning how to control the boat and react to changing conditions is essential for a safe and enjoyable experience. Consider joining local ice sailing clubs for valuable guidance and camaraderie.

Local Regulations and Rules

Different locations may have specific regulations and rules regarding ice sailing. Check with local authorities or ice sailing organizations to ensure you are in compliance with any guidelines or restrictions.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid common mistakes made by beginners, such as overestimating ice thickness, neglecting safety gear, or ignoring weather warnings. Learn from experienced ice sailors and prioritize safety above all else.

Personal Experience and Tips

As someone who has experienced the joy and challenges of ice sailing, I offer the following tips:

Always carry safety equipment and know how to use it.

Be cautious when sailing near the shore or areas with hidden obstacles.

Keep an eye on fellow sailors and offer assistance if needed.

Stay informed about local ice conditions and follow any advisories.

Enjoy the adventure but never compromise safety for thrills.

Ice sailing is an exhilarating winter sport that offers unique sensations and unforgettable moments. While the risks are real, with proper precautions and responsible behavior, you can enjoy this thrilling activity safely. Remember that the key to a memorable ice sailing adventure is to balance the adrenaline rush with safety and responsibility.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How thick should the ice be for safe ice sailing.

A minimum ice thickness of 4 inches is generally considered safe for ice sailing. However, thicker ice is preferable, especially in areas with varying conditions.

What safety gear is essential for ice sailing?

Essential safety gear includes a life jacket, helmet, and warm, waterproof clothing. Additionally, carrying ice picks or ice claws for self-rescue is recommended.

Can beginners try ice sailing, or is it for experienced sailors only?

Beginners can try ice sailing, but proper training is essential. Consider joining a local ice sailing club or seeking guidance from experienced sailors to get started safely.

Are there specific rules or regulations for ice sailing in different regions?

Yes, regulations can vary by location. It’s essential to check with local authorities or ice sailing organizations for specific rules and guidelines in your area.

How can I stay safe while ice sailing in challenging weather conditions?

Stay informed about weather forecasts and be prepared to return to shore if conditions deteriorate. Avoid sailing in excessively strong winds or when there are safety advisories in place.

Michael Thompson

Embarking on a lifelong love affair with the sea, I found solace and exhilaration in the art of sailing. From navigating treacherous waters to harnessing the wind's untamed power, my passion has evolved into a mission to inspire others. Join me on a voyage of discovery as we explore the vast horizons of sailing's timeless allure.

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On a boat trapped in ice: how to sail in the Greenland and Norwegian Seas

When planning a sailing route far to the north, you can't just do as you wish. Above all, you must know what’s possible in a given area at a given time. In the comfort of home, sitting with my charts, it had never occurred to me that we might not even make it to Greenland's Scoresby Sund, the largest fjord in the world, by the end of June. Because of the severe weather, our journey was going to take an unexpected turn...

Voyage to Greenland's Scoresby Sund: the theory

In the Arctic Pilot it clearly states that the first ship may enter Scoresby Sound at the end of July and the last by the end of August at the latest, but I had planned to read it during the voyage when I had enough time to do so.

Therefore, it seemed to be a pretty good idea when one member of the crew, Radim (a participant in several previous challenging voyages) called me in mid-May to join us in Scoresby Sund. But as it began to become a reality, I began to browse servers about the state of the ice along the eastern shores of Greenland and discovered that everything was still completely frozen .

Should we sail into the impenetrable ice of the Greenland Sea?

I called Radim and announced our almost zero prospects of landing in Scoresby Sund. But I also told him we’d give it a try. As a bit of a joke, I advised him to try and order a helicopter and land at the edge of the ice sheet. We would wait for him and bring him on board. I added that he should borrow a rifle, just in case polar bears got there before us.

I didn't expect Radim to consider such nonsense. Radim, however, is a man of action and began gathering all the necessary information. He soon discovered that no one would take him to the ice sheet, but someone would actually lend him a rifle. So we made a deal.

We would try to reach Scoresby Sund , although it probably wouldn’t work, and Radim would fly there and promise not to get mad at us if we didn’t make it.

Before leaving the island of Jan Mayen, we requested a map at the weather station of the current state of the ice sheet around Greenland. We found out that ice floes extended 120 miles out to sea, and it was clear that they would not suddenly melt by themselves .

We called Radim to tell him to stay there. But Radim knew that Sund was completely frozen over and had already changed the plan. He had decided to hire a dog sled in Greenland for a few days. Of course with a rifle to protect against bears. And so he flew to Greenland.

We decided not to change the plan either and headed from the west coast of the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen to the Greenland ice sheet . It was about 150 miles due west. And since there was a southwesterly wind and we couldn't sail in any other direction anyway, we headed there.

Surrounded by the Greenland ice sheet and ice floes

I had studied everything I could find about sailing in ice and found that , with extreme caution, you can only sail when there is sea ice coverage of up to 40 % and that if the wind direction changes, the drift ice can completely close you in within an hour.

At 7 am on the second day of the voyage, we encountered our first small floating ice floes about 130 miles from Scoresby Sund. It was foggy with a slight wind, and we continued under sail, with a little help from the motor, through the still safely sparse floes.

The boat's engine suddenly went silent...

About a hour before the first ice floe appeared, I had switched the reserve diesel tank over to pump diesel into the main tank. Invariably, after a while, the diesel filter gets clogged, and then the motor has to be turned off and the filter cleaned or replaced. I do this only if there is no danger ahead.

This time, however, I hadn’t assessed the situation quite so well. At the first stagger in engine speed, I climbed into the engine room and turned it off. Meanwhile, inside the cockpit, Kos was calmly steering, and Míra was reading a message from his girlfriend on Iridium. After reading the message and replying, he looked up from the phone and was amazed to see that the drift ice had thickened dramatically and ice floes were drifting everywhere around us.

At that exact same moment , the engine stopped . Nervously on deck, he called out to me, asking what was happening with the engine and I calmly informed him that I was just cleaning the filter. But I did feel a certain urgency in his voice, so I asked him what was going on up there. Mira responded that ice floes were absolutely everywhere.

We still had the genoa and the mainsail on the mast and a light wind was slowly pushing us into the ice . The crew took down the genoa, I sped up the filter cleaning and got the engine started again in no time at all. I climbed up on deck and there was indeed quite a lot of ice around. We estimated it to be about 20% to 30% coverage , which was still fine.

Zigzagging in the fog in a labyrinth of ice floes

Because of that, we chose not to leave the ice sheet immediately, we found our way out of the thickest of the ice slurry, turned and set a course of 220° in the direction of Iceland. This course was to run alongside the ice sheet. I consulted with our experienced polar explorer Vilém, and we agreed to gradually sail out of the fragmented ice sheet and return to it about 150 miles south. There should be a continuous compact ice sheet there and we could encounter polar bears.

For several more hours, we sailed on a course alternating between 90° and 220°, according to the preference of the current helmsman. But we still didn’t get out of the drift ice. We watched the seals lounging on the ice floes, and on one floe even saw bear's paw prints in the snow. The bear was nowhere to be seen.

The density of the drift ice fluctuated and alternated between relatively open passages to areas with denser coverage. The size of the ice floes had gradually increased and I was ready to leave the drift ice and get to open sea. We turned the boat in a purely easterly direction, which in our opinion was been the shortest way out, and took down the mainsail. Zigzagging in the fog between the ice floes began to resemble being in a maze.

I climbed to the first spreader to see if there were any channels in the ice to get out us of this mess. The visibility in the fog was about 1 mile, and it fluctuated erratically .

Jirka Zindulka behind the wheel fully focused

Read about the weather you may encounter on the boat:

An impenetrable wall of ice floes closed in and gripped us in despair

I told Vilém at the helm where to turn, at the bow the crew guarded the distance from the ice floes and the stern as well. Vilém was doing a great job, but progress was very slow. We were trying to sail through the open channels between the ice floes, having to zigzag constantly. The drift ice was pretty closed in and at best it had 50% coverage .

I was happy to have chosen the steel SEALORD for our expedition. Occasionally the side or bow was thrust onto the ice, but the ship held its own . Our amazing icebreaker! And the 130-horsepower Mercedes engine also did a fantastic job of moving us back and forth.

We all stared at the field of ice, telling the helmsman where to sail. One said to the left, the other to the right, and a third to the back. It was a bit confusing, but I really didn’t know which way was best . One person would look at the direction on the GPS because after a few sharp turns in the fog we immediately lost our bearings.

Again, areas alternated between thinner and denser coverage, areas of hope and hopelessness . After a while, however, we always seemed to end up at a hopelessly impenetrable ice sheet . It was beginning to look pretty unpleasant.

Mira looked at the route on the chart plotter we had taken so far in the ice and, more importantly, where we had entered the ice. While the drift ice had resembled a sparse soup, here it was a dense, sometimes impenetrable slurry.

On board a specially modified Seelord sailboat

We decided to try and retrace our steps . The sea between the ice floes had completely calmed down and there were no waves. The wind was also very weak, but it had changed from southerly to northerly, which could have completely reformed the field of ice. We turned the boat around and motored for a while between the floes back along our route.

It was very difficult to manoeuvre in the ice . When heading back the SEALORD could only go to one side, and turning in such a small space between the ice floes was extremely difficult. I had a feeling of hopelessness at the mast because there was ice as far as the eye could see . Whenever we went where we wanted to go, there was dense ice everywhere.

Slowly we sailed back and the fog lifted a little. At starboard, I saw a patch of open water about 2.5 miles away , and it seemed that maybe the ice barrier was finally over. I called it down to the crew and told Vilém to head that way.

Mira climbed the rear mast and looked out at where the ice ended. The path to the open sea was not long, but it was completely impenetrable . There was no open channel through the ice. Only occasionally could we see water between the floes.

Exhausting struggle with the boat as an icebreaker

I called out to Vilém that we would have to use the floe as a battering ram to open up the way. But then I climbed down the mast and stood alone at the helm. I know this ship better than anyone and doing complex manoeuvres is no problem. I told Láďa to focus on a course to the open water.

Suddenly the fog closed in and we needed to know what direction to stick to. I was still considering whether to launch the liferaft and use it to help push the floes. But after consulting with Vilém, I dismissed the idea. We had to completely change our approach .

Until now we had been trying to find open water and move through it. But there was no open water . So it was necessary to create it ourselves. I told the crew to take their hooks in their hands and push away the ice floes. No one protested and the crew hooked up.

Even as I issued this command, I realized how ridiculous it was and I had to laugh . With a short hook, we couldn’t even reach the water, and the idea of pushing away tonnes of ice was ridiculous. But at least it was a command. It is important that the captain has a clear strategy when leading toward a goal :-) .

From the mast, Mira gave me directions on how to stay where the drift ice was not so high and dense. Tomáš and Kos watched the bow and Láďa and Vilém the stern. Everyone was trying to take photos and Roman shot some video. Láďa remained careful to remain on course because the fog was getting dense again and the end of the barrier was in sight.

I manoeuvered the boat so that the bow slowly drove into the ice floes ahead. As soon as the bow dug into the floe, I gradually added throttle and the bow slightly slid, lifting a little onto the floe which slowly moved. With the rudder, I managed to partially correct rotation and the movement of the floe so that we inched the floe ahead of as like a battering ram .

The smaller floes we pushed away and the larger ones we pushed against. This way we managed to open up short channels in the ice , which we travelled through using complicated manoeuvring. The wind picked up a little and when manoeuvring slowly pushed us sideways against the ice floes. Again, the only way to manoeuvre was to push the bow against the floe and accelerate forward, turning the stern into position.

We inched slowly forward. The entire crew worked perfectly as a team . Although it was far from clear that we would get through this adventure unscathed, no one thought about it and just did their job. And all our guardian angels also did a great job.

We were about 2.5 miles from the sea when we saw the end of the ice barrier . Slowly, extremely slowly it began to diminish. Covering this distance took us almost 3 hours . We had to burn a lot of fuel doing it and push hundreds and hundreds of tonnes of ice .

Can we break free from the icy embrace?

The SEALORD proved itself beyond worthy, and its steel hull was something we could rely on. On the mast, Mira clearly determined our course, his calm voice helping to keep the entire crew calm, and we slowly worked our way towards the end of the ice barrier that looked extremely compacted.

We would never have willingly headed into that. Finally, we were pushing off the last big floe and the channels released us out into the open sea. The crew’s faces showed genuine relief . We had wanted to experience what it looked like in the drift ice, but this was not what any of us had imagined.

I asked Vilém how they had dealt with any similar situation in Antarctica, and he said that in his five Antarctic voyages, not once had he got into drift ice like that. But he did confirm that there was no other way we could have proceeded. In places, the sea coverage had been 70 to 90%, and according to the Arctic Pilot that is impenetrable ice .

After escaping the icy embrace, we retreated several miles from the edge of the ice and headed for Iceland. The fog lifted and we watched the glow of the ice on the horizon. In good visibility, this drift ice reflects the light and glows like an illuminated city in the distance.

It was a beautiful sight to see the receding ice barrier releasing us from its grip.

Author: Zindulka Jiří

Expedition specifics

Boat:

SEALORD steel two-mast sailboat built for the demanding conditions of the Nordic seas. It’s a ketch that is 18 m long, 4 m wide and with a 2 m draught. It weighs 27 tonnes and it is powered by 110 m 2 of sails and a 130 HP Mercedes engine. Overall, it is for 8 + 2 people.
Mainsail, aft mizzen sail, 2 forward furling genoas, 1 reefing genoa, 110 m² gennaker, 2 jibs, storm jib.

Route (this section of voyage):

Iceland Akureyri, Hrisey Island, Grimsey Island, Jan Mayen Island far beyond the Arctic Circle, there is only one polar station with 18 members, ice sheet near Greenland, Iceland Westfjords Isafjordur

Length of voyage:

Sailing dates:

30/05 to 20/06/2010

Our range of boats in warmer destinations:

Contact us to find the best boat for your trip

Denisa Kliner Nguyenová

Faq: scoresby sund.

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LATEST NEWS

Runner tracks newsletter september 2024.

by Deb Whitehorse | Sep 5, 2024

Runner Tracks

The online magazine of the international dn ice yacht racing association, current issue: september 2024.

Whether you are an experienced ice boater or a newcomer, Runner Tracks newsletter is the ultimate resource for everything related to ice boating. Check out the complete online library here.

RUNNER TRACKS IS AVAILABLE IN THREE DIFFERENT FORMATS: Flipbook Magazine Download pdf file (best for tablets) Download single page pdf (best for phones)

IN THIS ISSUE

Remembering Stan Macur P111
Let’s Try Random Starts by Robert Cummins

Interview with PJ Dwarshuis and Mischa Heemskerk: Exploring the DNA ‘DN’ Rig Design

by Deb Whitehorse | Sep 4, 2024

Link to video.

Discover how the innovative new A-Class catamaran mast design was heavily influenced by the DN iceboat rig. (With a shout-out to Robert Gracyk P31.) For more insights, don’t miss the Runner Tracks article detailing the history and evolution of the DN mast. Link here.

by Deb Whitehorse | Sep 1, 2024

Photo left from Dutch A Division Catamaran Facebook page. Photo right from 2021 DN Nationals by Gretchen Dorian. Chris Berger US5166

As we approach the upcoming ice sailing season, there’s plenty to share about what’s been happening in the DN class over the summer. From cutting-edge developments in other sailing classes inspired by DN rigging to exciting news from the America’s Cup and the growth of our youth programs, this summer has been anything but quiet.

DN Influence on A Class Catamaran Masts The A Class catamaran community is embracing innovation inspired by iceboating, as seen in the recent Dutch Nationals. Photos from the event, shared on the Dutch A Division Catamaran Association Facebook page, highlight the “DN-mast” fitted on the DNA F1X catamarans of Mischa Heemskerk and Pieterjan Dwarshuis. Pieterjan commented on this groundbreaking rig:

“Without any doubt the future for the foiling A’s. More automatic, easier to handle, more stable to foil, and faster—just like the DN rig. The tuning process is still a challenge, but this innovation will make foilers easier, safer, and more fun.”

This DN-inspired mast design, which ditches traditional diamonds and spreaders for lowers, is being hailed as the future of foiling A Cats. As the tuning evolves, we may soon see these rigs making waves in the A Class World Championships which take place September 7 – 14 in Punta Ala, Italy.

DN Class Ties to the America’s Cup The America’s Cup is in full swing, and we have a special connection to the action this year. Maxime Bachelin , helming for the Swiss team Alinghi Red Bull Racing, has deep roots in the DN class. His father, Pierre Bachelin Z25, has been an active DN sailor for many years, competing in North America multiple times. Meanwhile, in the Youth America’s Cup , Fontana, WI sailors Harry Melges IV, Kyle Navin, and Finn Rowe— who all have DN seat time and sail Nites —also represent the USA. Ice sailing has helped shape these sailors into the top competitors they are today.

Junior Sailing: Building the Future of Ice Sailing Our North American Junior Sailing Director, Sam Bartel US1011, has been busy fostering the next generation of DN sailors this summer in Minnesota. Sam shared some great photos of junior sailors hard at work making their runner planks and learning valuable skills that will serve them well in the future.

Eight Bells: Remembering Mike Madge, DN Sailor, and Ice Sailing Advocate

by Deb Whitehorse | Aug 3, 2024

His enthusiasm helped introduce many to ice sailing in Thunder Bay. Beyond his local efforts, Mike was also known for his excellent YouTube interviews, where he engaged with the rock stars of DN sailing. He asked insightful questions, providing a platform for these sailors to share their experiences and knowledge, which enriched the ice sailing community worldwide.

Mike’s contributions to the DN class and spirit will be greatly missed. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Mike’s family during this difficult time. Rest in peace, Mike Madge.

YouTube Videos Oskar Svensson – the 18 year old future of Ice Yachting Ron Sherry – Back up to Full Speed in the DN Ice Yacht 3x DN World Champion Matt Struble: Get your DN Ice Yacht up to race pace

Remembering Stan Macur

by Deb Whitehorse | Jul 22, 2024

Stan walking out to start a World Championship Gold Fleet race.

It is with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of Polish ice sailing legend Stan Macur. Stan played a crucial role in the international ice sailing community, shaping the sport for future generations of sailors.

For 20 years, Stan served as the IDNIYRA European Junior Sailing Director. His contributions to the sport went beyond his administrative roles. As a competitor, Stan was formidable, placing third in the World Championships three times, securing second place in the North Americans, and winning the European Championship in 1993.

Stan’s tools of the trade, his loud hailer and horn.

His generosity also marks Stan’s legacy. Pete Johns shared his story about meeting Stan for the first time at a regatta on Hamilton Bay in Canada, before the Iron Curtain fell. Stan, touring with Russian minders, struck up a friendship with Pete and promised to build a boat for him so that Pete could compete in Europe at the next World Championship. Pete never heard from Stan during the year and didn’t know he’d have a DN waiting for him at the Worlds. Despite the communication challenges of the time, Stan kept his word. When Pete arrived in Europe, he found that Stan had built and set up a boat for him, helping him place well in the regatta. This gesture marked the beginning of a lifelong friendship between the two sailors.

Stan served as the Principal Race Officer (PRO) for many DN World Championships in Europe, where his signature battered horn would signal the start of each race.

The ice sailing community has lost a giant in Stan Macur. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of ice sailors. The IDNIYRA extends our sympathies to Stan’s family and the Polish DN Association. The worldwide ice-sailing community will miss him.

Stan’s Obituary: To our deepest sadness, Stan Macur P-111, a Polish iceboater and a multimedalist of ice-sailing regatta on both national and international level, passed away on July 19th 2024. Stan started his sailing adventure in his teenage years. When he discovered ice-sailing, it became his life passion. Already as a junior, he won senior Polish DN Championships in 1972. Then he achieved many more successes in ice-sailing, among which there were three bronze medals in DN World Championships and a golden medal in DN European Championships in 1993. For most of his sailing career he represented the AZS Olsztyn sailing club. After finishing his career as a competitor, he devoted himself to work for the ice-sailing community, which included being a board member of IDNYIRA-Europe and leading the Professional Race Committee that conducts the main ice-sailing events: DN World and European Championships. Stan also tried to spread his passion for ice-sailing to young people. For many years he was the IDNYIRA-Europe Junior Programme Manager and also worked as a trainer. His professional life was also connected to sailing, as he constructed boats and other sailing equipment. Even though ice-sailing was his life passion, he was first of all devoted to his family and friends. He valued time spent together and his closest ones -wife Joanna and daughters Kasia, Julia and Sylwia; could always count on him. Stan, thank you for all your contributions. We will miss you a lot. The funeral will be held on July 27th 2024 in Olsztyn, starting at 12 pm in St. Francis Church (Olsztyn/Kortowo), and then at the Communal Cementery Poprzeczna in Olsztyn.

2025 International Rank List Published

by Deb Whitehorse | Jul 10, 2024

2024 World Championship Opening Ceremony on the Baltic Sea in Parnu, Estonia.

The daylight hours are slowly getting shorter which means the ice sailing season will soon be upon us. The 2025 IDNIYRA Rank List has been published. See it here. You can also see it on the DN World Portal here . The rank list is used to seed regatta fleets at continental events. Thanks to Ann Foeller for her assistance.

2025 CONTINENTAL RANKING REGATTA SCHEDULE

2025 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP & NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP Date: February 2 – 8, 2025 Host: Central Region
2025 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP Date: February 22 – March 1 Host: DN Finland

From the IDNIYRA Regatta Management Agreement (RMA) 14. DN Split Fleet Ranking

The Continental Secretaries shall maintain a fleet ranking. This ranking shall be updated yearly and shall be published by October 15 using regatta results from the previous two GCs (Gold Cup), NACs (North American Championships), and ECs (European Championships). This ranking shall be the lessor of the following:

• Best finish in the Gold fleet in the previous two World Championships, North American Championships, and European Championships. • 22 plus your best finish in the Silver fleet in the previous two WCs, NACs, and ECs. • 40 plus your best finish in the Bronze fleet in the previous two WCs, NACs, and ECs. • 58 plus your best finish in the Aluminum fleet in the previous two WCs, NACs, and ECs. In the event of equal ranking for more than one sailor, the ranking which is based on the most recent race result will be considered higher.

CURRENT CONTINENTAL RANKING REGATTAS 2023 World Championship 2023 North American Championship 2023 European Championship 2024 World Championship 2024 European Championship 2024 North American Championship

All corrections must be submitted to the respective Continental Secretary by November 15. The list will be final on December 1.

Questions about your rank? Please email [email protected]

Election Results & Toledo Ice Yacht Club Members Win Mills

by Deb Whitehorse | Jun 11, 2024

Toledo Ice Yacht Club members pressed the fun and speed pedal, winning the 100th Mills Trophy Race, winning 1st in class and 1st overall.

Thank you to all who participated in voting and helped shape the leadership of our class. Your officers are committed to serving the DN community and ensuring a successful season ahead. Link to results Election Results for 2024 IDNIYRA Spring Ballot

Commodore David Frost US5358 ************************************** Option Votes Percentage Yes – I approve the candidate 80 100.00% No – I reject the candidate 0 0% Votes tallied: 80 Abstentions: 1

Vice Commodore Rob Holman US3705 ****************************************** Option Votes Percentage Yes – I approve the candidate 79 100.00% No – I reject the candidate 0 0%Votes tallied: 79 Abstentions: 2

Secretary Deb Whitehorse US2366 ***************************************** Option Votes Percentage Yes – I approve the candidate 79 97.53% No – I reject the candidate 2 2.47% Votes tallied: 81 Abstentions: 0

Treasurer Deb Whitehorse US2366 ***************************************** Option Votes Percentage Yes – I approve the candidate 79 97.53% No – I reject the candidate 2 2.47% Votes tallied: 81 Abstentions: 0

Past Commodore Robert Cummins US3433 ********************************************** Candidate Votes Percentage Yes, I approve the candidate 76 96.20% No, I reject the candidate 0 0% Warren Nethercote 1 1.27% John Harper 2 2.53% Votes tallied: 79 Abstentions: 2

The Ice Men Winneth Toledo Ice Yacht Club Sailors Win Historic Mills Trophy Race

DN Class Updates: Specifications Rewrite, Elections, and 2025 Regatta Planning

by Deb Whitehorse | May 30, 2024

Specifications Rewrite In the fall of 2023, our class voted and approved a comprehensive rewrite of the Specifications, specifically focusing on sections A (Fuselage) and B (Runner Plank). The proposal from the Technical Committee is effective on May 31, 2024.

The main goals of the rewrite were to: 1. Incorporate the Interpretations into Official Specifications. 2. Rewrite for more user-friendly wording. 3. Enrich each section with a measurement guide and measurement drawings. 4. Consolidate fragmented sections. 5. Eliminate loopholes and grey areas by providing more precise definitions. 6. Maintain the existing specifications. (See Runner Tracks September 2022 for more information.)

The online yearbooks on idniyra.org and dniceboat.org have been updated to reflect these changes. Additionally, the specifications pages on the DN world portal (dniceboat.org) have been updated. The new drawings look fantastic online and serve as a valuable resource for our members. Links: 2024 IDNIYRA Yearbook Second Edition DN World Portal Specifications A. Fuselage: DN World Portal: Specifications B. Runner Plank

North American Officer Election Please remember to participate in the North American Officer election. The election closes on June 9, so be sure to cast your vote before the deadline. More information here.

2025 Regatta Planning We are already looking ahead to the regattas in 2025. The North American Central Region, under the leadership of Rear Commodore Peter Johanson US5633, will be hosting the IDNIYRA World Championship from February 2 to 8. Additionally, the IDNIYRA European Championship is scheduled for February 22 to March 1 and will be hosted by DN Finland.

New European Commodore Congratulations to John Winquist L601 on his recent election as the new IDNIYRA European Commodore at the European Secretaries Meeting. We look forward to his leadership and contributions to the DN community. Many thanks to outgoing Commodore Mihkel Kosk C45 for his service to the class.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement with our class. Let’s look forward to an exciting season ahead!

Notice of Electronic Ballot

by Deb Whitehorse | May 19, 2024

Runner Tracks Newsletter May 2024

by Deb Whitehorse | May 7, 2024

Get ready for the latest edition of Runner Tracks, which marks the end of another season. Featuring an incredible cover shot captured by Swiss photographer Gilles Morelle during the 2024 Worlds in Parnu, Estonia. Whether you are an experienced ice boater or a newcomer, Runner Tracks is the ultimate resource for everything related to ice boating. Check out the complete online library here.

RUNNER TRACKS IS AVAILABLE IN THREE DIFFERENT FORMATS: Flipbook Magazine Download pdf fil e (best for tablets) Download single page pdf (best for phones)

Thoughts on Measurement & Building Tolerances by Warren Nethercote
2024 North American Championship Recap by Mike Bloom and Karen Binder
Adventures in Iceboating – 2024 North Americans by Ron Sherry
Regatta Results

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“Canadians Best Ever at DN NAs” – Sailing in Canada

by Deb Whitehorse | Mar 22, 2024

John Curtis KC5514 and Jacek Marzenski KC5247 at the 2024 DN World Championship, Parnu, Estonia.

Great write up about the North Americans from John Curtis and André Baby.

By John Curtis Earlier this month, Canadian DN Sailors journeyed to Wisconsin and made a very strong showing at the DN North Americans finishing four boats in the top ten. Over the past 4-5 years a keen group of sailors from Montreal and Kingston have been quietly honing their skills at the oldest form of competitive sailing – Iceboat racing. Continue reading.

THE DN ICE YACHT

The DN is most popular iceboat in the world. Whether you are a racer or cruiser, your $25 membership in the IDNIYRA helps to promote the art and skill of DN ice yacht construction and the sport of ice yachting on all the hard waters of the world.

2025 REGATTA DATES

World & North American Championship Feb 2 – 8
European Championship Feb 22 – March 1 idniyra.eu
See full list of regatta dates here.

View Yearbook USE YOUR CREDIT CARD OR PAYPAL ORDER A YEARBOOK: $20 Click here to order a yearbook.

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Sailing Technique Videos
DN Technical Videos
DN Tech Talk from Tomek Zakrzewski DN ice yacht technical tips and tricks explained. Comprehensive source of information about DN ice yacht.

HOW ICEBOAT RACING WORKS

Iceboat.org.

September 24, 2025: Nite in MN September 24, 2024

Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

NW Regatta February 25, 2024

Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

Meetings and Swap Meet Coming Up September 24, 2024

New England Ice Yacht Association

Runner Tracks Newsletter September 2024 – DN North America September 12, 2024

Commonly Asked Questions

What is an iceboat.

What Is An Ice Boat? An ice boat is a hull attached to a perpendicular cross piece called a runner plank. Three skates, or runners, are attached to the boat, one on each end of the plank and at the fore end of the hull. Ice boats are strictly wind powered and need relatively snow-free ice to sail.

How Do I Get Involved? JOIN THE FOUR LAKES ICE YACHT CLUB We recommend that the novice purchase an inexpensive DN class ice boat (watch the Buy and Sell Page of this website) a relatively easy boat to transport and sail. Race with the club for a season or two until you feel comfortable with ice boating. We maintain that club racing is much safer than solo cruising.

After a year or two sailing DNs, evaluate your options. You may want to stay in the DNs, or move to another fleet. By this time, club members can help you make a decision whether to build or buy your next boat. See “An Explanation of the Classes” below for more information about the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club’s various fleets.

Eastern American, Canadian, and European ice boat clubs tend to have a few different classes than what we sail here in Madison, Wisconsin. Explore what your area has to offer by seeking out a local ice yacht club. Email [email protected] to find iceboaters in your area who will help you to try the sport.

ICEBOAT PLANS

Are you looking for iceboat plans? Here are some links to plans that you can download and/or order for the one-design classes of the DN, Renegade, and Ice Optimist. C Skeeter sailor Pat Heppert has made his plans available for his C class Skeeter build online. You won’t find any A class Skeeters plans because literally no 2 boats are the same. A class Skeeters are an unlimited class and every single boat in the fleet is slightly different.

Get Started Ice Sailing-Connect with Us

Stern Steerer

Ice optimist, every iceboater should have at least one copy of “think ice”.

This book by Lloyd Roberts and Warner St. Clair is THE definitive book on DN building, tuning, racing and sailing. Mainly about DN iceboats but relevant to all iceboaters because it covers safety, clothing, how to load the car- it’s all in here! Updated with instructive commentary by many top-flight iceboat sailors.

How Iceboat Racing Works

On buying a used ice boat.

By Geoff Sobering DN US 5156 Probably the most important thing to know about any boat is: “When was the last time it was sailed?” Followed by, “How was it stored?”

A boat that’s been actively sailed recently is more likely to have all the parts and be “ready to go”. The longer it’s been in storage the more chance there is for various mode of degradation to kick in (everything from dry-rot, rust on runners, and simply misplacing parts).

It’s hard and impossible to make any serious evaluation from a couple of photos but they are useful for pre-screening.

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. In other words, none of the obvious “red flags” that would indicate it’s not even worth looking at.

What to look for is tough. Generally pretty obvious stuff: check the rigging and fittings to make sure there aren’t any broken strands in the wires and the fittings on the hull, mast, boom, and plank look good.

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.).

Look at the edges on the runners for sharpness and lack of rust or nicks. Stuff like that.

Common Questions About Ice Boating

How Fast Do These Things Really Go? Ice boats, depending on design and class, will reach speeds up to five times the speed of the wind. How? 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. The ultra-modern class A Skeeters (the “Formula One” class of ice boating) reach speeds well over 100 mph.

Is Ice Boating Safe? Any vehicle that can achieve such high speeds certainly has the potential to be dangerous. However, learning to properly sail an ice boat, sailing by the established right-of-way rules, always using common sense, properly maintaining the equipment, and staying off the lake during unsafe conditions go a long way towards making ice boating a safe sport. For more on ice boating safety, read the Ice Boat Safety Page.

Ice Boats Don’t Have Brakes-How Do They Stop? Ice boats while under sail do not have brakes. In order to stop an ice boat, a skipper steers it directly in to the wind. While sailing, it is often possible to slow a boat down by easing the sheet rope (the rope that controls the sail shape). Ice boats do have a parking brake attached to the front runner and it is employed after the boat is completely stopped. The parking brake allows the skipper to walk away from his boat when not sailing.

How Much Does An Ice Boat Cost? Ice boats can range in cost from a few hundred dollars for an old un-classified ice contraption or perhaps an old uncompetitive DN class boat, to $60,000 for a modern, championship winning class A Skeeter. Between the $200 beater and the $60,000 championship contender are many fast competitive boats in various classes that can be had from around $2500 to $7500. You will find the most comprehensive list of boats and part for sale on the Buy & Sell page of this website.

Even though it is rumored that ice boating is mainly 75% building them, 10% talking about them, 10% waiting around on the ice for the right conditions, and 5% actual sailing time, do you get to sail enough to make the sport worthwhile? Many ice boaters feel the thrill of ice boating makes even one single ride per year well worth the effort. On Madison lakes, a person can sail probably four to six weekends per year. More in a “good” year, and of course, less in a “bad” year. When conditions are good, taking a day or two off from work during the week can increase your amount of fun sailing time. A willingness to travel a bit to find good ice will increase your sailing times to perhaps as many as ten to twelve weekends per season.

How Can I Get Started In Ice Boating? The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club holds meetings every other Wednesday night from November through late March and everyone is welcome to attend. If you show up on the ice perhaps you may be able to arrange a ride in one of the two-seater classes, such as the Nite class. However, I must warn you that finagling a solo ride in someone’s ice boat is a tough sell. Generally after a ride or two, you will be directed towards a used boat for sale. If you interest is still high, that’s the time to start looking for your own boat. You will be glad that you did.

Apparent Wind: Giving iceboats, land yachts, and America’s Cup yachts the speed edge.

Artemis Racing Team Manager and tactician Iain Percy explains the concept of apparent wind, and how it allows America’s Cup Class yachts to travel at 3 times the wind speed. In basic terms, speed = more speed. Watch and learn!

An Explanation of Apparent Wind: How an Ice Boat is Able to Sail Several Times the Speed of Wind

Peter Barrett was born in Madison, attended the UW, and graduated with degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Law. He competed in the Olympics three times, wining a Silver medal in the Finns and a Gold in the Flying Dutchman. Professionally, he worked for North Sails and later taught financing and accounting at UW-Whitewater.

If the Ice is Good, the Sails Go Up

Zooming across frozen lakes at up to 70 miles per hour, ice boat sailors of maine keep their sheets full year-round..

Wolfie Wessel fell through the ice once.

It was about four winters ago on Pushaw Lake, north of Bangor. When he pulled himself out beside his boat, he jumped up and down on what he’d thought was solid ice on the shallow lake. “There were holes like Swiss cheese everywhere.”

Wessel, who lives in Friendship, is recounting the story on a blue-sky February Saturday while standing on the ice of a different lake, near Nobleboro in Lincoln County. More than two dozen boats are lined up on a narrow portion of Damariscotta Lake. Each is equipped with three steel runners, one at the bow and two attached to a plank below the hull—their blades sharpened to a V-point to cut into the ice. Here and there, someone steps into the one-or two-seat crafts and starts sailing, with each boat making the chatter of an oversized ice skate on the mostly frozen lake.

The lake ice is solid where the boats are gathered, but the shoreline is melting. Beside the causeway where most of the cars are parked—with license plates mostly from Maine, Quebec, and Massachusetts—the span of open water has been opening up in the sunshine since photographer Peter Frank Edwards and I arrived. Someone has placed a couple of boards across the slush to help participants and onlookers avoid splashing or stepping in.

Wind, frozen water, and boats—it can be dicey, this icy winter sport. But Wessel is one of a hardy cadre of ice-boating devotees in Maine and New England and throughout the upper Northwest, Canada, and other places around the world. “You got a boat?” he asks a newcomer. “If you want to try, I’ve got the slowest boat in the fleet.”

The Dammy and the DN

At nearly 14 miles long and depths up to 110 feet, Damariscotta Lake, or the “Dammy,” as we hear it called by several people we meet, is the largest body of fresh water in coastal Lincoln County. Yet on this tree-edged section in winter, it feels compact, with ice boats and people all around. Onlookers are a snow-boot-wearing crowd, a few with dogs on leashes, with a couple of ice-skaters who have skated from across the lake.

It’s a colorful spectacle on the white expanse, and the boats themselves are interesting to see, whether in motion or “parked.” Walking among them is akin to checking out a classic-car cruise-in, where owners are often nearby if you have questions. Each boat looks something like a go-kart crossed with a sailboat, and participants say the clear ice and 10 to 15 mph winds with exciting gusts are making it a good day for sailing. Each is rigged with a mast and at least one sail and seating for one or two persons. It’s my first time seeing the boats up close, and from the men and women we meet, I learn that nearly all of the vessels were built by hand in backyard shops or garages using designs—often modified and personalized—that are shared among the participants.

As I look at the aerodynamic lines and single sail of a deep orange boat, its owner, Dave Fortier, who is an officer of the midcoast-area Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club , explains that it’s a DN, the most common design seen in ice-boating races worldwide; others on the ice that day are Skeeters, Cheapskates, Gambits, Skimmers, Whizzes, and various homemade, one-of-a-kind models. The popular DN model originated in the 1930s, when the era’s ice boats were much larger and heavier—stern-steering yachts that provided a leisure pursuit among the wealthy of the Great Lakes and on New York’s Hudson River. The Detroit New s in Michigan held a contest to find an inexpensive boat that could be built at home and transported on a car rooftop. The winning design was 12 feet long and about 100 pounds, dubbed “DN” after the newspaper’s name. Plans were published, and ever since, Fortier says, the low-cost design and others like it have allowed a much wider range of people to build their own boats and enjoy the sport.

Meanwhile in Searsmont and Camden

The building and repairing of boats happen mostly in other seasons, the boaters say. Some of the longtime members have a barn or workshop expressly for their wintertime boats and for the trailers they need to transport them to the various ponds and lakes where they sail.

That’s how we come to meet Fred Wardwell. He brings more than 90 years of ice boat memories to bear when he points at an old photo from a race day or at a boat hull in the rafters of the barn attached to his early-1800s house in Searsmont. He lives here with his wife, Ann Wardwell. She’s the daughter of novelist and short-story writer Ben Ames Williams, who set many of his stories in Maine. The farmhouse, filled with paintings of clipper ships and Maine landscapes, has been her family’s summer home for generations. Over the years, Wardwell has built several ice boats of cedar and spruce in this barn. “I made mine hollow to be lighter—most are solid,” he says. He’s also made various trailers, including a space rocket–shaped tube for transporting a DN.

Born in 1922 in Upstate New York, Fred Wardwell is a retired president of a paper-making company who had piloted twin-engine bombers in World War II. He’s been familiar with ice boats since he was a boy and recalls his mother’s stories of her own ice boat excursions when she was a young woman. Since moving to Maine in the 1980s, Wardwell says, he’s never sailed on the “soft water” of warmer months, only on ice. For about 20 years until recently he’d take to the frozen ponds and lakes around the midcoast regularly every winter.

Wardwell, meanwhile, is slowing down some, and last sailed one of his ice boats two years ago. But if the weather and ice are good, he says, he may get out there again one day this winter. If he does, he’ll be 97 when he takes to the ice and wind.

“We are blessed here with more good ice than most places,” he says. He’s especially enjoyed days on Chickawaukie Lake near Rockland, where members of the Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club would meet on the shore of the home of Lloyd Roberts, a local physician and fellow enthusiast who devised the Cheapskate and Gambit boat designs and has shared the plans online. Members would race all afternoon and then return for a bonfire and baked beans, Wardwell recalls. The group continues to hold potluck gatherings, and Roberts, who joined the club in the 1970s, is president emeritus and club secretary.

Several of the boaters on the ice at Damariscotta Lake mentioned spending just a few hundred dollars for their boats. Costs can be kept especially low by following the Cheapskate plans, and by using found items for some of the construction, including bedrails from a junkyard. “Ice boats have always been economical,” Wardwell says, so he doesn’t understand why ice boating isn’t more popular. “Why people want to go out on a snow machine or a four-wheeler, I just don’t know. When the ice is glassy with a quarter-inch of water on top, the ice boating is absolutely wonderful.”

Optimal conditions are when the ice is smooth and clear of snow—maybe even a little rain or melt on top—and, of course, there’s wind. Bill Buchholz, president of the Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club, writes up notes about conditions to share with members online. On a recent outing up near Jackman, he found a pond’s ice was just right: “Tight to the shore. No hazards, no open water. Solid as a rock.”

The sport can also be challenging. Wardwell says he’s been thrown from the boat a number of times, and he’s tipped the boat over on its side. Safety margins shrink as you speed up, he cautions. “The next thing you worry about is sliding 30 or 40 miles an hour. The last time it happened I was holding the sheet, and it broke the boat.”

He says he’s not a fan of high-speed rides, but some of the boaters reach speeds of 70 mph or higher, and for a dramatic effect they can heel the boat, leaning onto the runners of one side—sort of a wheelie on ice. That group of sailors includes Buchholz, “who’s probably the most skillful on the ice,” says Wardwell. “He can sail along the entire length of Chickawaukie.”

Buchholz builds and repairs boats (for water as well as ice) at his shop on a wooded road in Camden. He writes many of the scouting reports and blog posts on the club’s website—often full of wintry Maine anecdotes and humor. In a recent post about how Buchholz and other members eventually found sail-worthy ice for the first regatta of the season, he wrote: “The rule of thumb when using an ax to check the ice is that if the blunt end goes through, you will, too. Well, the blunt end went through, so I simply swung it more carefully.”

A softwater transition

Back on Damariscotta Lake, I watch a curious onlooker take up Wessel’s offer to try out his boat. The man in a red wool coat explains that he sails often in summertime, but never before on a frozen lake. Wessel shows him the basic rigging and lends his helmet, too. Moments after the man sits down, leans back, and pulls the sail taut, the low-profile boat is rocketing across the ice. I watch the boat glide around several others and pass an ice fisherman sitting on a stool. The boats look like butterflies out there, flying across the ice with triangular-shaped wings, and soon I can no longer make out a particular sail among the others in the distance. Ten minutes or so later, the first-timer returns, pointing the bow into the wind to slide to where we’re waiting.

Hopping up from the boat with reddened cheeks and broad smile, he talks excitedly of the experience. “It’s fast! I finally came about into the wind, and I definitely had to use sailing know-how to come to a stop.” I wonder if the longtime softwater boater will want to try sailing again on the solid ice, and soon I have an answer. While walking off toward that widening open water at the lake’s edge, I hear the newbie asking some of the ice-boating veterans, “Know anyone with an ice boat for sale?”

Watch the Ice The Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club, a volunteer organization of ice-boating enthusiasts founded in the 1960s, scouts locations and posts reports about ice conditions, boats for sale, social gatherings, boat swaps, and races at iceboat.me. A $20 annual membership fee adds you to the mailing list.

Want to see the action? Where the ice boaters will sail next depends on a close watch of frozen lakes and ponds: smooth and clear of snow is what they seek. In recent years, locations have included: Chickawaukie Pond, Knox County Damariscotta Lake, Lincoln County Megunticook Lake, Knox County Messalonskee Lake, Kennebec County Moosehead Lake, Piscataquis County Plymouth Pond, Penobscot County Pushaw Lake, Penobscot County Sebago Lake, Cumberland County Sebec Lake, Piscataquis County.

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November 21, 2019
By Mariners Insurance

What to Know About Ice Boating and Sailing

When ordinary boating and sailing aren’t exciting enough, some people take to the frigid waters for a little extra challenge. Thrill-seekers are quite attracted to iceboating! This sport is becoming more popular with the new generation of sailors, even for those who can pursue the activity only one or two weekends a year. The ice boat itself, looks like a cross between a soft-water vessel and a sleigh.

We may not see many ice floes in the waters of California, but if you’re planning on doing any winter destination boating, this could be something that you could participate in. However, with extra excitement often comes extra hazards. Let’s drive into some ins and outs.

The Form of the Boat

An ice boat has four basic parts. The main body of the vessel, as with any watercraft, is known as the hull. Modern-day boats often are made out of fiberglass or laminate material. No matter how it’s constructed, the hull must be able to support one or two crew members, usually in a small cockpit situated a foot or two above the ice. It must also be able to float in the event a boat finds itself in soft water.

The steering runner comes equipped with a parking brake to prevent the wind from carrying a boat away during loading or at the start of a race. The runners look and function like big skates, allowing the boat to glide with little friction over the surface of the ice.

The sail, made of canvas or synthetic fabrics, functions as the “engine” of an iceboat. Based on factors such as sail size and hull design, iceboats fall into different categories. The largest boats are stern steerers and the other is bow steerers.

The bottom line? A sailboat or other type of ordinary boat will not be suitable for iceboating. If you plan on participating in this activity, no matter how much boat insurance you have on your personal watercraft, it’s likely that you’ll need to rent or purchase a boat specifically designed for it.

Boating Techniques

Sailors must properly orient the craft to capture enough wind to generate thrust. Sails propel a boat in one of two ways. The first, sailing downwind, occurs when the sailor lets out the mainsail to trap the moving air, which pushes the vessel in the direction of the wind.

A sail can also propel a boat sailing upwind, where the boat often uses a zigzagging technique, and the mainsail acts like a vertical wing , generating lift as the air moves over the top of the sail and down its curved surface. Because the sail is oriented upward, the “lift” is directed horizontally, pulling the boat along the ice.

It’s crucial for an ice sailor to understand sail aerodynamics and how to use the wind effectively. To get the boat moving, a sailor stands next to the vessel, releases the brake, holds the tiller and pushes, first into the wind and then at an angle to the wind. When the boat begins to move briskly, they jump in.

Steering is accomplished via a lever that’s accessible in the cockpit. Without the natural resistance of soft water, it can be challenging to steer and requires a delicate hand to avoid spinning out of control.

Safety When Boating with Ice

Skimming at highway speeds over a sheet of ice is a risky activity. 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.

Never be the only one on the ice! If you fall into soft water, with no one around to help, you risk serious injury and even death. Iceboating requires high-quality ice. Before going out, make sure you understand the ice conditions where you intend to sail. Proper safety equipment and winter clothing are vital !

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Sailors seek thrills in freezing temperatures sailing iceboats across frozen lakes

Looking similar to a sailboat, these winter rides travel over the ice at high speeds. No motor, no keel, no inhibitions.

The art of ice boating is a tradition that has been around since the 1600s when old sailboats would be fitted with blades to help ship goods across the frozen canals of the Netherlands.

Now the sport is a largely recreational undertaking that draws a small, tight-knit group of enthusiasts onto frozen water bodies each year when winds are gusting and bare ice turns lakes into a venue for what seems like an unlikely endeavor — winter sailing.

There are multiple ice yacht clubs across Michigan, including the Detroit Ice Yacht Club, West Michigan Ice Yacht Club and Gull Lake Ice Yacht Club. The Gull Lake Club has an 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 26 event Iceboats on the Bay in Richland, near Battle Creek.

There is Facebook group called Iceboating in Michigan and Ohio for those interested in the sport, featuring posts ice conditions, upcoming events and places where people use boats.

Ice boating is said to have been introduced to North America in the late 18th century when a crude ice boat was taken onto the Hudson River in New York by Dutch settlers.

Among the more popular iceboats are the DN, the largest iceboat class. It''s name comes from a 1937 Detroit News-sponsored design contest to come up with a design for an affordable, home buildable iceboat to provide winter entertainment during the depression.

An ice boat works similarly to a sailboat minus the comfort and leisurely speeds on a lake during summer months. The boat's sharp runners prevent the thin-wooded crafts from sliding sideways, acting as a keel by reducing drift and keeping the boat going in the intended direction.

To get an iceboat going you simply put one foot on the rear plank and start pushing as if you are a dog-sled musher. With a gust of wind, you are off for a ride whose speed and duration depends largely on what Mother Nature has to offer on any given day.

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Intro to Ice Sailing

An ice boat has four basic parts—the hull, the runner plank, three skates (or runners), and a sail.

Ice boats can reach speeds of more than 140 miles per hour.
There are two methods of boating: sailing downwind or going upwind.
There are several upcoming ice boating competitions in the U.S. for 2023.

Imagine feeling the breeze rush against your face as you glide across the ice at invigorating speeds. Welcome to the world of ice sailing, also known as ice boating or ice yachting—a fast-paced, thrilling winter lake sport enjoyed worldwide. In the United States, many northern lake destinations—such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois—feature lively ice sailing clubs and exciting annual competitions. Perhaps you’ve wanted to visit one of these wintry havens and try the sport for yourself. If so, check out our intro to ice sailing before you go!

What is an Ice Boat?

A drawing of the different components of an ice boat

An ice boat has four basic parts—the hull, the runner plank, three skates (or runners), and a sail. The hull must support one or two crew members and have floating capabilities in case it slips into the water. Historically, ice boats have utilized a wooden hull, but today’s vessels incorporate fiberglass or laminate.

The runner plank rests at the stern of the boat and is made of wood, laminate, or metal. Generally spanning 6.5 feet long, the runner plank lies perpendicular to the boat’s main axis. Additionally, three skates—also called runners—attach to the principal runner plank. Two of these smaller runners connect to each end of the main runner and function like large ice skates. In addition, the steering runner joins the bow and features a parking brake, preventing the wind from moving the boat. The steering runner is especially useful in keeping the boat in place before the race begins.

Lastly, the sail—crafted with canvas or synthetic fabrics—powers the boat’s speed. The sail functions as the vessel’s “engine” and can span 35–1,000 square feet according to the boat’s size.

How to Ice Sail

If you live in a lake area with plenty of ice and snow, the ice sailing opportunities are endless. Plus, you don’t have to worry about air pollution when you engage in this pastime. Since ice sailing is wind-powered, it is an extremely green sport.

Ice boats can reach speeds of more than 140 miles per hour, therefore, it’s essential to take some necessary precautions. If you’re new to the sport, IceBoat.org recommends purchasing an inexpensive DN -class boat, which is fairly easy to navigate and transport. They also advise racing with an ice yacht club for a couple of seasons. Then, after you become acclimated to the sport, you can upgrade your vessel and start boating solo.

When it comes to navigating, an ice boater must skillfully direct the vessel, capturing enough wind to generate velocity and power. The sail propels the boat at different speeds using two methods: sailing downwind or boating upwind . When an ice boat sails downwind, it is pushed along by the breeze and cannot exceed the wind’s velocity. However, when sailing upwind, the ice boat uses a zigzagging technique, gaining traction from the force of its own motion to augment the velocity of the wind.

Ice Sailing Competitions

Throughout the year, various ice sailing clubs around the world hosts large tournaments. In the United States, you will mostly find these gatherings in Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, or Minnesota. Check out a few of the upcoming U.S. tournaments for 2023 here .

With our intro to ice sailing, now you know what to do and where to go. So what are you waiting for? Grab your ice boat and hop on the lake!

Where are the best places to ice sail in the U.S.?

In the United States, many northern lake destinations—such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois—feature lively ice sailing clubs and exciting annual competitions.

What are the main parts of an ice boat?

How big are the sails on ice boats.

The sail functions as the vessel’s “engine” and can span 35–1,000 square feet according to the boat’s size.

How fast can ice boats go?

Ice boats can reach speeds of over 140 miles per hour .

What are the sailing methods for ice boating?

The sail propels the boat at different speeds by using two methods: sailing downwind or boating upwind .

What is sailing downwind when ice boating?

When an ice boat sails downwind, it is pushed along by the breeze and cannot exceed the wind’s velocity.

What is sailing upwind when ice boating?

When sailing upwind, the ice boat uses a zigzagging technique, gaining traction from the force of its own motion to augment the velocity of the wind.

Sailboat frozen into the St. John River now sinking

The 13-m sailboat was left to freeze in the ice near browns flat.

Social Sharing

Rob Thom didn't think he'd be saying "I told ya so" so soon.

The Lower Greenwich resident was sure the sailboat frozen into the ice in front of his waterfront residence wouldn't survive the winter, but he figured it wouldn't sink for another couple of months, given the mild winter we've had.

But photos and drone footage confirm the boat was sinking on Tuesday morning and by the afternoon, its deck was below water level.

Thom said he's not surprised.

"Not a bit, no. The only thing I'm surprised about is that I thought it might happen a little bit later."

Sailboat sinks in St. John River

Thom has been keeping an eye on the boat since it showed up moored in front of his residence last September.

A few days ago, he took a picture that showed snow and ice was building up around the vessel's hull.

"It didn't look like it was sinking or anything. It just looked like snow and stuff was building up around it."

A double-masted sailboat frozen into the ice.

Later on, he zoomed in on the photo and noticed the bilge pump outflow — the system designed to come on automatically to pump out any water collecting in the hull of a boat — was frozen solid.

Thom's daughter first noticed that the boat didn't look quite right on Tuesday morning and on closer inspection, Thom realized it was sinking.

Drone footage posted to a community page later in the day confirmed the sailboat's deck was under water.

Local resident Cindy Richards has also been keeping an eye on the boat. She and many other residents voiced safety and environmental concerns about the boat's presence and its potential sinking.

A sailboat partially submerged in brownish water and surrounded by ice.

She worried about fuel leaking from the boat's diesel engine, its generator and the batteries necessary to operate the solar panels.

Watching from shore on Tuesday, Richards said, "It's very sad, and it didn't have to be this way.

In a previous interview with CBC, the boat's owner, Jordan Tatton , showed little concern for the sailboat's survival over the winter.

"I'm not concerned about that," Tatton, 39, said last month.

Man in sunglasses sits on a tub on the deck of a sailboat, smoking a cigarette.

He said it's a "well-built vessel" that could withstand the ice.

He also said the boat is equipped with two different systems to prevent ice from building up around it. But he was so blasé about the dangers that he hadn't turned either of them on — even though the boat was frozen into the ice at that time.

Frozen in ice: Residents worry mystery sailboat will sink in St. John River

He said he believed his hull — with its wooden frame and concrete and fibreglass construction — was strong enough to withstand the ice.

"Yeah, the ice is going to scratch my paint, but it's not going to put a hole in the bottom," he said.

Despite repeated attempts by phone and email, Tatton could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.

A sailboat surrounded by a frozen body of water with a group of snowmobilers standing nearby with their machines

Officials checked on boat

When asked last month, the Canadian Coast Guard and Transport Canada both said they were aware of Tatton and his boat.

In an emailed statement to CBC News, a spokesperson for the coast guard said they visited the boat in December, spoke with the owner and concluded there was "no risk of pollution or hazard to the marine environment at that time, and the case will be transferred over to Transport Canada."

A double-masted sailboat is frozen into the ice on a body of water. Sailboat frozen into the ice on the St. John River near Browns Flat on Jan. 9, 2024.

A spokesperson for Transport Canada said the sailboat "has been deemed to be neither dilapidated nor abandoned."

Both federal departments were asked on Tuesday afternoon for an update, given the boat's condition, and neither has provided an updated statement as of publication time.

The provincial Environment Department, which is responsible for the removal of ice shacks in the province, was asked about the sinking sailboat, but a spokesperson said the Canadian Coast Guard was the "lead agency" in the case.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mia Urquhart is a journalist with CBC New Brunswick, based in Saint John. She can be reached at [email protected].

Sailboat stranded in ice near Stillwater

Aspiring sailor leaves boat in the water a little too long.

3 minute read

In the Antarctic winter of 1915, the British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton sailed his ship Endurance into the Wendell Sea, where it was trapped by sea ice. Months later, Shackleton and his 28-man crew and dogs abandoned the sturdy ship and watched as it was crushed and sunk.

Thus began an epic journey of survival by sea and ice, in which the entire crew was ultimately rescued after heroic efforts. It was documented in the popular book Endurance , by Alfred Lansing, published in 1959.

A couple weeks ago, a man named Mark Olson of Chisago City moored his new sailboat a few yards off-shore on the St. Croix River near the Boom Site boat landing. It quickly became surrounded by ice and locked into the river, before Olson could remove it. He didn’t have to drag his supplies across miles of ice, or traverse the roughest waters in the world in what was essentially a lifeboat, but perseverance was required.

According to Mary Divine in the Pioneer Press, Olson bought the boat without a trailer, and without boating experience.

“The plan was that we were going to learn how to sail it a little bit and then get it off the river and store it someplace else,” Olson, 45, of Chisago City, told Divine. “But things escalated, and it never ended up happening, and now I have a boat that is out on the water frozen.”

This year’s early ice season couldn’t have helped.

In the article published yesterday , Olson said he was going to attempt to remove it again this morning, and pleaded for any help he could get. He said he had tracked down a trailer.

In a follow-up article , Divine reports that Olson surveyed the situation and attached lights to the boat yesterday morning, but determined it probably isn’t possible to get it out at this point.

The Washington County Sheriff was notified about the boat several times, including an offer of using their airboat.

“But it’s sitting in about 3 inches of ice right now. I don’t know if our airboat is going to break through that,” said Sgt. Kyle Schenck.

Water levels have also dropped since the boat was anchored, and its keel appeared to be resting on the bottom of the river.

Olson will be forced to pay for salvage if the boat sinks, plus fines.

Olson said to Myers: “I really get myself into situations sometimes, I know.” To that, Jeff Anderson, proprietor of Stillwater outdoors store 45 Degrees said , “Don’t we all!”

St. Croix 360 offers commenting to support productive discussion. We don’t allow name-calling, personal attacks, or misinformation. This discussion may be heavily moderated and we reserve the right to block nonconstructive comments. Please: Be kind, give others the benefit of the doubt, read the article closely, check your assumptions, and stay curious. Thank you! “Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding.” – Bill Bullard

2 responses to “Sailboat stranded in ice near Stillwater”

Every kid understands water freezing. This chap was obviously a kid at some point. HELLO…..

Bought a boat without a trailer, then left it in the river to learn about sailing? Did cold weather maybe give him a clue as what was about to happen during Mn. fall weather? He may want to think about a new hobby before we are dragging him and the boat out of the river.

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Yachting Monthly

Digital edition

Sailing in the Arctic: how to cruise to the far north

Katy Stickland
December 6, 2021

Once you’ve experienced the beauty and peace of sailing in the Arctic, you’ll want to return again and again. Andrew Wilkes explains how to make the dream a reality

Once you've caught the sailing in the Arctic bug, it can become addictive. Credit: Cody Duncan/Alamy Stock Photo

Sailing in the Arctic can easily become an addiction, writes Andrew Wilkes .

It can start with a night spent at anchor in a remote and beautiful Scottish loch – basking in a clear starlit night in sheltered waters .

You may have spent all day negotiating tidal gates , reefing and shaking out reefs , dodging rocks and using transits. You may even have spotted a sea eagle.

Things might not have gone entirely to plan but you and your sailing partner have solved the problems along the way.

You’re tired, in a very contented way, and you might have a glass of something in your hand.

Andrew Wilkes’ Annabel J sailing in Scoresby Sund, East Greenland. Credit: Andrew Wilkes

The conversation flows and the old subject returns: where shall we go next year?

There are several sensible answers to that question: the Spanish Rías or a cruise in the Mediterranean are good, safe, options.

But… if the romance of your tranquil anchorage has taken a firm grip, you could find yourself at the boat show buying a pilot book for the Faroe Islands.

Winter evenings might be spent at the kitchen table making a passage plan ‘just for fun’.

Then, since you’ve made the plan, you might as well make an attempt at the passage.

One thing leads to another and, in a few years’ time, you find yourself sailing through the icebergs in Disko Bay.

That’s when you know you’re hooked.

The Faroe Islands

Kalsoy Island, Faroe. The northern islands have huge ridges and long fjords. Credit: Ivan Kmit/Alamy Stock Photo

Also known as Føroyar (the islands of sheep), the Faroe Islands are a group of 18 islands with many holms and stacks.

They are about 200 miles north of the Butt of Lewis and boast some of the most spectacular scenery in northern Europe.

Most of the land lies at between 300m and 800m which rises as sheer cliffs from the sea.

The more dramatic cliffs are on the west and north coasts and there are tremendous ridges and fjords in the Norðoyar (northern islands).

The eastern coasts of the central and southern islands are gentler and are deeply indented by fjords.

Strong tides rip through the islands creating eddies and overfalls .

Iceland, a land of volcanoes and small fishing towns, it not for the faint hearted but offers rich rewards. Credit: Zoonar GmbH/Alamy Stock Photo

Iceland lies 250 miles northwest of the Faroe Islands. It is a land of volcanoes, icecaps and spectacular geysers.

The lunar landscape created by volcanic action is hard and unforgiving.

Visiting yachts berth alongside tyre-clad quays in small fishing towns.

There are not many people but there is a great sense of Viking history about the place.

Western Fjords, Iceland. One of the remotest regions of the country, jutting out in the Denmark Strait. Credit: Sunpix Travel/Alamy Stock Photo

Thor, Odin and the Sagas rub shoulders with Eirikur Rauði (Erik the Red). Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat or Grønland) is the world’s largest island but with a population of just 56,000, it is also one of the most sparsely populated places on Earth.

Everyone lives on the coast, mainly the west and southwest coasts. 80% of the land is permanently covered in ice.

Glaciers calve icebergs into the sea which are swept down the east coast, around Kap Farvel in the south, up the west coast and around Baffin Bay.

Kap Farvel is the ‘Cape Horn’ of the northern hemisphere – its storms and vicious weather deserve the greatest respect.

Much of the coast is protected by offshore islands, which creates a magnificent cruising ground.

In the summer, it remains light continuously.

Baffin Island

Baffin Island, Canada. Samford Fjord, in the northeast of the island, enjoys 24 hours of daylight in the summer. Credit: Albert Knapp/Alamy Stock Photo

Baffin Island is the second biggest island in the northern hemisphere. It is rarely visited by yachts.

Much of our pilotage information is based on the old whalers’ observations from the 1800s and early 1900s.

Distances between anchorages are great, tides strong and ice plentiful.

Nature is all powerful and polar bears abound.

The first time we sailed there, I naively thought that, because a place had the word ‘harbour’ in its name then it would offer some shelter, but this is not necessarily the case!

The Northwest Passage

Crew need to be confident to handle heavy weather when sailing in the Arctic. Credit: Maire Wilkes

For better or worse, this is on many sailors’ ‘tick list’.

It is defined as the sea route, north of North America, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

It is blocked by ice for most of the year but global warming is taking its toll.

It was first transited by Roald Amundsen in 1906. By December 2020, 314 transits had been completed. Over half of these were completed in the last decade.

However, despite what you may read in the papers, ice can still be abundant and a successful transit is by no means guaranteed.

The remoter areas have no facilities of any sort.

Visiting sailors need to be totally self sufficient in every respect with regards to fuel, food, water, spares and maintenance.

The reward you get from this independence is a massive sense of achievement, the privilege of being in some of the most beautiful places on Earth, an almost spiritual connection with nature and, occasionally, meeting the most genuine people.

Sailing in the Arctic: The boat and her equipment

The first challenge of a cruise in higher latitudes is to get there. The boat needs to be seaworthy and comfortable for the delivery voyage.

Good, and free, guidance for choosing and equipping offshore sailing boats can be found in World Sailing’s Offshore Special Regulations (OSR).

Metal hulls are best when sailing in the Arctic as they are generally stronger and cope better with ice. Credit: Danita Delimont/Alamy Stock Photo

They are designed for yachts competing in offshore races but the advice holds good for cruising yachts.

The OSR are split into different categories ranging from short warm weather races (Cat 4) to trans-oceanic races in the world’s most hostile conditions (Cat 0).

Voyages to higher latitudes will fall within the Cat 1 or Cat 0 categories.

Weather can change rapidly and become violent when sailing in the Arctic. Credit: Bob Shepton

When you have arrived at your cruising ground there will be new challenges.

Depending on the area, these might include: poor charting, cold and windy conditions, ice, poor shelter and little or no shore facilities.

A new, and also free, resource is available in the form of the Polar Yacht Guide (PYG) which can be downloaded from the RCCPF or World Sailing websites.

You need to be familiar with your engine, and have the ability to repair it by yourself. Credit: Aleksandrs Tihonovs/Alamy Stock Photo

As the name implies, the guide specialises in best practice for high latitude cruising.

It focuses on safety and the environment. It is very difficult to translate all this into a definitive specification for a high latitude cruising yacht.

There have been some amazing voyages in small, comparatively modest, boats by people like W.H. Tillman, Willy Kerr and Bob Shepton, but I would urge high latitude sailors to consider the following…

The right hull design and material: Greenland and the Canadian Arctic have extensive coastlines and archipelagos which are not frequented by shipping. There is little commercial incentive to survey and chart the waters with a high degree of accuracy. In these areas, running aground , possibly at speed, is a probability. A modern lightweight hull sitting on top of a high-aspect fin keel is unlikely to take this well. A metal boat will withstand a sudden impact better than most GRP hulls.
Heavy-weather rigging : A strong and well tested rig with which the crew are familiar. Good, simple reefing systems and storm sails .
Anchor and chain: Unpredictable katabatic winds are likely. Excellent ground tackle comprising a choice of heavy anchors and lots of chain are recommended. Anchors have been lost in bad weather or ice conditions so spares are vital.
Protection and comfort: Crew who are over-exposed to cold and harsh conditions are not safe. Think about doghouses, cuddies and heating .
A reliable engine: Ensure your crew are familiar with the boat’s engine and have a well thought out supply of tools and spares needed to fix the engine if it runs into problems.
Simple systems: Plumbing, heating and electrical systems which the crew can repair with spares they have on board. You need to be fully self-reliant, and a broken down system that you are unable to repair yourselves could make the voyage uncomfortable or a serious danger to you and others.
Safety Equipment: Even with the latest communications equipment, boats in high latitudes can be several days away from potential help. Crews need to be capable of surviving in hostile conditions for a long time. Read the Polar Yacht Guide.

The crew: are you ready?

Having a well-prepared crew with adequate experience is essential for sailing in the Arctic. Credit: Bob Shepton

Sailing in the Arctic attracts all sorts. Many go because they want to explore beautiful cruising grounds and build on their experience.

Unfortunately, it also attracts ‘Adventurers’ whose egos exceed their abilities. These people are a danger to themselves and others.

They also give the rest of us a bad name. More about this later.

Courses and qualifications help us to acquire a basic understanding of skills but they are not a substitute for experience.

You need to know your boat, your crew and yourself. Happily there is a great way of doing this – go sailing!

Train for using safety equipment, including survival suits. Credit: Andrew Wilkes

Gain experience in your home waters, get some offshore passages under your belt and fix things yourself.

Start going further afield: spend a season or two on the west coast of Scotland or Ireland.

Then expand your horizons a bit: cruise to the Shetland Islands, the Faroe Islands, the Norwegian fjords and then circumnavigate Iceland.

These are all fantastic cruising grounds which are both beautiful and challenging.

I helped to write the Polar Yacht Guide and, as part of that process, we asked experienced high latitude sailors for contributions.

Members of the Irish Cruising Club have a lot of experience sailing in the Arctic.

This is what they said:

‘High-latitude experience and dedication are both really important.’

‘The skipper must have good people-handling skills along with a high dose of empathy.’

‘Crew compatibility is very important along with plenty of old-style, marina-free, cruising experience in demanding weather and anchoring conditions.’

A Refleks diesel heater keeps life comfortable on board. Credit: Andrew Wilkes

‘It’s essential to have ocean and coastal experience – even if they have no experience in Arctic regions. People with sea miles under their belt understand how to eat, sleep, work and behave in challenging conditions and can engender confidence.’

‘A physically strong crew is required to pole aside bergy bits in leads’.

‘Have someone on board with good medical skills together with a first-class medical and dental kit.’

Careful planning can help. Much like parenting, the wisest course of action is often to ‘pick your battles’.

Here are a couple of scenarios:

A voyage from the UK to Iceland could be broken in the Faroe Islands. Each leg would be about 250 miles, or about two days’ sailing. Weather forecasts for two or three days are generally pretty accurate and, provided time is available to wait for a good forecast, a passage in favourable conditions should be achievable.
Sailing directly to western Greenland from Ireland is a voyage of about 1,200 miles, a week or two’s sailing for an average cruising boat. If ice conditions are unfavourable, a longer passage further north up the west coast of Greenland will be necessary. The weather off Kap Farvel, on the southern tip of Greenland, is often extreme and it can change quickly. By the time a sailing yacht is in this area, the forecasts downloaded before departure will be out of date.

Sailing in the Arctic: Navigating in ice

Ice and icebergs are plentiful in Disko Bay, West Greenland. Credit: Sergey Oyadnikov/Alamy Stock Photo

People sometimes have the perception that global warming is melting all the ice so a small boat passage through, say, the Northwest Passage is easy.

This is too simplistic: global warming is melting the ice and there is a lot less ice than there was 20 years ago but there are still ‘good’ ice years and ‘bad’ ice years.

There are long-range ice forecasts but we don’t really know what kind of year it is going to be until the navigation season has started. 2018 was a ‘bad’ year and only three vessels managed to transit the Northwest Passage.

Ice arches are quite common – do not be tempted to go through them in a dinghy – they do collapse. Credit: Maire Wilkes

2017 was a ‘good’ year and there were 32 successful transits, 22 of which were made by yachts.

Navigating in these waters requires both good planning and luck.

There are a couple of important things you probably already know about navigating in ice: only a the tip of the iceberg is above the surface and a cubic metre of ice weighs a tonne. So a yacht of, say, 10 or even 50 tonnes is not going to smash through much ice.

We have to navigate around it and this determines where we can go. We study ice charts and try to avoid areas showing more than 3/10 ice.

Don’t try to navigate in areas with more than 3/10 ice coverage. A long pole can be helpful to push aside smaller floes. Credit: Jonathan Sumpton/Alamy

However, ice charts, like weather forecasts, are not always entirely accurate and they do go out of date.

Navigation in ice is covered in more detail in my book Arctic and Northern Waters and also in High Latitude Sailing by Bob Shepton and Jon Amtrup.

Much useful information can also be gleaned from reading the Polar Yacht Guide and the Canadian websites which are written for ships navigating in polar waters.

( https://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/publications/index-eng.html ).

Things to consider when sailing in the Arctic:

Know how to use ice charts to find out which waters are navigable.
Wind and current will move ice. Use weather forecasts in conjunction with ice charts to forecast ice movements.
Anchor watches are necessary to avoid being hit by ice
Fog and ice often go hand in hand.
Fuel consumption will be increased whilst navigating in icy waters.
Learn traditional techniques such as spotting open water leads, ice blink and water skies.
Ice shelves often protrude from an iceberg or ice floe beneath the surface – do not go too close.
Icebergs and glaciers often ‘calve’ without warning. Decide on safe distances from icebergs.
One or two ice-poles are useful for pushing away small floes.
Radar may detect icebergs but will probably not smaller bergs or flat floes.
Ice accretion on a vessel will affect her stability as well as the operation of mechanical equipment, electrics and antennas.

Impact on the environment

An Arctic fox in its darker summer coat – one of numerous species to be spotted while sailing in the Arctic. Credit: Rodger Grayson and Ali Dedman

The days of ‘attempting a transit through the Northwest Passage to highlight global warming’ are gone.

We all know global warming is happening and, if we are honest with ourselves, we should know that our presence sailing in the Arctic is not helping.

If we choose to sail there, we should make it incumbent upon ourselves to minimise our impact on the environment.

A polar bear swims around the boat at Beechy Island. A common sight when sailing in the Arctic

A polar bear swims around the boat at Beechy Island. Credit: Maire Wilkes

We sail there because we love nature, so it should not be difficult to convince ourselves that we should do our best to protect it.

Environmental considerations

The Arctic has one of the world’s most fragile ecosystems.
The short Arctic growing season means that plants grow at a very slow rate.
It is home to some of the world’s most endangered species.
Cold temperatures slow down or stop the decomposition of organic matter.

Vessels visiting the Antarctic have to obtain a Permit. This requires a high degree of planning including a boat specific Environmental Impact Assessment.

While there are many regulations designed to protect the Antarctic environment, at present little legislation applies to the Arctic and it is left to skippers to act responsibly.

Responsible Arctic cruising

A hunter in Qinngertivaq Fjord, eastern Greenland. Respect local people and their culture when sailing in the Arctic

A hunter in Qinngertivaq Fjord, eastern Greenland. Credit: Jonathan Sumpton/Alamy Stock Photo

Detailed guidance is given in Arctic and Northern Waters and in the Polar Yacht Guide. This includes:

Responsible engine, generator and outboard maintenance
Fuel transfers
Dealing with oil and fuel spills
Boat maintenance
Trips ashore
Management of rubbish and waste disposal
Black and grey water disposal
Biosecurity and minimising the risks of introducing invasive species
Responsible behaviour at historical sites
Respecting local people and their culture
How to minimise our disturbance to wildlife – ashore, at sea and in the air

The Polar Yacht Guide includes an example of a boat specific ‘Environmental Protection Plan’.

Every boat will have different limitations and resources, so skippers must develop their own boat code of best practice.

Make a plan for sailing in the Arctic

If you have not sailed in high latitudes before, and I haven’t dissuaded you from doing so, you need to make a plan.

Remember Roald Amundsen’s advice to foresee and prepare for every difficulty, read all you can and get as much experience as you can.

Be a Seaman not an ill-prepared ‘Adventurer.’

The author’t boat sailing in Scoresby Sund, East Greenland. Credit: Maire Wilkes

You will need a boat and you will need to equip her. Like most sailing projects, this can either be done expensively or very expensively.

It is unlikely to be done cheaply but, if you are committed, it is probably achievable.

You can read accounts of, mainly, successful high-latitude cruises on the web pages of sailing clubs like the RCC, OCC and Trans-Ocean.

I gave a talk recently about sailing in the Arctic which was followed by a number of mainly very sensible questions.

Continues below…

A guide to high latitude yachts

Yacht cruising within the Arctic Circle has become increasingly popular,  but what is the best type of yacht for the…

Roger Taylor sailing his Achilles 24 Mingming II

Roger Taylor: Impossible voyage conquered

Roger Taylor navigates his engineless 24ft Mingming II on a 4,000 mile nonstop voyage around the usually icebound waters of…

Heavy weather sailing: preparing for extreme conditions

Alastair Buchan and other expert ocean cruisers explain how best to prepare when you’ve been ‘caught out’ and end up…

Adventure: guide to sailing in storms

Award-winning sailor and expedition leader Bob Shepton regularly sails some of the most storm-swept latitudes in the world. Not bad…

The question which floored me came from a relatively inexperienced listener who asked: ‘How much would it cost me to equip a boat and sail through the Northwest Passage?’ He had totally missed the point.

Sailing in these waters is not about money, the size or sophistication of your boat.

It is not even about the training you have done or the safety equipment you might have on board.

Greenland’s capital Nuuk is a good option for resupply and crew changes when sailing in the Arctic. Credit: Niels Melander/Alamy Stock Photo

What is important is the experience you have gained before moving on to the next stage of your sailing career.

Enthusiasts will read everything they can about the subject at hand, learn from anyone they can and practise their skills until they become second nature.

If you do this, and are honest with yourself, you will know if the boat, the crew and you are ready.

Successes and failures

Roald Amundsen, the Norwegian who led the first successful transit through the Northwest Passage famously wrote, ‘I may say that this is the greatest factor – the way in which the expedition is equipped – the way in which every difficulty is foreseen, and precautions taken for meeting or avoiding it. Victory awaits him who has everything in order – luck, people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck.’

He completed the transit in 1906 but his advice is as relevant today as it ever was. Some have followed it and others have not.

I am not sure if the Franklin expedition should be counted as a success or a failure.

A sailing in the Arctic pioneer - Roald Amundsen who led the first successful voyage through the Northwest Passage. Credit: GL Archive/Alamy Stock Photo

Roald Amundsen who led the first successful voyage through the Northwest Passage. Credit: GL Archive/Alamy Stock Photo

Much has been written about Sir John Franklin’s 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage.

His two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror and 134 officers and men were lost in the ice off King William Island.

The British, however, have a unique talent for remodelling apparent failures into resounding successes.

The expedition prompted a huge interest in Arctic exploration and much was learned from the expeditions which followed this one.

Roald Amundsen was a smart Norwegian cookie.

Not for him the grandeur of the Royal Navy. Despite not having a 1,000-book library, extravagant dinner services, dress uniforms, and highly polished brass buttons, he transited the Northwest Passage for the first time in 1906.

Amundsen transited the Northwest Passage in an old herring boat with a crew of six men. Credit: Granger Historical Picture Archive/Alamy Stock Photo

He did it, over a period of three years, in a converted herring fishing boat with six men dressed in Inuit seal-skins.

My wife, Máire, and I were moored alongside in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland in 2008.

A 32ft yacht, with a broken boom, tied up alongside us. We invited the two crew onboard and they told us their story.

The owner/skipper was very ‘gung-ho’ and rather full of his and his boat’s prowess. The other man was very quiet.

I think he was still in a state of shock following their recent ‘adventure’.

They had been knocked-down that day whilst sailing in bad weather, the boom and sails were in pieces.

The crew had been washed over the side but had managed to clamber back onboard. The boat and her contents were soaking.

We gave them a hot meal and dry sleeping bags.

The crewman flew home the next day and I often wonder what became of the skipper.

Adventurers vs Seamen

In 2013 a group of American adventurers, who featured in a US reality TV show called Dangerous Waters , attempted to use jet-skis to transit the Northwest Passage.

Andrew Wilkes has cruised all his adult life. He and his wife cruise Annabel J, a 56ft gaff cutter, in remote areas such as the Baltic, Alaska and Chile

Their tent was torn up by a polar bear and the jet-skis did not work when the sea started to freeze.

They and their support/fuel boat were rescued by the Canadian Coastguard.

The rescue expedition is reported to have cost a six-figure sum.

The yacht Anahita , an Ovni 345, was crushed by ice and sank in the approaches to the Bellot Strait in 2018.

The Canadian Coastguard had warned yachts away from the area four days before the incident. Fortunately the crew were rescued.

On a positive note, the number of people sailing in high latitudes is increasing year on year.

Nearly all of their passages are successfully completed by competent sailors in well-equipped boats.

Additional information for sailing in the Arctic

Polar Yacht Guide Alan Green, Andrew Wilkes, Victor Wejer & Skip Novak (World Sailing/Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation, free) https://rccpf.org.uk/pilots/187/Polar-Yacht-Guide OR www.sailing.org/sailors/safety/polar_yacht_guide.php

Arctic and Northern Waters by Andrew Wilkes (Imray/Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation, £65)

Sailing in the Arctic you will need the pilot book Arctic and Northern Waters

Buy Arctic and Northern Waters at Amazon (UK)

Buy Arctic and Northern Waters at Amazon (US)

High Latitude Sailing by Jon Amtrup & Bob Shepton (Adlard Coles, £25)

Sailing in the Arctic - you will need a copy of High Latitude Sailing

Buy High Latitude Sailing at Amazon (UK)

Buy High Latitude Sailing at Amazon (US)

Buy High Latitude Sailing at Waterstones

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

Arctic and Northern Waters and NW Passage Periplus : https://rccpf.org.uk/pilots/191/Periplus-to-Northwest-Passage

World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations https://www.sailing.org/specialregs

Canadian Coastguard publications (including the Manual of Ice, Notices to Mariners, Canadian Aids to Navigation ): https://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/publications/index-eng.html

Few, if any, high latitude recreational cruises took place in 2020-21 due to the COVID pandemic.

At the time of writing (Oct 2021), most Arctic communities do not welcome foreign visitors due to limited resources to cope with potential outbreaks.

It is hoped this will change next year, but contact the appropriate authorities before departing.

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Sally younger, senior science writer, seventh-lowest in satellite record, another meager winter around antarctica.

Image of Arctic sea ice minimum extent on September 11, 2024. The yellow boundary shows the minimum extent averaged over the 30-year period from 1981 to 2010.

Arctic sea ice retreated to near-historic lows in the Northern Hemisphere this summer, likely melting to its minimum extent for the year on Sept.11, 2024, according to researchers at NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). The decline continues the decades-long trend of shrinking and thinning ice cover in the Arctic Ocean.

The amount of frozen seawater in the Arctic fluctuates during the year as the ice thaws and regrows between seasons. Scientists chart these swings to construct a picture of how the Arctic responds over time to rising air and sea temperatures and longer melting seasons . Over the past 46 years, satellites have observed persistent trends of more melting in the summer and less ice formation in winter.

Tracking sea ice changes in real time has revealed wide-ranging impacts, from losses and changes in polar wildlife habitat to impacts on local communities in the Arctic and international trade routes .

This year, Arctic sea ice shrank to a minimal extent of 1.65 million square miles (4.28 million square kilometers). That’s about 750,000 square miles (1.94 million square kilometers) below the 1981 to 2010 end-of-summer average of 2.4 million square miles (6.22 million square kilometers). The difference in ice cover spans an area larger than the state of Alaska. Sea ice extent is defined as the total area of the ocean with at least 15% ice concentration.

This year’s minimum remained above the all-time low of 1.31 million square miles (3.39 million square kilometers) set in September 2012. While sea ice coverage can fluctuate from year to year, it has trended downward since the start of the satellite record for ice in the late 1970s. Since then, the loss of sea ice has been about 30,000 square miles (77,800 square kilometers) per year, according to NSIDC.

Scientists currently measure sea ice extent using data from passive microwave sensors aboard satellites in the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, with additional historical data from the Nimbus-7 satellite, jointly operated by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Today, the overwhelming majority of ice in the Arctic Ocean is thinner, first-year ice, which is less able to survive the warmer months. There is far, far less ice that is three years or older now,

Nathan Kurtz

Chief, NASA's Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory

Sea ice is not only shrinking, it’s getting younger, noted Nathan Kurtz, lab chief of NASA’s Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

“Today, the overwhelming majority of ice in the Arctic Ocean is thinner, first-year ice, which is less able to survive the warmer months. There is far, far less ice that is three years or older now,” Kurtz said.

Ice thickness measurements collected with spaceborne altimeters, including NASA’s ICESat and ICESat-2 satellites, have found that much of the oldest, thickest ice has already been lost. New research out of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California shows that in the central Arctic, away from the coasts, fall sea ice now hovers around 4.2 feet (1.3 meters) thick, down from a peak of 8.8 feet (2.7 meters) in 1980.

Sea ice in the southern polar regions of the planet was also low in 2024. Around Antarctica, scientists are tracking near record-low sea ice at a time when it should have been growing extensively during the Southern Hemisphere’s darkest and coldest months.

Ice around the continent is on track to be just over 6.6 million square miles (16.96 million square kilometers). The average maximum extent between 1981 and 2010 was 7.22 million square miles (18.71 million square kilometers).

The meager growth so far in 2024 prolongs a recent downward trend. Prior to 2014, sea ice in the Antarctic was increasing slightly by about 1% per decade. Following a spike in 2014, ice growth has fallen dramatically. Scientists are working to understand the cause of this reversal. The recurring loss hints at a long-term shift in conditions in the Southern Ocean, likely resulting from global climate change.

“While changes in sea ice have been dramatic in the Arctic over several decades, Antarctic sea ice was relatively stable. But that has changed,” said Walt Meier, a sea ice scientist at NSIDC. “It appears that global warming has come to the Southern Ocean.”

In both the Arctic and Antarctic, ice loss compounds ice loss. This is due to the fact that while bright sea ice reflects most of the Sun’s energy back to space, open ocean water absorbs 90% of it. With more of the ocean exposed to sunlight, water temperatures rise, further delaying sea ice growth. This cycle of reinforced warming is called ice-albedo feedback.

Overall, the loss of sea ice increases heat in the Arctic, where temperatures have risen about four times the global average, Kurtz said.

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Italy’s Luna Rossa showed two skippers are better than one on the America’s Cup yachts

The Associated Press

September 25, 2024, 5:06 AM

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BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Before the last America’s Cup, Italy’s sailing team had what helmsman Francesco Bruni called a “crazy” idea: run the boat with two skippers, each taking turns steering as the foiling yacht crisscrossed the race course.

While the other crews lost valuable time as their sole skipper scampered back and forth with each tack or jibe, Bruni and Jimmy Spithill stayed put, each manning their own helm on their side of the boat.

It turned out to be a stroke of genius.

The innovative setup helped Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team win the challengers’ series and advance to face Team Emirates New Zealand three years ago, when it lost to the defenders but not before a hard fight.

“It was a crazy idea back in the day, but we felt strongly (about it), and we keep it secret for quite a long time,” Bruni told The Associated Press. “And then it was too late for the other teams to react.”

The move was so successful that now all the boats, including that of the almighty Kiwis, have copied it at the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona.

“There’s no copyright on good solutions,” coach Philippe Presti said about the other teams following his Luna Rossa’s lead.

Luna Rossa is back in the final of the Louis Vuitton Cup for the challengers in a rematch of the 2021 final when the Italians beat INEOS Britannia. The first-to-seven series starts on Thursday. The winner will get a shot at dethroning New Zealand next month in the America’s Cup match.

Even though its rivals are also now going with a two-skipper scheme, Luna Rossa is counting on its experience edge thanks to this being the second campaign with Bruni and Spithill in sync.

“It’s something that’s pretty special. You know, we’ve had this partnership from the last campaign,” said Spithill, a two-time America’s Cup winner with Oracle Team USA in 2010 and 2013.

“The fact that you’re going through more of these high-pressure situations when you do things well, but more importantly, when you make mistakes, that’s actually a critical time,” he added. “And we’ve built up a really good relationship.”

Bruni said that the genesis of the dual-helm idea was hatched about three years before the 2021 America’s Cup in Auckland. Presti said that it came out of a long brainstorming and problem-solving process involving several minds.

The problem to solve was how to deal with the huge sails that come right down to the deck and cut off half the visibility of the skipper. As Bruni described it: “You need to think about a car that has a big blanket in the middle and you can’t see one side.”

“It was not something that someone one day woke up (and said), ‘Oh, we’ve got to do that’,” Presti said. “It was really a work in progress. And then all of a sudden we find ourselves lucky that Checco (Bruni) was a lefty and, Jimmy was right-handed.”

The ice man and the volcano

The relationship between the two helms varies on each team.

Ben Ainslie , the most successful sailor in Olympic history, is clearly the leader of Britannia, where co-helm Dylan Fletcher said he defers to his judgment. Two-time America’s Cup winner Peter Burling also has the last word on the New Zealand boat.

On American Magic, ousted by Luna Rossa last round, former Olympic rivals Tom Slingsby and Paul Goodison said each would be in charge when they were on the helm. But when Goodison was injured from a fall and had to be replaced by Lucas Calabrese, then the more experienced Slingsby said he needed to become more vocal.

Communication became key for success. The non-driving helm feeds information and paints a picture of the other side of the race to his partner via a microphone and earpiece.

And, as Bruni summed up his partnership with Spithill: “There is no finger pointing.”

The complementary characters of Spithill and Bruni also helped Luna Rossa, Presti said.

“The two are totally opposite in their character. Jimmy is pretty calm, really kind of the ice man, while Checco is volcanic and really alive, full of emotion,” Presti said. “That’s the beauty of this setup: you’ve got some different personality, different feedback, and huge respect.”

That difference was clear when they finished off American Magic. While Spithill kept his elation to a smile, Bruni shouted with joy over the team radio on crossing the finish line.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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'I was charged £25 for two scoops of ice cream in dreamy holiday hot spot'

Bailey Turvey flew to Italy's Amalfi Coast for a four-day work trip and took a boat to picturesque Positano - only to be "ripped off" when he bought lemon sorbet

Bailey Turvey was charged £25 for the frozen treat

12:11, 24 Sep 2024
Updated 09:49, 25 Sep 2024

A British tourist was left horrified after being charged £25 for two scoops of lemon sorbet at a dream holiday destination.

Bailey Turvey flew to Italy's Amalfi Coast for a work trip in July and took a boat trip to Positano - a nearby picturesque village loved by celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez, George Clooney and Kylie Jenner . Knowing the region boasts some of the best lemons in the world , the 24-year-old was eager to try its famous sorbet.

Bailey bought the dessert for himself and his 23-year-old pal Oliver Bashford-Squires. It was served in an elaborate eight-inch tall hollowed-out lemon, but the content creator was left stunned and "couldn't believe it" when he was charged 30 euros (£25) - meaning each scoop was just over £12.

Taking to TikTok, Bailey recorded himself holding the dessert and looking baffled, with the caption reading: "POV: you forgot to ask the price before ordering your ice cream in Positano and you get charged 30 Euros for two scoops of lemon sorbet."

Bailey, from Brighton, said: “I was very shocked. I was expecting it to be expensive but I wasn't expecting that amount of money. Positano is known for its lemons, we wanted to give it a go. We saw everyone walking down the streets and heard about how the lemons were from the region.

“We didn't check the price on the menu. Walking down the street they don't have any of the prices out, then you just buy it and they can charge you whatever they want. The shop owner didn't even say how much it cost, he just held out the card reader.

“I didn't say anything at the time, I was just quiet. When we walked away I said to my friend 'guess how much they cost?'. I couldn't believe it. I think they market it up because it's inside a lemon but it's the equivalent of a scoop and a half.

“They don't even sell it as one or two scoops, they just sell it as 'the lemon sorbet' so they can profit off that a bit more. They make it look big with a massive lemon but you can't eat the lemon. My friend was just as shocked. I was paying for everything so he didn't have to worry, he didn't have quite the shock to the bank balance as I did.”

Bailey admitted the sorbet tasted good, but says it wasn't "worth the price", and in future, he'll be double checking prices before purchasing items. He said: “It's definitely a tourist trap. It was good lemon sorbet but not worth that price. It was definitely a mind game to try and trick yourself into feeling less bad for paying that price.

“Holiday money is slightly different from normal money. If it was a day-to-day thing I wouldn't be able to believe it, like if I was back home and spent that on a coffee. I'll be checking the price next time I buy an ice-cream.”

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Ice around the continent is on track to be just over 6.6 million square miles (16.96 million square kilometers). The average maximum extent between 1981 and 2010 was 7.22 million square miles (18.71 million square kilometers). The meager growth so far in 2024 prolongs a recent downward trend. Prior to 2014, sea ice in the Antarctic was ...
Navy Launches Operation Ice Camp 2024 in the Arctic Ocean
BEAUFORT SEA, Arctic Circle -- ICE CAMP 2024 is a three-week operation designed to research, test and evaluate operational capabilities in the Arctic region. In addition to U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Space Force participation in the exercise, personnel from the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Canadian Navy, the French Navy, the United Kingdom Royal Navy and the Royal ...
Italy's Luna Rossa showed two skippers are better than one on the
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Before the last America's Cup, Italy's sailing team had what helmsman Francesco Bruni called a "crazy" idea: run the boat with two skippers, each taking turns ...
'I was charged £25 for two scoops of ice cream in dreamy holiday hot
A British tourist was left horrified after being charged £25 for two scoops of lemon sorbet at a dream holiday destination. Bailey Turvey flew to Italy's Amalfi Coast for a work trip in July and ...

Welcome to Lake

Ice Sailing 101: Mastering the Frozen Adventure in No Time

In this article

Defining Ice Sailing: A Thrilling Blend of Speed and Skill

Brief History of Ice Sailing: From Ancient Origins to Modern Sport

Ice Yachts Explained: Modern Design and Dynamics

Mastering the Basics: Steering and Sail Management

Advanced Techniques: Maximizing Speed and Handling Challenging Conditions

Navigating Different Ice and Wind Conditions

The Role of Weather in Ice Sailing: Wind, Ice Conditions, and Safety Considerations

Essential Equipment for Ice Sailing: From Sails to Safety Gear

Top Destinations for Ice Sailing Around the World

Understanding Ice Quality and Safety: Thickness and Surface Conditions

Ice Thickness

Ice Quality

Surface Conditions

Famous Ice Sailing Races and Events

Fitness and Training: Physical Preparation for Ice Sailing

Mental Preparation: Strategy and Focus in a High-Speed Environment

Essential Safety Practices and Emergency Procedures

Courses and Learning Resources for Beginners

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DN ICE YACHT RACING

Fun.Exciting.Exhilarating.

Why You Should Be Sailing a DN

More knots per dollar/euro than any other sailing

2025 DN Regatta Schedule

Faster.Transportable.Most Popular.

How Ice Sailing Works

Ice Sailing Techniques

Lots More Information

Boat Sailor

Understanding Ice Sails

The Thrill of Ice Sailing

Risks Associated with Ice Sailing

Hypothermia

Equipment Failure

Inadequate Safety Measures

Safety Precautions

Ice Thickness

Safety Gear

Buddy System

Knowledge and Training

Weather Monitoring

Choosing the Right Equipment

Weather Conditions

Training and Skill Development

Local Regulations and Rules

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Personal Experience and Tips

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What safety gear is essential for ice sailing?

Can beginners try ice sailing, or is it for experienced sailors only?

Are there specific rules or regulations for ice sailing in different regions?

How can I stay safe while ice sailing in challenging weather conditions?

More to Explore

Spiridakos Sailing Cruises: An Unforgettable Adventure

Sailing in the Caribbean

Sailing Greek Islands

Voyage to Greenland's Scoresby Sund: the theory

Should we sail into the impenetrable ice of the Greenland Sea?

Surrounded by the Greenland ice sheet and ice floes

The boat's engine suddenly went silent...

Zigzagging in the fog in a labyrinth of ice floes

An impenetrable wall of ice floes closed in and gripped us in despair

Exhausting struggle with the boat as an icebreaker

Can we break free from the icy embrace?

Expedition specifics

Contact us to find the best boat for your trip

Denisa Kliner Nguyenová

LATEST NEWS

Runner Tracks

Interview with PJ Dwarshuis and Mischa Heemskerk: Exploring the DNA ‘DN’ Rig Design

Eight Bells: Remembering Mike Madge, DN Sailor, and Ice Sailing Advocate

Remembering Stan Macur

2025 International Rank List Published