iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

Let me introduce myself, my name is Mike Shepherd, and I am a conventional (soft water) sailor from Australia. I have been sailing various types of boats all my life, everything from small training dinghies, various forms of skiffs including the aussie 18, and high performance offshore yachts.
I thought I had just about seen it all when it came to performance under sail, how wrong I was!!
For a long time now I have heard little bits about a mysterious breed of sailing machine called ice boats, but unfortunately, due to geographic problems, have never had the opportunity to see them in the flesh.
So when I found myself in Minnesota, and the lakes started to freeze over I went looking. Due to a considerable amount of luck I came to meet some of the boys from the DN fleet through iceboating.net, and after a false start due to unsuitable conditions last weekend, I managed to get a ride this weekend (12/10/2005).
With slight apprehension due to a knowledge of the performance of these fine yachts, not to mention the recovery spikes (think dragging yourself out of a hole in a frozen lake), I pushed off for my first run. After a short period working out the angles at which you sail these things, and other characteristics associated with generating so much apparent wind I was off. Never in my life had I even imagined you could go so fast off so little breeze.
Utterly incredible, think getting horizontal 3 inches off the ice with acceleration similar to that of a high performance motorcycle! What a blast! I don’t know how I can go back to normal sailing.
This would have to be the ultimate form of sailing, you think popping a huge asymmetric kite, feeling the acceleration as a normal boat gets up on the plane is wild, you have to try this. All it is lacking is a crazy vibration coming from the centerboard, and a set of trap wires, but in its defense there are some rather cool noises coming from the runners!!
I really don’t think this is for everyone though, my short time on the ice was almost equal parts major buzz and sheer terror! But if that is your thing, don’t hesitate!
These boats are absolutely amazing, the speeds achievable are intimidating but all in all it is the biggest bang for buck sailing around. I have completely fallen in love with these things, got the bug so to speak.
Only problem now is to convince the leader of the opposition she doesn’t require my presence when the lakes are frozen and the wind is blowing!

Thinking ice, Mike.