Ice Yachting.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 152, 30 June 1887, Page 7

Ice Yachting.

I Orthe origin of that strange machine now I denominated an ice-boat, we have but little I information to advance that is stamped with I certainty of correctness. It would seem I tfeftho boy u P, on skates, spreading his outj Btfetched coat" to catch the fay ring gale/ lnncHthave .given the first suggestion for I fcton'eiv departure ; but whether the idea of j!blie ice-boat was derived in the first placo || Irom 'tbis Simple source, or from the inI stanct-ive attempts of northern savages to I expedite the progress of their, dog-sleds I over the wind-swept, snowy deserts by I nfetos .of rude sails, of skin, cannot be; accurately determined. J -The" boait " itself is simple in construe-. I tion, Jsjonsjstsj>fVtriangulav framework of ; woodfetrfengtliened by the insertion of small joists crossing the open space in various directions, all being securely "let jinto" theouter timbers. 'This structure is pirmounted by. a small, box-like body foiIltlieaccominodation of passengersand sailors, I J Ud the whole affair moves horizontally I 1 mxm. •■ three steel resembling ' lUMitly the blades of skates, which were I I attached to the woodwork near the apices !J I oftte triangle/" A small rudder-like conl I trivance, also of metal, constitutes the I iteenor- apparatus, its frictiorial action, '■ Ink tire "ice-being, of course, the basis of II its effectiveness. The, one mast of the icellboatiastepped well" forward" and is supI portgby the usual The canvas ILried?ganeiaUy consists of. spanker and Ip,nth the occasional adUiiion ot sky and 1 Wloon.sails •. .but for obvious reasons; no I mariitain its-eqnitttorilm under I (he press of canvas which could be husI toed by an ordinary yacht ot even much 1 - a I There can hardly be anything more .*! merely trying than the degree of cold ex- " I perienced upon a moderately fast-sailing I ice-boat even in mild weather. The heavy j I buffalo robes piled about-the voyager in I thelittle box on the breezy triangle afloni I bntslicht protdctioh a from Lhe keen, cutting I wind, that seems to pierce through every |kpand covering with knife-like sharp- | I ness.;ButtheMl;absorbinir excitement of I I Wpous rush over alternate patches of 1 I Npig ice and crisp, white snow - now % I pqfcg-along-upon-one -runner, tlieotherI two in the air, now reversing the position, I but seldom moving with all three upon the \ snpj.lyTan,antidote I for any quantity of physical discomlorl. lUttaeendof your trip, be it long or sljort^ I jwlim'birk With %hiv%rihg trame, chataiidTace tivtrl with cold, yet you vow you have enjoyed yourself, and ' : '" ' '.' gi TKe enthusiastic " ice yachtsman is as prone to the drawing *6f "the long bow as i are, almost proverbially, the patient dis pples of worthy Izaalc Walton ; aad many WmaraeUousare the " yarns'• delivered Nlftltie'fabulous speed attained by the^e W , '' l l 3 |«&tie ! Edyisable to take many of these graiio saiis," still, _ quite !oS iFWgi'dfiioiiest merit i-eiiiuins 'to jualrfy position as 1 "Scalar" second only to the locomotive }H%. klloon. Sxivprising jndeecl have <jifwfte'results mamifested for "the benefit * I and incredulous, the writer X from "personal exj/ei'leiice vouch for the statement that, upon one rfl I an ice-boat, under-jib, spanker, fora distance ofnoarJy " c raflea, kept well up with, and even 3. 1 miM, aipassehfer'train travelling at the —' than thirty miles |».liotir. "This exploit was accomplished, Vjsiis under very favourable circums I F^ L^^ffwina . and smooth, cVasted I fT e •■■ fll ." [ snow, corabininfc' their good Wm tp : the-_advantage of the "boat; „. Pfterecanbeno exaggeration in plac- ■ aKaveragc speed of a well-built and iice-bont >at -from ; 20 t6 2o L^ers'in,profusion lurk along the E ;nf: *he■reckless ice yachtsman. A sM'aucli'of sail, the slightest error in nn of one of the runners • S^^ chip of rough surface ice, ™7P%tt a ii 3,b e productive of most srCK fc ?llScon 6equences. Accidents arc thereela- Ib&w b ? an y means -infrequent; but it of the.sport in the •3 : ignorhnbe i ■ aiine-mistakes out oi ; felling 5 as a Canaaian sport is most 3 ; near the cities and *h%eat lakes'o'f Erie; Eui-on, i to t " ntan °. where the shore ice, forming and- ' ffijlesvputwardi afords in fairly a ■ lnil!§sS n8 excellent opportunities foi 3 ' tilW lnl£h enovel amusement:—" Cornno* »": ::.-.. i 'Si ' - ■■