Ice and Unusual Sail

A reprise of the approaches to ice:  some vessels (Is Morton towing Esopus light?) and loads need to fracture it, whereas

these skim over it, harnessing the wind as was done in the past and will again happen in the future . . . not to suggest there has ever existed a hiatus between the two.

A gaff-rig trails a lateen-rig.

And here two gaff-riggers compete, Galatea pursuing Puff.  A few names:  backbone is supported by the perpendicular runner plank, which itself supports the port and starboard runners.  On Galatea, I estimated the backbone to be 30′–35′ with approximately 15′ runner plank.  Someone correct me?

I was quite taken by Vixen with its lateen rig.  It reminded me of the rig I’ve not used for years on the canoe, which I wrote about here two years ago.    This shot also clearly shows the jump skeg, near the stern just below the cockpit and forward of the stern runner.    The purpose of the jump skeg is –in the case the boat glides over some open water and then back onto ice, the substantial wood there would “jump” the stern back onto the ice, preventing the stern runner from catching on the edge of the ice.

Like most boats, iceboats have name boards.

Vixen alone.  With people, of course, two of whom look unmistakeably like frogma and bowsprite.  See frogma’s gliding at –dunno . .  at least 100 kts here, AND her second post about the experience here.  Check both, as the first has great video and the second has dozens of fotos.  We’ll soon see what bowsprite and Jeff come up with.

Vixen juxtaposed with 999.  Note:  over 200 years of wooden boat are posed here, many more years than the years of people admiring the rich wood and sail colors.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.  More on some gear tomorrow.