Ice Boat RAcing
The jet pilots of winter enduring the biter cold and dangerous conditions of frozen water to racing finely tuned machines designed for one thing and one thing only... Speed!
To give you an idea of the speeds we are talking about figure a typical boat will go 4 to 5 times the speed of the wind is blowing. So a light 15 mph wind, enough to make a flag on a pole dance some translates to 60 to 75 mph across the ice with nothing but some wood and three metal ice skates sharpened for least resistance between you and the unforgiving elements.
Plus we all know that the wind tends to blow a lot stronger at times... I'll let you do the math on those speeds.
Even to witness this sport much less participate requires getting to the racecourse which is often in the middle of the ice where the best conditions are. Crossing cracks, pressure ridges, gas pockets or sometimes just open water knowing that if the ice does happen to give way... Well life just got real!!
Welcome to the world of Hard Water Sailing...
