Another kind of flying

[jrussl]

Here’s another wintertime activity I enjoy.

https://youtu.be/62tYzsFcDLI

The two young men that were filming this with their homebuilt drones were absolutely incredible. They did all their flying with FPV goggles. The drones went over 60 mph.


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[cubdriver2]

If we had ice like that every year I would have an iceboat. This year we have great ice, but most years we always have snow covered ice. I got to sail one 15 years ago and it's scary fast

Glenn

[jrussl]

If we had ice like that every year I would have an iceboat. This year we have great ice, but most years we always have snow covered ice. I got to sail one 15 years ago and it's scary fast

Glenn

And we were going scary fast this past weekend. Some of the best
local ice we have seen in some time. Winds gusting to 20 mph on Saturday which is very near our top limit. Gusts at 25 are an automatic no go. With up to 30 boats cross-crossing on the racecourse, being out of control is not an option.


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[SJ]

When I saw Jim's post in IG, I figured you were out there zipping around. That ice looks very nice - but I am assuming there is a bump or two when you are flying along on it.

Must get pretty chilly out there if you don't have a canopy...

sj

[Richgj3]

How do you steer those? I’m familiar with Great South Bay scooters and DN’s but some of them have jibs and more movement on the main. How do they do downwind or on a broad reach? Can they tack or come about?

[jrussl]

How do you steer those? I’m familiar with Great South Bay scooters and DN’s but some of them have jibs and more movement on the main. How do they do downwind or on a broad reach? Can they tack or come about?

They steer with foot pedals. Interestingly, they are rigged opposite rudder pedals and they steer away from the side pushed. Other iceboaters commented to me that pilots must reverse the controls to be safe. Mine are not rerigged and I have no issue with direction. My brain just seems to recognize which machine I am in.

We tack into the wind when going upwind at around 45 deg. to the wind similar to soft water sailboats. Downwind is a hoot and where the speed can really build up. Speeds up to seven times the speed of the wind are possible. The apparent wind just keeps building and you keep steering further downwind. I’ve done about 80 mph in my boat but the large open class Skeeters do well over 100.

The downside of the sport is that ice and wind conditions can be fickle. It doesn’t take much snow on the ice to shut us down. The common joke is that iceboating is 65 percent building and working on boats, 30 percent talking about it, and five percent actually doing it.


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[jrussl]

Here is another drone video of the action this past weekend. I continue to be amazed on how talented these young men/drone pilots are.

https://youtu.be/jLBhi6LjXcQ


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[Bassackwards]

Looks like a blast Jeff (except for the cold.) How thick is the ice, and what kind of brakes are on those things? Meanwhile Northwest Indiana has open water.

[jrussl]

Looks like a blast Jeff (except for the cold.) How thick is the ice, and what kind of brakes are on those things? Meanwhile Northwest Indiana has open water.

Ice was 6”-8” thick. But really solid hard black ice.

No brakes. Just steer into the wind and the sail starts flogging which creates pretty high drag. You usually stop in a few hundred yards.


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[flybynite]

Always wanted to build an E skeeter. Awesome ice. We can only seem to get ice like that in late spring every 5th year. Which lake?

[behindpropellers]

Also one of my favorite winter activities. Take a ride with me:

https://youtu.be/WRB7RIOr8G4

[jrussl]

Always wanted to build an E skeeter. Awesome ice. We can only seem to get ice like that in late spring every 5th year. Which lake?

Lake Kegonsa. Just south of Madison WI.


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[Richgj3]

Here’s a picture of a “Scooter”, boats developed with a hull with runners for crossing the Great South Bay between Long Island and Fire Island in the old days. The idea being if there were areas of open water, they could still keep going. The Great South Bay is salt water, slightly less than the ocean so a solid freeze over is rare but used to happen. The rest of the time these were used.

[jrussl]

Here’s a picture of a “Scooter”, boats developed with a hull with runners for crossing the Great South Bay between Long Island and Fire Island in the old days. The idea being if there were areas of open water, they could still keep going. The Great South Bay is salt water, slightly less than the ocean so a solid freeze over is rare but used to happen. The rest of the time these were used.

Very cool! Thanks for sharing.


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