Ice Boat Progress

[Konrad in Lincoln]

I seem to have trouble attaching photo files on this bulletin board, but here's an attempt to show the layout of the bulkheads for my iceboat. (Assuming it shows up), the solid bulkhead (number 4) is the front of the cockpit, where the soles of your feet go. Behind that is where the backrest will occur.

[attachment over 4 years old deleted by admin]

[Frank Hagan]

Picture came through fine! So that pointy part in front is basically dead space? I mean, you don't need an anchor or anything right? Or is that where the 'chute goes?

This is a step up from the open frame ice boat you showed us earlier. Is the land sailing record still held by a gaffer ice boat? I know for a long time the fastest sail powered vehicle of any sort was a gaffer ice boat.

What I really want to know is where you got that great aluminum extrusion that forms the front of your bench ...

[Konrad in Lincoln]

Ah, you noticed my work table, Frank! I'm so proud!

That extrusion was extra material left over from the four story office structure we built in '99-'00. I saw that laying around, and as site superintendent, own first-rights to scavenging. It makes for a dead-ass flat work surface.

This is supposed to be a "Class E" iceboat. Honestly, I'm not really sure how they classify them, but I think it's a function of sail area. Here is the web site where I found them: http://www.svensons.com/boat/?p=Novelty/Whizz (Lots of free boat plans there, check them out) And the sort of wierd, parallel-universe type thing is the remarkably close name to the Stevensons.

Anyway, the landsailing record is held by the Iron Duck, at 108 mph. http://www.nalsa.org/speed%20record.htm

The iceboating record is the gaff rig you're thinking of, somewhere around 140 mph I think. My own humble goal is to break 50 mph. I've been to 42 mph (gps reading) on the Isabella, but that's pretty much the limit of that rig. Once you pass 40 mph, your brain leaves "FAST AS I CAN GO" mode, and enters "JUST GET BACK ALIVE" mode. :shock: You have to realize, that on the Isabella you're only about 12 inches off the ice, so you feel like you're going 200 mph. Sure is fun.

[waynemunro]

Konrad, I am so jealous that you have ice to sail on, our climate is a bit too warm down here for that. I have a mini-landyacht (a blo-kart http://www.blokart.com) which is a hell of a lot of fun, I have had it up to 60kph, which was damn near scary enough for me, I can't imagine what the so much faster speeds would be like. I'd love some ice down here, as the blokart people sell an ice kit, so you just pop off the wheels and clip on the skates and you are away. They have made it for the european market however and are reporting that people have had the karts up to 100mph over there on these kits... that would be soo freaky.

Good luck with the construction.. and i also admire your bench, and since I am about to start planning one for my garage I might drop in on the recyclers and see if I can get some nice big channel section.

Wayne

[Guest John R]

I also have the hobby/sport of building and flying model airplanes.

The requirement of a flat surface to build on is mandatory.

I had one plane build on an old kitchen table that had noticeable warping int the wing halfs.

Since then I have come up with a piece of 4x6' 3/4" ply with 2" steel angle iron along the long direction to help avoid any bending.

For the models, this is topped with accustic ceiling tiles turned over and taped together. 4x6' of building area. It's great. Have had 4 guys spread around the table assembling a single plane. A process that normally takes weeks reduced to one night!