How to Build an Ice Yacht (1905)

by E. A. Terhune

How to Build an Ice Yacht

By E. A. Terhune

NOW is the time to get ready for the ice-yachting season, and all those who want to have sport this Winter should begin now and get their boat built so that when the ice gets here they will be prepared to enjoy all of it. Take time by the forelock and build it now. The boat here described is of moderate dimensions and within the means of everybody. However, if any one wishes a larger one this plan can be enlarged to suit. This boat will be found to be the best size for the beginner and one to have the greatest pleasure with. It will take up very little storage room in summer and one person can put it together and take it apart.

All the lumber should be selected and be as free from knots as possible. The best material would be spruce or white pine. The keel, or backbone, is made of one piece, 4x6 inches, where the mast rests on it, and tapers to 4 inches square at the forward end, and 4x5 inches at the rear or stern. The next piece is the runner plank. This runs at right angles to the keel and is fastened to it in center with an iron strap that goes up each side and over top of keel, and has the ends bent out so bolts can be put through the runner plank. This strap should be bolted to the keel also. The runner plank should be to inches wide and 2 1-2 inches thick in center, and taper down to 2 inches at the outer ends. This plank is to support the runners at each end of it. Four strips of hard wood, 2x4x18 inches, should be bolted to the runner plank to form guides for the runners. There should be 1 3-4 inches between them, and they are to be bolted on and must be exactly parallel with each other so the runners will run true. If there is the least variation in them the runners will not “track” evenly and your boat will not sail very fast. This is the main point in getting a fast boat. Be very particular with the guides and runners. Now we will take up the body or cock-pit. This is made by putting a strip 1 1-2x4 inches on each side, about 3 inches from the center and on top of the runner plank, and bolting it fast. The ends run back to near the stern, and are there joined with a circle piece which is made from 1 1-2x4 inch wagon wheel rim, which can be bought at any wheelwrights or most hardware stores. The side pieces can be halved into the circle piece and bolted together. After this is done cover the bottom with tongue-and-grooved beaded boards, and your woodwork on the body of your boat is done.

The mast should be of spruce, 4 inches at the base, and taper towards the top with a swelling taper, not straight but slightly rounding as it goes towards the top. This is to give greater strength. The mast should have a foot 1 inch wide and as long as the thickness of it will permit, and be fitted with an iron strap to prevent splitting. There should be a corresponding hole cut in the top of keel timber for the mast to step into, and to prevent the keel from splitting, a strap with hole in it to fit over the one in keel timber, should be placed over it, and have two or three inches turned down on each side to fasten it to the sides of the keel. This finishes the foot of mast. The top should taper down to 2 1-2 inches and be fitted with a ring about 2 inches wide and have 4 eyes welded in on the four sides of it. These eyes are to fasten the head and side stays and the peak-halliard pulley. The boom and gaff should be made in the same manner as the mast, only that the largest place in each should be where the pulleys are fastened. The boom should be largest about four feet from the rear end, and taper both ways, so it is about 2 inches at each end, and 2 1-2 inches in largest place. The gaff should be 1 1-2 inches at each end, and 2 inches at largest place, or about 2 1-2 feet from outer end. The inner ends of both boom and gaff should be fitted with wooden jaws to straddle the mast and prevent them slipping off. The gaff jaws to have a curve upward on the inner ends, so that when the gaff is hoisted up in place the jaws will strike on both sides of the mast and not slip off as would be the case if they were straight. The jib-boom should be 1 1-2 inches at each end, and 2 inches in center, but will have no jaws, simply a straight finish.

Now we come to the sails. The best material for them will be 8-ounce duck or canvas, which can be purchased at any drygoods store. Before cutting out the sails the whole strip should have a one inch tuck run through the center and stitched down on both sides; this not only strengthens it but makes a nicer looking sail. To cut out sails the best plan would be to mark them out, full size, on the attic floor, or stake them out on the lawn, and run a string around the stakes to cut to. When cutting allow 2 1-2 inches more on all sides for the hem and lap each joint 1 inch. Always begin to cut your sails on the rear side and work towards the forward. On the lower sides of both sails cut them with a slight rocker, say about 2 inches deeper in center of main sail, and 1 1-2 inches deeper in jib. When sails are cut and stitched together, each corner should be reinforced with an extra piece of canvas, and each corner will then have a hole worked in it for the lacings. Now the lower and forward edges of the jib and the bottom, top and forward edges of the main-sail should have a strip of 3-8 inch rope sewed on them to prevent stretching, also every 10 or 12 inches on the roped edges, there should be holes for lacings worked in, and an extra row of holes worked three feet above the boom for reefing, when there is too much wind. The rear edges or leach of each sail should be fitted with a strong, small line to tighten up with, so the sails will not flutter while sailing. These lines should be only tight enough to hold the sails steady and not so they will be baggy, as that holds the boat back. These lines, or leach ropes, are run inside of the hem and the ends fastened to the boom and gaff. The sails are intended to be laced around the boom, gaff, mast, jib-boom and head-stay, but rings can be put on mast and head-stay if preferred. The head-stay should be 5-16 inch wire rope and fastened to eye in top of mast and pass through hole in forward end of keel, and then pass back under runner plank and cock-pit, about 4 or 5 feet, and be fastened with a bolt up in the keel. A small block about 3 inches deep should be placed between runner plank and wire, thus pressing it down and giving it a greater purchase.

The side-stays fasten to ring in top of mast, the same as head-stay, and lower ends have a turn-buckle, or lanyard, to tighten up with, and are fastened to eye-bolts in runner plank. These stays hold mast in position and should always be kept tight. In setting mast see that it pitches forward slightly, as an ice-boat sails better with mast in that position. Pulleys are necessary for hoisting the sails. A single one at mast-head for jib, a double and single one for the peak-halliard, two single ones for the throat-halliard, two double and one single one for the main-sheet rope and two single ones for the jib-sheet. All these pulleys can be lashed on with rope, but it would be much better to have little iron straps fitted to spars and eyes welded in for pulleys to fasten to. Now we come to the most important item in the whole boat, “the runners;” the easiest to make will be described. Cut out the wooden shoe according to the length and shape wanted and 1 5-8 inches thick. Along the bottom edge cut out a V-shaped groove the whole length of runner, then take runners to a blacksmith and let him make you the iron shoes for them. They should be of 1-2 or 3-4 inch square iron, with the rear end turned up and a hole drilled and counter sunk in each end, so they can be fastened to wooden shoes. The iron should be bent to take the shape of the wooden shoe, and made with the sharp corner down and slightly rocker-shaped. After irons are fastened on they must be filed down and made sharp and smooth so they will not scratch. The two forward runners are now placed in the guides and a hole bored through both guides and runners and a 1-2 inch bolt put through for a pin to work on. The rudder-post, for rear runner, will have to be all iron and have the lower end all spread out, both sides, so it will straddle the runner and have a bolt through it the same as for the forward runners. The stem will pass up through the keel and have a square head for tiller to fit on, and long enough above tiller to have a thread cut and a nut to screw down to hold tiller firm. Between top of rudder and bottom of boat there should be a piece of rubber to take up the jar, but some leave this out and have a shoulder welded on rudder-post instead. The tiller can be made of pipe and wrapped with cord.

Provide the forward end of keel with a square strap and run side stays to forward sides or runner plank, to prevent keel from bending.

When boring holes through the runners see that they clear the runner plank about 3-4 of an inch, and so that they swing freely. Where rudder post passes through keel have an iron plate put on top of keel, also under body of boat for post to pass through.

Before starting to build boat, study all the accompanying drawings carefully and look over all the measurements and little points, as every necessary figure is given to complete the ice yacht. The writer has built several boats of this kind, and though there are numerous other designs this is the most satisfactory, as is proved by a practical test and experience.