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speed

Submitted by muleflat on September 30, 2008 - 16:48.

You probably all know that Bob Dill, in a article published in Seahorse magazine this year has de-bunked the myth that an ice boat with wooden spars and cotton sails could possibly be faster than a modern Ice boat. No one to my knowlege has ever published a gps recorded top ice boat speed, we hear a good skeeter tops out at around 72mph is this true. If not, what is the higest recorded speed attained by an ice boat using modern methods. Richard Jenkins of Wind Jet has a new boat ready for the ice and would like to have an honest top speed to attempt to better.I know you all have stories and i do as well, but an honest apprasial would be appreciated.
Three cheers to Good Ice and a new president.
Muleflat

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Bob Dill reported on Skeeter

Submitted by pgoodwin_US46 on October 8, 2008 - 06:58.

Bob Dill reported on Skeeter speeds taken while racing. This requires understanding the notion of "fastest course" upwind and downwind. When racing, the fastest course is not the direction of highest speed. Trust me, any skeeter is capable of speeds MUCH higher than 72mph. Unfortunately for the thrill seekers, Skeeter owners haven't been willing to put there $50,000+ boats on a reach and let 'em rip just to see how fast they can go, but I would bet 100 mph would be within easy reach.

Many iceboaters like to go out with a hand-held GPS to see how fast they can go. While Bob Dill's article points out the folly of thinking that a hand-held unit will give true speeds, they do provide a pretty good idea of top speeds. Many DN sailors will boast of entering the "60 MPH Club". A DN at 60 mph is quite a thrill, and this speed can be reached with a well tuned boat on good ice while reaching. A really well set up DN with a skilled pilot will hit speeds over 60 mph while racing.

If we can get Jack Jacobs to chime in, he has a radar setup at his place on the lake, and there have been lots of speed runs past the radar - including runs in several of his skeeters.

Paul - US46

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Paul,

Submitted by jackjacobs on November 2, 2008 - 20:18.

Paul,

I agree totally. From actual runs using radar set up on the lake. Skeeters can easily reach over 100 mph.

I try to stay out of the Bob Dill discussions. You know how they say "If you can't say anything nice..." you know the rest.

The week after the ISA was here on Elk Lake in 1995 we had the radar set up. There were A-skeeters, both rear cockpit and bubble boats running past the radar. 72mph as a top speed is a bunch of B.S.

We have had the radar set up many times since then, but that weekend was a weekend with a large variety of skeeters and many witnesses.

Jack Jacobs

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GPS Speed

Submitted by Bob Gray on November 4, 2008 - 07:19.

At the Worlds on Green Bay in 2007 we had almost perfect ice and almost too much wind. Both myself and a friend in a couple of races showed a top speed of 65 MPH on a GPS. I know skeeters are a bunch faster then a DN.
BOB

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