Sunfish Iceboat?

dano

New Member
Does anyone use their Sunfish sail rig on an Iceboat? The lake I live on is starting to freeze and I don't want to wait until spring to sail again. I would like to find a simple plan for an iceboat that would work with the Sunfish rig.

I am new to Sunfish sailing. I bought a used 1976 AMF in August and have sailed 2-3 times a week. The boat was a waterlogged 193 pounds when I bought it, with the information on this forum to help me I have dried it out and the hull now weighs 132.
 
Here are two photos from the Sunfish Sailor Forum. These photos show the Sunfish lateen rig. The "iceboat" looks pretty basic, but I bet it moves. I too would like to sail through the winter. There are wood sailboat sites with plans.

There is a group of iceboaters near me that sail DN iceboats. My friend works at the aircraft museum here in Kalamazoo and has hand built an ice boat with inlaid tulipwood and one completely out of tulipwood. If I can get photos I will share them on the forum.
 

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As a little history Waaaaaay back when Al & Cort actually made ice boats. IIRC they had a neat 2 person version called a Yankee.
 
I have an Ice Fish like the one shown in the photos above. However, in the three winters I have owned it, we have had poor ice conditions (thin ice and heavy snow cover) so I have yet to try it out. I am hoping that this will be the year.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
I have an Ice Fish like the one shown in the photos above. However, in the three winters I have owned it, we have had poor ice coditions (thin ice and heavy snow cover) so I have yet to try it out. I ah hoping that this willl be the year.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
Alan (and all), is your Ice Fish an original (ie. one design)? Did it follow the "Yankee" in any type of production by Alcort? Is the Ice Fish a DIY rig (kit)or was it something mass produced at one time? Do you have photos to share? I have only seen the photo in the previous post. I am interested in DN Iceboats, but the Ice Fish has my curiosity.
 
All,

The Ice Fish iceboat that I have is not the Yankee design that the Alcort boys produced right after WWII. The Ice Fish is a commercially produced contraption made out of about 3" diamter aluminum tube for the "hull" and "runner plank" with a steering runner blade on the "bow" (operated by foot controls) and two stationary runner blades on the plank. There are also two fiberglass chair seats (like the ones you find in a 1960's high school cafeteria) mounted fore and aft on the hull tube. The powerplant is a regular Sunfish sail and mast, but the tip of the mast is stayed with a bow stay and two side stays. If you Google "Ice Fish" you might find some postings from a guy on Lake Charlevoix, Michigan who sails one there regularly. Sorry, I have no photos.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
All,

Is anybody in this discussion interested in buying my Sunfish sail powered Ice Fish iceboat? Mine is for sale. E-mail me at: [email protected] if you want to see photos. I am asking $450.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY (near Syracuse, NY)

The Ice Fish iceboat that I have is not the Yankee design that the Alcort boys produced right after WWII. The Ice Fish is a comercially produced contraption made out of about 3" diameter aluminum tube for the "hull" and "runner plank" with a steering runner blade on the "bow" (operated by foot controls) and two stationary runner blades on the plank. There are also two fiberglass chair seats (like the ones you find in a 1960's high school cafeteria) mounted fore and aft on the hull tube. The powerplant is a regular Sunfish sail and mast, but the tip of the mast is stayed with a bow stay and two side stays. If you Google "Ice Fish" you might find some postings from a guy on Lake Charlevoix, Michigan who sails one there regularly. Sorry, I have no photos.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY[/quote]
 
I've resurrected an unseaworthy Sunfish into an Icefish using some big old skate rigs I found in my garage inserted into some old skis. It is too heavy and often breaks due to my amateur skills and lack of respect for the forces at play, but it has sailed and inspires me to keep figuring it out. Some real runners from a DN might be a start...
P4020062.jpg
 
That looks more like a Snowfish than an Icefish - which would be a great idea too. Just stating my observation.
 

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