Amanda Knapp
Iceboating is a recreational or competitive sport where sailing craft are supported on metal runners for travelling over ice. Iceboats are capable of reaching high speeds, with some claims of over 100 mph. However, these claims are often not supported by scientific evidence. The fastest recorded speed for a modern iceboat is 84 mph, although speeds of 10 mph faster are plausible. Yacht designer John Eisenlohr has collected top speeds on four different boat designs on both ice and dirt, finding that the same boat design has the same top speed on both surfaces.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Maximum speed | 84 mph |
| Average speed | 80 mph |
| Speed in Minecraft | 160 blocks per second |
| Speed on packed ice in Minecraft | 40 blocks per second |
| Speed of the Debutante in 1938 | 143 mph |
| Minimum speed | 60 mph |
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What You'll Learn
Iceboating speeds: 80-100+ mph
Iceboating speeds can reach 80-100+ mph. There is a long history of speed claims for iceboats, dating back to the 1800s and probably before. One of the best-known claims appeared in the Guinness Book of Records until a few years ago: sailing the Debutante at 143 mph in 1938.
However, there is little connection between these claims and scientifically measured speeds. The fastest speed measured on a race course is 80 mph, and a radar measurement of a modern Skeeter iceboat recorded a speed of 84 mph. Speeds of 10 mph faster are plausible, but claims above 100 mph need much more solid evidence.
Yacht designer John Eisenlohr and others have collected top speeds on four different boat designs on both ice and dirt. His data shows that the same boat design has the same top speed on ice or dirt. These boats are designed only to go fast in 30+ mph winds, on one tack and at a powerful reaching angle to the wind.
Because of their low resistance to forward motion over ice, iceboats are capable of speeds exceeding 60 mph (100 km/h).
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Iceboat design: metal runners, steerable
Iceboats are recreational or competition sailing craft supported on metal runners for travelling over ice. One of the runners is steerable. Iceboats were originally boats with a support structure, riding on the runners and steered with a rear blade, like a conventional rudder. Over time, the structure evolved into a frame with a seat or cockpit for the iceboat sailor, resting on runners. Steering was then shifted to the front.
Iceboats are capable of reaching high speeds due to their low resistance to forward motion over ice. While there is a long history of speed claims for iceboats, with some claims of over 100 mph, these are not always backed by evidence. The fastest speed measured on a race course is 80 mph, with a radar measurement of a modern Skeeter iceboat reaching 84 mph. Speeds of about 10 mph faster are plausible, but claims above 100 mph require much more solid evidence. Yacht designer John Eisenlohr has collected top speed data on four different boat designs on both ice and dirt, finding that the same boat design has the same top speed on ice or dirt.
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GPS logging: top speeds on ice and dirt
Yacht designer John Eisenlohr and others have used GPS logging to collect top speeds on ice and dirt for four different boat designs. Eisenlohr's data shows that the same boat design has the same top speed on ice or dirt.
GPS logging has been used to record speeds of over 100 mph on ice. However, these claims are not backed up by much evidence. The fastest speed measured on a race course is 80 mph, with a radar measurement of a modern Skeeter iceboat reaching 84 mph. Speeds of 10 mph faster than this are plausible, but speeds of over 100 mph require more solid evidence.
One of the best-known claims appeared in the Guinness Book of Records until a few years ago. The claim was for sailing the Debutante at 143 mph in 1938.
In the game Minecraft, boats on Blue Ice travel at around 160 blocks per second. This is four times faster than the speed that can be achieved with Boats on Packed Ice, which travel at 40 blocks per second.
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Iceboat history: claims dating back to the 1800s
Iceboating has a long history, with claims of high speeds dating back to the 1800s and probably before. The first iceboat in America is attributed to Oliver Booth in 1790, but the activity began in Europe, in areas where smooth ice was found in the bays of the Baltic Sea and the canals of the Netherlands during the little ice age. Ice sailing came to North America, where the sailing craft evolved into recreational and racing versions.
In the 19th century, iceboats evolved into a box shape, riding on cross-pieces, supported by runners. These stern-steerer iceboats were generally rigged as sloops, with a jib sail forward of the mast, although the catboat style with a single sail was also used. In 1879 the archetypical Hudson River iceboat began to emerge. The Robert Scott, designed and built by H. Relyea, had a single backbone and wire guy-ropes.
In the mid-19th century, two "ice yachting" clubs had formed: the Poughkeepsie Ice Yacht Club (1865) and the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club (1870). Wealthy boat owners sailed large iceboats with up to seven crew members. Boats were as long as 69 feet (21 m) and sailed as fast as 107 miles per hour (172 km/h), a record exceeding any other conveyance in 1885, set by the Icicle. The first American Challenge Pennant occurred in 1881 on the Hudson River with five ice-yacht clubs competing.
One of the best-known claims for speed appeared in the Guinness Book of Records until a few years ago. The claim was for sailing the Debutante at 143 mph in 1938. The fastest speed measured more recently is 80 mph on a race course, with a radar measurement of a modern Skeeter iceboat trying for max speed on a windy day of 84 mph. Speeds about 10 mph faster have been claimed and are plausible, but claims above 100 mph need much more solid evidence than has been provided to date.
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Iceboat speed issues: computers unable to load chunks fast enough
Iceboats are capable of travelling at very high speeds, with some claims suggesting they can reach over 100 mph. However, these claims are often not backed up by solid evidence. The fastest speed measured by a radar gun was 84 mph, although speeds of 10 mph faster are plausible.
Some of the earliest claims of high speeds on iceboats date back to the 1800s, with one of the most famous claims appearing in the Guinness Book of Records until a few years ago. This claim stated that the Debutante reached a speed of 143 mph in 1938.
In more recent times, yacht designer John Eisenlohr has collected top speeds on four different boat designs on both ice and dirt. His data shows that the same boat design has the same top speed on ice or dirt.
However, these high speeds can cause issues for computer games. For example, in the game Minecraft, boats on Blue Ice can travel at 160 blocks per second, which is four times faster than boats on Packed Ice. This speed causes issues as most computers are unable to load chunks fast enough to keep up with the boat's speed, even if the chunks are pre-generated.
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Frequently asked questions
Iceboats are capable of speeds exceeding 60 miles per hour (100 km/h). The fastest recorded speed is 84 mph.
The Guinness Book of Records previously recorded a speed of 143 mph in 1938.
An iceboat is a recreational or competition sailing craft supported on metal runners for travelling over ice.
Boats on blue ice can travel at 160 blocks per second.
