ICE WINDSURFING
 
"Ice Windsurfer Plans"
Click here for Ice-Windsurfer Plans.
If have any questions regarding these plans please contact Janusz Butylkin for information
janusz.butylkin@sympatico.ca 416-562-1598 Janusz is an avid ice windsurfer and member of the Polish Ice Windsurfing team.
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"THINK COOL"
Windsurfing has been a great adventure for nearly forty years for hundreds of thousands of people through out the world and there virtually is no chance of not seeing someone sailing when it is really windy.
That's a fact.
Let me tell You about little different fact. For nearly as long as windsurfing has existed, there has been another sailing discipline that is less well known... for about forty years now! It is also windsurfing!
The only difference between them is that the other one requires "hard" water (ice) to sail.
I know, it sounds ridiculous and even funny. Huge majority of people who have never heard about it, at their first encounter of this "crazy" sport think that we are coming from a parallel universe of some sort. Totally weird. Almost one hundred percent of those who have heard about it the very first time drew almost every time the very same assumption: It must be super cold and probably extremely dangerous!
I'm stunned by it, but then again it's only one man's opinion. Winter is usually cold and unappealing, everybody knows that!
But then again, there is skiing that thousands of people in this province alone are enjoying very all winter long. I see a lot of people having lots of fun skating or playing outdoor hockey regardless of how did the weather turns out.
Maybe it's time to look at other great winter sports. Having a lot of experience windsurfing makes very easy to adjust to ice sailing but what I think is even more unbelievable is the fact that learning basics of windsurfing can be shortened by many weeks just simply by using "hard water".
Beginning on ice is easier than is on water. For those who can't take four months off work and spend it sailing somewhere down south during winter time, I have got great news!
You DON'T have to. If one truly loves windsurfing or is curious about trying a different form of it, I strongly recommend to give it a try. From experience I can tell that it is fun, great workout and if some one likes racing ... well that brings a whole new dimension to the game.
Having a few inches of fresh black ice has great advantage, unlike water sailing that requires at least 12 to 15 knots of wind to get the board in to planing, ice needs only about 5 to 6 knots to do the very same. Another great incentive of winter windsurfing is that there is way more wind, more often.
In terms of safety of being active on frozen lake ... well usually common sense is a good place to start (read helmet and life jacket to fall back onto and check ice conditions before you go out, ).
There is plenty information available on the internet, because ice sailing is widely developed thought entire northern hemisphere for more than two hundred years and is still going strong! Best example of that working progress is creation of DN 60 ice boat a very successful monotype class that began it's life in Detroit, Michigan in 1936 It is one of today's strongest professional sailing classes with few thousand active members of "IDNYRA" ( International DN Ice Yacht Racing Association).
Ever since windsurfing reached the ice (which started in early 70's) a new era has began. Smaller ice board is the natural progress choice from much larger Ice boats, means carrying less equipment and maintenance and finally the same rig (mast, boom and sail) for summer and winter. There is few recognized devices with windsurfing rig used in the winter but is still to be determined what would become the successor for the DN 60?
So far the two most proven choices:
Number one is called "the ice board" and is a simply scaled version of DN on which unlike the iceboat is ridden in standing position. It is very efficient, fast and maneuverable board with only one drawback and that is deep snow! The second board is far more superior because is based on two very long skis with small platform attached to them. Sailing that rig feels like sailing a long race board only in hyper drive.
I'm hoping that this short article can trigger a spark of curiosity to check it out, ultimately trying it and having the wind literally sweep you off your feet as you fly forward in an incredible sense of speed.
It's the only way to fly.
I will provide more information on this fascinating subject over the winter and hope that it encourages you to try this amazing winter version of a great sport, this coming winter.
Please feel free to contact me if you would like to try it.
Best regards
Janusz Butylkin
janusz.butylkin@sympatico.ca
416-562-1598
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