The American Boy's Handy Book/Chapter 31

Skimming over the glassy surface of an ice-bound river or pond, propelled by the wintry blast blowing against artificial wings of cloth, is but a degree removed from flying. The friction of your skate runners upon the ice is so slight that it is not difficult to imagine that you have left the earth and are soaring in mid-air.

Every boy who has had any skating experience knows what hard work it is to skate against a stiff wind, and almost all who ever fastened skates to their feet must have enjoyed the luxury of sailing over the ice before the wind with a spread coat or open umbrella doing duty as a sail.

For some time back people in widely separated parts of the world have made more or less successful attempts at transforming themselves into animated ice-yachts, and in Canada, Norway, and other cold countries, men with sails rigged on their backs or shoulders have "tacked," "come about," and "luffed" themselves in a novel and highly entertaining style, but lately, for some reason or other, this sport has been allowed to almost die out, and we are now indebted to two or three writers for reintroducing skate-sailing to the public with original suggestions and improvements. Mr. Charles L. Norton, editor of The American Canocist, was, I believe, the first to call the ​attention of the public in general, and the boys particularly, to this delightful sport. In an article published in the St. Nicholas Magazine, entitled "Every Boy his Own Ice-Boat," Mr. Norton describes a new and original device, consisting of a double sail, which is so simple in construction, and yet so strong, light, and easy to manage, that it is sure to become a favorite rig with the boys, both large and small.

In another article entitled "White Wings," which appeared in Harper's Weekly, the same author describes a number of queer sails used by different people. Following in the footsteps of Mr. Norton, and adding to our information on this subject, comes T. F. Hammer with an interesting article published in the Century Magazine, in which this gentleman gives some personal experience as a winged skater and a detailed description of the Danish skate-sail.

Among the many reasons given by skate-sailors why this new and highly exhilarating pastime should come into general favor are these: skate-sailing can be practised and enjoyed on ice too rough for ordinary skating, and a light fall of snow that ruins the ice for the common skater improves it for the winged yachtsman.

Salt-water ice that is too soft for one to enjoy a skate upon affords a better foothold than smooth, hard, fresh-water ice, and is preferable on that account. Wherever you can skate there you may sail, and when the skating proper is ruined, it often happens that the qualities of the ice are improved for sailing. There is no record of a serious accident happening to any skate-sailor, although one may attain, literally, the speed of the wind, the higher the rate of speed the less danger there appears to be, for in falling a person will strike the ice at such an angle that he is merely sent sliding over the surface, and little or no damage is done.

After procuring a suitable piece of cloth, spread it out upon the floor and tack it there, then spread yourself out on the cloth with your arms extended at right angles to your body, and your feet spread apart. While in that position, have some one mark on the cloth the points where the crown of your head, your wrists, and ankles come. With a chalk or pencil connect these points by lines, and, allowing for the hem, cut the sail out according to the pattern made.

Turn the edges over and make a strong broad hem all around the sail, sew in straps or bands at the ankle, waist, wrists, and head. When the sail is to be used, adjust the head-band around the forehead, fasten the waist, wrist, and ankle straps, and the ship is rigged. By spreading the arms, the sail is set; when the arms are folded the sail is furled. It would become exceedingly tiresome to hold the arms outstretched from the sides for any length of time without support; to obviate this, a stick may be carried, which, when thrust behind the back, will make a support for the hands as they grasp it near the ends. The man-bat steers with his feet, using his legs and arms for sheet-lines. Skaters rigged up in this novel style present a most grotesque appearance as they flap their wings about in going through various evolutions.

is a double sail, and might be called a schooner rig. It is in many respects superior to the somewhat cumbersome single sails, the chief advantage being the fact that the crew can see in every direction, and thus avoid running foul of any other craft or skater. Another improvement is the double main spar which, without increasing the weight, affords a stronger support for the cross pieces, or fore and main masts. The main ​spar may be made of spruce pine or bamboo. Cane fishing-poles are inexpensive, and can probably be readily obtained by most boys. Select two pieces, each about ten feet long, and bind the butt or large end of one to the small end of the other; lash the other ends firmly together in like manner, so that the two poles will lay side by side firmly bound at each end.

For the fore and main masts or cross yards, Mr. Norton recommends bamboo, five-eighths of an inch in diameter, but American cane will also answer for that purpose. Pick out two pieces five-eighths of an inch in diameter at the smallest ends, Image missingFig. 191.The Norton Rig. and let each be four feet six inches long. Near the ends of the cross yards fasten metal buttons or knobs, and fasten similar knobs near the ends of the main spar. Make a small cleat for the middle of each cross spar (A, A, A, Fig. 191) and lash it firmly on.

Make the sails of the heaviest cotton sheeting, if it can be procured; if not, take ordinary sheeting and double it, or what cloth you can procure. Mark out the sails, making allowance for the hem, and let them measure four feet across the diagonal after the hem has been turned down; bind the sails with strong tape, and see that the corners particularly are made very strong. ​Sew to the "clews" or corners small metal rings, or loops of strong cord, to fasten on the buttons at the ends of the spars.

Attach the sails to the cross spars by slipping the rings at the clews over the buttons at each end of the spars. Spring the main spar apart and slip the cleats of the cross spar between the two pieces, so that they fit as shown by Fig. 191. Fasten the outside clews to the buttons on the ends of the main spar and bind the two inside clews tightly together with a cord as shown in the diagram, and you are all ready to give the novel device a trial. Go to the nearest sheet of ice, put on your skates, and after seeing that they are securely fastened, take up the sails and let yourself go before the wind, steering with your feet. After practising awhile you can learn to tack, and go through all the manœuvres of a regular sail-boat.

A most beautiful "rig" is described by Mr. Norton, in which the main spar consists of four pieces of bamboo joined at the middle by brass fishing-rod ferrules. Brass tips are used for holding the small ends of the bamboo together at the ends of the main spar. This rig can be taken apart like a jointed fishing-rod, and, like it, put in a comparatively small case, occupying not much more space when the sails are rolled up than an old-fashioned cotton umbrella. Sails may be made of fancy striped cloth and brilliantly colored penants rigged to their corners; combine this with a suitable uniform, and the winged skater will present a most striking and dashing appearance as he goes flying over the ice.

This is a very simple sail to make, as may be seen by referring to Fig. 192. The spars can be made of the same material as the ones described for the Norton rig. The Norwegian rig requires a crew of two, and in this particular differs from all the rest. The man at the bow grasps the main spar with one hand ​Image missingFig. 192.Norwegian Rig. just behind the fore cross yard, and with the other hand takes hold of the main spar behind him; the helmsman must stand at the stern or "aft" end of the sail, so that he can see to steer. The man in front must hold on and trust to Providence and the steersman. This is rather an awkward rig, but it has the advantage of carrying two instead of one, and is consequently in favor with people who like sociability.

consists of a mainmast and topmast. The latter can be let down when required. The diagram (Fig. 193) is made of dimensions suitable for a good-sized boy. The straps near the bottom of the topmast are for the purpose of binding the sail to the back of the crew, like a knapsack. The hand-sticks are only attached to the lower corners of the sails, the other ends are held by the crew, crossed ​and used as sheet-lines are in an ordinary sail-boat. The spars may all be made of spruce, pine, cedar, bamboo, or Southern cane, and the sail of heavy cotton sheeting or strong cotton duck, of double thickness at the clews. In experimenting with this rig, it is best to choose a day when there is only a moderate wind, for the sail being bound to your body cannot be cast aside by simply letting go.

The mainsail and topsail are all of one piece of cloth. The topmast is fastened to the middle of the shoulder yard by a leather strap passing around the yard. The topmast is held in place by the wind blowing it against the head of the crew. By running a little into the wind the topsail will fall back and leave only the mainsail up, or if you loosen the cross knot at the upper part of the topmast you can roll the topsail down to the reefing points and lash it there. The steering is done with the feet of the crew. To learn to sail this or any other craft practice is needed. You might as well try to learn to swim from reading a book as to expect to become an expert sailor without going to sea.

consists of a mast and two spars (Fig. 194); the bottom of the mast rests in straps fastened to one leg of the crew, who supports the sail by placing one arm around the mast, holding on to the top spar with the other hand. This makes quite a pretty craft, though, ​like the Danish rig, the sail must be bound to the crew, which always appears objectionable from the fact that in case of accident there must be more danger of breaking the spars or tearing the sail than there is where the whole thing can be dropped in an instant. The English rig is on something of the same principle as

which consists of a long spar and a sprit, the spar being in some cases twelve or fifteen feet in length; one seven feet long will make a sail large enough for a boy. The sprit is fastened at the bottom securely to the sail, and fits on to the main spar with a crotch, fork, or jaw. The sail being cut in the right shape and proper proportions, and made fast to the long spar and to the end of the sprit, as soon as the latter is forced into place it will stretch the sail out flat, as in Fig. 195. A boy with one of these rigs on his shoulder makes a very rakish-looking craft. The spar is carried "as a soldier carries his rifle"—on the shoulder; the sprit, or small cross spar, is allowed to rest against the crew's back. According to one writer, who is supposed to have had experience, this rakish craft will not in the least belie its looks. In speaking of it he says: "I should say that on good, smooth ice, with a twenty-five or thirty-​mile wind, they went at the rate of eighty or one hundred miles an hour." This sounds like an exaggeration, but when we remember that a good ice-yacht, well handled, can make a mile a minute or more, travelling much faster than the wind itself, the statement of the enthusiastic advocate of the Cape Vincent rig does not appear so improbable. In speaking of the speed attained by regular ice-yachts, Mr. Norton says:

"There is no apparent reason why a skate-sailor should not attain a like speed. Other things being equal, he has certain advantages over the ice-yacht. His steering gear is absolutely perfect, assuming, of course, that he is a thoroughly confident skater, and it is in intimate sympathy with the trim of his sail. This nice adjustment between rudder and sails is an important point. Again, there is no rigidity about the rig. Everything sways and gives under changing conditions of wind, and experience soon endows the skater with an instinct which teaches him to trim his sail so as to make every ounce of air-pressure tell to the best advantage."

The two forked sticks from which the framework of this sail is made must necessarily be nearly of the same dimensions. After their ends have been firmly lashed together, as shown by Fig. 196, a sail made of an old piece of carpet, awning, hay-cover, or any cloth that is strong enough or can be made strong enough by doubling, may be lashed on at the four prongs of the forks. This rig will convey a crew of ​two over the ice with as much speed as the more elaborate Norwegian sail (Fig. 192). The country sail may not be handsome, but it possesses the advantage of being easily constructed and costing little or nothing, except the work of cutting and trimming the spars and sail.