New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-02-02
OUTSAILING THE WIND.
ICE YACHTING ON THE HUDSON.
AN ExHiLARATING sPORr-Ngu STYLES or ICF
YACHTs-THE ICE YACHTsMAN,s UNIRORM.

MaZeppa on the back of the wild horse or
Lun the circus man. fired from the mouth of a
may nave attained some OF the velocity at which the
slippers OF Ice yachts travel. But they could
equal that speed for ice yachsmen profess their ability
to sail four times as fast the wind and to scare
novice TO death IN five minutes. Poughkcepsie is the
neaeentre OF ice yachting and there club there of
MY members with feet of about thirty yachts.
Among 'he members are men weknown in New-York
society ana many who prominent in yachting circles
DE- d. Z Barron, owner of the compromise soop Athon
Is member and sails the ice yacht Viva Archibald
Rogers the owner Of the cutter Bedouin has the ice
yacht Snowflake yacht is building
Judge Gidersleeve the ice yacht Virginia Henry
Bergh Jf mas the Snow Bird j. A. Roosevelt has the
largest iccyacht on the river, the Iccle He Is
dofe OF the club Among the other members
are D. H. stuyvesant Theodore Van Kleeck, A. T. Win
SLOW Norman Wright, George J. Gould, W. c. Arnold
Hudson Taylor. C. d. Smith, 4. NJ. Davis and G.. c.
Bayey.
lhe cluO was organized in 1861, and from then till
no" the members have been steadily improving the
Dud ana rig OF their yachts. They began with yacht
shapSd IKE an equatera triangle and the process OF
evolution has gone until the yacht has become n
straight board with a beam for the runners
Many III fact most OF the ice yachts the river have
braces from the to the extremity of the runner
Dean' which form remnant Of the old triangle but
the newest and most improved pattern dis
penSes with the runners From being sloops the
Ice yachts have become cutters OF the extreme type
Last winter little yacht made it, appearance the Ice
bslow Poughkecpsie with latecn sail hung between
double inasts, which became one above the sail.
The Ice yachsmen down on the Shrewsbury, either
copying this rig from the fact that great minds run
III Inc same channel built similar yacht this winter.
and she has proved success. Now the Poughkeepsie
club hold the championship pennant and when they
heard ot the doing Of the ateen sail the Shrewsbury
everybody fell into grsat OF tropdaton lest the
pennant should be lost But Archie Rogers edatey
told Mr. Bnckhou the well known builder ice yachts
here 10 build him yacht with lsteen SAIL and 1t is
already nearly completed Several others Of ike rig
VIII probably be built Of the existing yachts
rugged over AMI fight will be made to retain the pen
naut.
An ice yacht sails directly before the wind but
IA considered to be before the wind when the wind is just
aft the beam and In this position 1t Ia that she attans
her greatest speed. Sailing thus the yachsmen reach
such terrific speed that they afraid to tell how
fast they 20 for fear Of the bcs Of doubers However
they think nothing OF speed of mile a minute. The
" crack - yachts do not carry people. Mr.
three on b0ari Two In the box" "a
cushioned oval paec near the stem. and the
weather cnd o the runner BEAM In yachts OF the Iccle
class the skipper steers reclining on the cushions
but In the new type he sits asride the
bcsm and Steers good ice yacht costs about 5000
They ar" beautifully hn and tho yachism Vie with
each other m the elegance OF the cushions and Other
steel or OF phosphor bronze The ruder Is sharpensd
finely % razor.
In spite ~ The nonsense that has been talked about ice
yachts and he absurd pictures Of them that have ap
peared IN illustrated papers 10 !, seldom that either OF
the runners 81 yacht leaves the ice No serious acct
deu ha- occurred IN the history OF ice yachting
Tho Hudson since Tho Poughkrep'io Club formed.
There have been ore two narrow escapes however.
Orr ~ them came near eNtnguislng luminay OF the
New York Bench u WAS at one OF the cgatas and the
yachts were dying down to the turuing--take with
speed that battles comparison. Near the stake stood
Judge Gider-lccye. lie looked mp aud one Of the
III shf Tim He lac air
beam passed under his feet aud before he bad
trr To realize my what hal happened the yacht was
There have been but two or three days good ice
ysch,ng this winter account OF the snow. but In
few days % IL hOpel that crust will be formed. and
yachting will begin IN earnest for the snow after II lies
certain length Of time on the Ice becomes soaked win
and then freezes. forming stcass surface for
the yucbts 10 glide over The ELEGANT ast expensive Ice
yacht, Of P1uchkccpsio pot the only Tee yachts ON
the Hudson Al along the river. down as far as lon-
krf., 10 be seen Numbers OF small craft. many oil
which hyors" There are some rudeiy constructed
vessel, also that could scarcely be called yachts, rs
they not for pleasure, hut for siness IheI are
ungauy Affairs most Of these ice boats and are used TO
bring that oangh through h"lesin the ice orto
S'r5 ,As' 80 rry a~ros IN" Hudson usng
lee boat ~ "a means OF conveyance
II l. merry time on the Hudson when the lee IS In
condition and the yachts are out There the sound OF
laughter aud voices and the swift girrr of the
the yachts ny mp and down past tho spow-coyered
mountains and the cities and villages along the shore
But yachsman To enjoy the sport, must have on the
regulation yachting uniform There are no brass but
godlace this uniform. u Is not pretty. but
II j. exceedingly comfortable. FIRST tho ydchtsmau puts
ON smt Of linen under-cothing over his
and a Mai.icaat over the wastco1i he puts leather
Jacket, quilted aud lined with red nanncl lie wears
boots rubber and felt coming big a. tho knees ana
having spikes iu their ~oies heavy pcaarkrt II put
rubber Jacket and sealskin gloves and cap
complete the costume. Sometimes goggles are woIn as
the rush o tho cold wind is when the yacht i
going her greatest speed that Ito use the yachts
man PRESTON nearly freezes ones eyes out Ihe
yachts experiences difficulty In breathing, even
when going with incfrdbl, velocity. and. aside from he
effect ON the EYES. do not feel the cold one yachtsnan
SAY. II have frequently been standing on the shore
shvrring with all tuggcry apd gone out sailing
nj the rate OF a mile = minute "a get warm"