The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-02-26
SKATE
SAILING.

The short duration of frost in Eng
land offers little opportunity for the
sport OF ice yachting, so much enjoyed
by Americans in places where there is
large stretch of water. notably on the
upper reaches of the Hudson and
Shrewsbury rivers However, residents
i'm and around the English lake districts
find lots OF amusements in skate sail
ing" one of the beauties of this sport is
that the necessary equipment is very
simple and inexpensive. The sail as
used in England. is generally made OF
white duck. Ii Is about Z feet in height.
8 feet wide at the base. tapering TO
about 3 feet at the top. The spars are
made of bamboo and consist OF a strong
but light mainyard and OF two lighter
spars To which are fastened the sides
OF the sail from top To bottom.
There are two sets OF reef points pro-
vided on one side OF the sail as a gen.
eral rule. and the spars are so iointed
that they can readily be put together or
taken apart When the sail is neatly
folded and strapped To the spars, the
dimensions OF the apparatus are iucon-
siderable. The weight and appearance
Of the bundle are not very different
from those OF fishing rod and mack
intosh.
There are several points which IL Is
useful for one who is contemplating a
trial Of skate sailing this winter to
make himself acquainted with before
venturing on the ice with sail Whether
ne be going free" or beating TO wind
ward the navigator must always be
careful TO keep the sail between him
self and the wind. When the wind is
dead aft. the skater carries the yard
behind him on a level with his shoul-
ders, holding IL steady i'm its position
with both hands. The body should be
held almost erect with the feet parallel
TO one another about six or eight inches
apart.
When he wishes 10 "go about" he
does not act as If he were on board
yacht-run the boats head into the
wind and get away on the new tack.
Instead he wears himself at the same
! time shifting the main yard from one
shoulder TO the other. turning his body
| back to the sail. SO that what was the
hind part of the sail on one tack be-
comes the fore part on the next. and
| grasping the port spar With the left
hand IL on the port tack or the star
| board spar with the right hand If on the
starboard tack.
The employed arm and shoulder will
now be thrown forward, the unemploy-
ed arm being left free. The body must
| lean somewhat toward the direction
| from which the wind is blowing. and
| the foot which corresponds with the
employed arm--that is. the foot which is
10 windward--must be held n little in
| front of the other. with the prows of
both skates poLSting in the line of in
tended motion.
At each successive tack the position
! of the body, shoulder, foot and hand
must be shifted, but these maneuvers
are executed by practiced skate sailors
without any danger of missing stays
/ or any other mishap
| Very fast time can be made with the
assistance of these sails. A celebrated
skater named Adams is claimed to have
covered 80 miles i'm one hour on Whit
! tlesea mere in the winter of 1889
How the forces OF nature can be made
to minister to the requirements of man
! i'm this fashion may be best illustrated
| by the Danish skate sail. 1t resembles
/ the mainsail and topsail of a square
rugged boat except that the two sails
| which are made OF light cotton duck
are i'm one piece The mainsail yard is
! fastened by means OF straps to the
| shoulders of the navigator and the top
mast, which can be raised and lowered
with ease. is attached by gaff to its
center. This supports the topsail yard.
The mainsal is feet wide at it's base
6 feet inches at the yard and is feet
inches in height. The topsail tapers
to feet 10 inches at the top and is
feet i'm height.
SPIRITS about six feet In length are at
tached TO each of the lower corners OF
the mainsail and are held by the nav
| igator. When rolled up, the entire af-
fair is scarcely more bulky than a large
! old fashioned umbrella.
With this equipment a Dane sustains
the part OF boat. sail, keel. rudder bal
last, captain and crew. He can lay his
course within five points OF the wind
and can maneuver himself i'm less space
and i'm less time than the most expert
ice yachtsmaR.