The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-11
100 MILES AN HOUR!
A Terrific Rate of Speed Attained
by The Zero.
SHE MADE THE RUN YESTERDAY
The Ice Was Like Glass and the
Wind Blew
Gale.

One of the most spectacular iceboat
runs ever chronicled in the history of this
wildly exhilarating sport was that of the
zero, Skipper H. w. G. Bowdoin, of the
Mlnnetonka Ice Yacht club, at Lake Min
netonka yesterday. The boat covered 5A
miles in four minutes, the speed being 100
miles an hour. This is the fastest time
ever recorded by an iceboat on Minne-
tonka. so far as known it eclipses any
performance on any course in this coun-
try. -
Even the much-vaunted speed trials of
Hudson river yachts, which have kept
pace with the Empire State express on the
New York Central, must ego way back. !"
While Hudson river boats and ice yachts
ELSEWHERE have made a mile minute
often enough, Zero comes to the front
with an average of almost one and a half
miles for sixty seconds.
The Zero was taken out between 70 and
O'Clock yesterday afternoon. She was
given three trial runs from the upper end
OF Gloeon,s bay to Wayzata, a distance
or SIX miles, lacking One-quarter
The time of the first trip was 4:28. The
second run cut the time down to 4:1O
Zero fairly borrowed the wings of the
wind on the third start, and when Harry
Bowdoin pulled the craft sharply into
stays off Moore's dock at Wayzata the
big stretch of ice had been covered in
just four minutes fiat
The crew describe their sensation as
that of flying through space If Santos
Dumont could have been on board, they
say he would have given up all his extrav-
agant notions about air ships and would
then and there have become an ardent
devotee OF iceboating
Conditions We're ideal. The lake was
clear and smooth as glass. The wind was
blowing from the southwest thirty miles
an hour. making a "quartering' run, at
which angle an ice boat gains it's maxi
mum speed. .-s..- -='s -.ae- rr
After a hard beat to the windward end
of the lake, the Zero was sent on her first
trial just before noon. The distance from
the start to Gales island was made at
terrific rate-so fast that the sailors had
to hang on for dear life. and allow one
gasp for breath to suffice for several in
halauons under ordinary circumstances,
At Gales island the wind let up a BIT
and time was lost before it blew fresh
again. After passing Big Island the Zero
increased her speed again and held it to
the finish.
In the second trial, the sails were
pulled in a little closer. This proved a
distinct advantage as the speed gained
during the heavy squall at the start was
gradually increased to the finish
The wind had been blowing gale all
the morning, but as Zero approached the
windward mark for the last trial, it
seemed to redouble it's strength, reaching
velocity of between Sc and 40 miles an
hour.
Taking advantage of this squall, Zero
was gibed over and started Immediately.
With her windward runner slightly ele-
waited she dashed out of Gideon's bay like
a frightened bird before the storm, and
was then picked up by still heavier
squall. For an instant it looked as if she
might swerve. but she quickened her
pace bit and began to eat I'D space at
rate estimated at 100 miles an hour.
AS she passed Fergusons Point, so great
was her speed that during a slight lull.
her sails swung in amidships. She was
ahead Of the wind.
The next moment she caught the full
force of the wind. which drew out of
Bay ST. Louis, where she again reached
a maximum speed which she maintained
to the finish.
The velocity Of the wind as recorded at
the United States weather bureau yester-
day was:
Time. Velocity
IL m .......................... 20
12:W S6
l:l3 81
The members of the crew were H. w,
C. Bowdoin (owner). A. NJ. Robertson, Of