The sun., 1908-02-16
sKATE SAILINe a eREAr SPORT.
New RIg Invented by Swedcs and How
They Handle It on the Ice.


there 10 nothing that carries a man over
the frozen surface with greater speed
Heretofore those who have indulged in
the sxhilarAting exercise have used a square
sort OF sail. but the Swedes are responsible
for an innovation which greatly simplihes
the method OF sailing. Il is in regard to
the sail. which is five cornered and made
Of the hghtest sail cloth. and 90 as to he
easy OF manipulation il is rugged on spars
OF bamboo. This sail contains about three
and a half square yards Of canvas for
boy or girl OF ordinary size. The proper
size for = man Is about five square yards
Like everything else skate sails have been
improved from time to time, but il is
claimed for the new pattern that IL .s far
superior to anything yet seen in this line
To person first attempting the sport the
sail seems large and unwieldy. but this
feeling soon wears on and a little practice
enables q man to handle II fairly well. The
new sail 10 about ton feet long and the same
In width at the top. narrowing down TO
about six feet at the bottom, and II is 30
arranged that IL can be easily reefed II
necessary. When sailing the mast 10 held
across the body horizontally. In giving
some points about IL an expert in the Field
says:
"ro make . start place the sail over the
right shoulder and let II drop till 1t rests
against the back. then with the right hand
grasp the yard in front Of you q couple Of
feet below the mast and with your arm
fully extended behind you take a firm
hold on the mast. Always keep the body
between the sail and the wind. OF you will
probably lose control and find the sail per-
form some remarkable gymnastics before
wrenching itself free and throwing you
over. The beginner should not make his
first essay in high wind or he may be-
come discouraged. but il he cannot or will
not wait he should reef the sail and do
the best he can.
1T is easy TO tack when you know how it
is done. and although you cannot lie 80 high
as with an ice boat, the loss is largely made
good by falling away before turning, and
then by making use OF the way IL is possible
TO run a considerable distance ia the eye
OF the wind. When going about the skater
raises the sail horizontally above his head,
transfers the mast 10 the other shoulder
and reverses the hand grips. As with the
ice yachtsman, for some insCrutabIe reason.
the skater makes but poor show running
free, and sails best with a beam wind or
a point abaft or before the beam. The
speed to be attained partly depends upon
the size Of the sail, which must not be too
large to admit Of being properly handled.
and also on the proficiency OF the sailer. an
expert being able TO sail around an indiffer-
ent performer. The taller the man the more
canvas he can carry.
Races are held several times a year near
Stockholm and elsewhere in Sweden The
course 10 triangular in shape, 80 as 20 insure
sailing on all points OF the wind. The COM
petitions are timed only with reference TO
the relative speed Of the sailers. but from
what may be regarded az authentic sources
ten kilometers have been sailed in seven
minutes. OF nearly a mile a minute. equal
ling the pace OF A large ice yacht in a stiff
wind. A mile a minute on skates seems
almost incredible. II for no other reason
than the difiioulty OF keeping ones eQui-
librium should rough ice be encountered,
and fall at such speed would be serious.
With my old undersized sail never could
run a mile any better than three minutes.
against two minutes in my 10 foot home
causes a sensation OF flying at terrific
speed. The skaters in the distance look like
great white sea birds, and when fifty such
sails and a dozen ice yachts OF various
sizes are seen at once flying about in differ
beautiful.
"A favorlte resort Of the Stockholmers
for ice yachting 10 Saltsjobbaden, finely
situated ten miles from the capital and
possessing a first rate hotel. Here on
the beautiful ford sailing races are often
held, and on Sunday or holiday great
numbers OF men, women and children may
be seen skate sailing and yachting. An
other popular resort is Djursholm. about as
far on the other side Of Stockholm, where
there are capital opportunities for sailing
and an excellent hostelry for the hungry
and thirsty. and il is curious how thirsty
ice sailing makes one.
Only the strong should sail on skates.
for II Is cold work and one must
be dressed accordingly, the body we'll
wrapped around, warm gloves worn and a
woollen helmet drawn down over the face.
Cowhair stockings reaching to the knees
and pulled over the ordinary stockings are
much worn for winter sports in Sweden.
There is a wonderful charm in skate sail
ing about the fords OF the Baltic, which
is studded with wooded islands, and when
the short northern day Of winter has length
ened into March one can make long eX-
cursions ashore and eat lunch on some
sunny bank and return in the cleaning,
when the setting sun transforms the ice
into a golden mirror on which the flying
Sailer sees his own reflection.
How many miles ! have sailed in one
day do not know, and II one could compute
the grand total over q number Of years
the score no doubt would be astonishing
The exercise Is so invigorating and there
is so much variety in the change OF
wind, the discovery OF fresh fields OF ice
ana now sCeneTy JndJ IL never palle0. Inc
only drawback l ever experienced was a
tired feeling in the calves OF my legs, caused
by the strain on the muscles. bat there are
many who do not suffer from this.
Once, on the lake near which l lived,
/ came near being swallowed up. Ac-
companied by some friends we we're sailing
around when a huge crack opened up at our
feet and without the slig ghtest warning,
but luckily we were able TO retreat in time.
The opening, piled up with ice on both sides.
was too wide to cross, and completely
barred our passage. Here the skate sailer
has an advantage over the ice yachtsman,
who in similar circumstances must rln
his boat ashore and leave her there. We
merely had to follow the crack TO the land,
roll up our sails, and walk around to the
other side.
March and April are dangerous months
to the skate sailer. for the strong sun rem
ders the ice porous, and II Is liable to crack
any minute. In the neighborhood OF
Stockholm the Ice holds good until April
Sailing Is sometimes interrupted by snow
falls, and then the skate saiIer has TO wait
for a high gale Of wind or a strong thaw TO
clear the ioe. In England and Scotland
there is good opportunity for skate sailing
The English fens furnish 6nA facilities for