DN boats at a Kingston regatta in January of this year. It requires particular weather conditions to make for good ice. The river/lake must freeze when there is virtually no wind to create ripples or waves, and there must be little snow cover on the ice.
Photo Credit: Thomas Carlton

World ice-boat championships come to Ontario.

Kingston Ontario has ideal ice this year

While many shun the cold of a northern winter, it does have it’s advantages. For example, there are many who enjoy the chance to practice a whole new set of sports, some of them quite speedy and thrilling.

One is the long-practiced sport of ice-boating, basically sailing on the ice.

Each year the DN class world championships alternate between Europe and North America.

This year ice conditions at Kingston have been ideal and the city was chosen for the DN class international world championship regatta to be held next week starting on Sunday January 25th.

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Kingston, in southern Ontario at the eastern end of Lake Ontario is at the beginning of the scenic and somewhat protected river area known as the scenic 1000 Islands. The area provides wide and long expanses for sailing and ice-boating © google

The regattas and championships are organized by the International DN Yacht Ice Racing Association (IDNYIRA) and hosted this year by the Kingston Yacht Club (KYC)

The DN class is the most popular class of competition ice boat, designed in the mid 1930’s.

The single cockpit hull is 3.7m long (12ft) with a single blade at the front for steering, with a 2.4m transverse plank (8ft) for the two outboard blades. The mast is raked and carries 5.6m of sail.

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for an Iceboater, it doesn’t get any better than this, perfect ice, and a steady breeze. © courtesy KYC

With a steady breeze of 20-25km/h and good ice, the craft can reach speeds of 80-100km/h

Registration closes tomorrow but organizers say they are expecting between 80 and 120 competitors from 10 to 15 countries for this world class international event.

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