Safety Articles


by Bob Dill

You do not need to be a rocket scientist to know that anything that can go 50 mph can be dangerous. Likewise ice is widely understood to be an extremely variable surface to sail on. It can range from being very safe to very treacherous. Most of the serious risks associated with iceboating can only be minimized by understanding them recognizing when they are present and exercising good judgment in avoiding them.

Things happen fast at 50 mph. Decision making needs to be instantaneous for things like sailing rules. Other things need to be understood ahead of time. When you are heading for a hole at speed from 40 feet away it is too late to check out the ice better. Vigilance and understanding are key to safety.

The risk associated with the sport is not well understood. The relatively small number of serious accidents combined with the small number of participants and no overall collection point for accident data make risk assessment difficult. Serious accidents including death do occur occasionally. In almost all cases they result from poor judgment, lack of knowledge about ice conditions or a poor understanding of sailing rules.

The following articles represent a few thoughts on safety and ice properties. They offer a less than all- knowing perspective on their particular subjects. When you are on the ice you have to make your own decisions about what is acceptably safe and what is not. Use your head: it is the only thing that keeps the sport as safe as it is.

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