Most people don’t know a whole lot about ice boating, a niche sport that is enjoyed by a small group of sailors around the world. But in Maine, they have a fairly high participation rate in the sport, compared to other Northeast states.
Here are a few interesting facts about ice boating in Maine, a few of which may take you by surprise:
— Ice boats sailed in Maine can travel over 60 mph, propelled by the wind alone.
— A Maine ice boater, Lloyd Roberts, wrote what’s known as the definitive book on ice boating racing, “Think Ice.”
Roberts also developed the ice boat design called the Cheapskate, which can be built for $200 to $300 out of hardware store materials and salvaged materials found at the dump.
— The most popular lakes for ice boating in Maine are Sebago Lake, Moosehead Lake, South Twin Lake and Damariscotta Lake.
— The Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club is a Maine-based organization founded in the 1960s that continues to be extremely active in the ice boating community today. The club has 110 members, with about half of those members being Maine residents, and the rest scattered throughout the Northeast.