Ice Surfers I like to windsurf in the summer here on Prince Edward Island. We have beautiful beaches, warm water, and lots of wind. In the winter we like to sail on a modified skateboard called an ice surfer. It is very inexpensive to make and if you windsurf, you already have a rig you can use with it. We use a pair of downhill skis for the runners. If you check out thrift shops and flea markets you should be able to pick up a pair for under $20. Take the wheels off the skate board and attach brackets which are shown in the photos below. These brackets are relatively easy to make. Aluminum is the preferred material. The secret of the brackets is the adjustment holes which allow you to adjust the camber of the skis. On pure ice you would want the skis tilted away from the board so that the outside edges dig in to the ice. On snow you would flatten the skis. The only other thing you need to do to your skateboard is to drill a hole about 2" back from the front of the skateboard in the center to accommodate the mast base. Drill the hole slightly bigger than the diameter of your mast bolt. The ice surfer is a a lot of fun but it does have it's drawbacks. You can only gyre when turning and on pure ice it turns so quickly that if your turn is tight and you are going fast you will probably get dumped on your ass. However on the plus side it slows down very quickly by sheeting out on the sail and is quite stable. You can use a harness under the right conditions and you can sail it in very light winds. I've had people who have never sailed a windsurfer sailing one of these in about 15 minutes. Helmets are a must and elbow and knee pads are good too. Always check ice thickness and never sail alone. Have fun. I do not have any plans for the brackets but I think anyone interested in building a set can get a pretty good idea from the pictures below. I hope to feature scooters here next. These craft are made for mushy ice conditions and will actually go through about 30 feet of open water if sailed properly. If anyone has any pictures or information on these craft it would be greatly appreciated. Happy sailing. More pictures in the gallery.
