ice yacht top speed

Find anything, super fast.

• Destinations
• Documentaries

Motor Yacht

Ice is a custom motor yacht launched in 2005 by Lurssen Yachts in Bremen, Germany and most recently refitted in 2008.

Lürssen has remained a family-run German shipyard since its inception in 1875 and is now in its fourth generation of private ownership. The company was founded by Friedrich Lürssen with a desire to create a leading shipyard in both quality and performance.

Ice measures 90.10 metres in length, with a max draft of 5.00 metres and a beam of 15.00 metres. She has a deck material of teak.

Ice has a steel hull with an aluminium superstructure.

Tim Heywood, the multi award-winning yacht designer, has produced some of the finest and largest yachts on the water. Among his exceptional designs is the stunning 133m Al Mirqab, which was awarded the coveted ‘Motor Yacht of the Year’ at the 2009 World Superyacht Awards.

Her interior design is by Terence Disdale.

Ice also features naval architecture by Lurssen Yachts.

Performance and Capabilities

Ice has a top speed of 17.50 knots and a cruising speed of 16.00 knots. She is powered by a twin azipods propulsion system.

Ice has a fuel capacity of 400,000 litres.

She also has a range of 6,000 nautical miles.

Accommodation

Ice accommodates up to 14 guests in 7 cabins. She also houses room for up to 27 crew members.

Other Specifications

Ice has a hull NB of 13628.

• Yacht Builder Lurssen Yachts View profile
• Naval Architect Lurssen Yachts View profile
• Exterior Designer Tim Heywood Design View profile
• Interior Designer Terence Disdale View profile

Yacht Specs

Other lurssen yachts, related news.

Please use a modern browser to view this website. Some elements might not work as expected when using Internet Explorer.

• Landing Page
• Luxury Yacht Vacation Types
• Corporate Yacht Charter
• Tailor Made Vacations
• Luxury Exploration Vacations
• View All 3571
• Motor Yachts
• Sailing Yachts
• Classic Yachts
• Catamaran Yachts
• Filter By Destination
• More Filters
• Latest Reviews
• Charter Special Offers
• Destination Guides
• Inspiration & Features
• Mediterranean Charter Yachts
• France Charter Yachts
• Italy Charter Yachts
• Croatia Charter Yachts
• Greece Charter Yachts
• Turkey Charter Yachts
• Bahamas Charter Yachts
• Caribbean Charter Yachts
• Australia Charter Yachts
• Thailand Charter Yachts
• Dubai Charter Yachts
• Destination News
• New To Fleet
• Charter Fleet Updates
• Special Offers
• Industry News
• Yacht Shows
• Corporate Charter
• Finding a Yacht Broker
• Charter Preferences
• Questions & Answers
• Add my yacht

NOT FOR CHARTER *

This Yacht is not for Charter*

SIMILAR YACHTS FOR CHARTER

View Similar Yachts

Or View All luxury yachts for charter

• Luxury Charter Yachts
• Motor Yachts for Charter
• Amenities & Toys

ICE yacht NOT for charter*

90.1m  /  295'7 | lurssen | 2005.

Owner & Guests

Cabin Configuration

• Previous Yacht

Special Features:

• Elevator for convenient access
• Impressive 6,000nm range
• Multi-award winning
• Swimming pool
• Germanischer Lloyd ✠ 100 A5 Motor Yacht ERS, ✠ MC AUT classification

The multi-award winning 90.1m/295'7" expedition yacht 'Ice' (ex. Air) was built by Lurssen in Germany at their Bremen shipyard. Her interior is styled by English designer design house Terence Disdale and she was delivered to her owner in May 2005. This luxury vessel's exterior design is the work of Tim Heywood Design.

Guest Accommodation

Ice has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 14 guests in 7 suites. She is also capable of carrying up to 27 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

Her features include beauty salon, elevator, gym and air conditioning.

Range & Performance

Ice is built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, with teak decks. Powered by twin electric ABB (CO propulsors type 5) 3,353hp engines, she comfortably cruises at 16 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 18 knots with a range of up to 6,000 nautical miles from her 400,000 litre fuel tanks at 16 knots. Ice features at-anchor stabilizers providing exceptional comfort levels. Her water tanks store around 105,000 Litres of fresh water. She was built to Germanischer Lloyd ✠ 100 A5 Motor Yacht ERS, ✠ MC AUT classification society rules, and is MCA Compliant.

*Charter Ice Motor Yacht

Motor yacht Ice is currently not believed to be available for private Charter. To view similar yachts for charter , or contact your Yacht Charter Broker for information about renting a luxury charter yacht.

Ice Yacht Owner, Captain or marketing company

'Yacht Charter Fleet' is a free information service, if your yacht is available for charter please contact us with details and photos and we will update our records.

Ice Awards & Nominations

• International Superyacht Society Awards 2007 Best Power 43m+ Winner
• International Superyacht Society Awards 2006 Best Power Interior Winner

NOTE to U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Specification

M/Y Ice

SIMILAR LUXURY YACHTS FOR CHARTER

Here are a selection of superyachts which are similar to Ice yacht which are believed to be available for charter. To view all similar luxury charter yachts click on the button below.

88m | Schichau Unterweser

from $488,000 p/week ♦︎

Bleu De Nimes

72m | Clelands Shipbuilding Co

from $532,000 p/week ♦︎

85m | SilverYachts

from $950,000 p/week ♦︎

75m | Abeking & Rasmussen

from $814,000 p/week ♦︎

76m | Lurssen

from $725,000 p/week

77m | Damen Yachting

from $740,000 p/week

77m | IHC Verschure

from $646,000 p/week ♦︎

74m | Freire Shipyard

from $595,000 p/week

73m | Picchiotti

from $813,000 p/week ♦︎

Planet Nine

73m | Admiral Yachts

from $650,000 p/week

Tranquility

92m | Oceanco

from $1,100,000 p/week

85m | Ak Yachts

from $869,000 p/week ♦︎

As Featured In

The YachtCharterFleet Difference

YachtCharterFleet makes it easy to find the yacht charter vacation that is right for you. We combine thousands of yacht listings with local destination information, sample itineraries and experiences to deliver the world's most comprehensive yacht charter website.

San Francisco

• Like us on Facebook
• Follow us on Twitter
• Follow us on Instagram
• Find us on LinkedIn
• Add My Yacht
• Affiliates & Partners

Popular Destinations & Events

• St Tropez Yacht Charter
• Monaco Yacht Charter
• St Barts Yacht Charter
• Greece Yacht Charter
• Mykonos Yacht Charter
• Caribbean Yacht Charter

Featured Charter Yachts

• Maltese Falcon Yacht Charter
• Wheels Yacht Charter
• Victorious Yacht Charter
• Andrea Yacht Charter
• Titania Yacht Charter
• Ahpo Yacht Charter

Receive our latest offers, trends and stories direct to your inbox.

Please enter a valid e-mail.

Thanks for subscribing.

Search for Yachts, Destinations, Events, News... everything related to Luxury Yachts for Charter.

Yachts in your shortlist

The Stunning Ritz Carlton EVRIMA Yacht

Gliding Across Tokyo’s Sumida River: The Mesmerizing Zipper Boat

CROCUS Yacht: An 48 Meter Beauty by Admiral

PHI Yacht – Royal Huisman’s $45 Million Superyacht

• Zuretti Interior Design
• Zuretti Interior
• Zuccon International Project
• Ziyad al Manaseer
• Zaniz Interiors. Kutayba Alghanim
• Yuriy Kosiuk
• Yuri Milner
• Yersin Yacht

• Superyachts

ICE Yacht – Supreme $150M Superyacht

ICE yacht is a 90 m (296 ft) long superyacht that was launched in 2005. She was built by Lurssen shipyards which is one of the most renowned yacht builders in the world.

ICE Yacht was built in Germany by Lurssen , one of the world’s most prestigious shipbuilders. It was launched in 2005.

This gorgeous vessel can seat 14 in 7 cabins guests as well as 28 in 14 cabins staff members in luxury.

The ICE superyacht won multiple “Superyacht of the Year” at the 2006 World Superyacht Awards.

ICE yacht interior

To ensure that the inside met the owner’s exact specifications, Terence Disdale was entrusted to design and create the custom interior for the ICE Yacht.

The inside of the yacht is decorated in a similar manner to the outside, with bright and airy elements that complement the ship’s overall style.

The interior is incredibly well made and polished in an exquisite manner across the whole piece.

The upholstery is made out of light cream fabrics and leather, with exotic wood accents added.

This exterior was done by Igor Tim Heywood and his team, who designed the outside of the ICE Yacht.

He wanted the ICE Yacht’s exterior to look like it had a lot of space, with deck passages that looked like they were from a movie.

The inside of the yacht is also big and luxurious, with a minimalist modern design. This is what Tim Heywood wanted when he made the ICE Yacht.

He was able to achieve what he set out to do. A few carefully chosen, high-quality materials are used throughout the whole yacht.

Toward the front of the main deck, there is a beautiful owner’s private outdoor lounge area.

The ICE has very low emissions, vibrations, and noise, as well as a very clean operation when it was delivered to its new owners.

Specifications

The ICE Yacht is 90.1 meters (295.7 feet) in length and has a draught of 4.84 meters (15.11ft). She has a displacement of 28 tonnes in 14 staterooms and a peak speed of 18 knots.

Her cruising speed is around 14 knots in seven staterooms. She is powered by two ABB drive units, according to the manufacturer.

Ice was the first yacht to include Azipod drive units in lieu of traditional shafted diesel engines; these devices enable her to go up to 6000 nautical miles at a speed of 14 knots in seven berths.

Annual operating costs for the ICE Yacht are estimated to be between $10-50 million.

Do you have anything to add to this listing?

• Alpha Marine Ltd
• Suleiman Kerimov

Love Yachts? Join us.

Related posts.

AHPO Yacht -The Amazing New $300 Million Superyacht

RAMBLE ON ROSE Yacht – Epic $37.5M Superyacht

AZZURRA II Yacht – Sensational $10 M Superyacht

SECRET Yacht – Exquisite $110M Superyacht

Specifications

View current specifications & interpretations on the dn world portal here: https://www.dniceboat.org/dn-class-info/dn-ice-yacht-specifications/.

The DN (Detroit News) iceboat Sail area: 60 sq. feet Length: 12 feet Hull width: 21 inches Mast length: 16 feet Runner plank length: 8 feet Number of runners: 3 (1 front steering runner, 2 side runners) Hull material: wood Typical weight: 100-150 lbs. Maximum speed: 60 MPH Typical performance: 2-4 times wind speed

You can either order a full set of scale plans from the IDNIYRA for $25 or download and print them yourself. Full-sized DN hull templates are available for purchase from Paul Goodwin here.

2. Download and print  plans yourself Standard sheet size is 11″ x 17″, scanned at 300dpi.

You can print them out at any size you like, however when printed at 8-1/2″ x 11″ these are quite hard to read, so if you can’t print at 11″ x 17″ you split the image in half and print out each half at 8-1/2″ x 11″ and tape the two pages together. In order to make this easier, the images are also available pre-split.

Split prints

Scale plans for the DN Iceboat – half sheets printed at 8-12″ x 11″

THE DN ICE YACHT

The DN is most popular iceboat in the world. Whether you are a racer or cruiser, your $25 membership in the IDNIYRA helps to promote the art and skill of DN ice yacht construction and the sport of ice yachting on all the hard waters of the world.

2025 REGATTA DATES

• World & North American Championship Feb 2 – 8
• European Championship TBD    idniyra.org
• See full list of regatta dates here.

View Yearbook USE YOUR CREDIT CARD OR PAYPAL ORDER A YEARBOOK: $20 Click here to order a yearbook.

Current Newsletter

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Email Address

• For The Beauty Of DN Sailing
• Sailing Technique Videos
• DN Technical Videos
• DN Tech Talk from Tomek Zakrzewski DN ice yacht technical tips and tricks explained. Comprehensive source of information about DN ice yacht.

HOW ICEBOAT RACING WORKS

Iceboat.org.

• March 20, 2024: DN Chocks in IL March 20, 2024

Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

• NW Regatta February 25, 2024

Chickawaukie Ice Boat Club

• Spring Sailing? March 22, 2024

New England Ice Yacht Association

• Not Done Yet March 22, 2024

Share this:

DN ICE YACHT RACING

Maximum speed, member countries, registered sail numbers, world championship competitors, the fastest sailing on the planet..

Fun.Exciting.Exhilarating.

Join the dn world., connect with us in europe, connect with us in north america, international dn ice yacht racing association, europe & north america, join our class. our community..

The one-design DN ice yacht is easy to transport, light, and relatively inexpensive. Carrying 60 sq ft/ 5.57 sq m of sail, it offers spirited performance and very competitive sailing. Ice yachters, from veterans to juniors, find the DN’s demands in competition a satisfying challenge. The DN has evolved into the world’s largest iceboat class with active sailors in 18 countries. A world championship regatta is held each year, alternating between North America and Europe. North American regions and European countries also host their own continental championships and regional events.

Why You Should Be Sailing a DN

“DN sailing has taken me around the world and introduced me to life-long friends – the very best people on the planet. If you make the effort to learn the sport, you can achieve results at any age, any gender, or any size. “

“I am fascinated by many things about ice sailing: the speed, the acceleration, the use of technology, and sports in nature with cold winter air. And of course, the large DN family with many friends is a reason to go ice sailing..”

“DN sailing has taught me everything – fast trajectories, apparent wind building, and much more. Sailing 5 times the wind speed has made me such a better sailor! And frankly, the spirit of the class, driven by passion, speed and friendship, is hard to beat. One of my favorite sailing boats, with absolutely no doubt ! It’s just like a drug, you become addicted at first sight!!”

More knots per dollar/euro than any other sailing

2024 DN Regatta Schedule

World Championship 50th Anniversary & European Championship Date: 3 – 10 February, 2024 Host Country: Europe, Lithuania Location: Lithuania or best ice in Europe. Email Contact: [email protected] Information: DN Europe idniyra.eu

North American Championship Date: 25 February – 2 March, 2024 Host Region: Eastern Lakes  Location:  Eastern Lakes or best ice in North America Email Contact: [email protected] Information:  DN North America idniyra.org

Faster.Transportable.Most Popular.

Start sailing the hard water. get in touch with us.

• YOUR LOCATION
• Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Specifications & Plans Rules of Ice Sailing Yearbook Championship History International Rank List Videos

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• Boat Pro Home
• Pricing Plan
• Superyacht Insight
• Product Features
• Premium Content
• Testimonials
• Global Order Book
• Tenders & Equipment

ICE is a 31.09 m Motor Yacht, built in China by Marlow Yachts and delivered in 2018. She is one of 2 Voyager 100 models.

Her top speed is 25.0 kn, her cruising speed is 20.0 kn, and she boasts a maximum cruising range of 3100.0 nm at 10.0 kn, with power coming from a Baudouin engine. She can accommodate up to 8 guests in 4 staterooms, with 4 crew members waiting on their every need. She has a gross tonnage of 145.0 GT and a 6.9 m beam.

She was designed by Marlow Yachts , who also completed the naval architecture and designed the interior. Marlow Yachts has designed 38 yachts, created the naval architecture for 31 yachts, and designed the interior of 39 yachts for yachts above 24 metres.

ICE is one of 2069 motor yachts in the 30-35m size range, and, compared to similarly sized motor yachts, her top speed is 1.22 kn above the average.

Specifications

• Yacht Type: Motor Yacht
• Yacht Subtype: Expedition Yacht , Semi-displacement
• Model: Voyager 100
• Builder: Marlow Yachts
• Naval Architect: Marlow Yachts
• Exterior Designer: Marlow Yachts
• Interior Designer: Marlow Yachts

Yachts like this

From our partners, sponsored listings.

• Eat & Drink
• Life & Style
• Home & Property
• Things to Do
• Best of Hudson Valley
• Get Our Email Newsletter
• Subscribe to the Magazine
• Advertise with Us

Back when winter was actually winter, the Hudson River regularly froze over. And people flocked to the ice for recreation, including the once-popular pursuit of ice yachting. The sport originated in Europe, but by the 1790s it had become very popular in the HV—especially around Poughkeepsie—which by the mid-1800s had become the ice yachting center of the country. These “yachts” weren’t yachts at all, but small ice boats that people used for fishing, transportation, and in this case, fun. They were first built in 1790 by Oliver Booth of Poughkeepsie, and he’s generally credited with starting the recreational iceboat movement in the United States.

By the 1850s, the boats had become more sophisticated, with the now-familiar triangular frame, jib, and mainsail. Ice yacht clubs began to pop up in Newburgh, New Hamburg, Poughkeepsie, and Hyde Park. The members often competed for awards such as the “Challenge Pennant of America” and the “Captain William Drake Flag.” They also liked to race against the trains that had just started running along the river—the yachts had speed, upwards of 100 miles an hour!

On March 7, 1896, The New York Times reported on the excitement: “In the old days it was custom to race over a long course, the most popular being from Poughkeepsie to New Hamburg and back, nine miles each way. Of recent years, the custom has been changed, and the yachts now keep in sight of a given point. It is an inspiring sight to see a fleet of twenty or more ice yachts, with their white sails sparkling in the frosty air, circling around each other with the speed of the wind. No railroad train can keep up with an ice yacht when the conditions are favorable.”

Like all competitions, this one got the attention of wealthy New Yorkers. In 1869, Commodore John E. Roosevelt (FDR’s uncle) built the Icicle, the largest and fastest ice yacht to date, and in 1871, Icicle beat the Chicago Express on its run from Poughkeepsie to Ossining. Ten years later, H. Relyea of Catskill built an even faster vessel, named Robert Scott. According to a history written by the Chelsea Yacht Club, Relyea made radical design changes. “The reduction in weight and improvement in control was a real breakthrough, and with very few exceptions, all iceboats built along the Hudson were ‘Scott’ boats or ‘wire boats,’ as distinguished from the earlier ‘side-rail’ or ‘wishbone’ type.” After Relyea beat Roosevelt in a race, the Commodore ordered a new Icicle built like the Robert Scott.

The Ice Yacht Challenge the era’s biggest races, was inaugurated in 1881 by the New Hamburg Ice Yacht Club. Archibald Rogers, a neighbor of Commodore Roosevelt, and his boat Jack Frost raced against the Icicle, Robert Scott, and other boats until 1902. This period was the height of Hudson River ice yachting. By 1903, the Carthage Ice Yacht Club listed 69 members and 19 boats. But interest waned in the Hudson Valley during and after World War I, while the sport grew quickly in the Upper Midwest.

It came back in vogue here in the 1960s, thanks in part to Raymond Ruge, a Cornwall architect and member of the Chelsea Yacht Club. The New York Times reported, “When he died in 1985, Ray had transformed the sport from a millionaire’s hobby to a recreation for local townspeople.”

Ice yachting is rare now, but passionate sailors (including Hudson River Ice Yacht Club members) still strap boats to the roof of a car to track down ice wherever it may form, from Pennsylvania to Maine. And here in the HV, they wait for that elusive but transcendent perfect winter day. To learn more about ice yachting, its history, and sailing conditions, visit hriyc.org .

David Levine is the author of The Hudson Valley: The First 250 Million Years (now in paperback).

Better Than Ever: Frost Valley YMCA Launches Exciting New Programs In 2024

Outdoor Living in the Hudson Valley

Related: Where to Play Pickleball in the Hudson Valley

Our Digital Partners

Learn how to become a digital partner ...

Your guide to the people, places and activities that define the beautiful and ever-changing Hudson Valley region.

Company Info

About Us Contact Us Subscribe Advertise Our Publications

Get Our Email Updates

Copyright © 2024 Today Media. All Rights Reserved.

• Notice at Collection

Ice Boats: sailing on the ice

They work as real sailboats but their hulls are not immersed in the water. When they do that, as we will see, it is a real problem!

We’re talking about Ice Boats , special boats that slide on the ice surface to navigate. They are the fast protagonists of our weekly video column.

Ice Boats were born at the end of the 19th century as boats designed to carry goods in winter through the large frozen lakes. Later, since they were fast and funny, they became recreational boats.

Today, ice boats are highly popular in northern European countries and in the North-American Greta Lakes regions.

These boats have many fans and an increasing number of people choose to compete in special races dedicated to the category. Just think of the recent world championship that was hold in Lake Indian Hills, Ohio, with 110 boats!

The video below, where the unlucky protagonist crashes through a melting ice sheet, has been taken during a training session. The result is an impressive accident.

The boat violently slips in the water after having completely lost its fast speed. The helmsman is tossed ahead and hits not only the boat but also the ice sheet just before him. Fortunately, he wore a safety helmet, which prevented him from having more serious consequences.

Ice boats are very very fast. The hull lies on subtle skids that enable the boat to slide on frozen surfaces with very little friction. This feature, coupled with the low weight of the boat and an abundant sailing plan, enables modern racing boats to reach a top speed of over 50 knots.

Pictures of races are, indeed, amazing. They usually take place between buoys and rules are the same as sailing competitions. So, for example, boats on port tack give way to those on starboard tack. Compared with traditional sailing competitions, the only difference is that boats must be pushed by hand at first, like a sleigh.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You might be interested in

Boat filler: what characteristics for the best product

Bamar furlers withstand the most extreme regattas

CAPE ARROW is for sale: price and where to see her

International Multihull Show 2024: big multihulls take center stage in La Grande Motte

Sunreef wears gold and diamond at Miami Yacht Show

Zar Formenti Ribs pass NMMA tests. Strict American certification received.

To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.

Subscribe For Latest Updates

Sign up to receive the best of Yachting News, sea trials, boat review and world premieres .

The only ADVERTISING FREE newsletter

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Ice 60 review: The chic Italian yacht that offers more than just style

• Toby Hodges
• June 13, 2019

Conceived by racing driver Marco Malgara, the Ice 60 is as cool as its name

All photos: Andrea Rizzato

Styles come and go. To stand the test of time you need something else, something more than aesthetics, something that stays with you after that initial heady rush begins to wane.

The Italians have always owned style and there has been something of a revolution in Italian-designed and/or -built boats in recent years. A number of new brands have joined what was an already crowded performance cruiser market – sexy-looking machines that excel in light-wind, warm weather sailing conditions.

These offer the latest in desirable lines with unblemished decks, shallow cockpits and plenty of sunbathing space, tender garages, etc. Grand Soleil and Solaris are the best established in production yard terms, but have been joined by companies such as Italia Yachts, Mylius, and Eleva.

Ice Yachts, with its ravishing new 60-footer, is another fine example, but are we talking style-only or does it have that special something?

Ice 60 features a long waterline and powerful hull shape: a soft chine gives extra beam with minimal drag

Ice is a relatively new brand, but one that uses a tried and tested designer and shipyard. Its boats are drawn by Umberto Felci and built at the former CN Yacht 2000, a 30-year-old yard near Milan, responsible for more than 80 large custom or semi-custom yachts.

Ice Yachts was born out of one sailor’s search for a Felci 61 cruiser-racer, eight of which were built by this yard. Marco Malgara fell in love with the outlook of the boatbuilders and the history of the yard, and ended up buying it six years ago and creating Ice Yachts.

The first project was the Ice 62, which used the lines of the original Felci 61 but with slightly more beam and freeboard. The Ice 44, Ice 33 and Ice 52 followed. The latter I have trialled for European Yacht of the Year , enough of a taster to pique my interest in this new Ice 60 when it hit the water earlier this year.

Article continues below…

Grand Soleil 52LC test: Italian beauty offers stimulating sailing

The Grand Soleil 52 Long Cruise Sport (52LC) is wedged, stern-to, in between a grubby ketch and a motorboat. Its…

Solaris 50 boat test – when style meets substance

Winner of the Performance Cruiser category of the European Yacht of the Year Awards 2015. Read more here Production yachts…

I was intrigued to find out why Malgara, an accomplished racing driver who has worked in advertising, marketing and the police force and who remains a successful real estate businessman, would want to buy a shipyard and start a new yacht brand.

“I bought it because I couldn’t find a yard with the quality I wanted,” Malgara explained during two days spent together testing the Ice 60 and visiting his two shipyards near Milan. “I tried to improve what the good workers already knew very well, adding my knowledge of sailing and building racing cars.”

“The difference between something nice and something well done is important,” said Malgara, who competed six times in the notorious endurance motorsport event the Paris-Dakar Rally. “When you are in the desert and something goes wrong, you’re in the shit… the same applies with boats.”

Malgara, a workaholic who lives and drives in the fast lane, “wanted to create a product that was not available. A yacht to be proud of.”

The wide, flat cockpit suits Med-style cruising

The Joy of sailing the Ice 60

In La Spezia I found Joy , 60ft of Ferrari California light blue hull with a lofty carbon rig, blunt stem and bowsprit. The Ice 60’s beamy aft sections have a soft, appealing chine/turn to the hull shape and its lines look powerful and, well, Italian.

And I soon discovered that this is a very easily driven yacht. When we started sailing in zephyrs, I was down below, talking to designer Umberto Felci about the secrets to Italian design. The only way I could tell we were silently moving along once sails were hoisted was by detecting a slight heel and seeing the water moving past the hull porthole as we ghosted along at 3 knots.

Weight is a big priority at Ice Yachts; its yachts are built using a resin-infused mix of glass and carbon fibre as standard. The sailing weight of the Ice 60 is just 18.7 tonnes, including anchor and 75m of chain, and it boasts a substantial 220m 2 of upwind sail area. It’s also a structurally stiff boat, with the capacity to take over 1,000lt of water in tanks that are built into the hull and form part of the structure.

Toby sailed the Ice 60 off La Spezia in 3–12 knots

At the wheel, I was instantly impressed by how the boat could harness the light conditions. We soon found some puffs of breeze and were clocking over 7 knots upwind in 7-8 knots apparent. Looking at the very high sail area:displacement ratio of 28.9, slippery performance should indeed be expected. With another knot of wind we could squeeze up to 28° to the apparent wind, or make 8 knots in 10 by sacrificing a few degrees.

Unfortunately, the conditions were tricky and unpredictable all day, the breeze shifting all over the place, which made it tough to get a feel for the boat and accumulate accurate figures. We didn’t enjoy five minutes of consistent wind all day – at one point I watched the Windex spin round and round as we sailed along under kite.

The upside is that it certainly helped to be aboard a lightweight performance cruiser that could make the most of such fickle conditions, which I’m told are typical for that area.

The stern garage is large enough to fit a fully inflated 3.2m tender. A garage is a key feature of Med-based boats, but does eat into accommodation space

Joy ’s carbon rig is one of the last Southern Spars masts to come out of its South African yard, while Diamond Sails near Livorno built the black Dyneema sails.

I’m not sure the colour of the sails nor their stark vertical logo is in keeping with the slick Italian looks, but they serve a marketing purpose.

A fine red gennaker helped us to make the most of the wind and generate some of our own. It was really rewarding to feel that extra bit of power, even if I nearly sailed a full circle on one gybe, trying to match the wind as it boxed the compass.

Boat speed rose to 9 knots, and we were generally making similar figures to the single-digit wind speeds. It felt very light on the wheels, which use direct Jefa steering connection, but the conditions still made it a challenge on the helm and I needed to monitor the numbers rather than rely on feel.

Felci explained that the Ice 60 has a narrow waterline when stationary and that the soft chine gives the benefit of extra beam, but without the drag resistance of a hard chine.

“It’s a fight between how much resistance I have and how much power I add,” said Felci, a racing sailor who competed for 20 years in 470s. “The ratio of stability to power is like the relationship of horsepower to wheel width on cars.”

As we chatted, we made our way to the west of Portovenere and its stunning clifftop monastery guarding the shallow entrance, catching the last of the afternoon breeze, which allowed us to sail at 6 knots in 6 knots.

Designer Umberto Felci at the helm

It was as pleasant as it sounds, but the changeable conditions meant performance was hard to gauge. It was like trying to test a premium hybrid bike on a road full of potholes and stop signs.

The quiet 5-cylinder Volvo Penta and Flexofold prop proved a smooth, efficient combination for our return journey, propelling us at 8 knots at 1,900rpm and 10.5 knots maximum.

Designer deck details

I liked the neat design of the twin pedestals, which seem to grow out of the side decks – they are both relatively discreet, yet create enough space for a large plotter and a panel of pushbuttons.

The test boat had the latest Raymarine Axiom 12 pro plotters, which looked very much in keeping with the sharp design of the boat. These use Android operating systems, which proved easy and fast to use and customise displays.

There’s a nice gap between the pedestal and the cockpit bench for the mainsail trimmer to work the two-speed winch and traveller. The traveller uses an Antal electric line driver, while the backstay and vang are hydraulically powered.

It’s all in the detail: design of the Ice 60 is beautifully executed

However, the same crewmember cannot reach the primary winch. Using reversible primary winches with remote controls at the pedestals could be a better solution for those wanting to sail short-handed.

There is no provision for the stowing of sheet tails for the main and genoa, but there is a generous locker by the companionway for the running rigging tail ends. The genoa sheets are led neatly aft underdeck from near the shroud bases.

A surprise for a yacht with such a clean deck and look is that the sheets are then led athwartships to the winches, presenting a trip hazard to those on the side deck. Re-routeing of the sheets alongside the coachroof-to-deck join might present a neater alternative.

A typical Med cockpit provides short benches with low coamings, showing a predilection for looks over comfort. The low backrests mean good cushions will be a must, but the benches are at least wide and the large fixed table is a practical feature.

Simplicity of style

The Ice 60 has a minimalist modern design – think open loft style with lots of natural light, white and beige furnishings and materials – the antithesis of a traditional-style yacht interior. The simplicity of Felci’s design grew on me, especially as it is practical for purpose and the finish quality is very good.

The sloon is the epitome of clean Italian style

“Most owners of this type and size of yacht will have a skipper,” says Malgara, pointing out the compact single cabin opposite the galley. “It’s already an expensive boat and owners don’t have much time,” he argues.

It’s unusual to have a crew cabin in the heart of the boat so close to the owner’s cabin (forward), but it’s a better solution to help retain the services of a long-term skipper than the typical shoebox-style forepeak solutions found on many yachts this size (a forepeak berth is offered on the Ice 60 as standard).

A forward galley, a layout Felci uses with Dufour too, is sociable – the Ice 60 has plenty of worksurface to prepare food while facing the saloon.

The built-in Siemens oven and induction hobs, as well as a domestic-style fridge-freezer on Joy are reflective of how some of today’s owners use this sort of yacht and how they cook and overnight in marinas/port rather than at sea. Stowage space is reasonably good and includes plenty of refrigerated and bin space.

The cabins all have generous stowage, natural light, ventilation and headroom. The navstation shares the after end of a comfortable sofa bench. This daybed is another typical feature on an Italian/Med boat and one that works well on the Ice 60. The 19cm memory foam mattress provides comfortable lounging or a useful passage berth in the centre of the boat where there is least motion.

The companionway has four deep, but flat and slippery steps. There are two sturdy leather-clad handrails each side and two more grab handles further forward, which are very much needed as there is a wide, open space between the saloon table and the navstation.

All heads have good stowage, including wet stowage in the port heads shower area – the addition of shower doors would stop them becoming wetrooms. There is good access from the starboard cabin to the engine/machinery room and 8kW genset, with room enough to climb in or directly access the filters. Latches, lights, switches and general details all look very smart.

The light, airy theme continues in the owner’s cabin

The light, open layout helps the owner’s cabin feel very roomy. Again it’s simple, but practical and well finished. The low island berth, with a large Seasmart hatch above, lifts easily on struts to reveal more stowage space and robust stringers below and there is a generous ensuite heads.

The two aft cabins are similar in style and layout. The double to port boasts a large enough berth to sleep lengthways or athwartships and has its own access to the day heads/shower.

We visited both the former CN Yacht 2000 facility on the outskirts of Milan and a second yard nearby into which Ice has moved its catamaran production. Ice launches its boats onto the River Po and floats them down to Ravenna.

Ice in build

The catamaran yard was working flat out on its second model, a 67-footer, reportedly the largest cat yet produced in Italy. This uses a mould extension on the Ice Cat 61, which first launched earlier this year.

The original (CN Yacht 2000) yard is much tidier, if by no means a modern workplace. This typically old-school yard relies on everyone knowing where everything is and doing his or her job in a time-honoured fashion.

It may not be intuitive to witness, but it works and there is a family feel to the place, which is crucial when you need staff to put in the hard yards.

I saw some of the 16 infusions going into the next Ice 52 (number 11). Epoxy infusion is labour-intensive, with 7,200 hours needed for this boat.

Hulls and decks of Ice yachts are laminated sandwich infusion, using a glass-carbon fibre composite material, localised carbon reinforcement and a PVC foam core.

As well as the 52 a new raised saloon (RS) version of the Ice 60 is in build too.

Our verdict

I thought this yacht would all be about the look and the feel, the famed Italian design touch. But the Ice 60 proved it had something else, something that stayed with me.

Above the flashy looks and minimalist layout, which is squarely aimed at warm weather sailors, there is passion and quality, from the design to the build and finish. The designer has performance in his blood and really cares about the product.

The yard has a classic semi-custom approach born from knowledge and experience. And it is headed up by a passionate leader in love with sailing and speed.

Above all, there is an underlying sense of pride, which shines out of Ice Yachts. It is what the company is formed on and what its owners buy into. And if there’s one thing you’d want to have in a €1m new 60ft performance cruiser, it’s pride.

Specification

LOA: 17.99m (59ft 0in) LWL: 16.8m (55ft 1in) Beam (max): 5.20m (17ft 1in) Draught: 2.85m (9ft 4in) Displacement (lightship): 17,900kg (39,462lb) Ballast: 6,100kg (13,448lb) Engine: 150hp Volvo Penta Fuel capacity: 650lt (143gal) Water capacity: 1,000lt (220gal) Sail area (100% foretriangle): 194.7m 2 (22,096ft 2 ) Sail Area to displacement ratio: 28.9 Displacement to LWL ratio: 105 Price from: €960,000 (ex. VAT) Price as tested: €1,301,800 (ex. VAT) Designer: Umberto Felci

Commonly Asked Questions

What is an iceboat.

What Is An Ice Boat? An ice boat is a hull attached to a perpendicular cross piece called a runner plank. Three skates, or runners, are attached to the boat, one on each end of the plank and at the fore end of the hull. Ice boats are strictly wind powered and need relatively snow-free ice to sail.

How Do I Get Involved? JOIN THE FOUR LAKES ICE YACHT CLUB We recommend that the novice purchase an inexpensive DN class ice boat (watch the Buy and Sell Page of this website) a relatively easy boat to transport and sail. Race with the club for a season or two until you feel comfortable with ice boating. We maintain that club racing is much safer than solo cruising.

After a year or two sailing DNs, evaluate your options. You may want to stay in the DNs, or move to another fleet. By this time, club members can help you make a decision whether to build or buy your next boat. See “An Explanation of the Classes” below for more information about the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club’s various fleets.

Eastern American, Canadian, and European ice boat clubs tend to have a few different classes than what we sail here in Madison, Wisconsin. Explore what your area has to offer by seeking out a local ice yacht club. Email [email protected] to find iceboaters in your area who will help you to try the sport.

ICEBOAT PLANS

Are you looking for iceboat plans? Here are some links to plans that you can download and/or order for the one-design classes of the DN, Renegade, and Ice Optimist. C Skeeter sailor Pat Heppert has made his plans available for his C class Skeeter build online. You won’t find any A class Skeeters plans because literally no 2 boats are the same. A class Skeeters are an unlimited class and every single boat in the fleet is slightly different.

Get Started Ice Sailing-Connect with Us

Stern Steerer

Ice optimist, every iceboater should have at least one copy of “think ice”.

This book by Lloyd Roberts and Warner St. Clair is THE definitive book on DN building, tuning, racing and sailing. Mainly about DN iceboats but relevant to all iceboaters because it covers safety, clothing, how to load the car- it’s all in here! Updated with instructive commentary by many top-flight iceboat sailors.

How Iceboat Racing Works

On buying a used ice boat.

By Geoff Sobering DN US 5156 Probably the most important thing to know about any boat is: “When was the last time it was sailed?” Followed by, “How was it stored?”

A boat that’s been actively sailed recently is more likely to have all the parts and be “ready to go”. The longer it’s been in storage the more chance there is for various mode of degradation to kick in (everything from dry-rot, rust on runners, and simply misplacing parts).

It’s hard and impossible to make any serious evaluation from a couple of photos but they are useful for pre-screening.

If I were looking for an older cruising ice boat I would definitely go and check it out in person to make sure looks well kept, and all the parts appear to be there. In other words, none of the obvious “red flags” that would indicate it’s not even worth looking at.

What to look for is tough. Generally pretty obvious stuff: check the rigging and fittings to make sure there aren’t any broken strands in the wires and the fittings on the hull, mast, boom, and plank look good.

Check the steering for gross amounts of play. Look for obvious signs of wear on the sail and damage to the hull (cracks in the sideboards, etc.).

Look at the edges on the runners for sharpness and lack of rust or nicks. Stuff like that.

Common Questions About Ice Boating

How Fast Do These Things Really Go? Ice boats, depending on design and class, will reach speeds up to five times the speed of the wind. How? Well, it has something to do with the low friction between the runners and the ice, and the sail shape. The sail acts more like a vertical wing rather than a sail. Volumes could be written as to exactly what makes an ice boat speed along at five times the speed of the wind. As to how fast they can go, in the right conditions, the smaller DN class achieves speeds of 50 to 60 mph. The ultra-modern class A Skeeters (the “Formula One” class of ice boating) reach speeds well over 100 mph.

Is Ice Boating Safe? Any vehicle that can achieve such high speeds certainly has the potential to be dangerous. However, learning to properly sail an ice boat, sailing by the established right-of-way rules, always using common sense, properly maintaining the equipment, and staying off the lake during unsafe conditions go a long way towards making ice boating a safe sport. For more on ice boating safety, read the Ice Boat Safety Page.

Ice Boats Don’t Have Brakes-How Do They Stop? Ice boats while under sail do not have brakes. In order to stop an ice boat, a skipper steers it directly in to the wind. While sailing, it is often possible to slow a boat down by easing the sheet rope (the rope that controls the sail shape). Ice boats do have a parking brake attached to the front runner and it is employed after the boat is completely stopped. The parking brake allows the skipper to walk away from his boat when not sailing.

How Much Does An Ice Boat Cost? Ice boats can range in cost from a few hundred dollars for an old un-classified ice contraption or perhaps an old uncompetitive DN class boat, to $60,000 for a modern, championship winning class A Skeeter. Between the $200 beater and the $60,000 championship contender are many fast competitive boats in various classes that can be had from around $2500 to $7500. You will find the most comprehensive list of boats and part for sale on the Buy & Sell page of this website.

Even though it is rumored that ice boating is mainly 75% building them, 10% talking about them, 10% waiting around on the ice for the right conditions, and 5% actual sailing time, do you get to sail enough to make the sport worthwhile? Many ice boaters feel the thrill of ice boating makes even one single ride per year well worth the effort. On Madison lakes, a person can sail probably four to six weekends per year. More in a “good” year, and of course, less in a “bad” year. When conditions are good, taking a day or two off from work during the week can increase your amount of fun sailing time. A willingness to travel a bit to find good ice will increase your sailing times to perhaps as many as ten to twelve weekends per season.

How Can I Get Started In Ice Boating? The Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club holds meetings every other Wednesday night from November through late March and everyone is welcome to attend. If you show up on the ice perhaps you may be able to arrange a ride in one of the two-seater classes, such as the Nite class. However, I must warn you that finagling a solo ride in someone’s ice boat is a tough sell. Generally after a ride or two, you will be directed towards a used boat for sale. If you interest is still high, that’s the time to start looking for your own boat. You will be glad that you did.

Apparent Wind: Giving iceboats, land yachts, and America’s Cup yachts the speed edge.

Artemis Racing Team Manager and tactician Iain Percy explains the concept of apparent wind, and how it allows America’s Cup Class yachts to travel at 3 times the wind speed. In basic terms, speed = more speed. Watch and learn!

An Explanation of Apparent Wind: How an Ice Boat is Able to Sail Several Times the Speed of Wind

Peter Barrett was born in Madison, attended the UW, and graduated with degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Law. He competed in the Olympics three times, wining a Silver medal in the Finns and a Gold in the Flying Dutchman. Professionally, he worked for North Sails and later taught financing and accounting at UW-Whitewater.

Share this:

• Damariscotta Lake
• Sebago Lake – Jordan Bay
• Moosehead Lake – Birches
• Moosehead Lake – South
• South Twin – Millinockett
• Winni Rattlesnake Is
• Lake Sunapee
• Inner Malletts Bay – VT
• Join the Club
• Whizz “C” Skeeter
• Yellow Bird Trailer
• Buy the Book
• Ice Sailing Rules
• Maine State Championship Results

Iceboating Speed Record

Iceboaters are a curious lot. We tend to be a bit embarrassed by the question of how fast iceboats go. We don’t want to brag, yet we know that the speed is fairly spectacular. Then again, we’re not really in it for the speed. Racers want to get around the course sailing high and fast upwind, and deep and fast downwind. Cruisers want to drag race the boat next to them, but soon get distracted by the allure of a distant point, secluded cove or short tacking narrows. But every now and then along comes someone with the drive to push the limit. We had Richard Jenkins with Greenbird, which was very impressive but ultimately not successful. There are unlikely fables of gaff rigged stern steerers dragging their bulk through the air at over 100 mph. And now along comes Stefan Dalberg from Alberta with his unique vision. ICEBOAT SPONSOR KIT Non-Print Ready (dragged).pdf The whole story is here: ICEBOAT SPONSOR KIT Non-Print Ready.pdf As with all high tech endeavors, we can hope that some high tech crumbs trickle down to improve the lot of the common sailor.

Share this:

1 response to iceboating speed record.

Whatever you do, don’t give thesis guys any money. Their target speed is less than an article in Wooden Boat # 110 around 1993 claims concerning Dan Clapp. I still have that article in hard copy but I’m pretty sure the record belongs to a red and white boat built by Peter Harken claiming 143 mph. I can’t find that article but it did mention that at some point Harken trashed his knee in a serious iceboat crash. These speeds have been recorded by skeeters 30 years ago without any silly spiraling courses to build up preliminary speed. Those of us with iceboat experience will attest to the acceleration which needs no wasted time circling for a start. The Alberta venue seems like the right place for a record attempt but these guys could save a lot of time and effort by contacting Dan Clapp before going any further.

Comments are closed.

Search Old Posts

Email cibc ice info.

Enter your email in the box below and Click Ice Email button to receive notifications of available ice events and topics.

Email Address:

Past Seasons

• 2023 Season
• 2023 Landsailing
• 2022 Season
• 2021 Season
• Landsailing @ Loring
• 2020 Season
• 2019 Season
• 2018 Season
• 2017 Season
• 2016 Season
• 2015 Season
• 2014 Season
• 2013 Season
• 2012 Season
• 2011 Season
• 2010 Season
• 2009 Season
• 2008 Season
• 2007 Season
• 2006 Season

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar