by J. Julius Fanta
If you're looking for a thrilling iceboat design, you’ll like Mercury, the latest creation of the Hudson River type and a fast, trim racer with a moderate rig. This craft is a departure from the usual “banjo” cockpit model in that the crew sits upright and steers as in a car. A comfortable boat in heavy winds, Mercury is 20 feet long and carries 90 square feet of sail. No jib is necessary, as this sail has proved useless on iceboats. There are two cockpits, one located in front of the other. The T-angle iron runner blades prescribed are designed for sailing in snow as well as on clear ice. The laminated backbone construction, which is relatively simple, makes the hull extremely staunch and checkproof. Mercury is steered by remote control, with the steering quadrant coming back into the fore cockpit. Specifications given here provide not only for a weatherable craft but an attractive one.
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