by: Jakob Jelling
As with any extreme sport, some people enjoy the warmth of surfing and others prefer the cold weather and would rather skate instead of surf. With this, another popular extreme sport has been created Skatesailing. Skatesailors like to take to the ice and zip around the lake on their two skates. The cost of this sport is relatively low and very seasonal.
Most people who enjoy skatesailing do so with the simple pair of skates and a sail that is held and steered by skater. As the wind velocity increases the skater moves into the wind and picks up speed across the ice. The skater can reach speeds up to 40 mph and above. The downside to this sport is that you are landing on a hard surface should you fall. Extreme skaters love this sport; they live for the challenge to tame high winds.
As with most skating sports they take place on a lake. Most of the time, lakes can create great wind gusts that can help increase the speed of the skater. It can be dangerous to be skatesailing on thin ice, so you should always practice caution and heed signs about ice conditions. Since the skater needs a basic pair of skates they can also purchase their sail. A setup can cost up to $500 depending on which type of sail they have purchased. Some sails are held like a boom while other sails drape across the shoulder bladed.
If you are new to the sport you may want to exercise with caution, there are some schools that will teach you the art of skatesailing. You will need a good pair of ice skates as well as the sail. Pay close attention to the instructor, they will teach you the art of turning, navigating, speeding up and slowing down. Once you have mastered the basics you can then begin to speed up and learn other tricks that can increase your speed. You can also learn how to skatesail on skis, although there needs to be more wind to push you and the skies.
Although skatesailing has become popular, it is a seasonal sport. Most people who enjoy skating will take to it with passion.