Skatesailing – The Ice Age
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.
Jakob Jelling is the founder of
http://www.kitesurfingnow.com Visit his kitesite for the latest on
kitesurfing equipment, kiteboarding lessons, places to surf and much more!
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