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Iceboaters have long imagined the possibility of clearing snow from frozen lakes to create ideal sailing conditions. The challenge lies in needing thick, solid ice to support vehicles capable of clearing the snow—an effort that often seems insurmountable.
Years ago, the late DN sailor Mark Keifer of Minnesota pioneered snow removal efforts for the Ice Racing Circuit at the St. Paul Winter Carnival. On a snow-covered lake in Tianchi, near Urumqi in western China, crews are clearing the ice for the first Tianshan Tianchi International Ice Yacht Open in conjunction with their winter festival. This historic event will feature DN sailors from Germany, Sweden, and China, competing against the backdrop of the snow-covered Tianshan Mountains.
This event demonstrates that removing snow for ice sailing can be done with enough will and equipment (and likely an unlimited budget.)
