Upcycle Your Fuel Tank Shell to an Iceboat


Here’s another intriguing discovery shared by Henry Bossett. At the dawn of the age of composites, Popular Mechanics suggested creating iceboat hulls from repurposed jettisoned plastic Naval fuel tank shells.

 

 

UPDATE: Here’s a note from someone who actually tried this.

After seeing your last post about discarded fiberglass fuel tanks, I thought I would send you two pictures of attempt by two knuckleheads putting together five pieces of the discarded Navy tanks for soft water version of our boat, later to be converted for use on the ice. The plan was by two seniors in high school to launch our dream boat in Northbrook IL. To then travel down the Mississippi to New Orleans and on return, to add runner plank, mast, runners and sail for our great venture in to ice sailing. Alas, we only made our river trip as far as Wheeling, IL before our spring trip became the second version of the Titanic! All former plans canceled.
Retired Iceboater
Ed Evans
Nite 433 & 72

Chasing Perfection with Composites

Shop time with friends is a big part of iceboating and a long tradition with the Four Lakes Ice Yacht Club. Last weekend, a group of friends invaded Daniel Hearn’s shop and laid up a composite C Skeeter iceboat mast under the direction of C Skeeter maestro Pat Heppert. Want to build a C Skeeter? Plans here.

Drone Video courtesy of Sean R Heavy
YouTube handle: @SeanRHeavy