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Every year, like nomadic tribes, they migrate to the places where Mother Nature will provide for them. They leave for these places when snow covers the ground and the lakes and ponds freeze over. Upon leaving, they travel from lake to lake, state to state, region to region; the hardiest of them will even travel to other continents. What they are seeking is flat, solid ice with a moderate breeze and no snow cover. They will often travel in packs, and when they arrive at the their destinations, they will rejoice by dancing and racing about the ice. They do this by means of a vehicle that looks primitive and futuristic. It is simply called an ice boat by some, while others more eloquently refer to it as an ice yacht.
An ice yacht appears to be a simple craft at first glance, yet operating it at peak efficiency is complex. Its major components are a sail for propulsion, a mast, a fuselage for the pilot and three runner blades that carry the craft over the ice. The origins of the modern ice yacht go back to the1800s in Europe, yet the basic design has changed little, other than the materials used to construct it. The most common ice yachts carry only one person and can reach speeds almost matching those of a snowmobile. Unlike snowmobiles, they are quiet and require no fuel. Because of their sail, sleek look and quiet movements, ice yachts are a spectacle when seen; which they rarely are. At a time of year when most people are either inside watching television or outside on the ski or snowmobile trails, the ice yachts are cruising on big lakes and ponds that are popular in the summer, yet largely abandoned in the winter. Because of this, the beauty of the ice yacht and the fun being had by their skillful operators largely goes unnoticed.
 Upon arriving at the launching area of their chosen destination, the ice yachters quickly unload and put together their ice yachts in an area that is referred to by many of them as "the pits." The pits are usually close to a parking lot at a small beach or boat launch on a lake or pond that has enough room to allow for good ice yachting. Some rapidly assemble their boats, others move at a more leisurely pace while talking with those around them doing the same thing. On average it takes about half an hour to gets the parts onto the ice and put the boat together. After the assembly is finished, the pilots board their craft and head out to a rally point somewhere toward the center of the lake. Once there they tend to buzz around this area and each other, getting a feeling for the ice and the wind before returning to the rally area. After halting, some of them immediately make adjustments, while others discuss the ice and weather conditions. From a distance, as more and more ice yachts gather, the area starts to take on the look of an island that is covered by small white canopied trees.
After settling in on this man-made island, the ice yacht pilots will start to walk around, often going boat to boat in search of conversation. Sometimes, if good conversation is sensed, groups will start to gather around the one or two boats where it is taking place. Conversations can range from what others have been up to since the last gathering, to how the local sports teams are doing. But the best discussions, those that will attract the groups, are about ice yachting. For most of them, ice yachting is their greatest passion. Arms flail, heads cock back and voices rise and descend as they discuss masts and sails, runners and boards, ice and wind. But most importantly they discuss speed.
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