I've started a new project called the Mini Skeeter. It's a full cockpit mini wood iceboat 10' long. Runner base for and aft 90'' runner plank 78''. I'm thinking of using laced sheeting for the purchase system. What size blocks and mainsheet are suitable for mini/class 5 boats. I'm looking at these - http://www.sailcare.com/c-bb-blocks-38.shtml Would they work?

Those blocks are smaller than what I use I use 2 inch diameter but those are ball bearing blocks so will have less friction
The line size is 3/8 which is also a little on the small size for handling but as these are going on an ice boat I imagine good gloves will be worn
so that should not be a problem either I would suggest you use sheet rope that is genuine sheet rope as it is much softer than regular rope and will
go round the small blocks well. So yes I would say those blocks would be suitable for you
regards Hiko

38mmbb blocks should be perfect

Hi US772,

Was wondering about 'laced sheeting' . Looking at some video of the e skeeters, they have some interesting set ups with multiple blocks.
If you have some time at some stage would like a run down on sheeting those big wingmast rigs.

I'm having thoughts of building a class 3 Vindi for the hell of it.
The mold still exists.

Sounds like fun!

E skeeter purchase systems - The older rumble seaters (sit behind sail) used gross sheeting and fine sheeting system. You would cleat off the fine sheeting side first. Then sheet in the gross sheeting as far as possible then cleat that off. The uncleat the fine sheeting and pull. That would double every thing you just did up to that point.
The front loader or bubble boat skeeters (sit in front) use laced sheeting that is connected to a winch inside the canopy area. Some of them use internal sheeting where you can't see much connected to the boom as far as purchase is concerned. That also goes to a winch. Most of us that dirt and iceboat with the same boat find you can't sheet as hard iceboating because the runners don't grip.

Controlling a solid wing. I use a simple chain and sprocket system for about 20 years. They are pretty reliable unless a fastener comes loose. Most of them I've made consist of a small sprocket connected to the control (steering) wheel. The main sprocket is connected to the wing pivot via chain to small sprocket. I line up my wing pivot point and side shrouds to have less load on the system. I choose about 25% of the total wing and flap surface in front of the overall pivot line.

Very interesting Thanks for posting

Hi and thank you for all that info, that is brilliant.
I have some more questions though & I guess the most critical is how much difference is there in speed with the same yacht on ice & on a clay lake like Ivanpah.

The other thing I'm curious about is how big (axle & distance to front wheel) Wingnut 3 is.

Vindicator looks to be much smaller, it is about 5 metres from rear axle centre to front wheel centre and 3.5 metres wide overall. Weight is 350 lbs.

Reason for all this is one of my 'bucket list' numbers was to get a sail in one of the e skeeters on ice, but if there's not much in it I might be inclined to build a vindi with a wingmast rig for the hell of it & then I might get more than 1 go!

The front runners look interesting, how do they know what the rig is doing?

My personal experience is the speed is about the same. My ST49 79 mph on drylake bed 70mph on ice. WN3 83mph on drylake bed. 80mph on ice. Many iceboaters think certain iceboats can go or went 140mph for the last 80 years. Now everyone has gps. No one boasts of such speeds. A few claim to reach 100mph without any official verification. The fastest speed recorded via Bob Dill is 87 mph on the stars and strips pictured. I think Richard Jenkins went 99mph on ice.
This is where I hit 80 mph on ice -
Here is an interesting read - http://www.windjet.co.uk/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=182
Another one having a go at it -

WN3 is for and aft 20' axle 18' wing area 57sqft 24' tall. about 485lbs heavy. I made a larger wing 74 sq ft for it at the Worlds but I had a few issues with it and ended up in 4th over all.
The frontloaders are rigged in a way that the mast angle is self adjusting. Sheet in and go. If your head goes back in your seat that's good if it doesn't that's not good.

Thank you so much for that, it all confirms what I've felt but never been able to prove! (No ice here!)