Our classes

Ice

DN

Single-handed ice yacht · one-design

The DN is by far the most widespread ice yacht in the world and the only internationally raced ice sailing one-design class. It is named after the Detroit News, which ran a competition in 1937: the ice yacht was to be cheap, home-built and transportable on a car roof.

The class rules are strict: the hull must be wood, the runner plank and runner bodies have a wooden core. Concessions were made on the mast – from wood via aluminium and fibreglass to today’s carbon. You sail lying down; the hull is about 50 centimetres wide.

A competitive DN with full equipment costs more than 15,000 euros today. Used sleds are available from around 1,200 euros – and they are just as much fun.

Length

3.66 m (12 ft)

Runner plank

2.44 m (8 ft)

Mast

4.88 m (16 ft)

Sail area

5.57 m² (60 sq ft)

Weight

approx. 45–70 kg ready to sail

Crew

1

Class association

IDNIYRA, founded 1962 · around 2,000 members in 20 countries

Championships

World and European championships every year

Ice

Monotype XV

Two-person ice yacht · one-design

The Monotype XV was designed in 1932 by Estonian designer Erik von Holst and had its heyday in the 1930s. It is the classic European ice yacht: large, elegant and, with 15 square metres of sail, considerably more powerful than the DN. It is sailed by two.

Here, too, the class rules are strict: hull, plank and mast must be wood; carbon and fibreglass are not permitted. The runners are steel. One of our members regularly competes in the class’s European championship.

Length

7.5 m

Beam

4.2 m

Mast

7.2 m

Sail area

15 m²

Minimum weight

205 kg

Crew

2

Construction

solid wood, steel runners

Championships

European championship every year

Sand and ice

Class 3

Land yacht · development class

Class 3 is the Formula 1 of land sailing: one of Europe’s largest classes, with wing masts and hulls designed freely within a box rule. On hard sand the yachts reach up to 130 km/h.

With us, Class 3 yachts also run in winter – then on runners instead of wheels, as racing machines on the ice. In Germany, driving one requires the pilot licence with the additional endorsement for the big classes.

Class rule

FISLY box rule (development class)

Mast

wing mast

Speed

up to approx. 130 km/h

Crew

1

Licence

pilot licence + big-class endorsement

Sand

Standart

Land yacht · one-design

The Standart was created in the 1980s by the world federation FISLY to counter the rapidly rising costs of expensive high-tech materials such as carbon or titanium in the development classes. As a one-design class with identical yachts, the pilot decides here, not the material.

Class rule

FISLY one-design

Crew

1

Since

1980s

Sand

Libre

Land yacht · open design

Libre means free: in this class the design of the land yacht is largely open. Technical data and photos of our Libre yachts will follow. (to follow)

Class rule

open design

Crew

1