When was it published?

January 23, 1821 in Richmond Enquirer

Domestic News January 23, 1821

Richmond Enquirer

Q: What keywords are associated?

Ice Boats, Acushnet River, Fairhaven, New Bedford, River Crossing

Richmond, Richmond County, Virginia

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What is this article about?

Ice boats enabled a rapid crossing of the frozen Acushnet River between Fairhaven and New Bedford, Massachusetts, in one minute and a half on Thursday, January 8, 1823, with speeds up to 60 miles per hour reported.

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OCR Quality

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Full Text

ICE BOATS.—The river Acushnet, which divides the towns of Fairhaven and New Bedford is a mile wide and has been crossed, on the ice, however incredible it may seem to you, in one minute in what is called an Ice Boat. I received a letter yesterday from a gentleman in Fairhaven, who has constructed one of these boats, in which he states, that himself and three others crossed the river in one minute and a half, on Thursday the 8th instant; and that he has sailed, when the wind was fresher, at the rate of 60 miles an hour—45 miles is quite common. These boats which are not much known in this country but which are prevalent, I believe, in the north of Europe, are nothing more than a common boat or yawl placed on three runners and propelled by the wind. The lee runner, or skate, is a little sharpened so as to take ice, and prevent lee way.

(Boston Paper.)

What sub-type of article is it?

Transportation

What keywords are associated?

Ice Boats Acushnet River Fairhaven New Bedford River Crossing

What entities or persons were involved?

A Gentleman In Fairhaven

Where did it happen?

River Acushnet, Fairhaven And New Bedford

Domestic News Details

Primary Location

River Acushnet, Fairhaven And New Bedford

Event Date

Thursday The 8th Instant

Key Persons

A Gentleman In Fairhaven

Event Details

A gentleman in Fairhaven and three others crossed the one-mile-wide frozen Acushnet River in an ice boat in one minute and a half. Ice boats, consisting of a boat or yawl on three runners propelled by wind, achieve speeds of 45 miles per hour commonly and up to 60 miles per hour in fresh wind. They are common in northern Europe but not well-known in this country.