Barn Find DN…. Take a look!

Steve Duhamel of NorthWind IceBoats sends in this slighty-less-than-accurate description of his latest barn-find…. Read and learn….

Barn / Shed Find DN

Late 30’s style DN Closely built to DN 60 Plans as published by the Detroit News Sunday addition projects to build at home work shop.

Great care of construction details were exercised in following the plan’s measurements.

Hardware is all Blacksmith formed.

Hemp rope rigging and sheet line was produced by the Cortege Park in Plymouth MA just before shutting down for good in 1939.

Sail material is Egyptian Cotton with corn starch sizing and black silk reinforcement.

Battens are slow growth Vietnamese bamboo foam core fiberglass.

Blades are forged from used horse shoes. Glue is suspected to be from that same horse that donated the blade material.

While walking in the woods one day, looking for a suitable mast. A bolt of lightning came out of nowhere and struck a nice straight wing shaped tree. Although burned black by the lightning strike, it proved to be just what the project needed. A branch from the same tree provided the boom.

Pulleys (from the sliding barn door from which the boat was pulled) were the only parts from the original design drawings.

Ready to be enjoyed again after a sympathetic cleaning.

Offers will be considered.

Steve’s description is amusing (who knew he had that sense of humor) and is even more so if you’ve ever seen this boat- It’s not a legal DN as it is made of carbon and God only knows what else. But is it ever sexy. If there is a piece of metal, it’s polished to a mirror finish. If there is a piece of carbon (ie the entire hull), it’s clear-coated to perfection. The sail is high aspect, high tech, and this thing is ready to blaze across the ice and elicit some serious drooling in the launch area.

I don’t know if he really wants to sell it or not but it can’t hurt to ask!

Contact Steve through http://www.northwindiceboats.com/ to take a look and for all of your iceboating needs!