Racing the Wind on Ice: The Thrilling, Untold History of Ice Scootering on Long Island
Before snowmobiles roared across the snow and sleek ice yachts sliced through the frozen chill, there was the ice scooter—an ingenious, wind-driven vessel born on the frozen Great South Bay of Long Island. Crafted from necessity and driven by sheer nerve, these wooden machines embodied speed, survival, and a deep-rooted maritime culture. Specific to the Great South Bay, ice scootering remains one of America’s most thrilling yet underappreciated winter sports.
Ice Scootering vs. Ice Boating
While often mistaken for ice boating, ice scootering is a distinct and deeply local tradition. Ice boating originated in 17th-century Europe, particularly on the frozen Baltic Sea and the canals of the Netherlands, where sailors adapted their vessels for winter by affixing metal runners to the hulls—essentially transforming boats into wind-powered sleds. The concept eventually crossed the Atlantic and flourished along New York’s Hudson River, where it gained popularity among elite families, including that of Franklin D. Roosevelt. FDR himself was an enthusiast, and his uncle, John Roosevelt, served as the first commodore of the Hudson River Ice Yacht Club.
An ice boat resembles a sailboat balanced on three oversized ice skates. Its long, narrow hull is elevated above the ice on a sturdy wooden or metal frame, supported by two parallel runners at the rear and a single steerable runner at the front. When the wind fills its sail, the vessel skims across the ice at exhilarating speeds, combining the thrill of sailing with the rush of gliding.
By contrast, ice scootering was a homegrown innovation, uniquely adapted to the unforgiving winter conditions of the Great South Bay. Developed primarily for practical use—especially life-saving and rescue missions—ice scooters were continually refined for speed, agility, and reliability on treacherous, shifting ice. Unlike their more elevated cousins, scooters feature a wide, flat hull that sits low to the surface, riding on four long, beveled runners. These low-profile rails allow the vessel to glide effortlessly over solid ice and, at high speeds, even “scoot” across broken or uneven patches—much like a skipping stone. Without a rudder, the scooter relies entirely on sail dynamics for steering, turning in response to subtle adjustments in the jib and offering skilled pilots remarkably precise control.
The Birth and Evolution of the Ice Scooter & the Mad Geniuses of the Ice
From 1871 to 1941, the Life Saving Service and Revenue Cutter Service saved over 200,000 lives, many of them during the winter months when the bay froze solid. Stranded vessels, hunters, fishermen, and recreational skaters in peril all needed swift rescue. To meet these challenges, lifesavers innovated by transforming the humble duck boat—outfitting it with runners, sails, rudders, and a dose of creativity. These hybrid ice craft not only saved lives but also proved swift and stable on the ice, able to glide across broken patches or even float if needed.
The first life-saving station on Long Island was established at Eatons Neck in 1849 by the New York Life Saving Benevolent Association. This station not only marked the beginning of organized maritime rescue efforts on Long Island but also holds the distinction of being the oldest U.S. Coast Guard station in New York and the fourth oldest in the United States. By 1914, a robust network of 30 life-saving stations had been constructed along Long Island’s perilous shores, spaced every three to five miles to ensure swift response to maritime emergencies. These stations, initially operated under the U.S. Life-Saving Service, became part of the U.S. Coast Guard following the 1915 merger. Notable stations included Bellport, Fire Island, Blue Point, Smith Point, Mecox, Amagansett, Ditch Plain, and Potunk, among others. Staffed by highly trained surfmen, these stations conducted daring rescues using surfboats and breeches buoys, often in extreme conditions. Their motto, “You must go out, but you don’t have to come back,” spoke to the courage and selflessness that defined their service. Today, many of these historic stations have been preserved as museums and heritage sites, offering powerful insight into Long Island’s maritime past and the legacy of its life-saving heroes.
As the design of the scooter advanced, so did its speed, fueling rivalries among local tinkerers. George Swanbeck, for example, once crossed the bay in just six minutes, prompting other competitors to build faster vessels. Albin’s scooter, created specifically to beat Swanbeck’s, was one such challenger.
Notable Designers and Contributors
The evolution of the ice scooter was shaped by several key innovators:
- Henry Valentine Watkins (1864-1920): One of the earliest pioneers of the ice scooter.
- William Harless (1893-1970): Known for his contributions to scooter design. Commercialized and distributed scooters nationally.
- Al Latham (1874-1946): Innovator of the jib boom, a critical development in scooter design.
- Newton Forrest Moger (1865-1957): Refined the bevel direction on runners and participated in legendary rescues.
- Oscar Robinson (1865-1945) (Bellport Station): Crafted scooters with rounded bottoms, improving stability.
- Francis “Frank” N. Hermus (1890-1955): Contributed significantly to scooter design.
- Daniel Petty (1832-1921): One of the first to commercially build scooters.
- Wilbur Rufus Corwin (1852-1914): Credited with adding rockered runners and the jib sail in 1876-77. Commercialized and distributed scooters nationally.
According to Corwin’s son, Wilber A. Corwin, “I am sure that no one would question his statement that my father, the late Capt. Wilbur R. Corwin, designed and built the first South Bay scooter at Bellport and also perfected the device by beveling and rockering the runners, and adding the jib-sail for steering.”
“The day Al swiveled the jib boom,” said William Harless, “the scooter came of age.”
Early Races and Daring Rescues
By the late 19th century, these improvised vessels began to evolve into competitive machines. By 1901, local newspapers were already covering scooter races with the same intensity reserved for horse races or boxing matches. For instance, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported on a race in February 1902, where reigning champion George Swanbeck was defeated by Ruland of Patchogue, sparking a wave of competitive challenges along the coast.
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Sunday, November 17, 1901.
AIMS AT THE SCOOTER RECORD
Point o’ Woods Beach, L.I., November 16 – Robert Albin, sixth man at Point o’ Woods life saving station, is at work building an ice scooter to beat the champion scooter of the Great South Bay, owned by George Swanbeck of the Lone Hill station. Swanbeck’s scooter, which is built of beech cedar, has a mile in a minute record, and has crossed the Great South Bay on the ice in 6 minutes, which record Albin declares his scooter will be able to break. Superintendent Griffin of Point o’Woods Chautauqua Association is at the beach resort upon his annual visit of inspection, and is also devising plans for further improvement of grounds.
In the late 19th century, members of the Life Saving Stations adapted the duck boat to traverse the frozen sound, using it to monitor stranded vessels, transport provisions, and conduct rescues. As the scooters evolved, so did their speed, making them ripe for friendly races.
One particularly dramatic incident occurred in 1901 when Albert Latham, a member of the Blue Point Life Saving Crew, was racing at full sail when his scooter broke through the ice. He plunged into the frigid waters, but his comrades Newton Moger and Forrest Baker reacted quickly. Racing at 30 miles per hour, Moger adjusted his mainsail and fashioned a loop in his rope. As he passed Latham, the struggling rescuer caught the rope, and in one seamless motion, Moger hauled him aboard by his leg.
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “The whole rescue act was done in a twinkling—so quick that neither party realized, for the time being, how close it came to meaning Latham’s death. Had Moger’s mainsail sheets or ropes missed Latham, he surely would have gone under the ice…”
The Scooter Craze Hits Its Peak
By the early 1900s, scooter mania gripped Long Island. Captain William H. Miller of the Point o’Woods Life Saving Station was even described as crossing the Great South Bay solo in a “boy’s sleigh rigged with a sail and rudder.” Newspapers delighted in their readers’ fascination with the sport, teasing, “Did you ever go a-scooting? Did you ever see a scooter scoot?” (Include article mentioning women’s interest in joining the sport.)
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Thursday, January 9, 1896.
CAPTAIN MILLER’S SCOOTER.
Bay Shore, L. I., January 9 – Captain William H. Miller of the Point of Woods Life saving station came across Great South bay yesterday on the ice in a scooter and returned the same way. The bay seldom freezes so that it can be crossed. Captain Miller’s scooter is a home made contrivance not unlike a boy’s sleigh rigged with a sail and rudder with a capacity of one person. It is a great contrivance for quick travel and solitary sport on the ice. “
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Thursday, February 21, 1901.
Did You Ever Go A-Scooting? Did You Ever See a Scooter Scoot?
Do YOU know what a Scooter is? Do you know ANY ONE who knows what a Scooter is? If you DON’T know, but desire to be enlightened about this most thrilling, most unique, most spectacular of sports, which, by the way, was invented by Long Islanders and is practiced ONLY on Long Island, read the splendidly written article on Scooters, Which will be found in the Sunday Eagle”
As rivalries intensified, Robert Albin’s scooter left George Swanbeck far behind in one heated race, prompting Swanbeck to declare he would either get more speed out of his scooter or turn it into kindling. Local racers began organizing races more formally, and by 1924, this led to the formation of the South Bay Scooter Club.
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Wednesday, February 12, 1902.
CHAMPION LEFT BEHIND
Scooter Racing at Its Height on the Great South Bay.
Sayville, L. I., February 12- The rivalry in scooter building and scooter racing is just now at its height with the turfmen at the several lifesaving stations of this section of coat. After the champion scooter owned by George Swanbeck of the Lone Hill station was beaten by Ruland of Patchogue, Robert Albin, first man of the crew of the Point o’Woods station, worked up courage enough to challenge Swanbeck to a race. Albin had spent the whole winter building his scooter and he spared no pains in every detail of her construction, and it was whispered among his associates that he was really building a scooter to beat Swanbeck’s champion. It wasn’t long before Swanbeck heard about what Albin was planning to do, and there arose a spirit of rivalry between the crews of the two neighboring stations, as a result. Yesterday, Albin and Swanbeck et by chance with their scooters, both had an errand off to the main land and as the breeze was favorable, there was a race. Albin’s scooter left Swanbeck so far behind, however, that he abandoned his journey across the bay and returned to the station, declaring that he would either get more speed out of his scooter or he would convert her into kindling wood. Swanbeck’s defeat has inspired James Reynolds of the Lone Hill station to believe that he can build a scooter that will distance the whole fleet of beach scooters. He says his craft will have a beech sassafras frame and the wood having the natural bend will allow the scooter to bound over any bunches on the ice without cracking her timbers.
The South Bay Scooter Club
While the origins of the South Bay Scooter Club are somewhat under-documented, it began to take shape in the early 1900s, emerging from the Bellport Yacht Club. By 1924, the club was officially recognized. A significant milestone came in February 1903, when the first organized scooter race took place off Patchogue, Long Island.
By this time, ice scootering had evolved from a lifesaving tool into a fiercely competitive sport. The passion for the craft, the speed, and the thrill of racing across the frozen bay became a symbol of Long Island’s unique maritime heritage.