Modifty an outboard motor to power an "Iceboat"?

[Icefisher]

This may sound insane, but back in about 1969 or 70 I rode in an aluminum boat over a frozen lake, powered by an outboard motor whose "prop" was a large toothed disk (much like a circular sawblade, only larger) that dug into
the ice to push the boat along. Naturally, the disk turned perpendicular to a normal outboard propeller. Steering was just with a standard tiller arm.
This thing worked amazingly and was very very fast !

My question is this.... Can someone explain how an outboard can be modified in this way?

[Syed]

Icefisher,
It may not be workable to modify an outboard for this purpose, but making an arrangement with a general purpose engine should be easier in my opinion. This sketch is just to throw an idea.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s184/pinstco/pic.jpg

[FAST FRED]

How did they cool the engine ? Most outboards require liquid water .

FF

[Icefisher]

I wish I knew!.. I was 11 years old at the time and never thought to ask the
owner of the ice shanty rental place.

Ive run across info about a company called Polar Motors that actually made
an outboard exactly as described in my first posting. It was only sold for 1
year (1964) so it may have been one of those and not a modified motor at
all. The outboard didnt sell very well so Polar quit making them and switched
to snow machines and changed their name to Polaris.

Still, I thought there were/are air-cooled outboards that might be modified.
Anyone out there.. Are there air-cooled outboards around???

[Syed]

I can imagine it will be great fun with safety, when you get the required machine.