You may be confused as to what to call vehicles that run on ice or snow. Snowmobile or Snowmachine? No matter what name you call it for so long, you are in the right place to get yourself corrected.
Snowmobile or Snowmachine, whatever you say, the pleasure of riding on this vehicle in winter is incomparable. But the problem is that many of us don’t know if this vehicle actually has a specific name. What should you really call it? Read on to find out.
Snowmobile Vs Snowmachine
In a word, there is no difference between a Snowmobile and a Snowmachine when we talk about vehicles run on snow.
Two names for the same thing. Different places, different names. In most areas, these words are used interchangeably.
- If we consider Alaska, the people of Alaska do not know what a snowmobile is. All they know is Snowmachine. They call these ice skating vehicles snowmobiles. It can be considered as a regional linguistic feature. It’s something like ‘pop-soda’. If you call these cars ‘snowmobiles’ in Alaska, chances are you’ll be their laughing stock.
- Now let’s go to the regions outside Alaska. These vehicles are commonly called snowmobiles in Canada. They are also known as Ski-Doo, Sled, Sno-go, etc. in other regions.
That means the whole thing depends on who you’re talking to. It may be that there are Alaskan people who have never heard the word ‘snowmobile’. Speaking in one language is like swearing in another.
In this case, we can refer to an online survey. A total of 60 snowmobile users voted in an online survey of Snow forum. 88.7 percent of people call these cars snowmobiles and 11.3 percent of people say ‘I drive a Snowmachine’.
Looking at this online survey, it may seem that snowmobile is the right word. In fact, considering this small survey, you cannot determine the whole thing. It may be seen that no one from Alaska took part in it. Interestingly, people of Alaska do not care much about people outside of them. This means that anything you call except Snowmachine is ‘weird’ there.
However, by whatever name they are called, in the case of vehicles, it’s basically a non-wheeled automobile that can run fast on ice or snow. This snowmobile or snowmachine riding is very popular as a sport in snow-covered areas. In winter, there are always massive skiing events or competitions.
But yes, there is a difference between a snowmobile and a snowmachine when it comes to tools other than cars. Artificial snowmaking machines are sometimes called snowmachines. We talked about that at the ‘What is a snowmachine?’ section.
What is a Snowmobile?
A snowmobile is a special type of vehicle used to navigate on the ice. Like other usual bikes, it has a windshield but does not match the shape.
- This vehicle does not have any wheels.
- There are two skis at the front which help in controlling its directional movement.
- There is a caterpillar track attached to the engine at the rear. This track leads the vehicle forward.
The previous tracks were made of rubber but the current tracks are made of Kevlar composite. Ski and track, a combination of the two, makes snowmobiles run at breakneck speed on the ice.
Snowmobiles weren’t actually made overnight. There is no single patent in the discovery of this. Since 1911, many people have played a role in its growth. Snowmobile type cars were first discovered in 1911 by Harold J. Kalenze. The cars he invented were powered by propellers that we now see as tracks. Propeller was the basis of track discovery.
Joseph Bombardier, the founder of the Bombardier Company, began researching with snowmobiles in the 1920s. In 1959, that Canadin company introduced a new vehicle that was lighter, extra powerful, and more sophisticated than all previous snowmobiles. Originally, the name ‘Snowmobile’ was given by them and the vehicle became very traditional.
Initially, snowmobiles were two-seater, but now they are single-seater vehicles. These vehicles can run comfortably on any land covered with ice or snow. There is no need for smooth asphalt. Also back then most of the snowmobiles were run by two-stroke engines but recently they have four-stroke.
You may be wondering if a snowmobile can be driven on the road! Yes, snowmobiles can run on the road. However, it is not allowed to walk on the road in most cases. If you want to drive on the road, you can drive in your backyard. Note that the snowmobile can run at a good speed even on ordinary roads.
What is a Snowmachine?
As I said before, if we consider vehicles, there is no difference between a snowmobile and a snowmachine.
‘Snowmachine’ is the exclusive possession of the people of Alaska.
However, snowmachines are not always snowmobiles. It has other meanings when it is considered as a tool.
If there is a shortage of snow during skiing events or races, artificial snow is produced and dumped on the ground. This artificial snow maker is also known as snowmachine.
The snow that Snow Machine produces is comparatively better than natural snow. Artificially produced snow makes more slope and lasts longer than natural snow. It takes more time to melt. Riders prefer artificial snowflakes to the natural snow.
Moreover, the device used to remove snow from the road is also known as snowmachine. People also call them snow-removers or snowblowers.
Final Thoughts
Whether it’s a snowmobile, a snowmachine, a ski-doo, or a no-go, the popularity of this vehicle as a winter recreation or sport is climbing. When snowmachines are considered a tool, they are also often associated with skiing.
If you already have finished snow riding, then it’s awesome. If you still haven’t taken the opportunity to board this vehicle yet, add it to the bucket list asap. Getting in the car, no matter the name conflict, the joy of this trip is unrivaled.
Happy Snowboarding!
