Buy Sails for Canoe Sailing Rigs

THere are two typical ways of setting up sails for canoe sailing. They both have the assumption that all the sailing gear can be removed and the boat used as a paddling canoe.

The supports for the mast and the leeboard can be separate or together.

American Canoe Association Rig uses two supports, one for leeboard and one for mast

The conventional way is similar to the American Canoe Association (ACA) method. This uses one board across the boat to support the mast. And another board across the boat to support the leeboard.

With a more or less triangular sail as the above the leeboard needs to be set further back from the mast to be under the centre of the sail. Actually, the centre of the leeboard needs to be slightly in front of the centre of the sail. The photo here is showing a setup where the planks across the boat have one position only. Many are simply lashed or bolted into position so can be moved to balance the sail.

While the ACA rig uses a one design sail, there are many choices of sails for canoe sailing from battened to not battened, to roll around mast reefing which can be a simple sail without battens or a sail with vertical battens so the sail can still roll. See below.

Drop In Sailing Rig Plan uses a single support for leeboard and mast

We have been using a balance lugsail instead of a triangular sail and a bigger leeboard. Instead of having two boards across the boat there is only one that supports both the mast and the leeboard.

Link – Add a Sail to a Canoe or Kayak, A Plan for a Drop-in Sailing Rig

This works because the balance lugsail has sail area IN FRONT of the mast which brings the centre of the sail forward. And a reasonably long leeboard can swing back and make the final adjustment to match the centre of the sail. This is our original small sail version to be suitable for a sit in kayak.

Since then the owner and his son has used it on several different canoes as it can be added to almost any canoe, kayak or small dinghy

Since then, we have developed the idea with more size variation and design of sails for canoe sailing. Most recreational sailing canoes use a balance lug of 36sq ft. Which provides fairly relaxed sailing. We have used build in versions of the same sail for sails up to 50sqf which provides more exciting sailing, but there is no particular need to build in the mast support unless the hull is flexing excessively. This is quite a lot of sail area and requires a very active sailor.

The single plank to support the mast and leeboard ONLY works with a balance lug because there is sail area in front of the mast as well.

But all the balance lug versions have reefs to reduce the sail area in stronger winds or when wanting to chill out more – and the lug reefs fairly easily.

So the options are to choose between the different setups of single board to support both or two boards so the leeboard can be moved independently from the mast.

And then to choose the type of sailing you want to do. Whether you are:
primarily a paddler who wants an auxiliary sail sometimes – 36sqft
you want to do relaxed sailing with a bit of performance – maybe a sail around 42sqft
you want to enjoy spirited sailing.
We can provide sails for all these options. And also the specifications of the spars to support them.

Sail balance and tuning the Single leeboard angle for canoe Sailing

We almost always use a single leeboard. This is not only simple but the longer and deeper board also gives much superior sailing performance.

Sailing performance of any leeboard, centreboard or keel depends on its depth. If a keel is shallow it needs considerably more area. If using dual leeboards and only using one at a time they still need to be a similar depth to the single leeboard to get the same sailing performance.

With a leeboard the “helm” or feel of the boat is changed by altering the angle of the board to bring it in line with the centre of the sail.

When using a paddle to steer I normally set up for very minimal helm feel – very balanced by moving the leeboard angle forward or back. This works with both the ACA setup and the Drop in Sailing rig.

I’ve sailed around happily for an hour or so without using any paddle steering at all. Just changing the angle of the leeboard to steer where I want to go. Rake forward to point up, rake back to bear away.

It is also possible to assist or make small changes by moving body weight forward and backward.

Famously Fritz Fenger sailed his canoe Yakaboo throughout the Caribbean without a rudder using this method. Though his positioning of his centreboard was much more complicated.and with multiple sails he also had other options to steer using the sails as well.

Sail Options for the Drop in Sailing Rig for Paddling canoes and kayaks

Any sail option is available. As stated before, the drop in sailing rig’s simplicity comes from using a balance lug.

The main choices are a simpler sail without battens.or one with battens.

The battenless sail is cheaper. But the battened sail allows the spars to be slightly shorter for the same sail area. The battenless sail may store better in confined spaces inside the boat.

The sail below was for an Artemis sailing canoe. The mast and sail attached to spars had to fit inside the hull. So we went for a sail without battens in that case.

You can see the difference in the two areas for the same lengths of mast, boom and yard. (It is a yard, not a gaff on a lug because of historical reasons).

Sail options for the ACA type setup for Sailing a Canoe

There are more sail options available when the leeboard position relative to the mast can be changed.

We make versions of the original ACA Lateen with and without the sail sleeves. The alternate version has the sails lashing to the spars and is cheaper than the sleeve version where the sail sleeve slips over the spars.

We can also design gaffs, squaretop laminate sails, lateens, jibs, mizzens, any option for a sailing canoe. Sloops, Schooners, Yawls and Ketches and more.

The other type of rig is that developed by Solway Dory and others where the mast rotates to reef the sail.

We have both battensless versions and ones with vertical battens and can help choose a sail area that will give you the type of sailing that you want

Again, the battens make the sail more expensive but allow the mast to be shorter for the same sail area.or more sail area on the same mast.