Sailing rigging in a Otca 17

[Hodtay]

I know nothing about sail rigging or sailing a canoe. My new project boat was originally made with a keel but without sailing rigging. During its first restorization the keel was removed and a mast block (what's the right term?) was added to the bottom of the hull.

I don't prefer to have a keel. Does a sailing canoe perform better with or without a keel? What is sail rigging for a canoe? Should I consider rigging my canoe for sailing?

Thanks.

Steve

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Hi Steve--

There's a book about that:

http://store.wcha.org/product.php?productid=17538&cat=75&page=2

Fortunately for all, the author is a frequent visitor to these forums and provides detailed replies to questions. Plus, there are others here with a passion for sailing as well as paddling.

Kathy

 

[Todd Bradshaw]

It will work just fine either way, so set your canoe up to work the way you want it to be for the regular canoeing that you plan to do. There are certainly some handling differences when we put fairly similar sailing equipment on various hulls having different turning, tracking, speed and stability characteristics, but most of them will still sail quite well and having a keel (or not) isn't usually going to make a big difference.

 

[Fitz]

Just to further encourage you...

Sailing is great fun. See attached.