How do you set up a yak for sailing.....

[staydry]

Done a lot of reading on the internet about rigging a kayak for sailing....there's a ton of kits that just bolt on but are a little expensive for my needs right now.

I'd like to do a homemade version but couldn't find any info on measurements or placement of the sail, lee boards or rudder....are there hard fact rules on determining the proper size and location of these basic items?

Although I've read several books on sailing, I've never done it but wish to pursue this project....did a preliminary mock up on where I think the mast & lee board will go..please excuse the crudeness .... yak is 12' 6" and 36" wide...mast will be 60" from my seat if that matters....

 

[Mark SF]

Re: How do you set up a yak for sailing.....

Get yourself a copy of this book!

http://www.nauticalmind.com/50-5-Hour-Canoe-Sail-Rig-pr-66057.html

 

[ghamby]

Re: How do you set up a yak for sailing.....

What are you going to use for amas?

 

[staydry]

Re: How do you set up a yak for sailing.....

I originally intended to use aluminum for the mast but since it doesn't flex that much I decided on PVC...don't need a gust popping up & capsizing me.

Fortunately there is a metal salvage yard next door that scrounges up all types of stainless, aluminum, plastics, etc in just about any shape you'd want...solid beams, tubular, square, I-beam, solid dowels, sheets, etc....just visited over there and discovered a box of 8' x 1.25" PVC handrails for $7.50 ea...got a wall thickness of at least 1/4" and has faint ridges that run the length of the pipe.

Since I will probably be doing some plastic welding (got a kit on order) I was interested in what type of material these were...box they came in says "Polycarbonate" so I googled to see what the specs and pasted the comments below...looks like some pretty good stuff...they also had some 1" which could be used for a boom/spar...


Polycarbonate is a versatile, tough plastic used for a variety of applications, from bulletproof windows to compact disks (CDs). The main advantage of polycarbonate over other types of plastic is unbeatable strength combined with light weight. While acrylic is 17% stronger than glass, polycarbonate is nearly unbreakable. Bulletproof windows and enclosures as seen inside banks or at drive-throughs are often made of polycarbonate. Add to this the advantage that polycarbonate is just one-third the weight of acrylic, or one-sixth as heavy as glass, and the only drawback is that it is more expensive than either acrylic or glass.

 

[saildan]

Re: How do you set up a yak for sailing.....

Done a lot of reading on the internet about rigging a kayak for sailing. I'd like to do a homemade version but couldn't find any info on measurements or placement of the sail, lee boards or rudder.

...are there hard fact rules on determining the proper size and location of these basic items?

The rules are determined by a boat's hull type and design. There are the theoretical numbers based on the marine architecture of the craft. Then there's the "actuals", adjustments made to the theoretical based on real world trials. In addition are some variables, in your case this would be your weight and where you place it in the hull on average.

If such number crunching has been done specifically for your craft, it would likely come from the company who designed the boat, a third party sail supplier, or a hobbyist such as yourself who's sharing the information in a book or website.

Beyond the ideal of having specific setup information will be the general setup you learn form studying about sailing kayak and canoe design. This is the more common situation and you take what you learn and make an educated stab at a preliminary rig. Using your understanding of theoretical performance you go out on "sea trials". From what you learn during your testing you make adjustments to tune the setup.

It would probably be a good idea for you to first learn to sail on an established design, something simple like a Sunfish. This way you will be able to evaluate your rigs performance without questioning if a problem lies with your ability or your design.

I originally intended to use aluminum for the mast but since it doesn't flex that much I decided on PVC...don't need a gust popping up & capsizing me.

This would be a case of trying to find materials to substitute for sailing skill.

 

[Don Novello]

Re: How do you set up a yak for sailing.....

I was wondering this myself

 

[Triton II]

Re: How do you set up a yak for sailing.....

I have a Hobie Revolution with a sail kit. It sails OK for a yak, but the main problem with it is there is no real way to use body weight to keep her upright so anything more than 10 kts of wind is a bit tricky! So maybe basing your design on an existing yak manufacturer's sail kit would be the way to go? Just a thought...

TII