My search for an inexpensive canoe sail rig on the Internet
led me to Bill Mantis’s web site, www.mediterraneanavenue.com.
I was
Impressed with his book except for one small problem –
his plans call for putting holes in the bow deck and gunnels
to attach the rig. No way was I going to alter my 1920 Old
Town OTCA that way! The following is a tale of my attempts
to use this design w/out drilling holes in “my baby”.
Note, “The $50, 5 Hour Canoe Sail Rig” will explain
the sail and mast much better than I can as well as a history
of similar rigs and sailing technique. 
The yard is attached to an eyebolt in a padded wood clamp
rather than an eyebolt through the bow deck.
The lee board rig design is a common design used for wooden
canoes. My leeboards were copied from a friend's and are
larger than those in Mantis’s book. The rig and boards
were made from a 2’ x 4’ x 5/8” piece
of CDX plywood.
The rig is attached by wood blocks tightened to the gunnels
with eyebolts and “T-nuts”. The leeboards are
attached similarly – Uses two washers with a lock
washer between against a nut at the end of the thread on
the eyebolt. This provides tension to hold the boards down,
but allows the boards to tilt out of the way when
any obstacle is struck.
Note the lee boards are on backwards, the tapered edge should
be to the rear, oops!
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The original mast of 5/8”dowel was
weak and
attached with wood clamps to either the seat or the lee
board rig.
The current mast is made from 7/8”
dowel and is much stronger. Note the inexpensive compass
purchased at an auto parts store. Also note the “V-Cleat”
for the halyard.
This view shows the rig w/out the leeboards attached.
This mast is slightly long and may be shortened in the
future.
This view shows to connection at the top
of the mast, with pulley for the halyard.
My sail is smaller than Mantis’s,
on an 8’ yard rather than 11’. This makes
the yard fit inside my car AND when the sail is dropped,
the yard ends next to me, by the rear thwart. This allows
me to paddle solo on either side without dismantling the
rig. I can go from paddling to sailing in seconds by :
Dropping the lee boards
Positioning the batten
And raising the yard
However, this rig does take a brief amount of time to
attach the parts to the canoe. I’m working on a
way to break it down into an easy to carry package.
I am still learning to sail this rig, and
I am over cautious and drop the sail whenever conditions
get “unsettling”. I have not yet let the rig
heel over very much.
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The complete rig shown with original mast. The sail is
made from a lightweight camping tarp, purchased from “SportsmansGuide”.
The sail is rigged low due to strong, gusty winds.
My batten is also modified from Mantis’s design.
It is attached to the sail by an eye-screw through a grommet.
The other end is notched to go over the line attaching the
sail wherever it holds tight.
I pass it through these loops when the sail is down to keep
everything neat.
I kneel on padding and rest my “bum” on the
rear thwart, padded with pipe insulation. I have a folding
canoe seat, but have not tried it yet.
I steer with my paddle as described in Mantis’s book.
The sheet is passed through a pulley {tied through openings
in the gunnel at the stern deck} and to a “V-Cleat”
attached where a toggle had been for holding down a “floor”
that I no longer used. I had previously wrapped the sheet
around the toggle that was here. I have not tested this
“V-Cleat” yet -- it may not be held down very
well by the one screw. I may use a larger screw but cringe
at the thought of putting any new holes in “my baby”.
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I may attach the V-cleat to the gunnel with a bolt where
there is diamond bolt, for a removable carrying yolk. This
may require a screw, w/ plastic wall anchor, through the
other hole in the cleat – this would fit the gap between
the rips.
The current rig, shown w/out leeboards. My
rig may not be pretty, or very fancy, but it is a simple
way to take advantage of the wind, and save on some paddling!
I should note that I made the rig to be lazy, not for “speed”
as with Bill Mantis. I may try a 10’ yard, maybe a
wooden flagpole, allowing the yard to be taken down into
two parts. I still have the other half of the tarp for a
second sail.
Sailing the rig is fun, and without a boom, the worst I
get when the wind changes is a face full of sail! I usually
only need one lee board in the water, but using both aids
sailing “Close-hauled”.
I would like to thank Bill Mantis for his book and several
whca chapter one members for their help and ideas, and making
it easier to “watch” my weight after each meeting!
Jeff Larnder WCHA member #7153 najundam409@yahoo.com
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