Canoe Sailing



I have launched my canoe in March 2005, then been practicing the paddling technique and had a confidence in solo paddling. However, when there is a wind, it is hard to maneuver the canoe. Therefore, in order to overcome and enjoy such situation, I have started to build the sailing rig used for my canoe from September 2005.



First, I built the spars, which include a mast, a boom and yard. In this process, I have employed the Bird's-Mouth Method that was described in the Woodenboat Magazine #149. This way consists of eight of strips and forms an octagonal cross-section. Besides, I put some taper at each end. The picture is showing an experiment for this method. As you can see, there is a taper on the experimental one, and there are fairly pure octagonal cross-section at both ends. Thereby I have had a confidence to proceed this method for my spars building.



The router bit I used for this process has a 90 degree angle of V-shaped cutting edge.



The one side of the strip's long-edge is cut into the V-shaped channel with the router bit.



I have used a sled for table saw in order to cut the taper precisely, that really affects the cutting precision.



The masts have been glued with a thickened epoxy



Each mast end is glued with an octagonal dowel.



To make the spar fair octagonal shape, the lapped edges are planed off.




The two masts finished out in octagonal.



The mast head was shaped in a half round, just looks like a succor ball.



The boom is held with the mast using a parrel with ball.



To proceed this project, I have referred to the "Canoe Rig" book, that Tedd E. Bradshaw wrote. This book is really significant for me and led me his favorite traditional style. The egged shape leeboard is laminated with eight pieces of fan like boards. According to his book, this one is called as Dutch leeboard, takes an active role on a Dutch shallow water.



The leeboard bracket is assembled with a dovetail slide and glued with thickened epoxy.



A mast step is made of a mahogany scrap.



I made the rudder out of a Japanese ash with vertical grain.



The leading and trailing edges of the rudder blade are shaped with an appropriate airfoil.



The materials used for gudgeon and pintle are made of brass.



A pintle without hinge pin is temporally fit with the rudder housing in order to see the attaching balance.



As you can see the picture, the gudgeon and pintle are consist of brass sheet metal and a brass block, each part is already shaped in the final dimension. Then each one is silver-brazed.



The block that will be attached in the gudgeon is fixed with two brass pins so that it could be held stable during the brazing process.



The block that will be attached with the band is secured with two of brass screws and silver-brazed.



The pin attached in the pintle is fixed with a brass pin and silver-brazed.



The rudder assembly has been completed and checked if the rope steering system works well or not.



In order to re-launch my canoe as a sailing one, on 15th July 2006 I have carried her to the lake Chuzenji, where is located on approximately 200km northeast from downtown Tokyo. I have had successfully a launching ceremony along with my friends and canoe sailing club members (Troop Tochi-noki) http://www.geocities.co.jp/Athlete-Sparta/5346/.



On that day, there was a regatta held by the mentioned canoe sailing club, and I have been able to enter the race by their courtesy with just re-launched my sailing canoe. The result is the last but I have been able to enjoy the sailing and happy with my sailing rig.