Sails - opinions please

Hi All,

The other day a colleague gave me some advice on where he's had good luck with Halibut and Lings.  We pulled up a map and the area is not "too far" away but it's still a pretty healthy distance.  This got me thinking that a sail to assist a little here and there might not be such a bad idea.

The Hobie sail is getting up there in cost.
Other mast type sails are similar in price if not more.
Advanced Elements Rapid Up.
Pacific Action V-sails and knock offs of this design.
WindPaddle and knock-offs of this design.
Bic sail (not much info on this sail).
DIY versions...

There was one video I viewed (RodgerDodger I believe it was) that used a WindPaddle on a SUP.  I quite enjoyed the video but there's a really big difference between a SUP and the Oasis.

Some video's I viewed have mentioned that the Oasis with its centre mast hole has a tendency to want to spin around when using a mast type sail.  Granted, they also had a pretty big sail on it.

The Hobie sail looks fairly easy to create as a similarly designed DIY for +/- $100.  (pole, small plastic rod, ripstop nylon, rope and a little hardware) assuming you didn't want a window in it...

What are your experiences with different sail options?  What did you like, dislike and/or wish you had?

Cheers



 

I am partial to the OEM sail as it is  designed for the Hobies and very well built. I don't think I would want any other type on it and cant imagine there would be any improvement with any  other option. But that is just me speculating. But the biggest factor is that it is all there, and you don't have to figure out on your own how to "Rig" it to make it work correctly. Which would you rather trust when miles from shore?

With that said, I have learned that I wouldn't rely on the sail at all to get you to-and-from the grounds you wish to fish. If you cant paddle, pedal it, or otherwise have a back-up transportation plan that isn't emergency services, it probably isn't safe. 

Also, a kayak is a displacement vessel so it is limited to its hull speed.  So, if you are in good shape and can pedal at a steady pace, the sail will not get you there much faster (well, maybe not for the Adventure or Tandem Islands. They are quick).  If you are not in great shape, halibut fishing from a kayak will definitely get you back in shape.  There is nothing I have found to be more exercise intensive than pedaling 4 plus miles off shore and then back to only find yourself fighting the north - south drift currents, which are usually over 1 mph.  So, basically you are going about 5 miles to get to that position 4 miles away, then after your first drift, you get to fight that current back to the top of the drift.  Good times!  I guess, the sail could be handy coming back  when you are tired, if the wind is blowing in. 

That being said, I am in the process of building this with cedar strips and fiberglass: http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/wooden-sailboat-kits/clc-sailrig-kayak-canoe-sailing-rig.html  Halibut was one of the reasons.  Go big or go home.  Also, it will be a great addition to my cedar strip canoe.

To answer the question: What did you like, dislike and/or wish you had?  Being that the closest place for halibut for me is Pacific City, I wish I had a friend with a dory boat for halibut.    That way I could get more than a couple drifts in before exhaustion sets in.

Cool looking boat Craig, looks like a fun project!

I'm pretty fit but that doesn't mean that I don't get tired... there are times a little free push from mother nature would be welcomed.

Browneyesvictim, I'm certainly not opposed to the Hobie sail.  From what I've read on the net and Hobie forum (I sometimes lurk that forum).  The Hobie sail is apparently not that good for downwind use.  I figure if a person is going to use a sail at all, they are going to want upwind and downwind capabilities.

The mast on the Hobie sail is 10.3 feet long. That's not a small sail...

https://nswskc.wordpress.com/1998/10/24/the-old-sea-dogs-gear-locker-36/
http://www.vision.net.au/~jennings/sail/sail.html
http://gnarlydognews.blogspot.com/2009/03/shop-diy-sea-kayak-sail.html
http://seadogsails.blogspot.com/

My intention is not to rely on sail power.  The mirage drive is the whole reason I bought the Hobie, it's awesome!

Cool looking boat Craig, looks like a fun project!

I'm pretty fit but that doesn't mean that I don't get tired... there are times a little free push from mother nature would be welcomed.

Browneyesvictim, I'm certainly not opposed to the Hobie sail.  From what I've read on the net and Hobie forum (I sometimes lurk that forum).  The Hobie sail is apparently not that good for downwind use.  I figure if a person is going to use a sail at all, they are going to want upwind and downwind capabilities.

The mast on the Hobie sail is 10.3 feet long. That's not a small sail...

https://nswskc.wordpress.com/1998/10/24/the-old-sea-dogs-gear-locker-36/
http://www.vision.net.au/~jennings/sail/sail.html
http://gnarlydognews.blogspot.com/2009/03/shop-diy-sea-kayak-sail.html
http://seadogsails.blogspot.com/

My intention is not to rely on sail power.  The mirage drive is the whole reason I bought the Hobie, it's awesome!

I love the sail on my Outback. The problem, if there is one, when sailing downwind is that, because it has no boom. But that is still easily remedied by using a whisker pole to stop the taco effect on the sail. Some modify the paddle blade by notching it and hooking it to the clew of the sail and pushing it outboard. It also points upwind fairly well, about 45 deg off the wind. It will sideslip a bit upwind if you don't keep your mirage fins pointing down

Whisker pole.

One hot windy day I've been known to open an umbrella. :banjo:and it worked!!

You know what would make a great Thirsty Thursday talk ?

Basics of sailing your kayak. What to buy, how to rig it, how to read the wind and know what to do to go in which direction, how not to dump the thing, what to do if you do, what to do if you need to go in a direction you can't sail, how to get started without losing your life.

And then maybe NA would put on a few on-water classes. I bet they could sell a bunch of sailing kits. I'd buy one, maybe two.

I use the sail on my adventure island a lot, always with the pontoons so there are no capsizing risks. I mostly troll with a 7 lb ball, so any help from the wind is appreciated. On Juan de Fuca the summertime pm westerlies are quite predictable, so I will launch at a beach and peddle west with an ebb current, hit my go to spot for current change and then fish back to my put in spot letting the westerly help me along the way. It doesn’t always work but I’m grateful for those days it does. I remain cautious, never going so far with the wind where I couldn’t get back to the put in by peddling if need be. Prior to getting the AI, I’ve never owned a sailboat so learning how to sail has been fun too.
T2