Getting started sailing cheaply.

[peterbeale]

The best way to learn to sail inexpensively is to go to a yacht club and sign on as a crew for racing. Every club has boats that need crews. It is best to start in dinghies and work your way up to Keel boats.

Also the American Sailing Association book has excellent basic information which is worth studying.

Peter Beale

[s/v Beth]

I think the best way to determine how he should get on the water is to determine his long term plans. Living aboard in a small sailboat does not require much sailing skill... he could easily pick that up in a sailing club volunteering for rail bait. There are a few liveaboards in my marina that don't know how to raise a sail. If the op wants to cruise/sail extensively, then he might be served by a dingy-small hobie. They teach sailing and in my area are available in his budget.

[Hard Rock Candy]

If you have the knowledge and the tools, You can Build and sail an Inflated waterbed mattress. Knowledge is the same as Money. as far as what to build it out of, is lying around free or almost free. I bought one of those little !0ft long Inflatable catamarans with a seat in the middle. I bought it to fish in the North Umpqua river. Then I took it to one of the Local lakes. Alas, I need a sail. and shade. So I bought a garage sale Table umbrella. It sails just fine as long as I am sailing somewhat down wind.
In our society it is almost frowned upon, to do anything without spending a lot of money. I think your Idea is excellent and both building and using your boat will be fun. ----- However I would not consider it a blue water sailboat.


As long as you can swim and have a life preserver, and are knowledgeable about the effects of submersion in cold water for a warm blooded animal. You will love it. Some people will always try to discourage you from doing anything they would not do. Mac

[Mystktravler]

You obviously don't want or need validation for your plan. Why ask...

The canoe is a very unstable platform to learn to sail. The modification you are planning will make the canoe more unstable and much less efficient.
If you want to hunt and fish in a canoe, do it.
If you want to have a project modifying said canoe, do it.

If you want to learn to sail, do it. The previous posts are the voice of experience, not a personal attack. The people that respond are trying to help you. ( For the most part.)
All things are possible, not necessarily wise.
Take the first step...it's all you have to do...

[canyonbat]

One of the Sea Scouts here at Lake Havasu built something similar. We have watched him sail it a few times while we are out. Best I can say about it is it all seems very awkward. While it might be fun to build and dink around with, I don't think it will advance your sailing skills much. The thing looks to be a bear to maneuver, doesn't point hardly at all and adds less speed to down wind runs than I expected. I think the addition of the drag the amas produce offsets much of the advantage the small sail is giving.

[Fishbreath]

this is click bait.. pure click bait.. you can't be serious? using 1000 year old tech?
mate $150 buys you one decent life jacket... with a waterproof flash light attached....

[FollowingCs]

My 2 bits... I sailed a small Sun fish on a lake in Ohio when I was younger. Nobody taught me, just figured it out. Didn't even know what tacking was, but it was the only way to get back home (upwind), so I figured it out.

Recently this past spring, I went sailing on a friend's 52 foot catamaran. I can say with confidence my 'lake' experience is basically worthless when sailing a larger boat on the ocean. The 'sailing' part isn't that hard. It's the navigation, the right-of-way, the name of all the lines and what they do, being able to tie certain knots quickly and know that the dinghy is secure all night long, knowing the tides and how they affect inlet passages (something both the Captain and I forgot about coming out of St. Augustine inlet, but it really showed me what the cat could do into 10 foot waves!!).

This is a really short list even. My 3 week life aboard this catamaran showed me more about what I still need to learn.

Don't get me wrong, it could be fun, but not sure how much you will actually 'learn' that will be applicable later on.

~ Following Cs ~

[Cheechako]

Canoes are .........uh....... tippy! They will sail down wind . Wear a life jacket and avoid really cold water! There are plenty of small light sailboats around, in the 12-16 ft range for near nothing.

[roland stockham]

Sorry but don't raise the boom it will break the design. Canoes can sail well but you have to keep everything as low as possible. Don't worry about boom clearance with a crab claw this size you simply lift it over your head when going about. Make sure you add boy ency and are prepared to get wet because you WILL tip over when you get it wrong but it is a great way to learn. Keelboats are so forgiving some people never realize how wrong they are getting it

[sreesekelley]

I built a 12 foot boat in my living room. I had an old car, sold it and used the money to buy the lumber, a bunch of tools, glue and everything else. All total I spent about $3600. That included the trailer and a trolling motor and the biggest battery I could fit in the battery box. I could have done it cheaper with what I know now. Instead of premium marine plywood I could have used exterior plywood and epoxied the crap out of it and fiber glassed the entire hull instead of just joints. For $3600 I could have bought a much larger boat off craigslist or any of a number of brokerages that sell used boats.

I can sail my boat, row it or run under power for 4-5 hours. It's great for fishing and cheap polytarp sails can be replaced for $30 and made in an afternoon.

I used premium lumber and lots of glue, epoxy and 3m 5200 and so many screws...so many screws...

I know every goof-up, screw location and I worked my butt off for three months to build it and then another 6 weeks of anguish getting the title and hull ID's from the govt.

It suits my purposes completely, it's fun but I could have definitely gotten on the water cheaper. I also learned how much I didn't know. I didn't know how may types of glue there are. I didn't know just how rare #8 wood screws in quantity are. There are so many variables and pieces of hardware where I followed the plans and went the cheapo way, eg; barrel bolts instead of pintles and gudgeons.

I added extras like more life jackets than the boat can carry people, a porta potty and store bought oars and fancy oarlocks. Waterproof tackle boxes to carry stuff in, etc.

For $1000 more I could have had a 22-26 foot boat on a trailer that only needed some cleaning and maintenance.

I wouldn't change a thing and in three years I'll get the bigger boat. You can watch the process here along with other videos of the first launch and my first couple of times of actually sailing (ever).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htZdkwusj1E

The main thing I've learned is I don't know nothing and the more I learn the less I know. I'll spend the rest of my life trying to learn enough.

[Scout 30]

If you're really serious about building a sailing rig for a canoe I'd post your question on the WoodenBoat Forum. Instead of raising the rig you could sit behind the boom or maybe a different rig would make more sense. How about a loose footed lug rig? There's nothing new about a sailing canoe & it's not a crazy idea. If you really want to learn to sail it I'd forget the training wheels but wear a life jacket!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canoe_sailing

[Freemind]

I'm in a similar situation in the same area. I found the "Percy Priest Yacht Club" that has sailing lessons. The membership is $160 a year. With the membership and a basic course under your belt , you can "sign out" one of the clubs boats to use.
This is one of the cheaper ways I have seen and I may do it myself in 2016.
Here is the link. Home - Percy Priest Yacht Club

[s/v Beth]

Freemind, this also allows you to sail many different boats, the best way to find one you love.
I found my Valiant that way. Never will go back.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

(...) There's nothing new about a sailing canoe & it's not a crazy idea. (...)

Indeed. Vide International Sailing Canoe.

http://www.intcanoe.org.uk/images/stories/dscf0313.jpg

BTW sweet boat in your avatar, what is she?

b.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by peterbeale

The best way to learn to sail inexpensively is to go to a yacht club and sign on as a crew for racing. Every club has boats that need crews. It is best to start in dinghies and work your way up to Keel boats.

Also the American Sailing Association book has excellent basic information which is worth studying.

Peter Beale

Stay with the small boats. Don't crew on a slow keel boat. It's slow and you learn very little besides how to pull a string when they tell you to if they let you hold one. It's a terribly slow way to learn

Best way is to get a small "sailboat" and go sail.

I raced on a lake near Nashville. Where you are any small boat will work: Laser, Sunfish, Hobie 16, etc

On a small boat, you are the guy in charge and you learn quite fast that way.

Also, a sunfish, Laser, or Hobie 16 will not sink if you pitchpole it or turn over. You right it and keep on sailing in a minute or so.

A canoe is a terrible idea. They fill up with water etc.