Sailing Kayaks
Kayak sailing is primarily a downwind experience. It is a bit different -- everything happens very quickly. Kayak sailing is lots of fun and a great way to extend rowing range. You may wonder why, if kayak sailing is such a great idea, most people have not heard of kayak sailing, and if so, probably have not seen anyone using a kayak sail. The sport of kayak sailing is definitely still in its infancy, with a long way to go before it reaches the level of sophistication of, say windsurfing. The concept of kayak sailing is pretty basic, create some resistance and the wind becomes your motor. There are all sorts of places where kayak sailing is the best way to go.
Sailing definitely adds another dimension of fun to the kayaking experience. The idea of kayak sailing though it's been kicked around for quite awhile, is relatively new. Like windsurfing, kayak sailing will continue to evolve, and with every new generation of products, performance will undoubtedly improve. Interestingly, sailing kayaks equipped with today's triangular sails typically do not even require outriggers for stability. Instead, outriggers are today found mostly on high-performance sailing kayak's using modern high-aspect ratio sails. A good sailing kayak without outriggers involves more than just mounting some sort of sail on a touring SOT (or SINK).
Have you ever felt a tinge of envy when you saw a sailboat effortlessly gliding up wind while you were paddling against the swells barely making any headway? Sailing offered extra speed and possible rest from paddling, but canoe/kayak sailing is not high performance sailing. Have you ever considered or even heard of, installing a sail on your kayak to harness the power of the wind, to make the wind your friend?
 Purist kayakers will say that a kayak is not meant to be sailed and that if they wanted to sail, they would get a sailboat. Purist sailors, in turn, are apt to point out that a sailboat is not meant to be paddled and that if they wanted to paddle, they would get a kayak or canoe. Kayaks, especially those with a narrow beam, would appear to lack the inherent stability needed to counter the heeling movement of a sail. Nor does a confining kayak cockpit (including a Sit On Top cockpit) allow kayakers to shift their weight effectively to windward to counterbalance the heeling force of the sail. Finally, a kayak offers only very limited space both above and below deck, raising questions about the viability of installing a mast and other sailing hardware, and about the ability to set, strike and stow the sail quickly and safely while at sea. In other words, kayaking appears to be completely antithetical to sailing.
The lesson learned: If we are ever to find the "perfect sailing kayak" or anything close to it, we will have to let go of our purist notions about what qualifies as a "proper boat”. The key to success lies in the ability to compromise, to strike a perfect balance between kayak and sailboat.
Kayaks
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