"Ron" ) writes:
Because I know (a) very little I can only (b) understand a little of what I
hear.

Rudderless sailing is not common. It would be a challenge for experienced
sailors. Keep at it and you will have a rare skill. It's neat not to have
to lug a rudder and tiller around for a cartop or portaged boat.

I just got back from sailing this rig and I'm trying to make sense of all
the stuff that happens. I didn't get to read all these great messages
before I went.

I did sheet it in tight and often lost momentum and had to turn off the wind
and/or paddle to get moving again. Raking the leeboard back seemed to help
to. It seems I may have too big of a poorly shaped leeboard.

It might be possible to take advantage of tumblehome (where the sides curve
in at the top on some canoes) to angle the leeboard out a bit as is done
on the oringinal Dutch sailing barges. Barend Migchelsen claims it makes
them more effective. His website is probably still active although he
hasn't posted in this newsgroup for over a year now.

It was a blast sailing downwind and moving back made the paddle more
effective but I still thought I might break a paddle.

sounds like excessive weather helm (broaching). It was a big problem on
the Blue Canoe I made out of plastic barrels. The sail was rigth at the
bow of that narrow boat and it had no lateral resistance except the paddle
at the stern. Try letting the sail out to dump wind - less power, more
control. Always have to be ready to let the sail run out on a small boat
to avoid loss off control to the wind. There's not a lot written about
sailing narrow boats like canoes. A sail with a mast sleeve can be free to
rotate right around the mast. The sail can be let out before the mast like
a spinnaker. That way broaching and "death roll" are avoided. Death roll
is where the boat starts rocking uncontrollably from side to side under
the influence of the sail downwind but it can be controlled by letting the
sail go forward and dumping wind. There is still lots of wind in the sail
for an exicting ride. I've been able to sail my small boats in strong
winds that way. I wrote an article about it for DuckWorks. I'm working on
a larger version of a rotating sprit sail for small boats, this season's
tyvek sail on my website.

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