While I was rather proud of my DIY kayak sailing rig, at the end of last year I came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth the time, money and effort to try and fix its deficiencies. It sailed, but not very well. The learning and building process had been fun, but having successfully proved the concept, this year I wanted to spend more time out on the water sailing.
For my milestone 40th birthday my parents generously offered to buy me a KayakSailor rig by Kuvia. It's a fantastic design that addresses all the issues I'd encountered:
- An efficient, fully battened, multi-panel sail which can be reefed.
- A gunter type rig where the mast can be raised and folded compactly on the water.
- Shaped, adjustable leeboards.
- The jib and main sheets are cleverly sited to avoid tangles and be easily reached from a seated position.
- The whole rig can be installed from bag to a variety of different boat types in a matter of minutes.
So far I've only had the opportunity to test it out in very light winds, up to 12 knots or so, but still the performance has been very impressive. Really looking forward to trying it out in some more serious weather.
A test run in the sheltered waters of Shadwell Basin.
Out on the tidal Thames, near the Prospect of Whitsby.
Cruising around Blakeney Harbor.
Playing with the seals of Blakeney Point.
Returning to Blakeney Quay.
