CartABOUT OUR SAIL KITS
Portability!
Nothing in our kit is over 4 feet long when folded. The complete folded kit fits in a bag and once you zip it up, it looks like a set of golf clubs - it's that compact. Weight of most kits is in the 35 - 40 lb. range. They fit easily in the trunk of a small car with room to spare and store in a closet or even under a bed! Pictures, videos and more info about portability.
Performance!
Our sail rigs are made tough, to stand up to wind, waves, and salt water. All parts are made from corrosion resistant materials like anodized aluminum, high-performance plastics, and stainless steel. You will be impressed with the quality. Read our testimonials page to see what other buyers say.
Versatility!
Ease of Assembly
To make setup and packup fast and easy, we use snap-together connections and clamping u-bolt connections with star-knob nuts (like wingnuts). No tools are required after initial assembly to setup your rig for sailing or to take it apart for transport and storage. Initial assembly is done once only and requires a screwdriver and wrench. To see more about the parts included with our kits and how they are assembled watch this dinghy rig assembly video
What’s included?
Everything needed to sail except wind, water and you!
Our sail kits include:
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Aluminum frame that clamps or straps to your boat. We configure your frame based on what boat or boats you want to use it on. Size is adjustable and it easily folds, telescopes, and comes apart for portability and quick setup. If you want your kit to fit multiple different boats, you'll probably only need a few additional parts (or maybe none) which we can provide.
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Leeboards to allow you to sail crosswind and upwind as well as downwind. Leeboard perform the same function as a centerboard or keel in this respect and they work just as well. Any of these devices is nothing but a vertical fin in the water making it easier for the boat to go forward and harder for it to slip sideways. Leeboards are mounted onto our frame on both sides of your boat. You do not need to fiddle with the leeboards while sailing -- just leave them down. You can sail right into the beach and the leeboards will kick up by themselves.
Leeboards are for directional stability, not for anti-capsizing stability. If you want additional protection against the risk of capsizing, our sail kits accept our stabilizer pontoons on outrigger arms. We offer inflatable, ethafoam, and streamlined rigid plastic pontoons. Some of our kits include pontoons and the rest can be outfitted with them by ordering our streamlined rigid plastic pontoons, ethafoam pontoons, or our inflatable pontoons.
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Steering oar and oarpin that function like a rudder, allowing you to steer with one hand. Many kits also have a conventional rudder option, but we prefer the steering oar because (1) it's more portable and (2) unlike a rudder, it can point the boat in any direction even if you have lost forward motion and (3) the steering oar is convenient to mount on the side, so you can sit facing forward and have your steering beside you instead of in back of you. As an added bonus, the steering oar can double as a paddle or oar if you need to move by muscle power.
Most standard kits come with one steering oar. Our Sea Eagle Explorer, FastTrack, and Saturn kayak kits come with two; a second steering oar is optional on other kits. Why 2 steering oars? You would never use 2 at the same time, but it is nice to be able to change steering hands without having to move the oar from one side to the other. Click for more info on steering-oar steering.
Note: Steering oars come with ½” diameter pins that clamp onto each oar. The pin is inserted into a socket in the rear crossbar of the aluminum frame. There are sockets on both sides. We provide a strap to hold the oar in its socket if you want. The pin provide a pivot for the oar and the fact that it clamps on tightly and strap in place means you don't have to worry about the orientation of the blade and you can even let go of it momentarily if you need both hands for something else and the steering oar will not slip away.
Children will probably prefer a conventional rudder, because of their short arms and small body size, and we do offer that as a substitution at modest additional cost. Also, on our sail kits for Zodiac-type hard-transom dinghies, the rudder is the standard steering mechanism and steering oar is the substitution option. |
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Mast, sail, and spars (spars are also known as the boom and gaff -- these are aluminum poles the sail is mounted onto)
Halyard rope (which raises and lowers the sail), and sheet rope (which you hold to control the angle of the sail.
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Mast step holds up the mast and is a sturdy welded socket that clamps to the frame. Some people are surprised the mast step does the whole job of holding up the mast with no guy wires (shrouds). It does! We've never had a customer report a failed mast step. Not having wires or ropes bracing the mast speeds assembly and makes for a less-cluttered boat when sailing.
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Mast slide performs the function of a gooseneck. It connects the boom to the mast while allowing the boom to swivel in the horizontal plane so the sail can catch the wind properly depending on wind direction. It also allows the boom to pivot up, so it won't break if someone lifts the boom. This ability to pivot the boom upward also allows you to bundle the spars and sail together and raise the whole spar and sail assembly vertically against the mast to get them out of the way if you want to row, paddle, fish, motor or whatever without the sail deployed.
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Straps or clamps as needed for your specific boat.
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Detailed instructions with photos. Instructions cover everything:initial assembly, installation and removal from your boat, and how to sail. We supplement some instructions with videos. We've gotten lots of compliments on our instructions and we're always here to answer questions.
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