Sailing Yak

Most artsy crafty folks like me look at an item and think: "Gee, I could do that much cheaper than buying a kit online."  Many times, dare I say, most times that is true.  However, there is the odd occasion when I come to realize that it may just be worth it to pay the piper (so to speak) and avoid a ton of hassle.  But the truth is that I love this ridiculous creation because it is one of a kind-like me.

I love sailing.  I love getting out on the water and letting the wind carry me away and wrangling the wind to bring me back.  It is my way of embracing the rhythm of nature and appreciating a living, breathing moment.  When I left the Chesapeake and lower Potomac where I sailed often, moving to the mountains, I really missed those moments on the water.

 Now, even though I live nearly 200 miles away, I still am near the Potomac and other small bodies of water that are inspirational in much of my highland art and wildlife photography.

In the mountains, folks have kayaks.
Learning to navigate the shallow fast flowing rivers is very different from the lazy sailing that I knew.

Even the intensity of sail racing (a somewhat oxymoronic term unless applied to Olympic sail races) was daunting in  comparison.

When I first got my kayak I went to the low water crossing on the North River to learn to maneuver this crazy kayak vessel.  There was a place in the river where I could paddle really hard and go nowhere - not unlike one of those fancy "Endless Pools" they use to train Olympians.


Anyway, I learned to manage my boat and make it do everything I wanted except the one thing that I craved - sailing.

I knew that this river thing was not really MY thing.  First, I like to go alone.  People are noisy and scare the wildlife that I am compelled (as an artist) to photograph.  Also, the river requires an in/out point and they are generally miles apart, which is not conducive traveling alone.  What a pain to co-ordinate!  Also, the rivers often have very scary areas of rapids that can threaten the safety of my camera equipment but more importantly may damage my calm!    Nooooo!!!!!

So, I bought a sail.  I was dubious about the sailing kayak thing but I really wanted this to work so I toddled off to the lake with my new sail and kayak.  It was fun.  I achieved about 15 or 20 seconds of sailing nirvana when I managed to get the boat headed in the right direction with the wind aft but then almost immediately started crabbing (moving sideways) and lost my wind.  It was clear to me that with only a pseudo spinnaker and no keel or rudder control, this sailing yak thing was a bust.

I did some research and designed a 'kick-up rudder" for my yak.  I knew I needed a kick-up rudder because if I hit a rock or log in the shallow water, my rudder must be able to spring up over the obstacle and kick back into place without ripping off the back of my boat.


 I knew that if needed, in higher wind that I can use my paddle as a keel for added stability and hopefully solving the "crabbing" problem, allowing me to sail off wind on port and starboard tacks.

Well, my neighbor (a brilliant wood worker) made the actual rudder for me.  It is mahogany and a beautiful piece.

My hubby (a brilliant electrical engineer) re-worked my design into a lightweight aluminum contraption that is a delight to behold.

 I added the final bit where I can lift the rudder for easy access in and out of the water (without damaging my beautiful wood).


My dopey dawg (Chloe) provided my steering unit (the  blue Monster Ball dog toy).

My rigging is as simple as I could manage with a series of pulleys and the "Monster Ball" that I am using to anchor my rudder center and steer port or starboard.

I have the next few months now to learn the nuances of sailing a yak on highland lakes.  It is likely someone will get a photo of the crazy creature in the lake attempting to sail a kayak.  It will probably make the papers even!  I can only imagine the headline: "WV-Wild & Wonderful and Weird Too!"

So, here is the scoop.  I love my sailing yak but I will not take it to my college reunion in southern MD for several reasons.  The main one being that they have "real" sailboats there and would laugh at my little contraption.  But they have no idea of the challenges a sailor faces in the mountains and they will never get it unless they try to sail there.


I have no shame for my beautiful and perfectly functional little sailing Yak that I have named Shutter Sprite.