Published by the Open Canoe Sailing Group

Where To Put Your Leeboard? (RoyB)

Having sorted out exactly when to tack, I now turn to a matter of design. A well-balanced sailing craft balances the pressure of the wind on the sails, the lateral resistance of the hull + rudder and the lateral resistance of the leeboard in the water. Result: when the sail(s) is (are) appropriately set for the desired direction of sailing, there is only the slight pressure on the rudder to provide a touch of weather helm. Drag and leeway are reduced to the minimum.

Intuitively it seems to me, therefore, that the centre of effort of the sails (the theoretical point on which the pressure of the wind is centred - CE), the centre of lateral resistance of hull + rudder (the theoretical point on which the resistance to being pushed sideways is centred - CRL) and the centre of the leeboard should be as close together as is practical. However, if the rig is such that the CE is far forward of the CLR then the leeboard needs also to be far forward to counteract this, and larger than if CE and CLR were close together, so increasing drag.

But looking at some designs and in particular one featured in GOSSIP of April 1999, (see on the right) I suspect that my intuition is at fault. It was reported there that this was, in its day (the 1930's), the fastest lateen-rigged boat ever raced in the American Canoe Association. More to the point, it was said to be exceptionally well balanced, needing hardly any pressure on the rudder when sailed well. In the diagram the hull is 9 cm. long and the leeboard centre 5.8 cm. from the stern, almost two thirds of the hull length. Such a configuration is unusual and from the side the whole assemblage looks unbalanced. So, I have two questions:

1. Does it matter where the leeboard is, as long as it counterbalances the CE?
2. Why, do you think, did Adam Wahl, the builder of this canoe, choose such a configuration?

I would be grateful for answers or any other comments on this issue.

Canoeing On The Rhine (JoS)

Readers may remember that last month I mentioned a canoe sailor from Germany, JoS, who had contacted us via the website. We have exchanged letters and here is an extract from his message, as well as a photo. Thank you, Jo. (Ed.)

So far I have sailed my canoe without leeboards, since here on the Rhine where I live the wind is only upstream or downstream, never across. So my usual route is from near my home, down on small side rivers paddling and several portages, then on the Rhine upstream with the North wind which prevails often, like the last two months, when I did the 8-hour circle many times. We live in the midst of vineyards and the climate is like the Mediterranean. "Kaiserstuhl" on the banks of the Rhine is an old volcano and the warmest region of Germany.

The canoe, a Coleman, was given to us a year ago. Before then I had been a sailor all my life, on a squarerigger when I was young, today on a Liberty 23. We've sailed to the Aegean, the Lofoten Isles, the Caribbean, Bahamas and US. She has a canoe stern! We also own a rowboat with a small cabin and two masts, junk-rigged, like our Liberty. Now my intention is to spend the autumn of my life experimenting with the rig of a canoe, a boat I can bring to the water and home without the need of a car and which I can carry round rapids and weirs. First thing with the ugly Coleman last year was a capsize, when we almost died, so now we own neoprene and outriggers.

On the left is a photo of our canoe. As you can see: no leeboard and no rudder. These would be the first things on my next canoe. It must have the classic round bilges since the old shape is pure beauty. No hard bilges!

A pity I did not know about you and Solway Dory when last in the UK. I would love to attend a meeting of canoe sailors... Whenever you or any of the OCSG members visits Germany, possibly on the way to the South, drop by, cordially welcome!!

Access In Scotland (EddieP)

The Access Code for Scotland was published in mid-January, after its initial consultation. It is due to be passed by the Scottish Parliament in May/June, with the full Act coming into force now in 'late 2004'. I've heard dates in both October and December mentioned. The delay appears to be down to two different issues - one, being that different departments in the Scottish Executive are 'messing about' with the Code, the other that local authorities are just not geared up for their role. LAs are responsible for sorting out disputes, but they need staff in post, and Access Forums of user groups (e.g. ramblers, climbers, canoeists) set up. The first meeting in Perth and Kinross council

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