Windsprint w/Lateen Sail
Bolgerists,
I know some of you are building Windsprints. I am becoming more appreciative
of this boat as I learn to sail her. As I mentioned before, the balanced lug
sail called for in her design is too much for me to handle. A more
experienced sailor would have not problem, but I like to relax out on the
water and the big sail made me nervous. So I made a polytarp sail in the
lateen style. I can put the mast up just about with one hand and the sail is
easy to rig. Following is an account of sailing her on a nearby lake. This
was addressed to family and friends, none of whom can believe I actually
built a sailboat:
I don't know if I've mentioned this before but I constructed a new sail for
my boat out of blue polytarp using double stick tape and metal grommets. The
sail rig is called lateen and has its origins in the Mediterranean area of
the world. This sail shape is used on modern Sunfish sailboats.
I launched the boat down at the lake many of you have been to. It was amazing
really. I stepped into the boat and it just took off across the water. I
calmly dropped the daggerboard into the slot, sailed out to the middle of the
lake and then headed as much upwind as I could. The performance of my
homemade sail was actually quite good. I sailed up and down and across the
lake. Nice little breeze and the sun poked out occasionally from among the
clouds. Sailing is such a study in relativity. Laid down in my tiny boat, eye
level with the water, I seemed to be blasting along, water rushing past and
the wind whistling wildly. Overhead, the sky, framed by the airfoil of my
sail, looked like it was moving past me. But from the shore, my boat would
appear to be floating by silently, slowly twisting about on the water, akin
to a bird or plane, but tethered to the lake instead of the sky. When I
pulled up on shore, a couple of old-timers were there to greet me and ask
about the boat and the rig. They were very enthusiastic. I think sail boats
just naturally bring out the wanderer in most people. In my opinion, a body
of water looks better with a sailboat on it.
Mike Masten
I know some of you are building Windsprints. I am becoming more appreciative
of this boat as I learn to sail her. As I mentioned before, the balanced lug
sail called for in her design is too much for me to handle. A more
experienced sailor would have not problem, but I like to relax out on the
water and the big sail made me nervous. So I made a polytarp sail in the
lateen style. I can put the mast up just about with one hand and the sail is
easy to rig. Following is an account of sailing her on a nearby lake. This
was addressed to family and friends, none of whom can believe I actually
built a sailboat:
I don't know if I've mentioned this before but I constructed a new sail for
my boat out of blue polytarp using double stick tape and metal grommets. The
sail rig is called lateen and has its origins in the Mediterranean area of
the world. This sail shape is used on modern Sunfish sailboats.
I launched the boat down at the lake many of you have been to. It was amazing
really. I stepped into the boat and it just took off across the water. I
calmly dropped the daggerboard into the slot, sailed out to the middle of the
lake and then headed as much upwind as I could. The performance of my
homemade sail was actually quite good. I sailed up and down and across the
lake. Nice little breeze and the sun poked out occasionally from among the
clouds. Sailing is such a study in relativity. Laid down in my tiny boat, eye
level with the water, I seemed to be blasting along, water rushing past and
the wind whistling wildly. Overhead, the sky, framed by the airfoil of my
sail, looked like it was moving past me. But from the shore, my boat would
appear to be floating by silently, slowly twisting about on the water, akin
to a bird or plane, but tethered to the lake instead of the sky. When I
pulled up on shore, a couple of old-timers were there to greet me and ask
about the boat and the rig. They were very enthusiastic. I think sail boats
just naturally bring out the wanderer in most people. In my opinion, a body
of water looks better with a sailboat on it.
Mike Masten