Posted by Thom V (i) on September 28, 2002 at 13:57:34

Nice series of 5 articles in the current issue of Water Craft magazine #35 by Meade Gougeon (West System Epoxy), Hugh Horton (USA 50/50 Cruising Canoe), Jeremy Burnett (who built a version of Rushton’s "Princess" 15'8" LOA, 2'8" Beam w/ Moulded Depth 12"), and Paul Fisher (Selway-Fisher designs) on the re-vitalization and new found interest in: The Sailing Canoe.

Above is a fine example of a 14’ 6” LOA (Beam 2'2", Hull Depth 14") sailing canoe designed & built by William F. Wiser of Bridesburg PA USA probably in the early 1880’s. Note the large open cockpit, the ‘fan’ centerboard to keep the cockpit ‘clean’, the gain in beam towards the stern, and, the nifty mizzen sailing rig. Ned Costello created this drawing and his plans may be available from Mystic Seaport Watercraft Plans (www.mysticseaport.org). Ned made a telling comment in WoodenBoat magazine #20 page 89 where SBF was first introduced to this Wiser design: “In a time when machines have soured the natural beauty of our land, and when people are turning again to sports which demand intellectual and physical agility, sailing canoes like this one may well enjoy a renaissance…”

Other sites to explore this small boat concept are: www.solwaydory.fsnet.co.uk for some advanced sailing rigs for these canoes. Look at William Clements site http://www.boatbldr.com/ for his version of the sailing canoe “Princess”. Also, the Small Boat Forum Classifieds in the Sail Boat section has a handsome 15' sailing canoe replica built in Switzerland 1995.