This intriguing drawing from the Antonio Dias Design weblog is of a trailer-sailing lateener he’s working up for a customer who intends to sail the boat around the Channel Islands of Southern California. Read all about it here.
I think this very cute little boat has a great deal in common with Mr Dias’ long standing interest in canoe yawls – read all about that here: Boats I’d like to design: canoe yawl. Those who have spent some time dreaming about canoe yawls as I have will be interested to know that the interior is along the lines of L Francis Herresshoff’s canoe yawl design Rozinante.
I must say I felt better when I realised the boat was bound for California – the idea of managing that big yard in a strong wind in the area of the British Channel Islands made me feel a tad queasy. But I guess we should temper that with the knowledge that lateen sails were all the rage among Barbary pirates in the same area of sea just a few centuries ago.
If it worked for those pirates of long ago, perhaps lateen rigged boats could work for us – I’d certainly like to try sailing one some day.
Hi Gavin – i have sailed a lateen rigged dug-out outrigger canoe off the coast of Kenya about 20 years ago – and i will never forget it. blowing about force 5 and it went like a scalded cat. Very heavy to control , not a pulley in sight and most of the vessel was held together with twine. The sail was pretty much see-through, made of of something akin to potato sacks !
Gorblimey Nigel – have you got any photos?
somewhere, yes …. i will try to dig one out. something else i forgot to mention. it sprang a heavy leak mid voyage – the “captain” picked a suitable piece of the driftwood which was floating about in the foot of water in the bottom of the canoe – and using another piece of flotsam proceded to hammer it into the split in the hull ! no words were spoken, and no attempt to bale any of the water – he resumed his position standing on the weather side outrigger – clutching a piece of sisal tied to the mast head. i shudder to think what would have happend if he had fallen in the drink.