JEM Watercraft

I've got into my head to put a sailing rig on our Muskoka.

My first question is: is there any strong reason why can't put a centerboard? Any essential recommendations?

By the way, I saw your sailing canoe Matt. Whatever became of it?

Sailing canoe: Just one of those projets that got put on the back burner.

Only reservation I'd have about a centerboard is the strength of the bottom hull panels. The center board takes and distributes a lot of force. It would need to be topped off with like a seat bench that is connected to the gunnels.

Chiming in from left field here - would it be good to have it be a hinged center board, so as to raise when it hit an obstacle?

Kayak Jack wrote:Chiming in from left field here - would it be good to have it be a hinged center board, so as to raise when it hit an obstacle?

As I understand it (and I could be wrong) and centerboard is hinged by definition. If it wasn't, it would be a dagger board.

So deska? I didn't know that, but it does sound sensible.

Thanks Matt. I could probably attach the centerboard trunk to the forward thwart.

Do you have draft figures for various loads for the Muskoka? Whatever is in your files Matt would be fine I guess. I don't want to be a bother.

I'm asking because I'd like to figure out the area of the underwater lateral profile at a load of 350 lbs and in turn figure out the necessary rudder area. The 350 lbs is for a 150 lbs person, 100 lbs for the boat and rig and 100 lbs for the ballast in the centerboard.

These are gross numbers so you'll need to deduct hull weight.

3" 218
4" 350
5" 500
6" 624
7" 830

Thanks Matt.