I recently received a JetBlade, a pedal-powered paddle-wheel drive. I had to experiment a bit with getting it mounted to Origami, but it seems to work fairly well now that I have. I can generally maintain about 3.0 - 3.5 knots using the JetBlade without too much work. It feels like less effort than using a kayak paddle to attain the same speeds, but maybe that is just because my pedallin' muscles are in better shape than my paddlin' ones.
Origami with sail furled, and JetBlade attached.
After about 15 minutes of practice, turning became pretty natural. Just lean to the side opposite of which you want to turn. (Actually, the JetBlade instructions warn against doing this with a canoe, but in the Folbot, there seems to be a much reduced danger of capsize). You can also apply the brakes by locking the paddle wheel in place with your legs, and then start pedalling in reverse to back up.
The downside is that the drive tends to be rather noisy, with lots of splashing and some occasional squeaking. Also, when used with the sail, you need to mind your lines, or they tend to get wrapped up in the blades
If there is enough constant wind that I am primarily sailing, I usually temporarily remove two of the paddles from each side of the JetBlade. By then resting a foot on a pedal (a nice foot rest), I can keep the JetBlade paddles out of the water to reduce drag. It also reduces the entanglement hazards with the sailing rig, but still allows me to use the JetBlade (albeit at decreased efficiency) to help finish a tack if I need to. I also have half of my take-apart kayak paddle with a canoe T-grip in easy reach on the rear deck. I find it easier to maneuver with the paddle than with the JetBlade in tight quarters.
As far as sailing goes, with a decent wind I can sail on a beam reach or down wind faster than I can paddle. According to the GPS, I once had it up over 7 knots in a gust on a beam reach, but 3-5 knots is more typical. The rig doesn't point all that high, and if I'm trying to head upwind, it is usually faster to paddle or pedal than try to beat upwind with the sail.
I generally sit in the rear seat, with the JetBlade mounted near the center of the boat, and the foot rudder mounted in the single seat position, forward of the JetBlade. I've added a couple of large galvanized metal rings to the rudder lines, so that I can use either of my hands to control the rudder from the rear seat. One big advantage of the rear seat is that I don't have to worry about the boom hitting me in the head when sailing.
All of the the sailing rig components and the JetBlade can be stowed on the deck or inside the boat, and can be set-up and taken down on the water, although it might be a bit dicey in rough conditions.
I leave the seat for the single seating position folded in front of the rear seat, so that I can remove the JetBlade and quickly slide forward to the single seat position, where I can control the rudder with my feet. I also have the single seat cockpit cover partially attached in the front, so that I can use it if desired.
When paddling with a kayak paddle, I've found that sitting on a Type IV PFD cushion (or a second folded seat from Folbot) on top of the standard seat puts me in a much more comfortable position. With only the standard seat, it feels like I am sitting way too deep in the boat, and I tend to bang my elbows. Sitting on the cushion does reduce stability a bit, but I actually prefer that, since it allows we to lean the boat more readily when making turns.
I'm not all that impressed with the spray deck, which attaches with velcro, and which I doubt would hold up to waves crashing on top of it. Also, it tends to sag, allowing water to pool on it. I'm considering several options to improve it.
Origami in paddle mode, beached on Blake Island with a couple
of hardshells.
Below are some more photos, which aren't so great. Hopefully, I'll get
some better ones soon.
I picked up the kayak with Kilotryke, my Greenspeed GTO #1024.
The kayak is in the three boxes on the trailer.
This photo shows me at a launch site with the three bags
containing the kayak and the sailing rig on a kayak cart. The black
bag in front is a backpack with my drysuit, PFD, spare paddle, and
other assorted gear.
Here she is assembled and ready to launch.