| Aft Mounted Balogh Batwing Sail Rig On A Feathercraft K-1 |
 |
 |
| 1993 Feathercraft K-1 with a 32 square foot Balogh Batwing Sport sail and BOSS outriggers. |
| In his newsletter, Folding Kayaker, Ralph Diaz has described four Feathercraft which have been rigged with Balogh Batwing sails. In the September/October 1994 issue he described the installation of a 32 square foot Batwing sail and B.O.S.S outriggers on a (now discontinued) Feathercraft Short Touring (ST) kayak. The installation was done by Mark Balogh of Balogh Sail Designs. Mark put the rig behind the cockpit because he was concerned that the short bow of the ST would dive under presssure from the sail if the sail were mounted forward of the cockpit. In the same Folding Kayaker issue, Diaz described the installation of a 18 square foot Batwing sail in front of the cockpit of a Feathercraft K-1. The installation was made by Hans Rosteck from Canada. Rosteck installed port and starboard leeboards and attached air tubes to the outside of the hull with straps fed through the K-1 perimeter deck line loops. A third method, developed by Phillip Warren from Georgia, was described in the November/ December 1995 issue of Folding Kayaker. Warren installed a 38 square foot Balogh Batwing sail and B.O.S.S. outriggers in front of the cockpit of a Feathercraft K-1. He welded flanges to the frame and had reinforcement bars outside of the hull. In the September/October 2002 issue, there is a description of another aft-mounted Balogh Batwing rig on a Feathercraft Kahuna done by Mark Balogh (see below left). In considering my K-1, I wanted a rig that could be paddled as easily as sailed. The aft mounted outrigger bar does not obstruct forward paddling with a kayak paddle. Some use canoe paddles to avoid banging into the outrigger bar. Others have shortened the middle section of the outrigger bar and then remove the outer sections when paddling. My aft mount method can be adapted to older K-1's that lack the Feathercraft installed mast mounts, there is no need to make holes in the deck skin for the mast or any other support structures. I don't know if this method will work with the current version of the K-1 which has a different frame. Mark Balogh assured me that, in his experience, many or most kayaks would sail better with the rig well aft and that all the boats he has rigged or sailed with the rigs mounted well aft have been faster than average. EasyRider apparently offers some rigs with aft mounted sails and outriggers, such a kayak is illustrated on page 34 of its kayak brochure and below right. Some other advantages of the aft mount are that the forward view is not obstructed and that sail need not be raised high to clear the kayaker's head. The sail can be lower to reduce heeling force. A drawback is that it is necessary to learn to sail by feel, the telltales on the sail cannot be seen easily. It doesn't take long to get the feel of it but it seems odd at first. It is also necessary to turn around in the seat to raise and lower the sail, but with outriggers for stability that is not difficult. I began work on the K-1 in January 2001. The aft rigged K-1 is weatherly and requires some weather helm. I have used the rig in winds with gusts up to 25 mph with both reefs tucked in with no problems. I consider this to be an experiment, a work-in-progress and will make changes and improvements as necessary. My method is illustrated in the following pages. I also modified a Folbot sailing rudder to fit on the K-1, and changed the rudder pedals. Tony Niilus - June 5, 2003 niilus@yahoo.com |
| June 2001. Bahia San Luis Gonzaga Baja California del Norte, Mexico. |
|
 |
 |
| Feathercraft Big Kahuna with aft-mounted Balogh Batwing rig. |
| EasyRider aft-mount |