(Update: I have closed down the MeetUp groups mentioned in this post. If you live in the Northeast or in Florida and are interested in sailing with me, leave a note with your contact information in the comments section)
When I got my Grumman canoe in the mid-70’s I also bought a sail rig for it. With a rudder, dagger boards and 65 square feet of sail I can get some serious speed and fun out of it and there have been years that I have put more miles on it under sail than with a paddle. For a number of years in Florida I took it out almost every week. Then the sail rig went nearly unused for a decade or more.
Fast forward to last year. Two things happened. First, I attended a canoe sailing workshop in October put on by the New Hampshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club. I took my sailing rig to it and had a blast. And second, I discovered the power of the Meetup.com operation for finding like-minded people. Through it I have met and paddled with lots of folks in lots of interesting places in a five-state area.
The sailing bug had bitten once more and I now knew of a way to actually look for fellow sailors.
So in November I formed a Meetup Group based in Florida called Small Boat Sailing. I found a handful of folks with small sailing craft, canoes and kayaks, and had a couple of reasonably successful ‘regattas.’
(I also attracted a number of people who paddled only or who didn’t even own a boat. This despite liberal use on the site of variations on the word ‘sail,’ and a photo of an actual canoe with a sail. Go figure! Not complaining though, as it makes the membership look very robust.)
As a Meetup Group ‘organizer,’ I pay a monthly fee (membership is free) and I can run up to three groups. So when I got up to the Northeast this spring I formed another Small Boat Sailing group, this one based in Connecticut. I’ve so far attracted a half dozen folks with sailing craft, and the usual contingent of just paddlers or boatless people, so the membership’s nearing 40.
If all I end up with out of all this after a year or so is a handful of folks here and in Florida who I can call up or email and go sailing with once in a while it’ll be a resounding success.
And here’s what’s made it worthwhile already: At the first meeting in Connecticut this year some other crazy person showed up with a rig just like mine. And his name is Ron!
Here are some photos from the canoe sailing workshop last October, including one of a couple of the participants taking a spin in my boat.
And here are two shots from the first session of the Connecticut group in May, showing the two identical canoe sailboats, mine and the other Ron’s.
The Urge to be Someplace Else 
Looks like you met at least one friend of mine! And you’ve now entered and alternate universe where all Grumman sailors are named Ron! Fun!
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Your blog & pix are so interesting. So happy to hear from you.
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I’d say wildly successful!
By any chance, does the duplicate crazy-Ron-with-old-Grumman-and-sail also have a good-looking, highly-intelligent, multi-talented brother named Roger? Just wondering. 🙂
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Gee, the alternate universe I have discovered is not quite that perfect, Roger.
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The New England version of the outrigger canoe, complete with sails made out of insulating plastic!
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Hi,
I have 3 Grumman sq sterns, 2 double Enders, 2 sport canoes. 4 complete Gunter rigs, the correct sport canoe rudder, and one lateen rig. Got it bad! Yes I met Ralph F. Got some parts from him and a Bell Merlin ll
Anyway, are there any people like me around St Louis? I actually live in Glen Carbon. You used to be in this area right? But Fka now. Right .
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Yes, you’ve got it! Nice to hear from you. Yes I am in FL now, don’t know of anyone around St. Louis. There are two Facebook groups you may want to look into for finding someone: Open Canoe Sailing (UK based but has American following too) and Skinny Hull Canoe and Kayak Sailing. There is also a Yahoo Group called SAILING_CANOES. Or you can do what I did and just form a meetup group. Meanwhile, if I get over your way I will definitely give you a heads up and we can meet.
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I have a vintage Grumman sail kit for a canoe, but I no longer have a canoe for it. It is the rig seen in your photos above and is in very good to excellent condition. The kit has the mast, thwart, sail where all rigging is complete and working. Also, I have the original leeboards (some minor damage on one of the ends) and the rudder. I also have the mast support for the floor of the canoe. I am probably going to list it on Craigslist. What can I expect to get for it or what should I offer in the Pittsburgh, PA area? Thanks! Dave
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Sorry, Dave. I have no idea on going prices for stuff like this. There is a facebook group called Open Canoe Sailing (UK based but has American following too) and another called Skinny Hull Canoe and Kayak Sailing. There is also a Yahoo Group called SAILING_CANOES. You might check these out as places to look for advice. Also, sailboatstogo.com offers kits for canoes and kayaks. Looking at their prices will give you an idea what new stuff is going for. The last time I saw a rig like mine for sail was on a Miami craigslist about two years ago and the guy was asking $1,000, which included the canoe. Don’t know if he got that though. If I was much much younger and knew I’d be using my rig for another 40-50 years I’d buy yours for parts, but I think what I have is going to outlast me. Let me know what you end up doing with it. All the best.
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Thanks, Ron. I used to be in contact with Ralph Frese until his passing about this sail and trying to set up on my canoe. From what I learned, they are pretty rare and he talked me through some setup and keeping it. Since the canoe is gone, I would hate to see it sit idle and rot. You gave me some great places to start looking at values. I will post again what we end up deciding to do with the kit. Thanks for the reply.
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My father has a very similar canoe. He would love to talk to you or even sail with you.Henry Jacques 1-401-728-2597 Rhode Island.
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Hello, I just started sailing my pre 1950 17′ grumman canoe, made in Bethpage NY. . I have all the original parts to my knowledge including paddles and leeboards. But I’m currently using a sunfish sail,boom,spar. W/grumman mast. It’s a large sail, 95 sqft. But I got it to work. I would like to chat with anyone to trade tips,tricks and pics with. Richard..long Island, NY. Email: capital2600@yahoo.com
Cell: 6313579646
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Wow! That’s a huge sail. Mine’s 65 sq ft and it moves me along pretty fast. Good to hear from you. As far as discussions and chats about this, the two facebook pages and Yahoo Group I mentioned to Dave in my reply to him above are about all I know about, so definitely check them out. There is also a company, Sailboats To Go, that sells sailing parts and kits for kayaks and canoes, and they have a facebook page also. If you have any trouble finding any of these groups let me know and I will try to find some links for you. I do still have the parts list/instruction manual for my rig that you might be interested in. I will email that to you. All the best. Ron
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I own a 17 foot Grumman that I purchased used in 1970. I think it was made about 1964. I have just now gotten the sailing bug for it, having sailed other boats for years but never a canoe. Interested in finding a Grumman sailing set up. I am in the Portland, Oregon area, and I found one in Seattle, but it is missing some parts. There is no tiller, and the T looking bracket that connects the tiller to the rudder is missing. It has leeboards, but now brackets to assemble them to the canoe. Can you give me any help regarding finding some of these parts?
Thanks in advance.
Tom Mason
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Hi Tom,
Don’t know of anyplace for certain, unfortunately, but here are some ideas. A place in Chicago called Chicagoland Canoe Base was where I went on the one occasion I needed to replace a part. The owner died some time ago and I don’t know if anyone bought it out. It’s worth checking.
There is a facebook group called Skinny Hull Sailing and I have seen the occasional post there by Grumman sailors. There is another facebook one called Open Canoe Sailing Group. It’s UK-based but has many followers in the US. There’s also a Yahoo group called SAILING_CANOES. You can post what you’re looking for in these group. And take a look at some of the comments here from previous readers for leads.
There’s also a company called sailboatstogo.com that sells rigs for canoes and kayaks and other small boats. You should look there in case they have something you could use, or even just for ideas.
You might need to find an aluminum fabricator to make what you need. Most small metal shops work with aluminum and do small jobs like that.
Send me an email at ronaldhaines@bellsouth.net and I will send you back a pdf of the parts list and instruction manual that came with my sail rig. That’ll show you all the parts you’re looking for at least. If you need the dimensions of any of the parts let me know and I’ll do the measuring.
And finally, don’t forget buying and selling sites. Oddly enough the only time I’ve seen a full sail rig for sale was years ago on Craigs List in Miami.
Grumman offered two size rigs in the 79, a Lateen rig that had a 45-sq-foot sail and a Gunter rig with a 65-sq-foot sail. I bought the latter and have always been happy I went with the larger size.
Ron
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Thanks for the reply. I have emailed you re PDF. I did check out Chicagoland Canoe Base. It has been permanently closed and the building demolished. Sorry I missed out on that place.
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Hello, Ron! I feel like sailing again! I have been into boating for almost 15 years, but this pandemic made me sell all of my boats. I have just one Correct Craft boat now. Maybe it’s a sign to start sailing again. Thank you for this inspiration!
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you’re welcome. have fun!
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