.... I have had good luck with an umbrella though, much easier to deal with. In a
: double or single with a rudder hand holding it moves the boat along
: nicely. As many umbrellas have a hook shaped handle, it can easily be
: hooked into the deck lines or cockpit combing to save your arms. It stowes
: under the deck lines.

: --eric

Wow. I thought I was the only person who used an umbrella. A few years ago my companions all laughed at me at the beginning of a long trip in Alaska for bringing a huge golf umbrella and a fish rod holder mounted to the deck aft of the cockpit. They laughed until the first drizzly day - it worked great. But it also could double as a sail, and on a few memorable occaisions allowed me to easily keep up with them with no paddling at all! For some reason on those days they each wanted to raft-up and start a chess game...

To get back on topic, FWIW, I've tried a small parasail a few times and no longer carry one - it was too much hassle and as it was only a small sail, didn't seem like it added all that much energy to the boat.

- Lars