: I haven't tried this but!! someone said to bring a large mans
: umbrella with a hook handle, pop it open when the wind is right,
: i'm
: still looking LOL. Nick R.

That might have been me! I have a 54" dia brolly that folds about the length of a water bottle and with 15 sq ft up in a light breeze it is great downwind or up to 30 deg off the wind. To sail across the wind a leeboard is needed, but heeling can be a problem in a narrow boat and you can't hike out from a kayak cockpit unless you're a whole lot more athletic than I am :)

This experimental sailing rig for a kayak sailed on a run or a reach and in ideal conditions could even work its way slowly upwind although it was much quicker to paddle. great across the wind - whitewater bow wave above my elbows but very little water inside the boat. SA 15, leeboard 1.5 inclinded at 45 deg - the board was actually a Bruce foil - google it for the tech description. Worked well, no heeling if you get the geometry right. Sail folded like an umbrella but not quite so compact. Oh, yes the rudder was homemade too. Yuk!

Hint to kayak sailors: Forget about paddling there and sailing back - the wind will change. Sail the first leg downwind if you can, then if the wind changes you are laughing and if it doesn't you still break even . . .