Here's a site with a video of a Caledonia yawl sailing with the balanced lug sail. 

http://www.diy-wood-boat.com/balanced-lugsail.html

  " Have lots of experience sailing and racing Chesapeake bay log canoes."

."....starting from scratch with sailing...... "

I'm thinking you need to build up your confidence level while you build up your boat. If I were going to sail the EC I'd want to be where I could sail a decent course by feel of the wind and water on the boat and not have to concentrate in race mode all the time. don't sell your previous experience short........unless it was lots of bad experience. The only way you will be tuned in to the boat is to have hours on it or in simular boats.   Get busy.

Of course time on the water is the most important learning tool  but  seeing how something is suposed to be done sure shortens the learning curve