1. Kits & Plans
  2. Multihulls
Sale
Sale
CLC Kayak/Canoe SailRig
Sale
Hands-free kayaking is possible if one has a CLC SailRig.
Sale
CLC Kayak/Canoe SailRig
Sale
Kayak is ready, sail of the CLC SailRig is up, waiting for just a bit more wind.
Sale
Even when the wind is calm, the CLC SailRig adds stability to a kayak, so that one can paddle hard without fear of tipping their craft.
Sale
In Appling, Georgia, a kayak with a furled CLC SailRig rests until the next sail over the lake.
CLC Kayak/Canoe SailRig Thumbnail
Hands-free kayaking is possible if one has a CLC SailRig. Thumbnail
CLC Kayak/Canoe SailRig Thumbnail
Kayak is ready, sail of the CLC SailRig is up, waiting for just a bit more wind. Thumbnail
Even when the wind is calm, the CLC SailRig adds stability to a kayak, so that one can paddle hard without fear of tipping their craft. Thumbnail
In Appling, Georgia, a kayak with a furled CLC SailRig rests until the next sail over the lake. Thumbnail

CLC Kayak/Canoe SailRig

Builder Testimonials

Convert almost any kayak or canoe into a fast and capable trimaran.

  • Skill Level Intermediate
  • Estimated Build Time 80 Hours

Builders will benefit from some woodworking, epoxy, and fiberglass experience. Compared to CLC's "Beginner" projects, there will be more cutting and fitting of parts, and documentation is less comprehensive.

Build this boat if...

  • You have a canoe or kayak in which you enjoy long adventures
  • You would appreciate being able to travel more quickly on windy days when a chop builds up
  • You are an experience dinghy sailor and are intrigued by the idea of sailing your canoe or kayak

  • Quality Materials

    Only the best professional-grade materials

  • Superior Support

    Tech support is free and unlimited

  • Need for Speed

    For racers seeking escape velocity

Quality Materials

Our kits ship with the same first-class marine plywood, timber, epoxy, and fiberglass that we use in our own boatbuilding shop. It's not cheap, but these boats are meant to last forever!

Superior Support

Have a question about your project, large or small? You can speak to a boatbuilder at CLC, on the phone or by email. Send questions to info@clcboats.com!

It's hard to find designs like this in the production world. Combining the strength and light weight of wood-epoxy composites with simplified construction, this one's designed to be fast and fun.

 Build Your Kit
Shipping & Returns

Builders also looked at...

We offer classes for many of the boats we sell. Teaching sites stretch from Maryland to Washington State and from Maine to California. Click here to find out more.
CLC Kayak/Canoe SailRig
Hands-free kayaking is possible if one has a CLC SailRig.

Hands-free kayaking is possible if one has a CLC SailRig.

CLC Kayak/Canoe SailRig
Kayak is ready, sail of the CLC SailRig is up, waiting for just a bit more wind.

Kayak is ready, sail of the CLC SailRig is up, waiting for just a bit more wind.

Even when the wind is calm, the CLC SailRig adds stability to a kayak, so that one can paddle hard without fear of tipping their craft.

Even when the wind is calm, the CLC SailRig adds stability to a kayak, so that one can paddle hard without fear of tipping their craft.

In Appling, Georgia, a kayak with a furled CLC SailRig rests until the next sail over the lake.

In Appling, Georgia, a kayak with a furled CLC SailRig rests until the next sail over the lake.

CLC Kayak/Canoe SailRig Thumbnail
Hands-free kayaking is possible if one has a CLC SailRig. Thumbnail
CLC Kayak/Canoe SailRig Thumbnail
Kayak is ready, sail of the CLC SailRig is up, waiting for just a bit more wind. Thumbnail
Even when the wind is calm, the CLC SailRig adds stability to a kayak, so that one can paddle hard without fear of tipping their craft. Thumbnail
In Appling, Georgia, a kayak with a furled CLC SailRig rests until the next sail over the lake. Thumbnail

Specifications

Length
10' 0"
Beam
120"
Hull Weight
50 lbs.

Performance

Stability

5 out of 5
Very Tippy
Very Stable

Speed

4 out of 5
Cruiser
Racer

Payload

3 out of 5
Day Tripper
Freight Hauler

Ease of Construction

4 out of 5
Requires Patience
Very Easy
One can just see the leeboard peeking out below the windward ama as this sailor is enjoying a fast ride under a CLC SailRig.
One can just see the leeboard peeking out below the windward ama as this sailor is enjoying a fast ride under a CLC SailRig.

Overview

Kayaks are so easily driven that the urge to equip them for sailing must be as old as kayaks themselves. This neat trimaran-conversion kit, our CLC SailRig, first introduced in 1995, has been built in vast numbers. Read this article to learn about the entire decades-long evolution of the CLC SailRig.

The SailRig is adaptable to almost every kayak and canoe in our catalogue, and almost any production kayak or low-side canoe as well. Mounted on a single kayak, the acceleration is neck-snapping, with good handling both upwind and down, and a potential maximum speed of 9-knots. The 10' beam gives you monolithic stability, which means sail carrying power with no hiking out. The whole rig can be dismantled for cartopping in about 30 minutes. Altogether the components of the CLC SailRig have a total weight of just 30 lbs.

While the CLC-SailRig-equipped kayak is a proper sailboat by any measure, the beauty of the design is that you get your kayak back when you have finished sailing. Once the SailRig is removed, the only pieces left behind are four eyebolts and an easily hidden mast step. There are no bulky reinforcements or heavy gear that could get in your way. You also do not have to worry about the wind dying while you are under sail, because the aka (crossbeam) spacing permits a paddling stroke even with the SailRig in place.

Fast sailing kayak-trimarans open up all sorts of adventure possibilities. The compact kayak and the SailRig can be cartopped to some far-flung archipelago, assembled on the beach, loaded with gear, and sailed distances of 40 or so miles in eight hours, assuming the wind is right. If the wind dies, you paddle. In good weather, long crossings can be contemplated, and theoretically, you could make a 250-mile voyage in six days.

The CLC SailRig is available with three different sails, to suit different boats, conditions, and skill levels:

  • SailRig 40: A 40-sqft sail is more than enough for fast sailing in solo kayaks and canoes.

  • SailRig 55: The 55-sqft sail is a good fit for most double kayaks, or for pushing single kayaks a little harder.

  • SailRig 70: Unlike the 40 and 55, the 70-sqft sail requires strategic reinforcement of the host kayak to handle the loads, and a specially equipped mast (including sail track). This option should be reserved for sailors with some skill, and for kayaks with enough bow volume to handle high speeds without "submarining".

"The CLC rig will convert CLC-kit or other commercial kayaks to sailing kayaks and will reward home builders with a project that is both eye-catching and fun to sail." read entire review - Sea Kayaker magazine, April 2005

"The amas are perfect. Pretty, fast, no bad habits at all. In 25 knots of wind and beam reaching, they never dove even for a second, and if I sailed into a wave they popped up easily." - Kevin O’Neill, WaterTribe Cruising Challenge.

Buying Options

Choose Your Boatbuilding Experience

Building your kit starts with selecting the appropriate components for your build.

  1. Select Your Configuration

    Build From a Kit:
    Most builders will start with the Base Kit. If you plan to sail your new boat, you will also need to order the Sailing Component Kit.
    Build From Scratch:
    Source your own materials and hardware, and work from full-sized patterns.
    Build From a Wood Parts Only Kit:
    "Wood Parts Only" kit buyers have their own supply of epoxy, fiberglass, and hardware.
    Order Study Plans or Manuals:
    Like to study up a bit first? Download study plans or a copy of the assembly manual.

  2. Choose Options and Add-Ons

    Additional Components:
    If this is a rowing/sailing boat, you’ll need the Sailing Component Kit. You can also choose different sail colors, order a Line & Cordage Package, add nonskid decking, storage covers, and more.

  3. Get Building!

    Computer-cut kits feature all of the latest tweaks for easy assembly, including slot-together frames, pre-drilled holes for stitching-and-gluing, puzzle joints, and precision in the fitting of parts.

Standard Configuration

Nearly every builder will start with the Base Kit. If you plan to sail your new boat you will also need to order the Sailing Component Kit.

$1,785.00

The CLC SailRig kit includes plans & a heavily illustrate...

The CLC SailRig kit includes plans & a heavily illustrated 46-page step-by-step instruction manual, CNC-cut Okoume panels, bulkheads, crossbeam pre-cut mold & laminates, leeboard, epoxy kit, fiberglass, hardware, and aluminum mast tube.

You'll need a rudder, sail, and line (not included in the kit).

Alternative Configurations

We also offer the Wood Parts Kit as a stand alone option. Typical wood parts only kit buyers have an existing or ready supply of their own epoxy, fiberglass, and hardware.

$425.00

This package, ideal for plans builders, gets you the CNC-cut ...

This package, ideal for plans builders, gets you the CNC-cut marine-grade 3mm okoume plywood parts for the CLC SailRig's two 10-foot amas.  That's decks, sides, and bilge panels. Parts are puzzle-jointed on our machinery and ready to assemble.  Also includes cypress sheer clamps and CNC-cut 9mm bulkheads.  A big time-saver if you're working from plans.

sailing kayak kit
$89.00

The plans-and-manual package for the CLC SailRig includes 10 ...

The plans-and-manual package for the CLC SailRig includes 10 pages of architectural drawings including layout diagrams for hull panels, bulkheads, crossbeams, and other components.  Plans include complete details for three different sail sizes.  The manual is fully illustrated and spiral-bound on 44 pages.  The current plans and manual release includes the 70-square-foot rig option.

This option is for builders who will be building from scratch. Builders working from a kit don't need this option.
$2.99

You can get printable study plans for most of your favorite ...

You can get printable study plans for most of your favorite kits and plans by return email --- for just a few dollars! 

When you order a set, you'll receive the study plans emailed in the form of PDFs at 8.5" x 11" (216x280mm).  

These printable drawings (most are two pages) help give a sense of the construction process and a feel for what the full-size plans or kit contain. Please note that a boat can not be built from Study Plans; they are to preview a project in print media; the Study Plans are an excellent broad-strokes look at the process. The subsequent escalation for more information is to order the boat's print instruction manual (where available), which will walk you through the project step-by-step.   

Upon placing the order, you'll receive an email with a link to the PDF.  Be sure to use the correct email address! If you have filters in place, ensure emails from "admin@clcboats.com" are not blocked.

Additional Options

The Sail Upgrade or our Line and Cordage Package are popular choices for many of our builders.

$1,575.00

A very powerful sail for small multihulls such as the CLC Sai...

A very powerful sail for small multihulls such as the CLC SailRig. May be retrofitted to boats originally fitted with SailRig 40 or 55 rigs, but you must reinforce the mast step to manage the higher loads. You will also need to order the SailRig 70 "Mast Upgrade Package."  Unlike the 40 and 55 rigs, this sail is raised and lowered with a halyard.  The 70-square-foot sail includes 5/8" luff slides, battens, and TWO sets of reef points. (Only one row is shown in the diagram below.)


Sail for kayaks


sail for kayak
$639.00

55 square feet.  Ideal for tandems or very fast singles. Incl...

55 square feet.  Ideal for tandems or very fast singles. Includes upper full-length batten, and is intended to be used without a boom, though a boom can improve offwind performance.  The sail is sleeved to fit over a 1.5" O.D. mast tube.

 
$480.00

40 square feet.  Ideal for singles or smaller boats. Includes...

40 square feet.  Ideal for singles or smaller boats. Includes upper full-length batten.  Sleeved to fit over 1-1/2" mast tubes.

 
$399.00

A stiffer mast to handle the loads of the SailRig 70 sail.  I...

A stiffer mast to handle the loads of the SailRig 70 sail.  Includes 20 feet of 6061-T6 tube in three pieces with internal sleeves, halyard sheave for top, 5/8" stainless external mast track, and stainless rivets.  You'll drill and rivet the track to the mast.  

This is an oversized item that will require a shipping quote.  Intended to be a added as a mast upgrade to the complete kit.  
$245.00

Straightforward wood-epoxy rudder kit, adaptable to most kaya...

Straightforward wood-epoxy rudder kit, adaptable to most kayak sterns (especially the more upright sterns).  Kit includes CNC cut Okoume plywood rudder head & rudder blade, solid timber rudder yoke, "star knob," and attachment hardware.  This is the rudder shown in the CLC SailRig plans.  You'll need to assemble the parts with epoxy, shape the foil, and apply paint or varnish.   Timber push-pull tiller handle (3/4" x 1"x 96") and epoxy not included. 

kayak sailing rudder
$295.00

Dan W. attached the CLC SailRig to his 'plastic' canoe.
Dan W. attached the CLC SailRig to his 'plastic' canoe.

What builders are saying

Last year, after just two days of sea trials, I sailed my Chesapeake 17LT with the CLC Kayak/Canoe SailRig from Cabrillo Beach, California, out to Catalina Island. It was a wet 36-mile trip in seas but the kayak was completely safe and I felt secure the entire nine-hour voyage. It took so long because for most of the way, I sailed and nosedived through the five- to seven-foot swells coming from the northwest and two-to four-foot swells from the southwest. It was rough enough that the leeboard snapped along the way, even though I had two reefs in in the sail.

The return trip also took nine hours because I had to paddle a good part of the way home. But after I cleared the shipping lane, I was resting when I heard blue whales start making noises under me and the boat literally went into harmonic vibration at one point. I was convinced that something about to run me over. Soon though, the winds picked up and sailed me to Newport.

I have since made a new leeboard since then and have been sailing in my home state of Colorado.

Matt S. | CO
Verified Builder

Andy and I went on a glorious vacation last week to East Tawas Bay on Lake Huron.  We stayed at a great cottage with a beach area the size of a football field.  We were able to beach our kayak down by the water when we were not sailing it.  It was an awesome week to go kayaking!  Our highest sailing speed with our CLC Kayak/Canoe SailRig was 5.8 knots!  Andy spent hours on the bay and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Thanks to everyone who put together our kayak kit.  It was a great project for Andy and a wonderful “investment” for both of us.  We will always keep our “B MARIE.”

Andy and Barbara W. | MI
Verified Builder

I put a CLC Kayak/Canoe SailRig Mk 2 on my Chesapeake 17 kayak and took her sailing on Lake Sammamish, just east of Seattle. I built both kayak and rig from your kits over an extended period of time. The boat performed very well and was fun to sail once a breeze came up. I look forward to sailing her on Lake Washington and Puget Sound in the not too distant future. Thank you for creating these great designs and kits!

Martin S. | WA
Verified Builder

I had adapted your CLC Kayak/Canoe SailRig for my canoe and it works great! I sailed to D'Arcy Island, which is close to Sidney, British Columbia. Formerly a leper colony, D'Arcy is now part of the Canadian Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, and not far from James and Sidney Islands. Not a great sailing day but perfect otherwise. Thanks for all the great designs and excellent customer service. 

Dan W | BC
Verified Builder

Videos

Kaymaran very low wind Mudeford 2015 11 01

Sailing kayak with CLC Sailrig MK2

Kayak sailing with clc rig 360 mode

Chesapeake Light Craft Sail Rig

CLC Sailrig Build Project

Frequently Asked Questions

Would a center board help the MKII kayak sailrig point higher into the wind? That is, putting the centerboard, or daggerboard as it were thru the keel line of the kayak as opposed to the aka mounted swiveling one.

Yes, a centerboard will be a little more efficient for windward work. We have a kayak here in the rafters that has a daggerboard trunk for this reason. That one is known to sail well, but so do the ones with the stock leeboard arrangement. Just remember that once you put in a centerboard trunk, you've compromised the kayak's kayak-ness. Extra weight, drag from the trunk opening, etc.

Classes

We offer classes for many of the boats we sell. Teaching sites stretch from Maryland to Washington State and from Maine to California. Click here to find out more.

View Classes

Related Products

Need Help Building it?

We’re here to help with any questions you might have during the build process.

Phone

Available Mon – Fri, 9am–5pm EST

410.267.0137

Email

We answer emails 7 days a week and within 24 hours

Contact Support

Chat

Available Mon – Fri, 9am–5pm EST

Start Chat