Adding a sail to your kayak can create a whole new and very pleasurable experience. There are lots of advantages to using a kayak sail and very few negatives.
There used to be very few models to chose from that worked for inflatable kayaks and in my opinion they either weren’t all that great or were very expensive.
However there are several more on the market now and far more variance in quality, performance and price.
The kayak sails come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There are definitely enough choices to suit everyone’s needs.
Advantages
Some fairly common advantages for most kayak sails are:
- You can give your arms a rest. You can paddle further in one direction and then let the wind carry you back to where you started.
- They can be great for fishing as you will have unrestricted movement.
- Using a kayak sail can be an excellent way to learn how to sail before you move on to a larger type of sail boat.
- Most of them break down quite small so they can be easily sowed away in the bow or stern and when not in use stored in a closet.
- Setup is very easy – depending on the sail it can take anywhere from 1 minute to 10 minutes
- They are portable so you can bring them anywhere.
- Many are very maneuverable so you can adjust them depending on your needs.
- Certain models will provide shade as well as protection from the rain.
- Most of all, they are super fun as you can glide through the water in the wind with little to no effort… and taking on waves is a blast.
Disadvantages
There are only a couple of disadvantages that I can think of.
1. They can sometimes obstruct your view. Some of the smaller sails that sit at the front of your kayak will limit your view a little bit. However many of them have a viewing window so you can still see through.
2. The larger and more high performance sails are not cheap, they can sometimes cost as much as your kayak. For these high-end sails, I think you have to really be into it in order to pay the cost.
For the rest of us who may be a little bit more recreational in our sailing adventures, there are several cheaper options that are still excellent quality and work quite well.
Sails That Work with Inflatable Kayaks
Below is a list of the sails that work great with inflatable kayaks.
Sail Boats To Go Kayak Sails
These guys are great and have a number of different options. They have many examples of sails that work great with inflatable kayaks.
Their most popular sail rig that works with just about any kayak (inflatable or not) is the Any Kayak upwind Sail Rig with Stabilizer.
It attaches with straps and makes your kayak into a complete sail boat. The length is adjustable from 5 – 7 feet long. It is priced around $799.
Click Here To See The SailBoatsToGo Sail Options.
Sea Eagle Kayak Sails
Sea Eagle is a manufacturer of inflatable kayaks and boats so their sails are specific for inflatables.
Their QuickSail Universal Kayak Sail is one of my favourite. It offers much more than many of the cheaper models but is not as advanced as the more expensive sails mentioned above.
It is really a great product and this would be my personal choice for a kayak sail as someone who would be using it only occasionally.
It is 14 Sq. ft., has a strong aluminum frame, is self-standing and only weighs 3 lbs. With this product you are able to sail up to 7 knots and you can use your paddle as a rudder.
The QuickSail will work with just about any kayak out there. It is priced at $139.
Click Here To Learn More About the Sea Eagle Kayak Sails From the Official Website.
Advanced Elements RapidUp Kayak Sail
Advanced Elements makes a product called The RapidUp Kayak Sail for their inflatable kayaks. The nice thing about this one is that it is so compact and small.
The design is different than a normal sail, it has more of a round shape that conforms to your kayak deck.
This one does block your view a bit but there is a fairly large window in front as well as two side windows that also help. It folds into a disk shape and can be easily stored in your kayak.
The design of this one makes it fun and convenient to use but it is really best suited for low winds.
The price for the RapidUp Sail is quite good and the product is fairly durable. It is not quite as versatile as a taller sail but it is certainly easy to use.
This sail comes with a storage bag, 2 quick connect stabilization lanyards, 1 quick connect dousing lanyard and 1 carabiner base clip. It will work with most inflatable kayaks and is priced at around $100.
Click Here For The Best Prices For the Advanced Elements RapidUp Kayak Sail on Amazon.com.
To Sum It Up…
There are other sails out there that are specifically geared for hard shell kayaks. Some of them might work for inflatable kayaks depending on how they attach to the kayak.
If D-rings are all you need, those can easily be added if you don’t have any.
Other types of sails with different attachments can possibly work as well with a little creative maneuvering.
However the products listed above are all ideal for different types of inflatable boats including kayaks and canoes and are suited for a variety of different needs.
One problem I have is that when my round sail falls in the water it fills up with water and is too heavy to retrieve.
Hello, Does any one know if harmony serenity sail kt is still available?
Sailboatstogo is a scam! Terrible products at insane priced. I paid nearly a thousand dollar for their sailling kit and had to threw away after a week. No return. Lost $1000 for my stupidity.
My Sea Eagle Fast Track is equipped with a kayaksailor main and jib. It has lee boards and is attached to d-rings. I’ve had it for 4 yrs, performs well, sails on all points of sail and the company gives great service. Check out kayaksailor site. Mike
I’m going to get to try out Kayak Sailor in about a month. I’ll let you know how that is. Like Sailboats to Go, it is one of the only options that allows boats to tack upwind. And it turns out that there’s a place that has one right near where my family vacations every year in New Hampshire. Meant to be.
Sounds awesome, definitely let me know how it goes and what you think of it!
Hi
How does the SE QuickSail compare to the AE RapidUp sail for use in the ocean?
I am considering the SE FastTrack and I thought the QuickSail looks quite unstable considering that it is not “inserted” and thus not as secured as the tie-down method used by the RapidUp.
I actually prefer the Quicksail over the RapidUp sail. I know from the pictures the Quicksail doesn’t look that stable but it is and it works great. It actually does secure to the D-rings on the kayak and can handle quite a bit of wind. To me it feels more solid and more well made than the RapidUp sail. Neither are high-end sails but for the price it does the trick. Hope that helps.