The Shearwater- £3000
Shearwater is a solo or two person decked expedition sailing canoe
- LOA 16ft.
- Beam 40in.
- Approximate stripped weight 90lbs.
- Approximate rigged weight 120lbs.
- Side decks for easy sitting out.
- Adjustable seats for one or two people.
- Side buoyancy for easy capsize recovery.
- Flat decks to make it cartoppable
- Watertight hatches fore and aft for safe stowage of gear
- Choice of sailing rig
- ideal small boat for one or two persons
Shearwater is supplied with a 5sq m Bermudan sail as standard, or can be fitted with a 44sq ft Bermudan (smaller and less tippy).Shearwater can also be supplied with a lugsail ketch rig, or a Bermudan ketch rig. Shearwater uses the well proven Avocet hull but has a deck and a cockpit. We have made the cockpit sides parallel and this has enabled us to fit seats which can easily be moved fore and aft so as to adjust the trim for one or two people. This can be done in seconds even on the water.
The side buoyancy tanks enable the boat come up empty after capsize recovery and the side decks provide a comfortable place to sit. Decks fore and aft keep the waves out and enclose dry lockers with large waterproof hatches.
The leeboard and bracket can easily be removed on the water to allow for easier paddling if the wind dies. The deck makes Shearwater more seaworthy than Avocet. We think that when Shearwater is fitted with outriggers she is almost as seaworthy as Osprey.
In a break with tradition we have put a flat deck on Shearwater which enables the boat to be carried upside down on a roof rack. We offer a dedicated portage trolley for launching and recovering the canoe. It is compact enough to take with you to protect your canoe when you land on a distant shore, and makes it easier to get it up the beach above the high water mark.
Of course there is a disadvantage to the decks... they add some weight. This is not a problem on the water but may be when you come to lift the boat. (On balance, for the sort of sailing we want to do, we prefer having the decks).
Without the rig the canoe can be paddled easily with a single or double bladed paddle (above). Shearwater is fitted with a 5sq m rig as standard. This gives a sparkling performance which will not be out of place at your local sailing club. Alternatively, you can have a 44sq ft Bermudan, a Bermudan ketch or a lugsail ketch.
The 5sq m Bermudan rig is an appropriate cruising rig on this boat because it can so easily be reefed.
