Sail-oars are on the rise! It must be said that these minimalist boats combine a whole bunch of advantages: a traditional silhouette, ease of storage, transport and use. Their weight makes them easy to handle and they can be rigged in a few minutes. They are often marine enough for day trips with the family. A sensible choice for those who want to have fun on the water while limiting constraints.
Traditional style and rigging
Most sail and oar boats are inspired by traditional canoes, which gives them an attractive silhouette. This is further enhanced by the "old fashioned" rigs that give a different feel once you discover how to operate them. These third party rigs are not just for show, they are also extremely easy to operate.
Speed of implementation
A sail and oar boat often weighs less than 250 kg, which allows one person to handle it on the slipway. The mast is usually installed without shrouds. The boat is rigged and ready to sail in about ten minutes. This ease of use allows improvised trips as often as desired.
Easy to transport
A light trailer is enough and so is an equally light towing vehicle. No need for a 4x4. The trailer does not have a registration document and the insurance is that of the car. Here again, it is easy to hitch up on a whim for a trip to the sea or river. This is not the least advantage of this kind of boat that it is able to follow you wherever you go, whether it is on a mountain lake, or to discover a new body of water.
A garage space
Between two sailings, the boat can stay in a garage or even under its awning in the garden. There is no need for a berth or a place to keep the boat. This allows you to extend the sailing season when there is a stretch of water near you, but also to work on the boat at home.
Accessible construction
As these are simple and light boats, a certain number are built by their owners from plans or kits. Some boatyards offer all the plywood parts cut out by a numerically controlled machine, which offers a precision otherwise unattainable by an amateur. A few months of exciting work and your boat is ready to sail.
Boats to do everything
Even if the traditional shapes make up the vast majority of the fleet, there are boats with more gliding lines. There are also modern versions in polyester. All these boats have in common a maneuverability that allows them to do without engine, to "beacher" on a beach or to venture into the rias where others do not go.
Doing more with less, what better definition of minimalism? A sail and oar boat allows you to go "to the islands", to sail solo with or without wind. It knows how to be forgotten when not sailing and never be a burden for its owner. What other boat can say the same?
