Lateen rigged john?

I am dying to sail again. I can't stand having to rely on an outboard motor and an unrowable john for my tender on my live aboard sailboat. I have a 12 foot johnboat with like a 3.5 foot beam at widest, and I also have a v-boat about 10 feet. I am wondering if anyone has ever tried to put a lateen rig on a johnboat. I know I will ave to make a rudder. I think I could do it without a centerboard by making leeboards. Dutch sailing barges were flat, and made up for lack of keel with leeboards, an overhanging counterbalance. What do y'all think

Don't know til you try. Sounds good in theory.

There have been zillions of leeboard boats built over the years.

That said, there is a ready market for your tin boats. And, probably, a ton of small dinghy type sailboats are available too. Harder to find, that is for sure.

I'd sell the aluminum boats and buy a sailing dinghy. Most things work best when they do the job for which they were built.

richg99

I have a 14' lateen rigged sunfish, in order to get enough wind with a single sail an efficient lateen rig uses a large enough sail that I would be worried about capsizing in moderate wind in a light tin with no centerboard. I agree that a dory or sailing dinghy would handle better under sail. Are you on a dock or mooring? I would hate to rely on the wind as my only way on to my liveaboard! I have seen, however, the grumman canoes from the 70's and 80's which had a ruddered lateen rig with sideboard as an option, but I think these were mainly for calm, fresh water.

After relocating I found the inshore waters to be full of sand bars and oyster rakes and not suited for sailing. Not being able to afford a sailing vessel suited for offshore I settled for a 16' skiff with 25 hp. to fish the rivers and creeks but I do miss the sound of wind through the sails. It is great just to be on the water but it's not sailing. Your project sounds interesting and if you decide to do it please post some pics.

I rigged a lug sail for my 12foot flat bottom, lee boards and a rudder are easy to do, wasn't fast, but I could troll for walleye in her.