Sailing Canoe Algonquin

Elegant and Simple

Article by John Haugen

“Elegant and Simple” is what he said when describing my sailing canoe. Coming from equal parts artist and sailor it was high praise. Other adjectives have not been so kind, or simply confusing. “What sort of contraption do you have there?” Or, “Oh, that is so cute!” For the most part though, the beauty of my canoe has never been questioned. People stop, stare, and want to talk about the boat. Add a well-designed sail rig to it and a passersby becomes even more animated. It’s not something you see every day and most people with any imagination at all will want some information. Not a problem really. I love to look at boats, paddle boats, sail boats, and talk about boats. That is until I hoist the sail, slide the canoe into the water, drop the leeboard and rudder, pick a heading, and let the wind move me toward the horizon. I have done this hundreds of times, and each time the excitement runs deep into my soul.