Recognized Disciplines
Canoe Sailing
Canoe Sailing
The sport of canoe sailing began in the 19th century, but the modern International Canoe Federation (ICF) recognized discipline looks far different than its original form. At first, a canoe sailor sat in the canoe and used moveable lead ballast, but now an athlete will hike over the end of a sliding seat of a high-performance carbon fiber sailboat.
International canoe sailing competition began in 1886, but the first world championship was not held until 1961 in the UK. It has been held every three years since.
The boats are designed with a maximum length of 5.2 m (17 feet), a minimum width of 0.75 m (about 2.5 feet), 10 sqm (107 square feet) maximum sail area, minimum total sailing weight of 50 kg (110 lbs), and the distinctive sliding seat that allows the sailor to use their weight over 2 m (about 6.5 feet) from the centerline to counteract the force of the wind (ICF Contribution).
To obtain an ACA Class Sail (44 sq ft lateen sail), please contact Marilyn Vogel at 215-453-2909.
The 2020 World Championships have been postponed to January 2-8, 2023, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and will be held on Lake Macquarie in Australia.
To read the most recent edition of Canoe Sailor Magazine, please click here.