Best Kayak Sail – Top 9 Kayak-Friendly Kits For Catching The Wind

Paddling is fun and all – but now and then, you’ll find yourself wishing someone else would do the hard work for you while you just sit back and enjoy the ride. 

Now, that sounds lovely, doesn’t it? 

Well, technically speaking, there’s a way to make the winds work to your advantage – and it involves fitting your kayak with a sail. 

If you haven’t tried kayak sailing before, trust me: 

These things can be incredibly convenient – in more ways than one. 

The only issue is, how do you pick the best kayak sail? What should you focus on when browsing the market? And how do you know it will fit your needs? 

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. This guide is about to answer your questions – and offer a few kayak sail reviews and recommendations, too! 

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In A Rush? The Winner After 40 Hours Of Research: 

Are Kayak Sails Any Good? Benefits Of Using A Kayak With Sail

Adding a sail to your kayak creates a whole new experience. I don’t expect you to take my word for it, though – which is why I figured I should start by discussing the numerous benefits of doing so. 

If you ever wondered ‘how fast can a sailing kayak go’, the answer is – pretty darn fast. The boost in speed from a good kayak sail comes with an additional advantage, though – you don’t have to put in the extra effort. 

So, you get to cover longer distances faster AND give your muscles a much-needed break from paddling?

“Where do I sign up,” right? 

If you’re kayak touring, for example, using a sail to make the wind work in your favor would give your arms a rest and take some of the strain off – allowing you to reach your destination without getting completely exhausted. 

You also get to travel further without dreading the whole “now I have to paddle back” part of your outing, too. Paddle as far as you’d like – then let the wind carry you back to where you started. If that doesn’t sound convenient, I don’t know what will. 

Oh, and let’s not forget about anglers: 

The sail will be the secret weapon that kicks things up a notch if you’re into kayak fishing. 

And despite what you might think, they’re easy to set up and control, too. To prove my point, here’s a quick guide on how do you fold a wind sail: 

How To Use and Fold the Kayak Sail？

Kayak Sailing Tips 

If this is your first time trying to harness wind power with a kayak, chances are you’re not going to be an overnight success. But with a little practice and the right tips, your kayak will become a wind-powered machine in no time! 

The following video should help get you started on the path to becoming a successful kayak sailor.

Small Craft Advisory - How to Sail a Kayak

How To Choose The Best Kayak Sail: Things To Consider

Okay, given what we’ve talked about so far, can you see why I’m so excited to help you choose a sail kit for your ‘yak? 

These things are beyond practical; you’d be silly not to use them to your advantage. That brings us to the next major question: 

How do you choose the best kayak sail? 

Types Of Kayak Sail 

There are several types of kayak sails, meaning the design is definitely something you want to consider here when you start your search. 

I’ll cover the three main designs below so that you can decide what works best for your kayak – and we’ll go from there.  

Circle-Shaped Sails

Circle-shaped sails are – well, shaped like a circle. You could probably guess that based on their name, huh? 

So, how about I tell you something you might not know about them? 

The circular shape and overall style are more similar to a parasail than a traditional sailboat sail and allow them to be set up much like a pop-up tent. That alone makes them super-easy to use and store on a smaller vessel – such as a kayak. 

The best part is that they’re generally beginner-friendly – an excellent fit for paddlers who are yet to master basic sailing techniques. Oh, and most come with a handy “window” that allows you to see through the center of your sail. 

I should warn you, though: 

They’re designed to be used in one direction only; you can only use them in downwind sailing conditions due to limited mobility. 

Tall L-Shaped Sails 

L-shaped sails – they also go under the name of “free-standing kayak sails,” by the way – are the most advanced out of the bunch. They mimic the way an actual sail, like the one you’d find on a sailing boat, works. 

So, if you want the kayak-friendly edition of the “real deal,” this could be it. 

I feel I should remind you that L-shaped sails are anything but beginner-friendly; they’re way too technical for that. 

Experienced kayakers will love them, though! 

Thanks to their highly maneuverable design, you get to control your direction of travel and take advantage of the conditions, regardless of where the wind might be coming from at the moment. 

Also, the sails in this category typically feature a centrally-fitted mast coupled with a boom – the horizontal pole that holds the base of the sail down.

V-Shaped Sails

Okay, following the principle of the circle-shaped sails, could you guess how the V-shaped ones got their name? That’s right – the top-heavy shape resembles the letter “V,” as in, the majority of the sail’s area is at the top, with the narrower area at the lower end. 

The sails are also known as the downwind spinnaker – which, again, has a perfectly reasonable explanation: 

The wide-bellied sail allows you to pick up more speed when you’re facing downwind. 

However, as it turns out, that’s also their main disadvantage – since they’re so top-heavy, strong gusts of wind could easily tip your kayak over. Plus, facing into the wind renders the sail virtually useless because they don’t change directions that easily. 

What Are Kayak Sails Made From? 

The second most important choice you’ll have to make is related to the material. The good news is that your options are generally “limited” to three standard options – plastic, laminated cloth, or carbon fiber and aluminum for the mast – so it’s not like you’ll be overwhelmed with choices. 

That said, choose wisely. 

Plastic 

Modern-day kayak sails are generally made of plastic. This material is the go-to choice because it’s lightweight, flexible, but still durable enough – although it might not last as long as laminated cloth. But that’s a different story; I’ll get to it in a moment. 

One disadvantage of plastic sails is that they require regular cleaning – and when I say “regular,” I mean after every use, especially if used in saltwater, to prevent degradation and splitting. 

They are budget-friendly, though – and that’s always a plus for sailing kayaks beginners. 

Laminated Cloth

Cloth would be the more “traditional” sail material – something you’ll generally find in some older models of kayak sails and L-shaped sails in particular. 

Laminated cloth boasts higher tensile strength compared to plastic, which, in turn, means that it can withstand higher winds without getting ruptured. 

What about the downsides? 

Well, kayak sails constructed out of laminated cloth tend to be thick and heavy – especially when they get wet – making them harder to put up and take down while you’re on a kayak. 

Carbon Fiber & Aluminum

Not to play favorites here, but carbon fiber is, hands down, the best choice of material for a sail – period. It’s strong, durable, lightweight, incredibly resistant to damage; it’s everything you’d want in a kayak sail. 

But being the definition of “high-quality,” kayak sails made of carbon fiber tend to be on the more expensive side, too. You get to decide whether that’s a deal-breaker for you or not, though. 

And where does the aluminum fit in? 

If the kayak sail calls for a mast – remember, the L-shaped variety has them – it will be made of either carbon fiber or lightweight aluminum. Oh, and in case you were wondering, circular sails, which often feature a supporting rod called the “batten” instead of a mast, will use plastic. 

Best Kayak Sails Of 2022 – Reviewed & Rated

Conclusion 

Okay, I think that’s about it when it comes to kayak sailing kits. The only thing left to do now is taking a moment to weigh your options and choose the best kayak sail for your needs. 

I think I’ve made it pretty apparent which of these is my favorite – the ADVANCED ELEMENTS Rapid Up Kayak Sail Kit. I mean, it’s reasonably priced, suitable for a wide range of kayaks, and features an internal spring that makes deployment a breeze; that’s more than enough for me. 

That said, your needs might be different than mine. So, as always, I encourage you to consider what you want – and choose accordingly. Any kayak sail kit I showed you today can be a worthy option; it all depends on what you need. 

Feature image by Patrick Forrester (CC BY 2.0)