Boat profile: Quetico Sailing Canoe (built by Solway Dory) - Mark Whitelock

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Mark Whitelock completed the 2018 Raid NL with a Whitewater Prospector canoe. Now he is back with a new weapon: a carbon/kevlar beauty called Lauren Lou.

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Which design did you choose?

My Solway dory built Quetico paddle/sailing canoe is a carbon kevlar compact tandem paddling canoe designed by John Winters, and adapted for sailing by Solway dory. I understand this was the first one they had adapted for sailing.

I was not looking for speed but I wanted a light canoe that

• could be easily loaded onto a car, and if necessary carried to a launch site.

• could be strpped from the sailing rig and used as a tandem paddling canoe.

• would be comfortable, cruising forthe day on multi day trips.

• would have better directional stability than my previous Whitewater Prospector canoe

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How do you sail without a rudder?

The boat is a narrow canoe even by canoe standards and with no rudder a small is sail is sufficient and makes for a well balanced boat. I am very pleased with the performance both paddling and sailing.

Having previously sailed a Whitewater prospector canoe, I was looking for less rocker and better directional stability. The asymmetric hull has a narrower waterline entry and wider aft sections which help tracking ability

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Where do you plan to sail Lauren Lou?

I am an active mem-ber of the open canoe sailing group, and I try to go to as many meets around England as possible, I also sail on the south coast of England, and the Bristol channel and also travelled to the Netherlands and Brittany.