Sails

I've had both the 1.5 and 1.0m² PA sails over the years. The 1.5 was run on my Prijon Marlin - a fast enough boat under paddle-power although deploying it in 25kts on a straight downwind run clocked me at 15kts. Alternating between yells of exhiliration..and girly squeals of terror!

I sold that one when I moved the Prijon on and got a 1.0 for my fishing and touring yaks, less punchy but still skips along nicely and less deck clutter around the cockpit.

Recommend fitting permanent anchors if you're going to use it more than occassionally, really makes a difference. Composites may need a simple layup of carbon mat under the foredeck for strength, if the sail rocks from side to side, the straps aren't cranked up enough.

Would I buy another? Absolutely.

I run a number of PA sails and will be switching up to a larger one this summer. At the moment I run the PA_s110 the 1.1 meter sail and I run this on a Prijion Seayak for 6 years now no problems. I have no trouble with the sail furled and laying on deck. I could see it being a problem as some folks buy large sails and mount them on shorter kayaks and things could them be crowded. A bit of thought when mounting is handy. I taped my rig to the boat took it out and sailed it on 3 of the 5 points of sail and when to shore and bolted it into place. I like these sails so much I am now a dealer...

I bought the smaller sail several years ago for my Wilderness Systems Sealution II XL. It is wonderful. I had little difficulty installing it or sailing it (I have been sailing a long time). The one drawback which could be a safety hazard is that the bungee which acts as a forestay and allows the masts to be held on deck and raised at will became abraded by the metal fairlead and had to be replaced. The company could have smoothed that metal piece's "throat." If the bungee breaks while under tension it could be bad news.

The Good
I am very hard to impress and at a price of about $350 US taxed and shipped for the 1 meter sail I turn into impossible to impress. The sail impressed me. A lot, frankly. All components are of the highest quality. Workmanship is flawless. The design is right on and is a snap to learn to use. Easy to set up and take down, I have trained a 12 yr old and a 15 yr old to use it well with just a two minute class. Most of that two minutes was spent impressing the importance of speed in striking the sail and securing it to the bungie. Everyone I have taken out sailing in my double baidarka has been a non paddler and absolutely had a blast. It is especially cool when the hull starts to make that gurgling sound as water passes under it. I went out on a test sail in very high winds and the kayak rocketed along comfortably. I was advised to modify the rig a bit and did. I replaced the original sail control line or sheet with two ten foot pieces of sheet material. I installed two deck clamcleats. All of this really helped and cost an additional $30. Sail control was simplified, became more precise and physically easier.

The Bad
The only strong criticism of the PA sail concerns the instructions for installation. As a person who has built four kayaks from kits and a Melonseed sailboat from a line drawing and not much else I found the PA sail instructions almost useless. I went on line and looked at photos of installed PA rigs to wing it as best I could. A critical step to pay attention to is mounting the twin sail posts that hold the sail erect. You must ensure that the twin posts, which look like your fingers making a peace sign, are spread out as far as possible so the sail sets flat. This will take two helpers or some jury rigging to hold the posts away from each other. The posts are then permanently set at this angle with a pair of screws bisecting the posts. Get it wrong and you either have to redrill the posts possibly weakening them or live with your error.

I would spend the money again in a heartbeat.

I regularly paddle and freedive off the coast of Southern California and have used the 1.5 m PA sail on my Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro for the past year. I am completely hooked on the sail and use it on virtually every paddle. The main benefit to me is that the sail has easily doubled my range, and I now routinely paddle-sail between 10-20 miles with relatively little effort. That may not seem far to some of you, but try paddling a fully-loaded Scupper Pro for that distance. It can and has been done, I am sure, but it's like pulling a dead horse through deep snow. In any event, it's all relative. If you installed a PA sail on your narrow SINK and your normal paddling range was 20 miles, your range would very likely increase to 40 miles, and so on.
Here are some of things I really like about the sail:

1. The PA sail is totally hands-free and allows me to paddle without obstruction while sailing. This is key because I am first and foremost a kayaker and, well, I like to paddle. If I wanted to sail only, I'd buy a sailboat.
2. The PA sail works in a broad range of conditions, in winds from 5 mph all the way to 20+ mph. It can be sailed dead downwind, or it can -- contrary to what the other reviewer appears to believe (a common misconception) - be sailed on a beam reach (90 degrees to the wind). This means that unless I head upwind (which I try to avoid by starting out early in the morning), the wind is now my best friend. The more wind, the better. It's a totally new kayaking paradigm.
3. The PA sail has flexible rigging allowing the sail to depower itself in strong winds or gusts. This makes for very stable paddle-sailing. I have not managed to capsize yet, and don't feel any more at risk of capsizing with the sail than without the sail. One reason may be that the added speed also adds stability to the boat. On a beam reach, the sail pulls the boat forward, lifting the bow over the swells. Even with a 12-15 knot breeze right on the beam I feel quite secure, sailing several miles offshore sometimes. In low winds, I sometimes sail while lying down facing aft with my feet on the rear hatch. I know it sounds a bit over the top, but on a Scupper Pro it's really quite comfortable and safe. It's a great way to take a break without stopping (conditions permitting).
4. The PA is extremely light, easy to install and uninstall (I have done it on the water in 20 knots once), and does not get in the way of paddling when not in use. In fact, I sometimes wrap extra clothing inside the rolled-up sail that I would otherwise have to stow in the hatches.
5. The PA sail can be raised and lowered instantaneously. This means I can convert from a pure paddlecraft into a paddle and/or sailing craft in just a matter of seconds. If the wind becomes too much (or dies), the sail can be rolled up and tied down just as quickly. Aside from being utterly safe, this design is also convenient and user-friendly. Like most kayakers, I am not fond of complicated rigging, lines, etc.

So what are the downsides, you are wondering? Frankly, I don't see any. Well, except maybe the "cheating factor." Hardcore sea kayakers may scoff at the idea of using a sail for the same reasons they abhor the idea of outriggers or motors, etc. In other words, the PA sail (or any kayak sail) could be viewed as a crutch of sorts. And perhaps it is. But if so, it's one heck of a fun and effective crutch. Imagine there was a crutch that enabled you to run twice as far with half the effort and double the fun. Would you still turn it down?